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Martin Tyler's stats and facts: Newcastle's upturn in fortunes and strings of sending offs

This week Martin Tyler's stats and facts column assesses Newcastle United's chances of reaching the top four and teams to have benefited from playing against 10 men. Read on to find out more about that as well as who holds the record number of comeback victories in Premier League history.

Send your questions to Martin

1: Email your posers to skysportsclub@bskyb.com

2. Use the feedback form at the bottom of this page.

3. Tweet @SkyFootball using the hashtag #TylersTeasers

Martin’s Starting Stats

I was in Bulgaria on Wednesday night to see Rickie Lambert make his first Champions League start and score his first Champions League goal eight minutes into it.

Jordan Henderson also scored his first Champions League goal on his fourth appearance in the competition.

Liverpool avoided five defeats in a row, which hadn’t happened since August to September 1953, and ended a run of three consecutive Champions League defeats and three games without a goal. They have four goals in their five Champions League matches this season – all against Ludogorets.

They had never lost four games in a Champions League group – but still have one game to go. They had never lost three consecutive away games in a Champions League group so they avoided that unwanted record.

It was their 19th game of the season, but the 29th for Ludogorets who played three rounds of qualifying. And people say Liverpool are busy!

The game came the day after the 50th anniversary of Bill Shankly changing the club kit from red and white to all red, done before a European Cup game against Anderlecht. It was appropriate they played in all red last night.

Toon resurgence

Hi Martin. I was at St James’ Park to see Newcastle win their fifth league game in a row against QPR at the weekend. If they win again at West Ham this Saturday they could move into the top four. So I am curious to know if any team has ever won six matches in a row and not finished in the top four in the Premier League? Rich Gallagher (Newcastle fan)

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 22:  Moussa Sissoko (R) of  Newcastle United celebrates scoring during the Barclays Premier League football match b
Image: Moussa Sissoko inspired Newcastle to their fifth consecutive league win this season against QPR

MARTIN SAYS: An interesting question, but the answer is one you might not like if you are a Magpies fan! On nine occasions have teams won six or more matches in a row in the Premier League and failed to make the top four, and Newcastle are one of only two sides to have done it twice – in 1994/95 and 2011/12.

Under Kevin Keegan in 1994/95 they made their best start to any top-flight season in their history as they scored 22 goals in their opening six matches and took maximum points from all of them. But after their run was ended by a 1-1 draw against Liverpool, the Magpies started to fade away before Christmas and then won only two of their last nine matches to finish sixth in the table, two points outside the top four.

The Magpies missed out again in 2011/12 when they won six matches in a row between March 18 and April 21, only to then be beaten 4-0 at Wigan and win only one of their last four games. That left them fifth in the table, four points behind fourth-placed Spurs.

Everton are the only other side to have twice failed to make the top four after winning at least six games in a row. They did it last year in Roberto Martinez’s first season in charge as they reeled off seven successive wins in March and April, but still missed out on fourth to Arsenal after taking six points from their last five matches. In 2002/03 they had a fantastic October and November with six straight victories, but faded away to finish in seventh place.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - APRIL 16: Cameron Jerome of Crystal Palace celebrates scoring his side's third goal during the Barclays Premier League match between E
Image: Crystal Palace's shock 3-2 victory at Goodison ended the Toffees' winning streak at seven games

In 1992/93 both Sheffield Wednesday and Arsenal missed out on the top four after winning six and seven games in a row respectively. The Gunners only managed to finish 10th while Wednesday ended up seventh despite a superb run either side of Christmas that saw them win 13 of 15 matches in all competitions.

Wigan Athletic also ended up halfway down the table in 2005/06 after winning six straight games while Liverpool and Everton both achieved the feat in 2002/03 only to finish fifth and seventh respectively.

The good news for Newcastle fans though is that no team has ever won eight matches in a row and not finished outside the top four – so that is a target for them to aim for. They will need to beat West Ham away, Burnley away and Stoke at home.

Teams to win six or more consecutive league matches and finish outside the top four in the Premier League

Sheffield Wednesday – Finished seventh in 1992/93 after seven-match winning run

Arsenal - Finished 10th in 1992/93 after six-match winning run

Newcastle United – Finished sixth in 1994/95 and fifth in 2011/12 after six-match winning runs

Wimbledon – Finished eighth in 1996/97 after seven-game streak

Liverpool – Finished fifth in 2002/03 after winning seven games in a row

Everton – Finished seventh in 2002/03 after six-match winning and fifth in 2013/14 after seven-match winning run

Wigan Athletic – Finished 10th in 2005/06 after six wins on the bounce

Comeback kings

Hi Martin. Which team has won the most games in a Premier League season from a losing position? Steve Jordan

NEWCASTLE - MARCH 29:  Duncan Ferguson of Everton holds the ball up against Nikos Dabizas of Newcastle United during the FA Barclaycard Premiership match p
Image: Newcastle came from a goal down to win 6-2 against Everton at St James' Park in 2001/02

MARTIN SAYS: Only one side has had 10 comeback wins in a single Premier League season and that’s Newcastle in 2001/02, when they finished fourth in the table. The most emphatic of the Magpies’ come-from-behind wins was when they thrashed Everton 6-2 after falling behind to an early Duncan Ferguson goal. They also won 4-1 at Middlesbrough after conceding in the fourth minute and came from behind to beat Tottenham 3-1. 

NEWCASTLE - APRIL 3:  Newcastle United manager Sir Bobby Robson shouts from the sidelines during the FA Barclaycard Premiership match between Newcastle Uni
Image: Newcastle United were under the tutelage of the legendary Sir Bobby Robson during their run in 01/02

Manchester United almost matched the feat in 2012/13 when they battled back from losing positions on nine occasions to take all three points. They were, of course, famous for their never-say-die attitude under Sir Alex Ferguson and showed that at Old Trafford on Boxing Day 2012 when they came from behind on three occasions to beat Newcastle United 4-3, with Javier Hernandez scoring the winner in the last minute. They also trailed twice at Reading but came back to win a remarkable game 4-3, with all the goals scored in the first half.

Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal have not always been famed for the same resilience as United, but they have had two Premier League seasons when they have grabbed seven victories from losing positions.

They recorded two memorable come-from-behind wins in 2011/12 when they beat Chelsea 5-3 and Tottenham 5-2. Against Chelsea they trailed on two occasions before Robin van Persie’s double in the final five minutes saw them snatch victory while they scored five times in 28 minutes against Spurs to recover from Louis Saha’s early strike.

Arsenal also achieved the feat of seven wins from losing positions in 1999/00 when they finished second to Manchester United. Perhaps the most famous win from behind in that campaign was at Chelsea, when they trailed 2-0 but won 3-2 thanks to a late 15-minute hat-trick from Nwankwo Kanu.

The only other team with seven comeback wins in a Premier League season are Everton, who managed it in 2002/03. Remarkably, all of the Toffees’ come-from-behind victories that season ended 2-1, including a late victory over Southampton when Tomasz Radzinski netted twice in the last seven minutes.

Number of comeback wins in a Premier League season

10 - Newcastle United 2001/02

9 - Manchester United 2012/13

7 - Arsenal 1999/00, Arsenal 2011/2012, Everton 2002/03

6 - Norwich City & Queens Park Rangers 1992/93, Aston Villa 1993/94, Tottenham Hotspur 1995/96, Newcastle United 1996/97, Leeds United & Manchester United 1999/00, Manchester United 2002/03, Arsenal 2003/04, Blackburn Rovers 2007/08, Liverpool 2008/09, West Bromwich Albion & Tottenham Hotspur 2010/11, Chelsea & Tottenham Hotspur 2012/13.

Cards galore

Hi Martin. I am a huge fan of yours and your brilliant weekly column and have some questions for you after seeing that Tottenham Hotspur once again managed to claim all three points on Sunday against opponents reduced to 10 men. What’s the most times a team has played against 10 men (or fewer) in a Premier League season? Jack Roberts

LONDON - APRIL 26:  Hayden Mullins of West Ham United pushes Luis Garcia of Liverpool in teh face and is sent off during the Barclays Premiership match bet
Image: Hayden Mullins pushes Luis Garcia with the pair seeing red as a result

MARTIN SAYS: There are numerous examples in the history of the Premier League of sides playing multiple games against opponents reduced to 10 men, however, it is Liverpool who hold the record.

The Reds featured in 11 matches where their opponents had a player dismissed in the 2005/06 season, with Rafa Benitez’s European champions going on to win seven of those games and drawing the remaining four.

Along with their opponents losing a man, Liverpool actually survived going down to 10 men themselves on a few occasions throughout the season, most notably when skipper Steven Gerrard was dismissed after picking up two yellow cards in quick succession in a feisty Merseyside derby. Gerard Houllier’s men were unfazed and ran out 3-1 winners.

Games in October and November 2005 saw the reds cards awarded to midfielder Mohamed Sissoko, in the Reds’ 2-0 win at the Stadium of Light, and Blackburn’s Zurab Khizanishvili, during Rovers’ 1-1 draw at Anfield, later rescinded on appeal.

The final game in which Liverpool’s opponents had a man sent off came at Upton Park in April ’06. West Ham midfielder Hayden Mullins was dismissed after appearing to strike Luis Garcia, but Howard Webb sent both players off, a decision which ruled the pair out of the FA Cup final between the two sides a fortnight later.

Players sent off against Liverpool during 2005/06 Premier League season

13/08/2005: Middlesbrough 0-0 Liverpool - Ugo Ehiogu

20/08/2005: Liverpool 1-0 Sunderland - Andy Welsh

24/09/2005: Birmingham City 2-2 Liverpool - Neil Kilkenny

15/10/2005: Liverpool 1-1 Blackburn Rovers - Zurab Khizanishvili appealed and rescinded

10/12/2005: Liverpool 2-0 Middlesbrough - Chris Riggott

26/12/2005: Liverpool 2-0 Newcastle United - Lee Bowyer

14/01/2006: Liverpool 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur - Paul Stalteri

01/02/2006: Liverpool 1-1 Birmingham City - Damien Johnson

26/02/2006: Liverpool 1-0 Manchester City – Joey Barton

19/03/2006: Newcastle United 1-3 Liverpool - Jean-Alain Boumsong

26/04/2006: West Ham United 1-2 Liverpool – Hayden Mullins and Luis Garcia

Helping hand?

Hi Martin. I enjoy the column every week, keep up the good work. I have noticed that Spurs’ last three games in the Premier League have all produced red cards. Is this close to a record? What is the longest run a team has been on for consecutive games involving red cards? Simon Hillier-Gainey (Spurs fan)

HULL, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 23:  Gaston Ramirez of Hull City is shown the red card by referee Craig Pawson during the Barclays Premier League match between Hu
Image: Gaston Ramirez saw red on Sunday after an altercation with Spurs' Jan Vertonghen

MARTIN SAYS: Tottenham are among a plethora of clubs to have played in three consecutive games during which a red card has been shown. Just four teams in Premier League history, however, have played in more.

Spurs’ North London rivals Arsenal are one of them, with the Gunners having gone one better on two occasions - during their title-winning season in 2001/02 and also in a run which spanned two seasons from 2010/11 to 2011/12. The first run saw the Gunners beat Leicester and Middlesbrough, draw with Chelsea - during which current Burton manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was dismissed – and lose to Leeds.

Arsenal were also involved in four successive games with red cards from the end of the 10/11 season to the start of the 11/12 campaign. Manchester United’s 8-2 victory at Old Trafford, and Carl Jenkinson’s dismissal, was the final game of the sequence.

Everton are the only side to have gone unbeaten during their run. In 2005/06, David Moyes’ side featured in four games in a row in which a red card was shown. They capitalised on the dismissals of Cesc Fabregas and Stephen Jordan to come out on top while drawing when Duncan Ferguson and Jason Roberts were sent off and beating Blackburn despite having Ian Turner dismissed to claim three wins and a draw.

West Ham saw four consecutive games of their 1999/00 season feature a sending off. The Hammers won one, drew one and lost two of the matches against Sunderland, Middlesbrough, Arsenal and Coventry.

Live Ford Super Sunday

The record, however, lies with Liverpool, who went five games during the 1999/00 season with at least one dismissal. The run began when Manchester United striker Andy Cole saw red after lashing out at Rigobert Song at Anfield in September ’99.

The man advantage didn’t tell and United edged to a 3-2 win, thanks in part to two own goals from Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher. Liverpool won just once in those five games, drawing two and losing two.

You can see if Tottenham make it four games in a row when they play Everton live on Super Sunday.

Run of successive games featuring red cards

Five – Liverpool 1999/2000 (W1 D2 L2)

Four – Arsenal 2001/2002 (W2 D1 L1) & 2010/2011-2011/2012 (W0 D2 L2)

Four – Everton 2005/2006 (W3 D1 L0)

Four – West Ham 1999/2000 (W1 D1 L2)

Who’s to say we won’t see another card at White Hart Lane this Sunday? Live coverage of Tottenham v Everton starts at 3:30pm, Sky Sports 1 HD.

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