PREVIEW: Premier League Matchday 8

FOOTBALL – The following are some key facts and figures on a selected assortment of matches in the La Liga this weekend. The matches we have looked into are Tottenham Hotspur - Chelsea, Liverpool - Reading and Manchester United - Stoke City.

Tottenham Hotspur - Chelsea

> Chelsea have failed to win in their last six PL visits to White Hart Lane (3 defeats), since a 2-0 victory in August 2005 with goals from Asier Del Horno and Damien Duff. This is Chelsea’s longest on-going away run against a current PL club without a victory.

> Tottenham are one short of scoring 100 home top flight goals against Chelsea.

> Chelsea are unbeaten in their last eight PL London derby matches (2 wins, 6 draws), since a 5-3 home defeat to Arsenal in October 2011. Unbeaten in their last five PL away matches in London – since a 1-0 defeat at QPR on October 23, 2011.

> Chelsea picked up 19 points from their seven PL matches – their most at this stage of a PL season since 2005-06 (21 points). Then they also won their eighth match of the season to pick up 24 points in total.

> Frank Lampard could make his 500^th ever start in a PL match. Only three players have ever made more starts in the division – David James (571), Gary Speed (521) and Ryan Giggs (507).

Liverpool - Reading

> In his brief playing career, Brendan Rodgers signed for Reading aged 17. The defender played for Reading’s reserve team before a genetic knee injury ended his career at 20.

> Liverpool failed to win in their opening four PL home matches of the season -  equalling their longest ever run without a home top flight win from the start of the season – level with both 1894 and 1911.

> Liverpool failed to win in their opening four PL home matches of the season -  equalling their longest ever run without a home top flight win from the start of the season – level with both 1894 and 1911.

> Luis Suarez has scored only three PL goals at Anfield in 2012, the same amount as Robin van Persie has in two appearances at the stadium (2 for Arsenal, 1 for Manchester United).

> Reading are one short of their 200^th league goal under manager Brian McDermott, since he took over from Brendan Rodgers, his opposite number today, in December 2009.

Manchester United - Stoke City

 > Since promotion to the PL, Stoke have never beaten Manchester United in a total of eight meetings. Their only point came in last season’s 1-1 draw at the Britannia Stadium.

> United have won five of their seven PL matches (2 defeats). This is the first time they have lost as many as two matches at this stage of the season since 2002-03 (also 2 defeats).

> United have scored in each of their last 52 PL home matches, since the 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa in December 2009. They are the first ever PL club to score in 50 or more successive home matches. It is the 11^th time this feat has been achieved in the top flight and first since Tottenham (53 matches) from 1960-62.

> Stoke City have never won a PL fixture in the city of Manchester. They have lost all eight visits to United and City since 2008 – scoring just one goal.

> Stoke have recorded no win in their last 13 PL away matches, since the 2-1 victory at Blackburn on January 2.