By Brian Sears 26 December 2014 Yes, I know it’s more than 10 years since Leicester last graced the Premier League. And yes I know that it’s so long ago that in their eight seasons of Premier League occupation, they played clubs including Wimbledon, Barnsley and Watford. And yes I know that they haven’t won a Premier League […]

By Brian Sears 14 March 2014 Seven clubs have been ever-present (EP) in the 22 seasons of the Premier League and six of them are in the top seven in the current table; this is no coincidence. Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal in first, second and third place before this weekend’s games, as well as Tottenham, […]

By Brian Sears 28 February 2014 Everton will start the weekend 11 points outside the Champions League qualification spots, albeit with a game in hand on fourth-placed Liverpool, and are now outsiders to reach Europe’s top table for 2014-15. But their home form and their historical record against Saturday’s opponents West Ham both suggest they […]

By Brian Sears 24 December 2013 Famously the club at the bottom of the Premier League on Christmas Day has always ended up relegated with the sole and notable exception of West Brom in 2004-05. Sunderland are bottom for Christmas 2013, which statistically makes them 95 per cent doomed to the drop. But as the […]

By Brian Sears 27 September 2013 Aston Villa did not manage a single clean sheet between 8th December last year, when they ‘enjoyed’  a 0-0 draw at home to Stoke, and last Saturday’s 1-0 win at Norwich. In between those two momentous days for their defence, Villa played out 26 Premier League games in which they conceded […]

By Brian Sears 13 September 2013 Newcastle have been in the Premier League for 19 of the completed 21 PL seasons since the top division was revamped in 1992-93. They missed that inaugural year, and then the 2009-10 season. Of all the teams they’ve played in those 19 seasons, this weekend’s opponents Aston Villa have […]

By Brian Sears 23 August 2013 Fulham have lost 68 home games in their 12 seasons in the Premier League and one club stands clear in inflicting the most defeats on them on their own turf: Arsenal. In 12 visits to Craven Cottage in the Premier League, Arsenal have won eight times. They are Fulham’s […]

By Brian Sears 16 August 2013 Chelsea have the best opening-day record in the Premier League era, winning their first league match of the season 13 times in the past 21 years and drawing another five for a total of 44 points from 21 games, or 2.1 points a game. Manchester United have the next […]

By Brian Sears 26 April 2013 Everton welcome Fulham to Goodison on Saturday seeking to maintain perhaps the longest 100 per cent winning run against the same opponent in English football. Everton have beaten Fulham in 19 straight league games at home now, dating back to 1961. The last time Fulham even managed so much […]

By Brian Sears 12 April 2013 Three north-east clubs have played in the Premier League in its 21-year existence and though their fortunes have ebbed and flowed, one club has clearly been the regional dominant force over that time – Newcastle. In the 20 completed Premier League seasons, Newcastle have finished the best of the […]