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Martin Tyler's stats: Arsenal's tough week, Antonio Conte's record start and Christmas and the title

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Martin Tyler brings you his latest teaser and the last of 2016, from the Etihad Stadium as Manchester City took on Arsenal.

How many teams top of the Premier League at Christmas have failed to go on and win the title? How many sides bottom of the Premier League on December 25 have escaped relegation? Is Antonio Conte's start as Chelsea manager a Premier League record?

Martin Tyler has the answers - plus, hit the video to see his latest tricky teaser from the Etihad Stadium

How to send your questions to Martin:

Use the comments box at the bottom of this page

Tweet @SkyFootball using the hashtag #TylersTeasers

Martin's Starting Stats

I was at the Etihad on Sunday to watch Manchester City's first win over Arsenal for three years including five Premier League games and one Community Shield (plus a 3-2 friendly win for Arsenal).

Also See:

The referee the last time City beat Arsenal was the same, Martin Atkinson. That was the famous 6-3 in December 2013.

City won none of the first 18 meetings in the Premier League. Overall it is P39 W7 D9 L23.

Throughout history, it was City's 50th win against Arsenal in all competitions. Arsenal have won 96 - almost double.

Leroy Sane scored his first goal for Manchester City, coming in his fourth Premier League start and his 13th overall. It was lucky 13 for him.

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Manchester City 2-1 Arsenal

Theo Walcott has scored four in his last four official games against Man City (and also scored in the 3-2 friendly win). He has scored 11 goals this season now.

It was a particularly satisfying win for former Gunners Gael Clichy and Bacary Sagna - and Yaya Toure who famously had a one-game Arsenal trial in 2003.

There was much talk about the age of the City team. Claudio Bravo, Pablo Zabaleta, Aleksandar Kolorov, Clichy, Toure, David Silva and substitute Sagna are all over 30. However, the two goals were scored by their two youngest starters; Sane (20) and Raheem Sterling (22).

Top at Christmas

Chelsea are top at Christmas. Does that suggest they will win the Premier League? Nish, Lincoln

MARTIN SAYS: With the help of our friends at Opta I can tell you 12 out of 24 teams have failed to win the Premier League after being top at Christmas.

However, Chelsea (2004/05, 2005/06, 2009/10 and 2014/15) have an excellent record when it comes to converting Christmas number one into the title.

The good news for Chelsea fans is that on the four previous occasions the Blues have been top at Christmas, each time they have gone on to lift the trophy in May.

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Antonio Conte's side have racked up 43 points so far, more than when they top at Christmas in 2009/10 and 2014/15 and the same tally as 2004/05. In 2005/06, the Blues had three more points than their current tally.

In recent seasons being top at Christmas usually equates to the title. Six of the last seven teams to be top at Christmas have gone onto finish top of the pile with only Liverpool (2013/14) failing to make the most of their Christmas position.

Only one side has failed to finish in the top four when top at Christmas - Aston Villa in 1998/99. The lowest a champions side has been at Christmas was Arsenal who were sixth in 1997/98.

Here's a full list of Christmas number ones and their final league positions…

Top of the Premier League at Christmas

Season Team Final Position
1992/93 Norwich 3
1993/94 Man Utd 1
1994/95 Blackburn 1
1995/96 Newcastle 2
1996/97 Liverpool 4
1997/98 Man Utd 2
1998/99 Aston Villa 6
1999/00 Leeds 3
2000/01 Man Utd 1
2001/02 Newcastle 4
2002/03 Arsenal 2
2003/04 Man Utd 3
2004/05 Chelsea 1
2005/06 Chelsea 1
2006/07 Man Utd 1
2007/08 Arsenal 3
2008/09 Liverpool 2
2009/10 Chelsea 1
2010/11 Man Utd 1
2011/12 Man City 1
2012/13 Man Utd 1
2013/14 Liverpool 2
2014/15 Chelsea 1
2015/16 Leicester 1

Bottom at Christmas

Hull are bottom at Christmas. How many teams bottom on December 25 have stayed up? Rob, Kilburn

MARTIN SAYS: 

Only three teams have avoided relegation after being bottom of the table at Christmas in Premier League history.

The first case comes in the 2004/05 season when West Brom, who were bottom of the table and were eight points from safety on Christmas Day in 2004, escaped relegation on the final day of the season to finish in 17th.

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More recently, both Sunderland (2013/14) and Leicester (2014/15) kept their top-flight status intact despite being bottom of the table at Christmas.

Leicester, who were bottom for almost four and a half months of the season, managed to put a run together of seven wins from their last nine fixtures to survive with room to spare. The following season they continued that run of form and it lead to them winning the title.

Bottom of the Premier League at Christmas

Season Team Final Position
1992/93 Nottingham Forest 22
1993/94 Swindon 22
1994/95 Ipswich 22
1995/96 Bolton 20
1996/97 Nottingham Forest 20
1997/98 Barnsley 19
1998/99 Nottingham Forest 20
1999/00 Sheffield Wednesday 19
2000/01 Bradford 20
2001/02 Ipswich 18
2002/03 West Ham 18
2003/04 Wolves 20
2004/05 West Brom 17
2005/06 Sunderland 20
2006/07 Watford 20
2007/08 Derby 20
2008/09 West Brom 20
2009/10 Portsmouth 20
2010/11 West Ham 20
2011/12 Blackburn 19
2012/13 Reading 19
2013/14 Sunderland 14
2014/15 Leicester 14
2015/16 Aston Villa 20

Sizzling starts

Has Antonio Conte made the best start of any PL manager ever? Harry, Dublin

MARTIN SAYS:  Antonio Conte has won 14 of his opening 17 games and according to Opta, that is a record.

The Italian is the first Premier League manager to win 14 of his opening 17 games in the competition, beating a former Chelsea manager in Carlo Ancelotti, who picked up 13 wins from his first 17 games.

John Gregory also claimed 13 wins from his first 17 games in charge of Aston Villa, while Avram Grant, Guus Hiddink and Jose Mourinho (all Chelsea) had 12 wins.

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Crystal Palace 0-1 Chelsea

Another former Chelsea boss is next on the list with Felipe Scolari winning 11 of his first 17 matches alongside Manuel Pellegrini (Man City) and Mike Walker (Norwich).

Andres Villas-Boas (Chelsea), Roberto Mancini (Man City, Sven-Goran Eriksson (Man City) and Tim Sherwood (Tottenham) all won 10 of their first 17 matches in charge of their respective clubs.

Letting it slip

How many games have Arsenal lost from winning positions this season and since Arsene Wenger joined the club, how many times has this happened in each season? Garf, Crouch End

MARTIN SAYS: It's been a tough week for Arsenal after losing to both Everton and Manchester City after leading in both games.

They also lost to Liverpool on the opening day of the season after taking a first-half lead meaning Arsene Wenger's side have lost three games from winning positions so far this season. However, those are the only three games they have lost in the Premier League.

That means Arsenal have already matched the record for losses from a winning position under Wenger in the Premier League. Only twice before have Arsenal lost three games after leading in a season - 2009/10 and 2011/12.

Here's a season-by-season breakdown…

Defeats from winning positions - Arsenal (Premier League)

Season No. of defeats from winning positions
1997 1
1998 1
1999 1
2000 1
2001 1
2002 2
2003 2
2005 1
2006 1
2008 2
2009 1
2010 3
2011 1
2012 3
2014 1
2015 2
2016 2
2017 3

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