Previews of Premier League matches
LONDON: Match-by-match facts and statistics ahead of this weekend’s Premier League matches.
● TODAY
Brighton vs Everton
BRIGHTON are looking for their first Premier League win over Everton at their fourth attempt.
Chris Hughton’s Brighton ended a run of three defeats with a 1-1 draw against Arsenal last time out.
Everton’s 5-1 victory over Burnley on Wednesday was their first win in six league games this month.
Brighton’s Glenn Murray has eight league goals this season. Everton are eighth with 27 points after 19 games, while Brighton are 13th with 22.
Fulham vs Huddersfield
HUDDERSFIELD defeated Fulham in November for their first win of the season.
David Wagner’s side have managed only one more win since, a 2-0 victory at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Huddersfield have lost their last six league games to sit bottom of the table with 10 points.
Fulham, who are 19th, are without a victory in six games and have drawn their last two.
Fulham top-scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic has seven league goals this season but has not scored in the last six games.
Leicester vs Cardiff
LEICESTER have won their last two league matches, beating Chelsea and Manchester City.
Leicester defeated Cardiff 1-0 in November in their first match after the death of chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha in a helicopter crash.
With a 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace, Cardiff recorded their fourth clean sheet in the league this season.
Leicester have an opportunity to win three consecutive league games for the first time since December last year.
Cardiff sit three points and one spot above the relegation zone while Leicester are seventh.
Tottenham vs Wolverhampton WOLVES have failed to record a victory in their last five league meetings with Spurs.
Spurs have won their last five league games, scoring 17 goals and conceding three.
Spurs will activate a year-long extension option in Toby Alderweireld’s contract to keep him at the club until 2020.
Following a 5-0 win over Bournemouth, Spurs moved to second in the league and trail leaders Liverpool by six points.,
Wolves lost the reverse fixture 3-2 at the Molineux last month.
Watford vs Newcastle
WATFORD won six consecutive games against Newcastle in all competitions before losing 1-0 at St James’ Park last month.
Rafa Benitez’s Newcastle are 15th in the league, having managed one victory in their last six league matches.
Watford have recorded five wins and five defeats in their 10 home league matches this season.
Abdoulaye Doucoure and Jose Holebas have provided five assists each for Watford in the league this season.
Salomon Rondon has played a part in Newcastle’s last three league goals (two goals, one assist).
Liverpool vs Arsenal
LIVERPOOL are unbeaten in 19 league games, a club record in the Premier League era.
Liverpool are also unbeaten in their last 30 league matches at home.
Liverpool have scored at least three goals in their last five matches against Arsenal. Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leads the league’s goalscoring charts with 13. Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah has 12.
Arsenal have not won at Anfield in five encounters. Their last league win at Liverpool was a 2-0 victory in September 2012.
● TOMORROW Crystal Palace vs Chelsea
PALACE have lost their last two matches against Chelsea in the Premier League.
Chelsea’s Eden Hazard became the 10th player in the club’s history to score 100 goals in midweek.
Hazard, however, has not scored against Palace since a 1-0 league victory at Stamford Bridge in May 2015.
Palace have taken seven points in their last three matches, beating Leicester and Manchester City and drawing with Cardiff.
Fourth-placed Chelsea are two points clear of fifth-placed Arsenal and eight ahead of sixth-placed Manchester United
Burnley vs West Ham
BURNLEY have beaten West Ham only twice in nine Premier League matches, their last coming 3-0 at the London Stadium in March After finishing seventh last season, Burnley currently sit in the relegation zone in 18th with 12 points from 19 games.
Burnley goalkeeper Joe Hart has conceded 41 goals this season. Only in 2009-10, when at Birmingham City, did he ship more in one campaign.
Burnley have recorded just one win in their last 12 league matches.
Marko Arnautovic, Felipe Anderson and Javier Hernandez were on the scoresheet when West Ham won the reverse fixture 4-0 at the London Stadium last month.
Southampton vs Manchester City
MANCHESTER City have won their last four league encounters against Southampton.
City have suffered consecutive league games loss for the first time since December 2016.
Six of City boss Pep Guardiola’s 11 Premier League defeats have come in the month of December.
City’s Bernardo Silva has had a hand in nine goals in his 18 league appearances this season (five goals, four assists) City have failed to keep a clean sheet in their previous nine games in all competitions.
Man United vs Bournemouth
MANCHESTER United are unbeaten against Bournemouth in their previous six league matches, last losing to them in December 2015.
Bournemouth’s leading goalscorer Callum Wilson has not scored in the last three league games.
United have not kept a clean sheet in six league games, conceding 10 goals in the process. United are undefeated in seven league home games following a 3-0 defeat by Tottenham in August.
Bournemouth have scored the most penalties in the league this season (5). — Reuters