Cups and downs
Tuesday 19 January 2010 17:30, UK
When was the last time Man United and Liverpool both lost in round three? Martin Tyler has the answer...
Speedy centurions, big squad numbers and more...
Martin Tyler's stats and facts column is here! Every week he will be here to offer you statistical gems to make your day, impress your mates and, on occasion, to settle the odd bet. Sky Sports' voice of football and his back-up team of experts are here to answer your questions and queries on all things statistical and historical from the beautiful game. If you have spotted something from a game or have been stumped by a pub quiz question, simply email here and he will do his best to help.Tyler's Teaser - Cesc Appeal
I was at the Reebok Stadium on Sunday where Cesc Fabregas scored again in what is already his best season in terms of Premier League goals. He has reached double figures for the first time and his 13 goals in all competitions betters his previous-best tally of 2007/08. Fran Merida was also on target with his first Premier League goal, becoming the 16th different Premier League scorer for Arsenal this season (not including three own goal scorers). They lead the way when it comes to different scorers, ahead of Tottenham's 15. Ahead of Wednesday's re-match, Bolton have now gone 21 games since their last clean sheet and have lost six Premier League games in a row against Arsenal. Will that change on Wednesday night?TWO DOWN IN ROUND THREE
Hi Martin. I'm sure I'm not the only one to be asking the question this week but when was the last time both Man Utd and Liverpool were both knocked out of the FA Cup in the 3rd round? Ilan, Manchester MARTIN SAYS: It's a good question and according to our records, the last time both North West giants were knocked out at the first hurdle was the 1958/59 season. That year, United lost 3-0 to Norwich at Carrow Road in the third round, while Liverpool suffered a 2-1 defeat at Worcester City. Shortly afterwards Liverpool manager Phil Taylor was sacked and replaced by Bill Shankly. That year, as this year, both were knocked out by lower league opposition. Prior to that, both sides also went out in the third round in the 1953/54 season, both away from home on same day (January 9 1954). Liverpool lost 1-0 at Bolton, while Manchester United lost 5-3 at Burnley. However, if you're looking for the last time both United and Liverpool lost at HOME in the third round of the FA Cup, you have to go back 80 years to the 1929/30 season. Liverpool lost 2-1 at home to Second Division Cardiff City, while United lost 2-0 at home to Swindon of the Third Division South. So just like this season, both went out at home to lower league opponents.
NOT YOU AGAIN...
After Chelsea's big win against Sunderland on Saturday, the combined score from that fixture this season is 10-3 in favour of Chelsea. I was hoping you could tell me what is the biggest 'aggregate' win in a Premier League season? Liam, Waterford MARTIN SAYS: Chelsea's seven-goal 'aggregate' victory over Sunderland is far from the highest in the Premier League era. Indeed, as you can see from the table provided by Opta, it is not even the highest of this season. The biggest Premier League aggregate wins were achieved by a total of 11 goals. In the 1995/96 season Blackburn Rovers beat Nottingham Forest 7-0 at home and 5-1 away to set the record. That record was matched by Liverpool in the 2001/02 season when they beat Ipswich Town 5-0 at Anfield and 6-0 at Portman Road to record an aggregate victory of 11-0. The biggest aggregate win of this season also hit double figures as Manchester United beat Wigan Athletic 5-0 at the DW Stadium in August and thrashed them by the same score at Old Trafford in December. Here are the highest aggregate wins in Premier League history:
| Season | Team | Opponent | Result 1 | Result 2 | Aggregate |
| 1995/96 | Blackburn Rovers | N Forest | 7-0 | 5-1 | 11 |
| 2001/02 | Liverpool | Ipswich | 6-0 | 5-0 | 11 |
| 2004/05 | Arsenal | Everton | 4-1 | 7-0 | 10 |
| 2007/08 | Man Utd | Newcastle | 6-0 | 5-1 | 10 |
| 1998/99 | Man Utd | N Forest | 3-0 | 8-1 | 10 |
| 2009/10 | Man Utd | Wigan | 5-0 | 5-0 | 10 |
| 1999/00 | Newcastle | Sheff Wed | 8-0 | 2-0 | 10 |
BLANKS AGAIN
I can't remember the last time my team Aston Villa drew a game 0-0. Can you tell me how many games we'd gone before Sunday? Which Premier League side is now on the longest run without a 0-0 - ie which team are you guaranteed to get goals? Dave W (Aston Villa fan) MARTIN SAYS: Until the weekend's draw with West Ham, Aston Villa had gone longer than any other team without a 0-0 draw in the Premier League. They'd played 34 matches without a goalless draw, their last one coming almost a year ago on January 31 at home to Wigan Athletic. However, the Premier League team enjoying the longest league run without a 0-0 draw is in fact Burnley. The Clarets have gone 21 Premier League games without a 0-0 draw and in total they have now played 49 league matches since their last goalless match. That came in the Championship against Doncaster in November 2008. In fact, their 0-0 FA Cup draw with QPR last January was their only goalless game in the whole of 2009. Fellow promoted side Wolves have also gone 29 league games without a goalless draw, but when it comes to consecutive Premier League matches it's Wigan who lead the way. They have played 24 consecutive Premier League games since their last 0-0 draw against Bolton last May. Here is a list of how many league games each Premier League club has played since their last 0-0 and as you can see, eight sides are yet to be involved in a goalless draw this season. The list is correct prior to Wednesday night's games: Burnley - 49
Wolves - 29
Wigan - 24
Everton - 23
Man Utd - 23
Sunderland - 23
Arsenal - 22
Bolton - 21
Man City - 11
Portsmouth - 10
Stoke - 7
Liverpool - 6
Blackburn - 6
Fulham - 3
Birmingham - 2
Chelsea - 2
Aston Villa - 0
Hull City - 0
Tottenham - 0
West Ham - 0
SPEEDY CENTURIONS
We all know who's the fastest to get 50 goals in the Premier League I just wanna know who's the fastest to get 100 goals ... I bet its Henry or Shearer! Abdulaziz Al-nuaim (Arsenal fan) MARTIN SAYS: You're spot on with your predictions. Of the 17 players to have reached 100 Premier League goals, Alan Shearer is by far the quickest. He managed 30 goals in the first three Premier League seasons and hit his century in his 124th Premier League game (a 2-1 win for Blackburn against Tottenham in December 1995), hitting the landmark in just over three seasons. That's an astonishing feat, especially when you consider he was troubled with injury during that period and might otherwise have done it in an even quicker time. You are also correct to predict that Arsenal's Thierry Henry was the second quickest to that landmark, doing so in 160 matches - just ahead of fellow Arsenal legend Ian Wright (173 games). The 10 quickest Premier League centurions, as confirmed by Opta, are listed below: 1. Alan Shearer (124 matches)
2. Thierry Henry (160)
3. Ian Wright (173)
4= Robbie Fowler (175)
4= Les Ferdinand (175)
6= Andy Cole (185)
6= Michael Owen (185)
8. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (200)
9= Dwight Yorke (254)
9= Teddy Sheringham (254)
PREMIER LEAGUE BABIES
Hi Martin. Enjoy your stats column on the website. I was wondering if any player has yet played in the Premier League who was born during the Premier League years? If not, the first can't be far off now, as someone born in August 1992 would now be seventeen-and-a-half. Trevor Hartley MARTIN SAYS: A very thoughtful question. According to our records, nobody has yet played in the Premier League who was born after August 15 1992, the date the Premier League kicked off. The Premier League's youngest ever player was Matthew Briggs who played for Fulham against Middlesbrough on May 13 2007 at the age of aged 16 years and 65 days, but he was born more than a year before the Premier League started. Even the likes of Everton's Jose Baxter (February 1992) and Arsenal's Jack Wilshere (January 1992) were born more than six months before the Premier League began. Several clubs have players listed in their first-team squads who were born after the Premier League started. These include Everton's Luke Garbutt and Jake Bidwell (who has played in the Europa League for the Toffees this season) plus Tottenham's Harry Kane, Stoke's David Parton, Wolves' James Spray and Lenny Sowah of Portsmouth (who was on the bench for their FA Cup match against Coventry). However, none of them have yet played a Premier League game, so we'll be keeping an eye on this one. The race is on...
THE NUMBERS GAME
What's the highest squad number utilised by a Premier League player making it onto the pitch? I recently saw Boyata of City make his debut versus Middlesbrough wearing the number 44, and wondered as to any other higher numbers appearing? Neil Ibbitson (Manchester City fan) MARTIN SAYS: The highest number to make it onto the pitch in Premier League history is the number 52 worn by Nicklas Bendtner this season. The Arsenal striker has let it be known that the number 52 is his lucky number for personal reasons - which only he and his mother know about. However, he could yet be beaten because I have found three Premier League players currently registered with higher squad numbers - although none of them have yet played a Premier League game. One is Bendtner's Arsenal team-mate Sanchez Watt, who wears the number 54. He has played in three Carling Cup games for Arsenal this season and scored on his debut against West Brom. Wigan Athletic have recently handed the number 53 jersey to reserve goalkeeper Lee Nicholls, who was an unused substitute in their FA Cup tie against Hull City earlier this month. The highest shirt number to have been used by the first team of a Premier League side this season is the number 55 shirt held by Manchester City's Andrew Tutte. The young English midfielder was named on the bench for City's FA Cup victory over Middlesbrough earlier this month. In previous seasons, both Juan Maldonado and Cesc Fabregas have worn 57 for Arsenal in cup matches. In the Football League, the number 55 has been worn by Ade Akinbiyi for Crystal Palace and Barnsley's Dominik Werling.
