...WEST BROM’S DEFENDERS PUTTING THEIR BODIES ON THE LINE FOR PULIS

AND OTHER THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THIS WEEKEND’S ACTION IN THE BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE

1 THERE’S a reason Tony Pulis has never been relegated in 24 years as a manager with nine different clubs — he gets total commitment from his players. Ben Foster made seven saves to earn the 0-0 draw at Sunderland which took Pulis’s West Brom to 40 points — and his defenders also blocked seven shots. Albion have put their bodies in front of 152 shots in the league this season — only Crystal Palace (154) have blocked more.

2 TOTTENHAM have been rotating their full backs all season because of the energy they use under Mauricio Pochettino’s system, but Kyle Walker proved at Anfield he can handle two games in a week. Four days after being one of five England players to play 90 minutes against Holland, the 25-year-old made 80 sprints as he tried to handle Philippe Coutinho. Walker ran 575 metres at top speed, by far the furthest sprint distance of any Premier League player this weekend.

3 KASPER SCHMEICHEL likes to let defenders Wes Morgan and Robert Huth deal with crosses — he caught just two of the 45 that Southampton swung in during Leicester’s 1-0 win. The son of Manchester United legend Peter averages just 1.25 catches per game this season.