Well with now only one game to go almost everything is decided in the Premier League; just the Champions League fight and the prospect of a play-off. It is also the end of so many managers as well; via different circumstances four out of the top six teams are going to have different managers at the start of next season; with all of the top three teams changing their manager. I have done some limited research into this and it is the first time in the English Football League that this has happened and who knows maybe even the world.
Wigan who provided the biggest FA Cup Final Upset since Wimbledon in 1998 failed to overcome Arsenal like they did last season. The Wigan side which looked comfortable at the back against a lackluster Manchester City were taken to pieces by Arsenal’s pace. There were level at half time thanks to a lovely free kick from Shaun Maloney but the superior skill and experience of the Arsenal side told in the second half.
Wigan were left in the position of needing to pick up points from this match after pretty much all the weekends results went against them. Wins for Newcastle and Norwich guaranteed them safety whilst a point for Southampton was enough to guarantee theirs. But despite all that Wigan were still in with a chance thanks to the entertaining first game of the weekend. Villa were one goal and one man up against Chelsea but Benteke’s second yellow card gave Chelsea all the impetus they needed to go on and win this match.
Arsenal needed to win as both Tottenham and Chelsea had won at the weekend. Spurs eventually overcame a ten man Stoke to pile the pressure on Arsenal but they didn’t fold. Now there is the chance of a playoff between Arsenal and Chelsea for third if certain results happen, this is farcical to me as the results between the two sides should be taken into account before a playoff is required.
Apologies for the short review but below there are still 20 stats and full scores
Aston Villa 1 – 2 Chelsea
Four out of their last seven losses for Villa have been by this score line; in all the other losses they have failed to score.
In 2013 Chelsea have only lost once when they have managed to score two or more goals; the 3-2 defeat to Newcastle
Stoke 1 – 2 Tottenham
Stoke have failed to win a match this season when they have conceded two or more goals; they have got three draws and eight losses in the 11 games when they have conceded two or more.
Spurs have now alternated between wins and draws for the last seven games since the losses to Liverpool and Fulham.
Everton 2 – 0 West Ham
In eight of the last nine Premier League games which involved Everton the away team has failed to score; only in the 2-2 draw at Spurs did the away team score.
In the last nine Premier League games which involved West Ham the away team has failed to win; since West Ham won 1-0 at Stoke.
Fulham 1 – 3 Liverpool
Fulham have now lost five games in a row they have only once lost six in a row since returning to the top flight; they lost six in February and March of 2002
The hat-trick from Daniel Sturridge was not only his first in the Premier League but the first in his professional career.
Norwich 4 – 0 West Brom
This is only the third time Norwich have score four goals in a game since they returned to the top flight but the first time they didn’t concede.
This is the first time West Brom have conceded four goals since the 4-0 defeat to Man City in April 2012, 42 games ago.
QPR 1 – 2 Newcastle
QPR’s last three goals have scored by Loic Remy, but those three goals have come across nearly 500 minutes of football for QPR.
This was Newcastle’s first away win in the Premier League since the 2-1 win against Villa in January, they lost four and drawn two since before this result.
Sunderland 1 – 1 Southampton
Sunderland’s last six draws have all been at home, they haven’t drawn away from home since Oct 27th at Stoke 0-0; they drew their first four away games of the season.
Southampton have now gone five games since scoring in the first in the first half; they had scored in the first half of the three games before.
Manchester United 2 – 1 Swansea
Before this result Manchester United’s previous eight Premier League wins had all come without conceding a goal.
Swansea have only won two games against the eight teams above them in the Premier League; back yo back wins against West Brom and Arsenal in 2012.
Arsenal 4 – 1 Wigan
Arsenal have now gone nine games without a defeat; this is their longest run of games without a defeat since they 16 games without a defeat at the start of 2011
Wigan Haven’t collected a point of the top 4 teams this season; they picked up seven against them last season. The difference between survival and relegation
Reading 0 – 2 Man City
Reading have failed to score 14 times now this season; that is there most ever in a Premier League season.
With 21 clean sheets currently Manchester City have become the only side ever in the Premier to get more than 18 clean sheets and not win the title.
The Sports Code 