Premier League Matchweek 32: what the stats say

Crystal Palace v Manchester City

Crystal Palace came from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with Manchester City in the reverse fixture in December. Only in 1992-93, 1994-95, and 2021-22 have they avoided defeat in both Premier League meetings with the Citizens in a season.

Man City are unbeaten in their last eight Premier League away games against Crystal Palace (W6 D2), since a 2-1 loss in April 2015. They’ve kept six clean sheets and conceded just two goals in that run.

Crystal Palace have failed to score in any of their last four Premier League home games against Man City, with Luka Milivojevic in April 2019 the last Eagles player to score against them at Selhurst Park.

Man City have kept just one clean sheet in their last nine Premier League away games against London sides (W5 D1 L3), though that was at Crystal Palace in March last year (1-0). They had kept a clean sheet in eight of their previous 11 visits to the capital before this.

Having won just one of their first nine Premier League home games this season (D3 L5), Crystal Palace have now won three of their last five at Selhurst Park (D1 L1). They’ve scored exactly three goals in all four of their home league wins this season.

After a run of just one win in five Premier League away games between September and December (D2 L2), Man City have since won five of their last six on the road (D1). They’ve come from behind to win in four of those five victories.

Crystal Palace managed just three shots and an xG of 0.19 against Bournemouth last time out, both lows for the Eagles in a Premier League match this season. Indeed, two of the three games they've had four or fewer shots this season have come under Oliver Glasner (also four v Spurs last month).

Eberechi Eze has netted five goals in eight home games for Crystal Palace in the Premier League this season; the last Englishman to score more at home in a top-flight campaign for the Eagles was Andrew Johnson in 2004-05 (11).

Phil Foden has scored five goals in his last five Premier League away games for Man City. He has six in total on the road this season, only netting more in a single campaign in 2020-21 (7).

Premier League, scoring four and assisting three. However, he’s not scored in any of his last four such games, his longest run without a goal on the road in the competition.

Aston Villa v Brentford

Villa have won two of their last three league games against Brentford (D1), having been winless in eight against the Bees before this (D4 L4).

Brentford have never won away against Aston Villa in the league, drawing five and losing three of their eight visits to Villa Park.

The team scoring first has won just one of the five Premier League meetings between Aston Villa and Brentford (D2 L2), with the Villans winning 4-0 in this exact fixture last season under Aaron Danks.

Aston Villa have won all four of their Premier League games on Saturday at 3pm this season, with these matches producing an average of 4.5 goals per game (18 in total – F12 A6).

Everton v Burnley

Everton are looking to complete their first league double over Burnley since 2018-19, having won 2-0 at Turf Moor in the reverse fixture.

Burnley have lost six of their eight Premier League away games against Everton, winning the others in October 2017 (1-0) and March 2021 (2-1).

This is the third meeting between Everton and Burnley in all competitions this season, with the Toffees winning 3-0 in the EFL Cup and 2-0 in the Premier League so far. The last time they beat a team three times in the same season while keeping a clean sheet each time was in 1995-96 against Blackburn.

Fulham v Newcastle United

Fulham have won just one of their last 10 Premier League games against Newcastle (D2 L7), a 1-0 home win in March 2014. They’ve failed to score on seven occasions in this run, netting just three goals overall.

Newcastle have won their last four Premier League games against Fulham – only against Tottenham (6), Burnley, Nottingham Forest and Sunderland (5 each) have they won more consecutively in the competition.

Having been unbeaten in all seven of their Premier League away games against London sides last season (W4 D3), Newcastle are winless in all four so far this term (D1 L3). They’ve lost their last three in a row, last losing more consecutively in the capital between January-April 2019 (4).

Luton Town v Bournemouth

Luton won their last home league game against Bournemouth, beating them 3-2 in the Championship in January 2022. They last won consecutive such games against them in meetings in October 1936 and October 1963.

Bournemouth came from 3-0 down to beat Luton 4-3 in the reverse fixture at the Vitality Stadium. They last did the league double over the Hatters in 2007-08 in League One, which included a 4-3 home win.

Luton Town are winless in their last four home Premier League games (D1 L3) since a 4-0 win over Brighton at Kenilworth Road in January. The Hatters have conceded first in all four games, having scored first in five of their previous seven on home soil.

Wolverhampton Wanderers v West Ham United

Wolves have won four of their seven Premier League home games against West Ham (D1 L2), with these wins coming in their last five such meetings. Only against Chelsea (5) and Fulham (6) have they won more at Molineux in the competition.

West Ham have won five of their last seven Premier League games against Wolves (L2), though both defeats in this run have come in their last two visits to Molineux.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have won six of their last nine home Premier League matches (D1 L2), including their last two at Molineux. They last won more consecutively at home in April and May last season (four in a row).

Brighton v Arsenal

Having won two of their first three Premier League home games against Arsenal (D1), Brighton have now lost two of their last three against them at the Amex (D1).

Arsenal are looking to complete the Premier League double over Brighton for the second time, previously doing so in the 2020-21 campaign.

Since losing 3-1 to West Ham United in August, Brighton are unbeaten in their last 12 home Premier League matches (W6 D6), their longest unbeaten run at the Amex in the competition.

Arsenal have kept a clean sheet in each of their last four away Premier League matches – only once in their league history have they kept five in a row, doing so between February and April 1997.

Brighton have won just three of their 18 Premier League games kicking off at 17:30 on a Saturday (D7 L8), however one of those wins did come in their most recent such fixture, beating Newcastle 3-1 in September last year. Meanwhile, three of Arsenal’s last four away Premier League defeats have come in games kicking off at 17:30 on a Saturday.

Since the turn of the year, Arsenal haven’t trailed for a single minute in any of their five away Premier League games, conceding the fewest goals (1), allowing the lowest xG against (2.26) and facing the fewest shots on target (5) on the road of any side in 2024.

Arsenal have lost just one of their last nine trips to the South Coast in the Premier League (W6 D2), a 1-0 loss at Southampton in April 2022, winning three of their last four such games (D1). Meanwhile, Brighton have lost just one of their last eight home league matches against London based sides (W5 D2), winning each of their last three in a row.

Brighton forward Danny Welbeck has scored in four of his last five starts against former side Arsenal in all competitions (4 goals), although each of his last three strikes against the Gunners have come at the Emirates.

Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard has had a hand in four goals across his six Premier League appearances against Brighton (2 goals, 2 assists), scoring and assisting in the Gunners’ 4-2 win at the Amex last season.

Arsenal’s David Raya could become the first Spanish keeper to keep a clean sheet in five consecutive away Premier League starts and the ninth different keeper to do so overall in the competition (Ederson the last to do so between February-April 2022).

Manchester United v Liverpool

Manchester United have won just one of their last 11 Premier League games against Liverpool (D4 L6), though it was in this exact fixture last season. They last won consecutive home league games against the Reds in September 2015.

The reverse fixture between Liverpool and Manchester United at Anfield ended 0-0 in December. The Reds haven’t failed to score in both league meetings with the Red Devils since 2007-08 (0-1 and 0-3 defeats).

Manchester United beat Liverpool 4-3 in the FA Cup quarterfinal at Old Trafford last month. Only in 2010-11 and 1998-99 have they won two home games against the Reds in the same campaign before.

Under Erik ten Hag, Manchester United have won four of their five home Premier League matches against teams starting the day in the top-four (L1), most recently defeating third-place Aston Villa 3-2 on Boxing Day.

Liverpool have won six of their last seven away Premier League matches (L1) – their previous six away wins before this run came over a period of 19 matches (W6 D7 L6).

Since enduring a run of failing to score in four out of five away games in all competitions between February and April 2023, Liverpool have scored in their last 26 away matches, netting 61 times. Only once in their history have they had a longer away scoring run, scoring in 28 in a row between January and December 2021.

Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah has scored in each of his last three Premier League away games against Manchester United, netting five goals in total. No visiting player has scored more at Old Trafford in the competition than Salah (5), while no visiting player has ever scored in four consecutive visits to the ground.

Marcus Rashford has scored seven goals for Manchester United against Liverpool in all competitions, with only Stan Pearson (8) and George Wall (9) and Sandy Turnbull (9) netting more for the Red Devils against the Reds in all competitions.

Darwin Núñez has been involved in eight goals in his last nine away appearances in all competitions (7 goals, 1 assist). The Uruguayan is the Reds’ leading scorer in away games this season with 11 goals in total, netting one every 110 minutes on average.

Erik ten Hag has a win ratio at Old Trafford of 71.7 per cent, winning 38 of his 53 games on home soil as Manchester United manager. That is the best win ratio of any permanent Red Devils manager in the club’s history, just ahead of Sir Alex Ferguson (71.2 per cent).

Sheffield United v Chelsea

Sheffield United lost 2-1 the last time they hosted Chelsea in the Premier League – they last lost back-to back home league games against the Blues in October 1965.

Chelsea have won six of their last eight Premier League games against Sheffield United (D1 L1), having lost each of their first three against the Blades in the competition.

Sheffield United have shipped 45 goals in 15 home Premier League matches this season. In Premier League history, only Watford in 2021-22 have conceded more home goals in a season (46).

Tottenham Hotspur v Nottingham Forest

Having lost six of their seven Premier League games against Nottingham Forest between 1993 and 1997, Tottenham have now won their last five against them, keeping four clean sheets in the process.

Nottingham Forest have lost their last two away league games against Tottenham, having lost just one of their previous 11 visits before this (W8 D2).

Tottenham have won 11 of their 15 home Premier League matches this season (L4) and are the only side yet to draw a match on home soil in 2023-24. Since losing three in a row in November and December, Spurs have won seven of their last eight at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (L1).