Premier League stats: Zaha, Milner, 100% starts and long waits
Last updated on .From the section Premier League
Is it always unfair to say a side is a "one-man team"? Perhaps not.
Crystal Palace desperately need their star man, Tottenham boast the league's best runner and Jose Mourinho needs to stop being so picky.
BBC Sport takes a look at the key stats from the Premier League weekend...
Palace REALLY need Zaha
To the detriment of fantasy football managers across the country, Wilfried Zaha was a surprise omission for Crystal Palace on Saturday as Roy Hodgson's side lost a third consecutive Premier League game.
The Ivory Coast international picked up a groin strain in training, and to say Palace miss him when he's unavailable is a little bit of an understatement.
The south London side have now lost all 10 Premier League games without Zaha since the start of last season, and the stats suggest they really cannot do without him.
Here's the startling effect the 25-year-old has had on Palace's Premier League record since the start of last season:
| When Zaha starts... | When Zaha does not start... | |
|---|---|---|
| 31 | Games | 11 |
| 12 | Wins | 0 |
| 8 | Losses | 11 |
| 44 (1.4) | Goals for (average) | 4 (0.4) |
| 36 (1.2) | Goals against (average) | 25 (2.3) |
| 38.7% | Win percentage | 0% |
| 1.5 | Points per game | 0 |
Milner matches Beckham
Liverpool's unsung hero James Milner covered an exhausting 12.39km against Leicester on Saturday, at an average speed of 7.69 km/h - meaning he ran further and, on average, faster than anyone else on the pitch as Jurgen Klopp's men maintained their winning start.
In fact, only Bournemouth's Dan Gosling could match Milner's legs this weekend, the Cherries midfielder covering 12.57km as his side chased a result against Chelsea - though without any reward.
And Milner now ranks fourth among Premier League players for total distance covered so far this season, but would you have guessed who comes in at number one?
Tottenham's Christian Eriksen - running 49.56 km in all - lays claim to being the Premier League's very own Mo Farah after four games, ahead of Gosling, Chelsea's summer signing Jorginho, Milner and N'Golo Kante.
Not just an engine in Liverpool's midfield, however, Milner has now registered 80 Premier League assists after his corner was converted by Roberto Firmino - taking him level with Manchester United legend David Beckham.
Only six players have bettered that tally, but can you name the top 20 assist makers in the competition?
Can you name the Premier League's all-time top 20 assist makers in four minutes?
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Stop being so choosey, Jose!
Manchester United returned to winning ways against Burnley on Sunday, so did Jose Mourinho finally stumble across his strongest starting XI?
The United boss has used 22 different players during their stuttering start to the Premier League - that's a league-high figure matched only by Huddersfield.
Most players used:
- 22 - Huddersfield, Manchester United
- 21 - Tottenham
- 20 - Newcastle, West Ham
This could also be where Newcastle and West Ham have gone wrong so far this season - though fourth-place Tottenham appear an anomaly here despite their defeat by Watford.
Fewest players used:
- 15 - Wolves
- 16 - Chelsea, Liverpool, Watford
Interestingly, Chelsea, Liverpool and Watford - the only sides to record four straight victories in the competition - have called upon just 16 individuals.
Only promoted side Wolves, who have enjoyed a steady start, have used fewer than this.
0% and 100% records - what do they actually mean?
West Ham's miserable start to the campaign continued as Wolves inflicted a fourth consecutive league defeat on Manuel Pellegrini's men.
It's only the second time in Hammers history this has happened and, on the other occasion, they were relegated in 2010-11 after manager Avram Grant endured the same opening run.
But they still have a bit to go before it becomes the worst ever start to a Premier League season...
But are they doomed? Not necessarily.
Of the 10 teams to lose their first four games, four have gone on to be relegated - though that does include West Ham.
Meanwhile, at the other end of the spectrum, just three sides still boast perfect starts after four games - a feat that has been achieved on 18 occasions across the Premier League's 26 editions.
And, crucially, on seven of those occasions that side has gone on to claim the all-important title.
Arsenal's Invincibles managed it in 2003, Manchester United in 2006 and Manchester City in 2011 - but Chelsea trump them all, succeeding in 2004, 2005, 2009 and 2014.
This is actually the sixth time Chelsea have won their first four games of a Premier League season, and the first time since 2014-15 under Mourinho.
Could they be about to do it again? Only 34 matches to go.
A long, long wait for Ward
A week is a long time in football - never mind nine years.
But against Arsenal on Sunday, Cardiff striker Danny Ward made his first Premier League start - 3,305 days after making his debut in the competition.
Remarkably, despite making his first appearance for Bolton Wanderers back in August 2009, two other players have endured longer waits between their first Premier League appearance and first start than Ward...
| Player | First Appearance (club & date) | First start (club & date) | Total days between |
|---|---|---|---|
| Erik Nevland | Manchester United 19-01-98 | Fulham 03-02-08 | 3,667 |
| Gary Caldwell | Newcastle United 04-11-00 | Wigan Athletic 16-01-10 | 3,360 |
| Danny Ward | Bolton Wanderers 15-08-09 | Cardiff City 02-09-18 | 3,305 |
| Gary McSheffrey | Coventry City 27-02-99 | Birmingham City 12-08-07 | 3,088 |
| Chris Wood | West Brom 11-04-09 | Burnley 10-09-17 | 3,074 |
And finally, on the matter of long waits, in a week that saw Saido Berahino end his two-and-a-half-year goal drought, Crystal Palace forward Christian Benteke extended his wait for a top-flight goal from open play - last doing so on January 30, 214 days ago.
Since the start of last season, Benteke has played 2,564 minutes but, with three goals from 73 shots in that period, the Belgian currently has a measly conversion rate of just 4%.
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When he played on the right hand side of the front 3 for City, he would always track back and help cover defensively and then always get forward and deliver some killer crosses.
He was fantastic and it speaks volumes the amount of game time he got.
Absolute legend
Success to many great teams can be attributed to these types of players, Kant at Leicester most recent, then is makelele, gattuso, Viera.
Milner maybe unspectacular but still think he would get in most top teams in Europe.
£Milner will be lifting the CL trophy in May, and the Premier title in February. The spirit of the 96 who died for our club will carry us to the title early, 96 points."
Liverpool have a great chance, no doubt. However this comment is so deluded I think my internal organs just imploded.
one hundred per cent. He works tirelessly to help other more gifted team mates
the chance to score goals.
Every club Milner has represented he's done with passion & commitment & deserves the applauds he gets
did I read that he holds the most assist in Europe since he started playing
A player every team can do with in their squad, no matter how big or small said team is.
For LFC, he's proving that he's one of he best free transfers in the PL era.
I for one love his desire and passion for the sport.
Long may it continue.
"Manchester United returned to winning ways..."
"retuned to winning ways" .. seriously?
They have been bang average since the departure of Sir Alex, despite spending millions on marquee signings and clueless managers. At best, a mediocre mid-table side.
James Milner was loved at Man City... However he did say he wanted to win trophies with LFC...... so....
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Milner - multiple times - said he could have sat around and picked up medals at City, but he wanted to be a part of winning them. That at City he was rotation, but wouldn't be selected when it came to finals.
He felt he could fight for 1st team at LFC. He was right.
Milner is the only player to have been subbed off on that list, all others have played every minute. Milner missed nearly 30 minutes (inc. injury time) of CP v LFC.
At about 12km per game, you'd think it pertinent to mention he'd missed nearly 1/3rd of a game...about 4km to him...putting him over 50km.