Skip to content

Martin Tyler's stats and facts: Headed goals, busy goalkeepers and late finishers

This week Martin Tyler's stats and facts column looks at who has scored the most in the Premier League without netting a header, which goalkeepers have been busiest and how the table would look if games finished five minutes early.

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

Tyler’s Starting Stats

I was at Old Trafford on Sunday where Manchester United enjoyed their sixth league win in a row. Michael Carrick’s only six league starts this season have been in those games.

Juan Mata notched his first league win over Liverpool in six attempts – though he was in the Chelsea team that won in the FA Cup against Kenny Dalglish’s Reds in 2012. It was his 11th goal in his last 19 Premier League games for Manchester United.

Wayne Rooney never scored for Everton against Liverpool, but has now scored five in 19 for Manchester United. Of course, he is an Everton man so it was particularly pleasurable for him.

Robin van Persie scored his seventh in his last nine Premier League starts against Liverpool and fourth in his last four games this season for Manchester United. Incidentally, his Premier League double at Southampton was his first in the Premier League since David Moyes’ first game in charge at Swansea.

Liverpool have conceded 16 goals in eight away league games, at a simple-to-equate two per game. The match was played on the eve of Martin Skrtel’s 30th birthday but he didn’t enjoy that landmark as much as Santi Cazorla who scored twice on his 30th birthday the day before.

On me head!

Chelsea's Eden Hazard (right) heads his side ahead against Hull
Image: Eden Hazard scored a header for only the second time in the league

I was amazed to hear Eden Hazard has only twice scored a header and it got me wondering… which players have scored the most PL goals without ever scoring a header? Tom

MARTIN SAYS: When you look at the list of players who have scored the most Premier League goals without ever scoring a header, wingers, past and present, dominate proceedings.

Damien Duff (54 goals) is the clear winner when it comes to scoring the most Premier League goals without ever netting a header. The former Blackburn, Chelsea, Fulham and Newcastle winger is the only player to score more than 50 Premier League goals without scoring with his head during his 18-year career in England’s top flight.

Ashley Young has scored 41 Premier League goals during spells at Watford, Aston Villa and Manchester United but has so far failed to find the back of the net with his head.

Patrik Berger won an FA Cup, two League Cups and a UEFA Cup at Liverpool but a headed goal in the league proved to be elusive. Berger also enjoyed spells at Portsmouth, Aston Villa and Stoke but, despite scoring 38 Premier League goals, he did not score with his head.

Manchester City duo Samir Nasri (32) and James Milner (31) are next on the list.

Most Premier League goals without a header

Damien Duff (54), Ashley Young (41), Patrik Berger (38), Samir Nasri (32), James Milner (31), Adam Johnson (27), Leighton Baines (26), Aaron Lennon (25), Marc Overmars (25) and Sebastian Larsson (25).

Safe hands

Image: David De Gea has been in inspired form but doesn't top the save charts

Has David de Gea made the most saves in the Premier League this season? What is the record for most saves in a Premier League season? Anthony Behan

MARTIN SAYS: David de Gea has been credited with 47 Premier League saves by Opta so far this season, but there are five goalkeepers who have made more.

Top of the list is Robert Green. With QPR conceding the most goals so far this season (30) it’s easy to see why Green tops the pile for the highest number of saves after 16 games with 58.

Following him are goalkeepers from teams in the bottom half of the table with Burnley’s Tom Heaton and Aston Villa’s Brad Guzan, both with 52.

West Ham may be enjoying their best start to a season for a long time but that doesn’t mean they haven’t needed their 'keeper with Adrian busy making 49 saves so far. Unsurprisingly, Leicester’s Kasper Schmeichel has been made to work hard and is next with 48.

Interestingly, the least-worked goalkeeper in the top six is Southampton's Fraser Forster, who has made just 29 saves so far.

Most saves in the Premier League this season:

58 Robert Green (QPR), 52 Tom Heaton (Burnley), Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), 49 Adrian (West Ham), 48 Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City), 47 David de Gea (Man United), Hugo Lloris (Tottenham), 46 Lukasz Fabianski (Swansea), 45 Ben Foster (West Brom), 38 Simon Mignolet (Liverpool), Julian Speroni (Crystal Palace), 33 Joe Hart (Manchester City), 33 Tim Howard (Everton), Allan McGregor (Hull City), 32 Thibaut Courtois (Chelsea), 30 Wojciech Szczesny (Arsenal), Vito Mannone (Sunderland), 29 Fraser Forster (Southampton), 28 Tim Krul (Newcastle), 26 Asmir Begovic (Stoke), 25 Costel Pantilimon (Sunderland).

Opta have only been keeping records on saves since the start of the 2003-4 season, but in that time Green is also in top spot for the most saves in a season with 178 for Norwich during 2004-5. Norwich went on to be relegated at the end of that campaign.

Another current top flight 'keeper features next with Ben Foster making 170 saves during Birmingham’s 2010-2011 campaign, while Jussi Jaaskelainen pulled off 166 stops for West Ham during the 2012-13 season.

Most saves in a season since 2003-04 season:

178 Robert Green (Norwich 2004-5), 170 Ben Foster (Birmingham 2010-11), 166 Jussi Jaaskelainen (West Ham 2012-13), 165 Wayne Hennessey (Wolves 2011-12), 164 Marcus Hahnemann ( Reading 2006-7), 161 Robert Green (West Ham 2010-11), 158 Edwin van der Sar (Fulham 2003-4), 153 Brad Friedel (Blackburn 2006-7), David Marshall (Cardiff 2013-14). 151 Marcus Hahnemann (Reading 2007-8), Gabor Kiraly (Crystal Palace 2004-5).

Late shows

Christian Eriksen
Image: Christian Eriksen is starting to make a habit of scoring late goals

Where would Tottenham be in the table if games finished on 85 minutes? #TylersTeasers Mark

MARTIN SAYS: According to Opta, if this season’s games finished after 85 minutes this season then Tottenham would indeed be languishing near the bottom of the table. Christian Eriksen’s last-gasp strike at Swansea was the fourth time this season Spurs have secured a victory after the 85th minute - and all four games have come away from White Hart Lane.

Eric Dier scored the winner on the opening day of the season at West Ham; Harry Kane was on hand to grab all three points at Aston Villa and Eriksen sealed victory late in the day at Hull, meaning Mauricio Pochettino’s side have eight more points than they might have had if games were five minutes shorter. In our reconfigured table, they would be down in 16th.

Arsenal have also benefited from a flurry of late goals which has seen them rescue positive results on four occasions. The Gunners are six points and five places better off in the league thanks to late goals from Aaron Ramsey against Crystal Palace, Olivier Giroud at Everton, Danny Welbeck at home to Hull and more recently Alexis Sanchez’s winner against Southampton.

It’s hard to imagine things getting any better for Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea but the league leaders could be even further clear at the top of the league had it not been for late equalisers in Manchester. Robin van Persie and Frank Lampard hit dramatic late levellers for United and City respectively, denying the Blues an extended lead at the top of the table.

At the other end of the league Hull find themselves in the relegation zone but, had it not been for conceding late goals against Arsenal, Newcastle and Spurs in the final five minutes of games, Steve Bruce’s men would be sitting prettier in 15th. Hull have lost five points in the closing stages of matches and that will be something they will want to rectify if they are to improve on their current standing of 19th.

League table if games finished after 85 minutes:

  1. Chelsea (Current points: 39 – Points if games finished at 85 minutes: 43)
  2. Manchester City (36 - 35)
  3. Manchester United (31 - 31)
  4. West Ham United (28 - 29)
  5. Southampton (26 - 27)
  6. Swansea City (22 - 23)
  7. Stoke City (19 - 22)
  8. Newcastle United (23 - 22)
  9. Aston Villa (19 - 22)
  10. Everton (21 - 21)
  11. Arsenal (26 - 20)
  12. Liverpool (21 - 20)
  13. West Bromwich Albion (17 - 20)
  14. Crystal Palace (15 - 18)
  15. Hull City (13 - 18)
  16. Tottenham Hotspur (24 - 16)
  17. Sunderland (16 - 15)
  18. Burnley (15 - 13)
  19. Queens Park Rangers (14 - 13)
  20. Leicester City (10 - 11)

Draw level

West Ham's Stewart Downing scores the equaliser to make it 1-1
Image: Sunderland were held by West Ham for their 10th draw of the season

I see Sunderland have now drawn 10 of their first 16 games. Surely this has to be a record for draws in this span of time to start a season? Also, what is the record for draws in a 38-game season in Premier League history? Cody

MARTIN SAYS: Sunderland’s run is a record – but they have matched it, rather than broken it. Back in the inaugural Premier League season in 1992-3, Ipswich also drew 10 of their first 16 games of the season. Ipswich went on to finish 16th that year and Gus Poyet’s side will be hoping they can repeat that feat and avoid relegation this term.

Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest, Middlesbrough, Chelsea, Norwich, Aston Villa, Birmingham and Fulham have all drawn nine matches from their opening 16 matches in the Premier League.

Palace were not as lucky as Ipswich in the Premier League’s first campaign and were relegated in 20th, while Nottingham Forest (12th) in 1995-6, Middlesbrough (9th) in 1998-9 and Chelsea (6th) in 2001-2 all went on to finish in respectable league positions.

Norwich and Birmingham were not quite as fortunate and went on to be relegated from the top flight in 2004-5 and 2010-11 respectively, but Fulham recorded an eighth-place finish with a season full of draws in 2010-11.

Most draws after 16 games:

10 Ipswich Town (1992-3), Sunderland (2014-5)                

9 Crystal Palace (1992-3), Nottingham Forest (1995-6), Middlesbrough (1998-9), Chelsea (2001-2), Norwich City (2004-5), Aston Villa (2006-7), Birmingham City (2010-11), Fulham (2010-11).

Since the league was cut to 20 teams, we have seen two teams draw 17 matches in a season. Aston Villa have twice registered 17 draws - in 2011-2 and 2006-7.  Newcastle actually finished fifth in the 2003-4 season despite drawing 17 matches.