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Martin Tyler's stats: Earliest relegation? Most free-kicks in one season?

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Martin Tyler brings you his latest teaser ahead of Tottenham's clash with Liverpool at Anfield

Sky Sports commentator Martin Tyler has been busy looking into your questions and has come up with the answers on topics including relegation, free-kicks and youthful players.

How to send your questions to Martin:

1: Email your posers to skysportsclub@bskyb.com

2. Tweet @SkyFootball using the hashtag #TylersTeasers

Martin's starting stat

I was at Liverpool v Tottenham on Saturday to see Philippe Coutinho score his 10th goal of the season and his seventh in the Premier League - but only his second at Anfield. The other was at home to Crystal Palace in November.

Harry Kane became Spurs' top scorer in a Premier League season with his 22nd goal. The last Spurs player to score more than 21 league goals in one season was Gary Lineker in 1991/92 with 28 goals.

Also See:

Kane became the first Spurs player to score 20+ league goals in successive seasons since Martin Chivers from 1970-72. He is only the fifth Englishman to do it in successive seasons after Alan Shearer, Robbie Fowler, Les Ferdinand and Andy Cole.

Saturday was Liverpool's 50th game of the season. They have played four periods of extra-time and three penalty shoot-outs and will reach at least 60 games this year.

Spurs don't often win at Anfield. They have only won twice in the Premier League era (a 2-1 win in 1993 and a 2-0 win in 2011). Danny Rose is the only current Spurs player to have won with Spurs at Anfield. Hugo Lloris has done it with Lyon and Moussa Dembele did it with Fulham.

Early knockout

Aston Villa supporters hold protesting banners
Image: Aston Villa supporters hold protesting banners

What's the earliest a club has been relegated from the Premier League? (Keith, Solihull)

MARTIN SAYS: I have a suspicion you may be an Aston Villa fan, Keith!

As I'm sure you're aware, defeat at home to Chelsea on Saturday left Villa hanging onto their top-flight status by their fingertips. Indeed, their fate can be sealed this coming Saturday if Norwich, who travel to Crystal Palace, better Villa's result at home to Bournemouth.

If results transpired against Villa, relegation could be confirmed on April 9. In terms of the date in the calendar, it would be the third-earliest relegation in Premier League history. Only two sides, Derby (March 29, 2008) and Leicester (April 6, 2002), will have dropped into the second tier of English football sooner.

Earliest relegations (date)

Derby - 29/03/08 (32 games)

Leicester - 06/04/02 (34 games)

Portsmouth - 10/04/10 (33 games)

Sunderland - 12/04/03 (33 games)

Sunderland - 14/04/06 (33 games)

If Villa are relegated on Saturday it would come after 33 matches. Only one side, Derby in 2008, has been relegated after fewer matches.

Earliest relegations (number of games)

Derby (2007/08) - 32 games

Portsmouth (2009/10) - 33 games

Sunderland (2002/03) - 33 games

Sunderland (2005/06) - 33 games

Leicester (2001/02) - 34 games

West Brom (2002/03) - 34 games

1-0 to the champions

Image: Leicester favour a 1-0 scoreline of late

Who has recorded the most 1-0 wins in a Premier League season? Who has the most in a row? Is it Leicester? (James, High Wycombe)

MARTIN SAYS: League leaders Leicester are currently on a four game 1-0 winning streak - a feat only achieved three times previously in Premier League history.

Liverpool won their last game of the 2012/13 season 1-0 against QPR and then opened the 2013/14 season with 1-0 wins over Stoke, Aston Villa and Man Utd. That season they famously went on to finish second in the Premier League.

Arsenal also won four straight games 1-0 in March 1998 (against Wimbledon. Manchester United, Sheffield Wednesday and Bolton) - and they went on to win the title that year.

However, the record is held by Everton who won FIVE games by a 1-0 scoreline in October/November 2002 when they beat West Ham, Leeds, Charlton, Blackburn and West Brom. They finished seventh that season.

Leicester can equal that record against Sunderland on Super Sunday and potentially break it against West Ham the following weekend.

Leicester have won seven games 1-0 this season, but Chelsea have the record for the most 1-0 wins (11) in a single season recorded in 2005 - the same year they won the Premier League trophy.

Chelsea (2003/04), Everton, Liverpool (both 2005/06) and Manchester United (2008/09) have all recorded 10 1-0 wins in a season, but of that group only Manchester United went on to win the league.

Free-kick kings

Dimitri Payet of West Ham scores his team's second goal against Crystal Palace
Image: Dimitri Payet curls another stunning free-kick

Could Payet get the record for the most direct free-kicks in a PL season? (Nicholas, Wanstead)

MARTIN SAYS: Dimitri Payet may have scored another stunner of a free-kick against Crystal Palace over the weekend but he still hasn't made the top 10 scorers of direct free-kicks in a season.

He has in fact only scored two in the Premier League, with two coming in the FA Cup and one while on international duty for France. There is however still time to add to his tally.

The record, perhaps surprisingly, is held by former Newcastle player Laurent Robert, who scored FIVE goals direct from free-kicks in 2001/02.

Most direct free-kicks in a season

Player Number of free-kicks Season
Laurent Robert 5 2001/02
David Beckham 4 2000/01 & 2001/02
Cristiano Ronaldo 4 2007/08 & 2008/09
Gianfranco Zola 4 1998/99 & 2002/03
Ian Harte 4 2000/01

Losing streaks

Gabby Agbonlahor and Ashley Westwood of Aston Villa show their frustration after Everton's third goal
Image: Gabby Agbonlahor and Ashley Westwood of Aston Villa show their frustration after Everton's third goal

Villa have lost seven games in a row for the second time this season - what's the longest consecutive losing streak in Premier League history? (Alex, Tamworth)

MARTIN SAYS: Aston Villa are indeed once again on a horrendous run of form. They are however a long way off the record set by Sunderland across two seasons.

The Black Cats lost 15 games on the bounce as they were relegated in 2002/03 and followed that with five more at the beginning of their next season in the top flight (2005/06).

No other club has lost nine Premier League games in a row, but defeat this weekend against Bournemouth - which could see them relegated - will see Villa join a band of 11 clubs with eight consecutive defeats: Charlton, Crystal Palace, Ipswich, Leicester, Man City, Middlesbrough, Newcastle, Portsmouth, Reading, Wigan and Wimbledon.

Young guns

Lamine Kone of Sunderland and Jonathan Leko, who made his Premier League debut, compete for the ball
Image: Jonathan Leko (left) made Premier League debut

West Brom's Jonathan Leko was the first player born in 1999 to play in the PL at the weekend. Who were the previous youngest players? (Christian, Sutton Coldfield)

MARTIN SAYS: Jonathan Leko became only the 15th youngest player to make his debut in the Premier League at 16 years, 11 months and nine days. He was 276 days older than Matthew Briggs who made his debut for Fulham against Middlesbrough nearly nine years ago.

Youngest PL players

Player Age (days) Team Date
Matthew Briggs 5912 Fulham 13/05/07
Isaiah Brown 5961 West Brom 04/05/13
Aaron Lennon 5973 Leeds 23/08/03
Jose Baxter 6035 Everton 16/08/08
Rushian Hepburn-Murphy 6042 Aston Villa 14/03/15

The forward is also the first Premier League player to be born in 1999 but there are five who have been born in 1998 and surely it won't be long until we get our first player born after the year 2000.

Players born 1998 and later

Player D.O.B Team
Jonathan Leko 24/04/1999 West Brom
Reece Oxford 16/12/1998 West Ham
Rushian Hepburn-Murphy 28/08/1998 Aston Villa
Andre Green 26/07/1998 Aston Villa
Timothy Fosu-Mensah 02/01/1998 Man Utd
Manu Garcia 02/01/1998 Man City

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