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Martin Tyler's stats: Free-scoring champions and goal-shy grounds

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Sky Sports' Martin Tyler brings you the latest edition of his teaser ahead of Manchester United's Premier League match against Arsenal at Old Trafford.

In his regular stats column, Sky Sports commentator Martin Tyler looks at high-scoring Premier League champions, and goal-shy stadiums...

How to send your questions to Martin:

1: Email your posers to skysportsclub@bskyb.com

2. Tweet @SkyFootball using the hashtag #TylersTeasers.

Martin's starting stat

Arsenal's 1-1 draw at Manchester United on Super Sunday saw them claim their first point at Old Trafford since a goalless draw there in May 2009.

Arsenal have won only four of their last 26 Premier League meetings with United and, on each occasion, United have won the championship - so they were hollow victories really.

Victor Valdes became only the second goalkeeper used by Louis van Gaal, and the 33rd player used in the Premier League by the Dutchman this season. David de Gea has started all 43 games - and Valdes will presumably start the 44th. It was his first senior appearance under Van Gaal since he made 11 for him during his tenure at Barcelona.

Ander Herrera scored his sixth Premier League goal with only his seventh Premier League shot on target. That goal ended a run of seven consecutive away wins for Arsenal in all competitions this season.

It was Manchester United's 21st and final home game of the season (19 Premier League and one FA Cup replay against Cambridge and one FA Cup quarter-final against Arsenal). That's their lowest number of home games since 1958/59, when they played 21 league games at home and no cup or European games. 

There may not have been many games at the Theatre of Dreams this season but there have been plenty of goals, as our first question explains...

Hi Martin! Am I right in thinking Turf Moor witnessed only 35 goals in the Premier League this season? If this is right, is this a record low? (John, Colchester)

Burnley's English manager Sean Dyche (C) applauds the team's fans after his team was relegated from the Premier League
Image: Turf Moor has witnessed just 35 Premier League goals this season

MARTIN SAYS: Yes John, you are right. Turf Moor waved goodbye to the Premier League on Saturday as Stoke City held Burnley to a goalless draw. The third stalemate of the season confirmed Burnley's fans have witnessed just 35 Premier League goals all season - that's a goal every 49 minutes of action.

Remarkably, champions Chelsea occupy second spot on this list, with Stamford Bridge exhibiting just 41 goals this season. Let's not forget they have one game at home remaining when before they lift the Premier League trophy aloft on Super Sunday.

Compare that to Old Trafford and the Etihad - which have both seen 56 Premier League goals this season, and Manchester City still have one more home game to come.

Live Ford Super Sunday

The all-time Premier League low came in 2006/07, where those in attendance at the 19 games held at the City of Manchester Stadium (now Etihad) were 'treated' to a meagre 26 top-flight goals.

Stuart Pearce's final season as Manchester City manager ended with the club avoiding relegation by four points as he was replaced by former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson.

Elland Road saw 28 goals throughout the entirety of the 1996/97 season as Howard Wilkinson, and then George Graham, guided Leeds to a mid-table finish.

In recent times, a season of upheaval at White Hart Lane in 2008/09, which saw Juande Ramos replaced by Harry Redknapp as manager and more than 30 player comings and goings, equated to just 31 goals finding the back of the net.

Fewest number of goals at Premier League grounds, last five seasons

10/11 - Blackburn (Ewood Park) - 38

11/12 - Liverpool (Anfield) - 40

12/13 - Sunderland (Stadium of Light) - 39

13/14 - Norwich (Carrow Road) - 35

14/15 - Burnley (Turf Moor) - 35

How many times has the highest scoring team in the Premier League gone on to win the title? @BewareTheHazard

Chelsea players and staff celebrate winning the Premier League title
Image: Chelsea on course to become only the second Premier League champions not to top scoring charts

MARTIN SAYS: The highest scoring team in the Premier League has won the title on 15 of the 22 seasons to date. Each of the last five champions of England - Chelsea (09/10), Manchester United (10/11), Manchester City (11/12), Manchester United (12/13) and Manchester City (13/14) - have topped the scoring charts en-route to the title.

As things stand, Chelsea are on course to buck that trend. Jose Mourinho's title-winning side of this season currently trail Manchester City by 11 goals but, with a celebratory game against Sunderland on the final day of the season, the Blues - who crowned their last title with an 8-0 victory over Wigan in 2010 - could end this season with a flourish.

Chelsea are currently the second-highest scorers with 70 goals - three clear of Arsenal - who have two to play.

There has been just one season in which the eventual champions have not been one of the top two top-scoring sides. Arsenal's maiden Premier League title in 1997/98 saw the Gunners stop United winning a third consecitve title despite scoring five goals less than second-placed United, three less than fourth-placed Chelsea and level with third-placed Liverpool.

On Monday, Chelsea failed to score for only the third time this season - so they have been consistent if not huge scorers. They still need two goals from the final game, live on Sky Sports, to make it three Mourinho title triumphs with exactly 72 goals scored.

Sadio Mane ended Southampton's 13-year wait for a Premier League hat-trick. Has any other Premier League team waited longer? (Eric, Saffron Walden)

Image: Only QPR have waited longer for Premier League hat-trick than Southampton

MARTIN SAYS: James Beattie's 27-minute hat-trick for Southampton against Fulham back in October 2002 was the last time a Saints player scored three times in the Premier League. A staggering 4584 days separated Beattie's and Mane's record-breaking treble at the weekend.

Remarkably, though, one club make the Saints' wait for a hat-trick look insignificant, and that team is Queens Park Rangers.

Charlie Austin's treble against West Brom at Loftus Road back in December ended 7700 days of waiting for the Hoops, who had to hark back to Bradley Allen's hat-trick against Everton in November 1993 for the last time they celebrated a hat-trick.

Sunderland feature next on the list. Darren Bent's hat-trick against Bolton at the Stadium of Light in March 2010 halted a 3360-day run without a Sunderland top-flight treble.  Kevin Phillips was the man who last scored a hat-trick for the Black Cats, as his three goals at Valley Parade on Boxing Day 2000 earned the Wearsiders a 4-1 win.

Interestingly, Norwich could complete an even longer wait if they are promoted and score one next season. Their last Premier League hat-trick was scored by Efan Ekoku against Everton in September 1993.

Sadio Mane's hat-trick overshadowed Shane Long scoring two and assisting two in Southampton's 6-1 win against Villa. When was the last time this was achieved in the Premier League? (John, Gosport)

Southampton's Irish striker Shane Long celebrates scoring Aston Villa's fourth goal
Image: Southampton's Shane Long ended 18-month wait for two goals and two assists by same player

MARTIN SAYS: Sadio Mane's record-breaking hat-trick will certainly live long in the memory and the record books. Who would have expected Robbie Fowler's record to be broken?

Long's achievement is also impressive. Not since Luis Suarez starred in Liverpool's 5-0 victory at Tottenham in December of the 2013/14 has a player scored and set up at least two goals in the same Premier League game, and the feat has only been achieved 36 times throughout the Premier League era.

The first player to do so was Alan Shearer, who was involved in four of the seven goals Blackburn Rovers put past Norwich City in October of the inaugural Premier League season in 1992/93.

Jurgen Klinsmann was involved in each of Spurs' six goals - scoring four and assisting two - in their 6-2 victory against Wimbledon at Selhurst Park in the 1997/98 season.

Often the tormentor of defences, Thierry Henry, unsurprisingly, accounts for three of the 36 entries on this list, against Sunderland in 1999/00 and Leicester in 2000/01.

Live Ford Super Sunday

However, the most important of these came in January of the 2005/06 season where we bagged a hat-trick and set up two further goals in a 7-0 victory against Middlesbrough at Highbury. The goals saw him equal Cliff Bastin's record of scoring 150 League goals for the Gunners, which he went on to break in a 3-2 defeat to West Ham the following month.

Other notable examples include Ashley Young, who scored twice and had a hat-trick of assists in Manchester United's 8-2 victory over Arsenal in 2011/12 and Theo Walcott who, in 2012/13, added two assists to a hat-trick as Arsenal thrashed Newcastle 7-3 at the Emirates Stadium.

Two other Southampton players have done it - Eyal Berkovic in a 6-3 win against Manchester United in 1996 and Matt Le Tissier against Aston Villa in 1994 - so Long isn't even the first Southampton player to do it against Aston Villa.

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