Like father, like son

It's not just the Schmeichels keeping it in the family. Martin Tyler reveals who else has followed in dad's footsteps.

Martin Tyler's stats and facts column is back for another season here on skysports.com! 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. It could be on a side in the Premier League or Football League, international scene or European competitions - or it could be about an individual player or manager. If you have spotted something from a game or have been stumped by a pub quiz question, simply Email here and Martin will do his best to answer.

Tyler's Starting Stat:
Lampard spot on

Whatever you think about the decision to award Chelsea a penalty at Anfield on Sunday, it did give Frank Lampard a unique hat-trick. Frank has now scored three goals against Liverpool in 29 games, all of them from the spot and all of them at Anfield. His first came as a West Ham player in the 2-2 draw in February 1999, he then scored in Chelsea's 4-1 win in October 2005 before making it three Premier League penalties on Sunday. Add to that his successful strike in the penalty shoot-out that settled last season's Champions League semi-final - when he was the only Chelsea player to score as they lost 4-1 - and it is actually four out of four for Frank from 12 yards. FOR CLUB AND COUNTRY
Sir, I have been following your column for the past two years and enjoy every bit of it. Seeing both Jermain Defoe and Darren Bent selected in the England squad for the friendly against Germany made me wonder when was the last time two club team-mates formed a striking partnership for England. Do we have to go back to the days of Heskey and Owen when they both played for Liverpool? Can you please help me on that one? Bertrand O. Leveille
MARTIN SAYS: Well Bertrand, seeing as you put so politely, I am happy to thumb back through my England record books and give you the answer. As you suspect it is indeed Michael Owen and Emile Heskey in their Liverpool days. They both started the friendly win over Croatia at Ipswich's Portman Road on August 20 2003 - funnily enough five years ago to the day. Owen was on the scoresheet in a 3-1 win but neither finished the game and were replaced as Sven Goran Eriksson made a whopping 10 substitutes over the 90 minutes. UNBEATEN ENGLAND
Hi Martin, I was just wondering what England's longest unbeaten run in all competitions is? I have a feeling it might have come under Sven! Alex Potten
MARTIN SAYS: Alex, you have to go back some way, indeed more than 100 years to find England's longest unbeaten run. It stands at 20 games and was recorded between 1889 and 1896. Back then the England side only played Home Internationals, so the opposition in that run was Scotland, Ireland and Wales. Between defeats by the Auld Enemy on April 13 1889 and April 4 1896, they won 16 and drew just four of those 20 games, scoring an impressive 83 goals in the process. Since then, the best unbeaten run for an England side is 18, which England recorded between 1907 and 1910 and then 1965 to 1966. You won't be surprised to find out the latter included the 1966 World Cup finals and that famous day at Wembley. Sir Alf Ramsey's side also avoided defeat in their next three games after beating West Germany but were brought crashing back down to earth by, you've guessed it, Scotland at Wembley on April 15 1967. The 3-2 victory gave birth to another set of Wembley Wizards and will probably be best remembered for Jim Baxter sitting on the ball! OVER THE BLUE MOON
Hi Martin, I'm a City fan still pinching myself! Not only have we beaten them in a derby, but here we are top of the Premier League. I guess I should know the answer, but I'm too busy enjoying the moment, so when was the last time City were sat top of the pile? Dave Twettle
MARTIN SAYS: Dave, you enjoy your moment! I will gladly add to your delirium this morning by reminding you and everyone else out there that this is indeed the first time in four years that City have been sat proudly on top of the Premier League. Back then, it was also after three games, on August 25 2003. Kevin Keegan's side beat Charlton 3-0 on the opening day, then drew with Portsmouth before winning at Blackburn to hit the front. At least this time Dave, your stay on top will last a little longer, because back then City were knocked off the summit 24 hours later by Pompey. MEN FOR ALL SEASONS
I was reading a story about Ryan Giggs lately on the United homepage, it mentioned all his honours, but it also said he is one of two players to score in every Premier League season so far, who is the other one? Bobby Quinn
MARTIN SAYS: Strictly speaking Bobby, no-one has scored in every Premier League season as yet, because neither Ryan Giggs nor the 'other one' have found the net so far this term! But the other player you are looking for who has also scored in the previous 14 seasons is none other than Gary Speed, the Premiership's leading appearance maker. Gary, like Ryan, is a fiercely proud Welshman and I did mention it to him before Bolton's opening game against Newcastle last weekend, when he put their longetivity down to the Welsh food! While we're on the subject of ever-presents Bobby, five players have played in every Premier League season to date as well: Giggs, Speed, Sol Campbell, David James and Nicky Butt. Ian Pearce stands to make that six as he is still on the books at Fulham, but still waiting to be selected by new manager Lawrie Sanchez. BIG FOUR FLOORED
Martin, with United losing and Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal all drawing, I was wondering when the last time the Premier League's 'big four' failed to win in the same weekend. I can't imagine it has happened in the last three or four years! Marshall Andrews
MARTIN SAYS: It is a rare occurance you're right, but you don't have to go back too far to find a round of fixtures when the 'big four' failed to win, Marshall. In fact it happened two seasons ago on February 1, 2006, although it was not a weekend but a Wednesday night. Unlike this weekend though, two of them lost: Arsenal were beaten 3-2 at home by West Ham, Manchester United went down 4-3 to a David Bentley hat-trick at Blackburn Rovers. Chelsea meanwhile were pegged back by a late Luke Moore equaliser in a 1-1 draw at Aston Villa and Liverpool were held at home by Birmingham, Xabi Alonso's own goal two minutes from time giving the Blues a 1-1 draw.LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON
Hi Martin, with Kasper Schmeichel getting his chance with Manchester City in the first few games of the season do he and his father become the first father and son to play in the Premier League? How many other fathers and sons have played in the top division of the English League? Vince Buller
MARTIN SAYS: I had a feeling that having seen Schmeichel Junior perform so well - and so remeniscent of his dad - in City's first three games that we would get some sort of father and son question, Vince. But the Schmeichels are not the first to have achieved this feat, because I can think of at least three other instances where the son has followed in dad's footsteps. The first to do it was Gavin Strachan, son of former Leeds and Coventry midfielder (and in the latter's case, manager) Gordon, who made his Premier League debut for the Sky Blues on December 6 1997. Next up was Shaun Wright-Phillips, the adopted son of Ian Wright, who made his top-flight bow for Manchester City on August 18 2000. Of course, Bradley Wright-Phillips is Ian's biological son and he followed in dad's footsteps in 2004, again for City, when he scored on his Premier League debut against Middlesbrough. Finally, one of Schmeichel's old team-mates from Manchester United, Steve Bruce, has seen his son Alex play in the Premier League. It was in fact the game mentioned above on February 1 2006 when he made his bow in the 1-1 draw at Anfield. UNITED IN ARRAY
Martin - I think I heard someone say this is the worst start Manchester United have made to a season in the Premier League, but I was wondering, have a side ever failed to win their first three matches yet gone on to win the title? Amy McEevey
MARTIN SAYS: Three games without a win is actually Manchester United's worst start to a Premier League season since the first one back in 1992-93 Amy. Back then, they were even worse off as well, losing to Sheffiled United and Everton in their first two games before picking up their first point of the season in a home draw with Ipswich. And, as I am sure you know, that was the season they finally ended the 26-year wait for a league title. So United fans out there, even after Sunday's derby defeat at City, all is not lost!