gangsteroc
12-01-2008, 04:14 PM
BIG-MATCH FACTS
Manchester United are looking to hold onto the coattails or even overhaul Arsenal at the top, by gaining an 11th straight home league victory, at the expense of Newcastle.
Held to a goalless draw by Stoke in the FA Cup, managerless Newcastle are in grave danger of tumbling to a fourth successive Premier League defeat, which would be their worst run since April 2005.
No club has beaten Newcastle more often in the Premier League than Manchester United (16 times).
The Magpies have never won at Old Trafford in the Premier League era, and have not taken away maximum points from the Theatre of Dreams for 36 years. If they fail again, it will be 25 matches without a maximum - no other club has visited United on more successive occasions without winning.
CLUB FORM
MANCHESTER UNITED
Highest achievable after Saturday's matches: 1st
Lowest could fall: 2nd
1. Won six and lost one of the last seven Premier League games.
2. One of two clubs to have won 15 Premier League matches this season; the other is Arsenal. Also, dropped 15 points; only Arsenal have dropped fewer (13).
3. Kept more clean sheets in the Premier League than any other club (12) and boasting the meanest defence in the highest league; 11 goals conceded in 21 games at one every 172 minutes (two hours 52 minutes) of football played.
4. Drawn three Premier League games; only Everton match such a low number. Also, lost on three occasions; only Arsenal one and Liverpool two have lost fewer.
5. Scored the opening goal in a Premier League game on 17 occasions; more than any other club. Conceded the opening goal three times; only Liverpool can match that.
6. Their 21 games have yielded 49 goals (38 for, 11 against). At 2.33, it is only a marginally better goals per game average than West Ham's of 2.2 - the lowest in the division.
7. Awarded more penalty kicks than any other club in Premier League competition, with the exception of Tottenham. Four of their six spot kicks have been converted, but Spurs have only scored from three of their six.
8. Not dropped a point at Old Trafford since being held to a goalless draw by Reading on the opening day of the season (12 August), and one of four clubs still holding an unbeaten home record in the Premier League. The others are Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City.
9. Won the last 10 home league games, against Tottenham, Sunderland, Chelsea, Wigan, Middlesbrough, Blackburn, Fulham, Derby, Everton and Birmingham.
10. Two more league games are scheduled for January, away to Reading and home to Portsmouth. Between will be the FA Cup fourth round tie, home to either Tottenham or Reading.
NEWCASTLE UNITED
Highest realistically achievable after Saturday's matches: 11th
Lowest could fall: 12th
1. On the joint longest current losing run in the Premier League of three matches, alongside rock bottom Derby.
2. Beaten by Wigan (a), Chelsea (a) and Manchester City (h) in their last three league outings.
3. Not lost four on the spin since between 2 and 24 April 2005 when Aston Villa (h), Tottenham (a), Norwich (a) and Manchester United (a) all defeated them in successive matches.
4. This would have been Sam Allardyce's 25th match in charge, had he still been in post at St James' Park.
5. The highest placed club with a negative goal difference (-6).
6. Won all four league matches in which they were leading at half time; v Bolton (a), West Ham (h), Everton (h) and Tottenham (h).
7. Won only two league games on the road, against Bolton and Fulham.
8. Managed only one clean sheet in 23 away league matches; the 0-1 away win over Fulham on 15 December.
9. Home to Stoke after this in the FA Cup replay, before a home league clash with Bolton and visit to Arsenal.
Manchester United are looking to hold onto the coattails or even overhaul Arsenal at the top, by gaining an 11th straight home league victory, at the expense of Newcastle.
Held to a goalless draw by Stoke in the FA Cup, managerless Newcastle are in grave danger of tumbling to a fourth successive Premier League defeat, which would be their worst run since April 2005.
No club has beaten Newcastle more often in the Premier League than Manchester United (16 times).
The Magpies have never won at Old Trafford in the Premier League era, and have not taken away maximum points from the Theatre of Dreams for 36 years. If they fail again, it will be 25 matches without a maximum - no other club has visited United on more successive occasions without winning.
CLUB FORM
MANCHESTER UNITED
Highest achievable after Saturday's matches: 1st
Lowest could fall: 2nd
1. Won six and lost one of the last seven Premier League games.
2. One of two clubs to have won 15 Premier League matches this season; the other is Arsenal. Also, dropped 15 points; only Arsenal have dropped fewer (13).
3. Kept more clean sheets in the Premier League than any other club (12) and boasting the meanest defence in the highest league; 11 goals conceded in 21 games at one every 172 minutes (two hours 52 minutes) of football played.
4. Drawn three Premier League games; only Everton match such a low number. Also, lost on three occasions; only Arsenal one and Liverpool two have lost fewer.
5. Scored the opening goal in a Premier League game on 17 occasions; more than any other club. Conceded the opening goal three times; only Liverpool can match that.
6. Their 21 games have yielded 49 goals (38 for, 11 against). At 2.33, it is only a marginally better goals per game average than West Ham's of 2.2 - the lowest in the division.
7. Awarded more penalty kicks than any other club in Premier League competition, with the exception of Tottenham. Four of their six spot kicks have been converted, but Spurs have only scored from three of their six.
8. Not dropped a point at Old Trafford since being held to a goalless draw by Reading on the opening day of the season (12 August), and one of four clubs still holding an unbeaten home record in the Premier League. The others are Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City.
9. Won the last 10 home league games, against Tottenham, Sunderland, Chelsea, Wigan, Middlesbrough, Blackburn, Fulham, Derby, Everton and Birmingham.
10. Two more league games are scheduled for January, away to Reading and home to Portsmouth. Between will be the FA Cup fourth round tie, home to either Tottenham or Reading.
NEWCASTLE UNITED
Highest realistically achievable after Saturday's matches: 11th
Lowest could fall: 12th
1. On the joint longest current losing run in the Premier League of three matches, alongside rock bottom Derby.
2. Beaten by Wigan (a), Chelsea (a) and Manchester City (h) in their last three league outings.
3. Not lost four on the spin since between 2 and 24 April 2005 when Aston Villa (h), Tottenham (a), Norwich (a) and Manchester United (a) all defeated them in successive matches.
4. This would have been Sam Allardyce's 25th match in charge, had he still been in post at St James' Park.
5. The highest placed club with a negative goal difference (-6).
6. Won all four league matches in which they were leading at half time; v Bolton (a), West Ham (h), Everton (h) and Tottenham (h).
7. Won only two league games on the road, against Bolton and Fulham.
8. Managed only one clean sheet in 23 away league matches; the 0-1 away win over Fulham on 15 December.
9. Home to Stoke after this in the FA Cup replay, before a home league clash with Bolton and visit to Arsenal.