Top two trivia

Martin Tyler has all sorts of stats for you on Arsenal versus Manchester United.

Martin Tyler's stats and facts column is better than ever and will be here all season 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 - UNITED THEY STAND

We're live in north London on Saturday for the clash between all time top two in the Premier League - and the top two in this season's Premier League.

The numbers below just go to show the weight that Manchester United and Arsenal carry in the top flight of English football since the league was revamped in 1992.

And the numbers also show that despite Arsenal's success under Arsene Wenger, it is Manchester United and Sir Alex Ferguson that have the upper hand, with 59 more victories in nearly 600 games.

Of course those numbers will mean little to the 22 players and two managers when they kick off on Saturday at 12.45. The only number that will matter is three

All-Time Premier League Table - TopTwo

Pos	Team	Pl	W	D	L	F	A	PTS
1.	Man Utd	593	375	133	85	1159	520	1258
2.	Arsenal	592	316	159	117	996	523	1107

TRANSFER TALK
Hi Martin! Great column. I would like to ask you a question. Has there ever been a direct transfer between Arsenal and Manchester United or vice versa? Thanks and look forward to hearing from you, Kunal Modi.
MARTIN SAYS: Kunal, thank you for your question. In the long history of these clubs, I can think of only seven players that have made a direct move from Arsenal to Manchester United, or vice versa.

There are some great players and great names among them, as you will see below. Frank Stapleton is perhaps the most famous for these two clubs, as Arsenal and United are the only two teams that he ever played for, and he won FA Cups with both of them. England full back Viv Anderson also played for both but he spent a very successful spell playing for Nottingham Forest under Brian Clough.Brian Kidd is another who played for both, and he of course spent a spell asSir AlexFerguson'sNo.2 at United. Goerge Graham playedBertie Mee's double-winning side at Arsenal and won the league twice as Arsenal manager in 1989 and 1991 and a domestic Cup double in 1993. He also made 43 appearances for United. David Herd,Ian Ure and Jimmy Rimmer, a European Cup winner with Aston Villa, also moved directly between the two clubs.

Frank Stapleton	Year	App	Goals
Arsenal	74-81	225	75
Manchester United	81-87	223	60

Viv Anderson:	Year	App	Goals
Arsenal	84-87	120	9
Manchester United	87-91	54	2

David Herd:	Year	App	Goals
Arsenal	54-61	66	97
Manchester United	61-68	202	114

Brian Kidd	Year	App	Goals
Manchester United	67-74	203	52
Arsenal	74-76	77	30

George Graham	Year	App	Goals
Arsenal	66-73	227	59
Manchester United	72-75	43	2

Jimmy Rimmer:	Year	App	Goals
Manchester United	67-73	34	0
Swansea City (on loan)	73-74	17	0
Arsenal	73-77	124	0

Ian Ure	Year	App	Goals
Arsenal	63-70	168	2
Manchester United	69-71	47	1

SIBLING RIVALRY

Hi Martin, I support Arsenal and my brother supports Manchester United, we had an argument about who is better and I began to wonder what is the biggest win by either side since 2000? I'd have to say only maybe 3-1? But I'm sure there has been a big scoreline. Thanks Martin, Ryan Menezes. MARTIN SAYS: I think you and your brother could be arguing long into the night and beyond about which of your teams are better Ryan, and I am not sure that anything I will say will make any difference.

Who is better on Saturday is what really matters for both of these teams but I can give you some stats on the clashes between these teams since 2000. Arsenal did beat Manchester United 3-1, as you say, back in 2001 but it is far from the biggest victory between the two clubs. United beat Arsenal 6-1 at Old Trafford in Feb 2001, when Dwight Yorke scored ahat-trick. Roy Keane, Ole Gunnar Solksjaer and Teddy Sheringham also scored for United that day, as did Thierry Henry for Arsenal.United led that match 5-1 at half-time. Arsenal's biggest win was a League Cup 4-0 result at Highbury in which Sylvain Wiltord scored a hat-trick and Kanu a penalty - although both teams were far from full strength on that occasion. United have won only four of last 12 Premier League meetings between these two but famously won 4-2 in this fixture in on February 1 2005 when Ronaldo bagged a brace, Ashley Cole scored an own goal and John O'Shea was also on target for United. Patrick Vieira and Dennis Bergkamp found the net for Arsenal. Since 2000 Ryan, it is honours even between the two clubs, as you can see from the numbers below. Head to head since 2000: Played 15, United Won 5, Arsenal Won 5, Drawn 5.

WHO'S TOP OF THE TOP TWO?

Martin, with Man United and Arsenal meeting this weekend, I was wondering who has the better record in this game down the years? Also, who has scored the most goals in this fixture since the Premier League began? Leon Robinson, Cheshunt. MARTIN SAYS: Manchester United edge out Arsenal in all of categories you mention Leon, but they really do only edge them out. I have to thanks the stats team at Sky Sports for some of these numbers but in 176 matches, Arsenal have won 65 but Man United 71, with 40 games drawn. In the Premier League the head-to-head reads: Played 30, Arsenal nine wins, Man Utd 12 wins and nine drawn games. Manchester United have scored more goals than Arsenal in these fixtures in the Premier League era. United have found the net 38 times and Arsenal 28. In the Wenger v Ferguson head-to-head, from 22 matches, Sir Alex Ferguson has won eight of them, Arsene Wenger eight, and six matches have been drawn. RED DEVILS
Hello Martin. Could you please tell me who in the Premier League history has had the most sendings off? Stuart Howden. MARTIN SAYS: Hi Stuart, I am not sure whether you were after team red cards or individual red cards so I have gone for both. Some of these figures are distorted a little by the fact that seven teams have been in the Premier League for its entire duration and some players have played more games than others, but here they are nonetheless. The team that has received the most red cards in the Premier League's history is Everton, with 62 early baths in 593 games. Blackburn are second with 58 (516) reds, followed by Arsenal with 49 (591), West Ham 44 (474), Newcastle 44 (703) and 42 in 593 games. In terms of players, Patrick Vieira and Duncan Ferguson share the (dis)honour of having received the most reds, eight each, closely followed by Vinnie Jones and Roy Keane with seven. Eric Cantona, Andrew Cole, John Hartson and Alan Smith have all been given their marching orders six times and there are 17 players who have been sent off on five occasions. OWN GOAL SPECIALISTS
Hi Martin, A discussion in work following on from Sami Hyypia's recent endeavours has brought up the following question; Who has scored the most own goals in a season? Peter Hurley MARTIN SAYS: I wondered Peter whether we might receive a question like this after poor Sami put two past his own 'keeper in the same week. I believe the answer to this question is one Robert Stuart. The poor chap scored for the opposition five times in the 1934-5 season while wearing Middlesbrough's colours. The subject of own goals throws up another very interesting and very bizarre story that I think you might enjoy. In 2002 in Madagascar, AS Adema beat Olympique l'Emyrne 149-0- and every single one of them was an own goal. It is reported that the Olympique l'Emyrne lost their rag with the referee after he had a row with their manager and went about sticking it in the back of their net every 40 seconds. It does the beg the question why did they not get bored after about 100, and what did the opposition do? WORLD CUP TEASER
Martin, I heard a great question down the pub the other night and it has had my head melted ever since. I was wondering if you could put me out of my misery. Name 3 managers that have won the world cup as players and have managed in the premiership. I have 2 fairly obvious ones, but stuck on the third. Is there another? Kevin Cullen. MARTIN SAYS: This is a great question Peter and one that has really had me scratching my head. Like you, I can only come up with two. They are England's World Cup winner of 1966, Alan Ball, who managed Southampton and Manchester City, and Osvaldo Ardiles, winner of the World Cup in 1978 with Argentina, who managed Newcastle, Tottenham and West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League. I am sure if any of you can think of another you will let us know. STUTTERING STUTTGART
My team Stuttgart have lost their first 3 CL matches this season and I was wondering if any team has ever lost their first 3 matches and gone on to qualify. Frederik Wilf. MARTIN SAYS: Newcastle Frederik! May Newcastle be your source of optimism for the rest of the pool stages. It has only happened once I am afraid though. Bobby Robson's Newcastle lost their opening three matches in 2002-03 but qualified as runners-up behind Juventus with nine points after winning their last three matches. There are three more teams that come close. Dynamo Kiev (1999-2000) lost their opening two matches but qualified as runners-up behind Lazio with seven points. Bayer Leverkusen (2002-03) lost their opening two matches but qualified as runners-up behind Manchester United with nine points. Werder Bremen (2005-06) lost their opening two matches but qualified as runners-up behind Barcelona with seven points. Thanks again for all of your questions, please keep them coming thick and fast. Got a question for Martin? Email him here