Four-star Spurs - Tyler

Martin's Q & A focuses on Spurs maintaining their 100% record against Fulham in the FA Cup.

Martin Tyler's stats and facts column continues!

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 Premiership, Football League, international scene or European competitions.

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TYLER'S STARTING STAT - FOUR STAR SPURS

Tottenham's 4-0 demolition of Fulham in the FA Cup fifth round on Sunday helped Spurs maintain their 100 per cent record over the Cottagers, making it four wins from four ties in the history of the competition. Prior to this season's encounter the two sides had locked horns on three other occasions, with the first meeting way back in 1909, when Spurs won 1-0 in the second round. The teams then didn't meet again until the third round in January 1984 where after a 0-0 draw at Craven Cottage, goals from Graham Roberts and Steve Archibald gave Spurs a 2-0 victory in the replay at White Hart Lane. Their third FA Cup clash came in the third round of 1997/98 season when Stephen Clemence, Colin Calderwood and a Maik Taylor own goal helped Spurs to a 3-1 win, with Neil Smith scoring Fulham's consolation. Robbie Keane produced a captain's performance on Sunday as his brace left him with career stats of 10 goals from 25 FA Cup games while strike partner Dimitar Berbatov's late double gave him his first ever FA Cup goals in his third game in the competition.

FINAL FLOURISHES
Hi Martin, I love the column and listening to your commentaries in the early hours of Saturday & Sunday mornings here in Sydney. On Sunday I watched Archie Thompson score an incredible 5 (five) goals in the Grand Final of the Australian ‚Ç£A-League‚Ç¥ for Melbourne Victory in their 6-0 defeat of Adelaide. I already knew that Thompson holds the world record for most goals in an international match (13 for Australia in their 31-0 win over American Samoa in 2001) but is this feat a world record for most goals by an individual player in a domestic final? David Huggan, Sydney
MARTIN SAYS: What a good question David. Due to the time and space restraints I will answer your poser in relation to the British domestic game where Archie Thompson's A-League record certainly sets the standard. Ian Rush holds the record for the total number of goals in FA Cup finals with five strikes spread across three finals: 1986 (2), 1989 (2), 1992 (1). Rush also scored five times over two legs in the oft-forgotten Screen Sport Super Cup final in 1985/86 when Liverpool beat Everton 7-2 on aggregate. But in terms of one match there have been three hat-tricks in FA Cup final history. Bill Townley scored the first for Blackburn in their 6-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday at the Kennington Oval back in 1890. Jimmy Logan repeated the feat for Notts County in 1894 when they beat Bolton Wandererers 4-1 at Goodsion Park. And of course Stanley Mortensen scored a treble for Blackpool in the 4-3 win over Bolton in the 'Matthews final' of 1953. In the history of the Scottish FA Cup final John 'Dixie' Deans scored a hat-trick for Celtic in 1972 when the Bhoys beat Hibernian 6-1. Deans repeated the dose in the 1975 Scottish League Cup final when Celtic swept the same opponents aside 6-3. Finally, although it wasn't a final and just for the record, in November 1971, Ted MacDougall of Bournemouth scored NINE goals against Margate in the FA Cup first round.


LONG DISTANCE RUNS
Hi Martin, Here's a tough (or not so tough) one for you, which English team has the longest unbeaten run in all competitions? This one has me stuck. Arman
MARTIN SAYS: That is a tough question Arman given you ask for the longest run in all competitions. That record is held by Nottingham Forest who went 40 games unbeaten in all competitions from March to December 1978. In that time their record read P40 W21 D19, from 29 league, 6 League Cup, 4 European Cup games and the Charity Shield. I can also tell you that in terms of the Premiership Arsenal hold the record when they went 49 games unbeaten between May 2003 when they lost 3-2 at home to Leeds and didn't lose again until October 2004 when Manchester United beat them 2-0 at Old Trafford. Blackburn Rovers hold the record for the longest unbeaten run in FA Cup history when they went 23 matches without defeat in the process of winning the trophy three years in a row between 1884-86. And Liverpool set the benchmark in the League Cup going unbeaten for 25 matches between 1980-84 when they won the competition four years on the bounce.

NO SHARP SHOOTERS
I am a big fan of yours and have been since the early eighties. You simply describe the game like no other. I have been following Arsenal since the days of Pat Jennings, Brian Talbot, Graham Rix etc. My question may be a tricky one, here goes; I love the style of football Arsenal play under Arsene Wenger, however, I believe that one of their key weaknesses is that they hardly score goals from outside the penalty box other than from free kicks. I was wondering if you could find out how many goals have Arsenal scored from outside the penalty box this season; and how does it compare with the top five teams. Thank you and looking to your next commentary. Mohamed, Abu Dhabi, UAE
MARTIN SAYS: It's true to say Mohamed that Arsenal lag behind the other teams in the top five when it comes to scoring from outside the penalty area. The Gunners have managed just four goals from oustide the box this term but three of them have come from direct free-kicks. Robin van Persie's wonder-goal against Charlton at the Valley in September is their only goal outside the box from open play this season. Chelsea lead the way with 14 goals from outside the area, four of them from direct free-kicks. Manchester United have struck nine times with one coming from a free-kick, then Liverpool with eight including one free-kick and finally Bolton with six strikes from behind the eighteen yard line. So if the table was decided on long range shooting Arsenal would be in deep trouble!

STAR STRIKERS
Hi Martin, Your very presence lends credibility to the occasion. Cheers. I am a Chelsea fan and am excited about Didier Drogba's scoring prowess this term. Since the Premiership began, who has scored the highest number of goals for a season and how many. Could you break it down into league goals and the rest. Thanks and Regards, Subu
MARTIN SAYS: Hello Subu, You are right, Didier Drogba has been in superb form this season. His 17 goals from 27 games leave him well out in front in the race for the Premiership's golden boot currently two ahead of Cristiano Ronlado on 15. Below is a comprehensive list of the top goal scorers in each Premiership season.  In the first Premiership season, 1992/93, Teddy Sheringham finished as the top scorer in the league with 21 out of his total of 28 but Ian Wright ended the campaign top overall with 31, only 15 of which came in the Premiership.

SHEARER'S SHINE FOR LEEDS
Hi there Martin, I wonder if you could answer this particular question for me. In regards to the Premiership only, is it true that Alan Shearer has scored more goals against Leeds than any other club? If so then how many goals is it in total? Also I understand that Andrei Kanchelskis and Frank Lampard both share the record for the most Premiership goals scored in a season from a midfielder (16 each). Am I right in saying that Kanchelskis played in fewer games achieving that target.
Mr D. Dean
MARTIN SAYS: Mr Dean you are spot on. The Newcastle legend did indeed score more goals against Leeds than any other club, hitting a phenomenal 20 in 19 games against them. He also had a liking for Everton scoring 16 in 21, Spurs 14 in 24, Coventry 14 in 14 and former club Southampton with 14 goals in 14 games. You are also correct to say that Andrei Kanchelskis and Frank Lampard share the record for a midfielder with 16 goals in a season. Kanchelskis achieved the feat in 32 games during the 1995/96 season while Frank Lampard took 35 games to reach the target last season. But with 10 league goals already this season he's on course to break the record this term.