Hat-trick heroes

Martin Tyler names those who have struck trebles against the big four and answers your other queries.

Martin Tyler's stats and facts column is back for 2008 and will be here offering you statistical gems for the remainder of the season. 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. Or use the feedback form at the bottom of the page....

Tyler's Starting Stat - Sven's City statistics

Not much was expected of Manchester City's home game against Portsmouth at the weekend, but what an absorbing 90 minutes it turned out to be. The City crowd was vocal in its support of Sven Goran Eriksson after he came in for a bit of stick leading up to kick-off, and looking at the stats it's easy to see why they are so taken with their manager. With 55 points, Eriksson's City already have 13 more than they earned in the whole of last season. They also have four more wins, 10 more goals and 16 more home goals than Stuart Pearce's side managed. City's current points total is already their best for a 38-game Premier League season, and one more win would see them top the 57 points achieved by Peter Reid's squad during the 42-game 1992/3 campaign. It was hardly surprising to see them go on and win once Darius Vassell got his name on the scoresheet: he has not been on the losing side in 47 Premier League games in which he has scored. As for Portsmouth, it was a case of the same old story. That's 14 trips to City (be it Maine Road or Eastlands) without a win, and their last success came way back in August 1963. That was in an old Division Two game - you have to go even further back to 1954 to find their last top-flight win there. HAT-TRICK HEROES
Hi there Martin, I'm a huge follower of the Premier League and Liverpool and I was wondering: how many hat-tricks have been scored by the opposition on the home grounds of the 'big four'. If memory serves me right, Kanu was the last to score one at Stamford Bridge, but what about the others? Thanks and kind regards. Billy
MARTIN SAYS:It certainly doesn't happen very often, Billy. You're right about Kanu - I was at Stamford Bridge on October 23, 1999 when his hat-trick won the game for Arsenal. That remains the only time an opposing player has scored three times there in the Premier League, and there is just one instnce at both Anfield and Highbury. Both times it was a Coventry player who did the damage: Peter Ndlovu scored all three in the Sky Blues' 3-2 win at Liverpool on March 4, 1995, and Micky Quinn earned City a 3-0 win at Highbury on the opening day of the 1993/4 season. The feat is yet to be achieved at Old Trafford, and Blackburn's David Bentley remains the only player to have scored a Premier League hat-trick anywhere against Manchester United. You may recall Dennis Bailey of QPR scoring three at Old Trafford, but that was on New Year's Day 1992 in the last season before the Premier League started. Egil Ostenstad was initially credited with three of Southampton's goals in a 6-3 win at The Dell in the autumn of 1996, but an FA panel later ruled that one was a Denis Irwin own goal. WHITE FRIGHTENING
Martin, If Fulham and Bolton join Derby in the Championship next season will it be the first time all three sides relegated from the top flight have worn white? Thanks,Frank Black
MARTIN SAYS:This is just the kind of question we like, Frank, and it takes a bit of trawling through the history books to find an answer. The 1958/9 season, when Luton and Leeds were relegated, initially jumped out at me, but at that stage Leeds were yet to adopt their Real Madrid-style kit and were still wearing blue and gold. The 1920/1 season was another possibility: Derby and Bradford Park Avenue were the unlucky teams but, although Bradford certainly had a white kit at some stage, I am not entirely sure about that season (please email in if you are a Bradford Park Avenue expert!). That brings us to 1913/4, when Derby - again - and the Lilywhites of Preston were the two teams relegated. I should point out of course, Frank, that Bolton - and indeed Fulham - will still fancy their chances of avoiding a repeat this season! FAB FERNANDO
Hi Martin, my friend told me an interesting statistic about Liverpool and Fernando Torres a few days ago. He told me they have never lost when Torres has scored. Now Torres has scored so many goals, could you tell me if this is true because we can't seem to recall all the matches he has scored in. Thanks!Pratik Kerai
MARTIN SAYS:You're friend is right, Pratik, Torres is proving to be something of a lucky omen for Liverpool. The Spaniard has scored in 21 games so far during his first season in England, of which the Reds have won 17 and drawn four. It's an impressive record, but Torres has some way to go before he can match the achievement of another famous Anfield No 9. Ian Rush scored in 145 games for Liverpool before he was on the losing side. His run was broken by Arsenal in the 1987 League Cup final at Wembley, Charlie Nicholas scoring twice after Rush had put his side ahead. I remember it well as (Sky Sports director) Tony Mills had predicted exactly that outcome on the way to the game!
BLUE WONDER
Hi Martin, I was watching Sky Sports news the other night, and I'm sure I heard Jason Cundy say that eight current Chelsea players have won the Champions League. I can only come up with six - please help!Marc Booker
MARTIN SAYS:You are in good company, Marc! According to my records, there are only six current Chelsea players with a Champions League winner's medal in their cabinets. Claude Makelele (2002) and Nicolas Anelka (2000) both won it with Real Madrid, Paulo Ferreira and Ricardo Carvalho were part of Porto's winning side in 2004, while Andriy Shevchenko scored the winning penalty in Milan's 2003 shoot-out win and it was Juliano Belletti's goal for Barcelona which beat Arsenal in 2006. I'm not sure whether you misheard Jason Cundy, Marc, but it is possible he said that there were eight Champions League finalists in the Blues squad, as both Ashley Cole (Arsenal, 2006) and Michael Ballack (Bayer Leverkusen, 2002) have fallen at the final hurdle. SET-PIECE SHOCKERS
Hi Martin. Having seen Liverpool concede quite a few goals in recent games from dead ball situations, I was just wondering who has conceded the most goals from dead ball situations in he Premier League this season? Thanks,Filip
MARTIN SAYS:You're right to say that Liverpool's zonal marking system has come under scrutiny in recent weeks, Filip, but that debate arose largely as a result of a Champions League goal - Emmanuel Adebayor's for Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium. As for as the Premier League goes, the Reds have conceded 16 goals from set-pieces - by which I mean goals from direct free-kick shots, free-kicks, penalties, corners and throw-ins. That leaves them in mid-table - some way behind leaders Tottenham, who have conceded 27 - but Rafael Benitez's side does have the highest percentage of set-piece goals conceded - those 16 represent 62% of their total goals against. Below is a full table...

TEAM	SET PIECE	OPEN PLAY	TOTAL GOALS	% SET PIECE
Tottenham	27	31	58	47%
Birmingham	24	33	57	42%
Sunderland	21	33	54	39%
Bolton	21	31	52	40%
Fulham	19	39	58	33%
Newcastle	19	39	58	33%
Blackburn	18	25	43	42%
Derby	17	59	76	22%
Reading	16	49	65	25%
Aston Villa	16	29	45	36%
Liverpool	16	10	26	62%
West Ham	15	27	42	36%
Middlesbrough	14	35	49	29%
Arsenal	13	16	29	45%
Everton	13	16	29	45%
Chelsea	12	12	24	50%
Wigan	9	40	49	18%
Portsmouth	9	27	36	25%
Man City	8	33	41	20%
Man Utd	6	13	19	32%