Angus ‘Statto’ Loughran – Premier League Stats & Tips

Manchester United need a win badly and can take great heart that they have won 18 of their last 19 Boxing Day matches, the best record in the League by a distance.

Stoke v Manchester United, Saturday 26th December, 12.45pm
Stoke have a woeful record against The Reds winning just 1 of the last 14 encounters, losing 11 and they have never kept a clean sheet against United. I have watched United a lot and they are on a terrible run. The last time they had one like it was in 1998/99 when they ended up winning The Treble!

Stoke played really well to beat Man City in the wind and will certainly have their backers at 9/4 while United will be popular at 13/10 in what is really a must win match for their under pressure Coach Louis van Gaal. He will be hoping United continue this amazing Boxing Day run and get a crucial 3 points in the lunchtime clash live on Sky.

Aston Villa v West Ham, Saturday 26th December 3pm
Manchester United have a great Boxing Day record but look away now if you are an Aston Villa fan. With just one win in the last 14 on the day after Christmas, Villa have been bottom on Christmas Day twice before in 1935 and 1958 they were relegated on both occasions.

West Ham have had 3 0-0s in a row for the first time in their history. Only Arsenal twice and Spurs have had 4 on the bounce but this clash with Villa is only 13/2 to fire a blank! Villa surely need to go for it as even though a point from behind was a decent one last time out, they haven’t won at home this season and had their sole victory on the opening day at Bournemouth. It is already looking bleak for last year’s Cup Finalists and their prospects of retaining their Premier League status look slim.

Chelsea v Watford, Saturday 26th December 3pm
Chelsea have won 7 of their last 8 against Watford and have a great record against promoted clubs at Stamford Bridge despite the recent shock loss to Bournemouth. They are 2/5 to beat a Watford side who have already matched their points tally of 28 from the last season they were in top flight in 2006/7. Chelsea should win but how many times have we said that this season?

Liverpool v Leicester City, Saturday 26th December 3pm
Liverpool have never lost a Premier League game at Anfield on Boxing Day although Leicester in 1996 are one of 3 sides that have managed a share of the spoils.

The Foxes have been a revelation and are only the 2nd side following Norwich City to be bottom on Christmas Day and top the following season.

With 5 of the last 6 Premier League leaders at Christmas going on to win the title there will be plenty thinking 11/1 is value.

Others are just scratching their heads in disbelief that a side heavily backed for relegation and 5000/1 for title in August are now in such a position.

If someone had told you this at start of season you would not have believed it nor that Liverpool would be 10/11 for this fixture. Leicester have nothing to fear and have more than a sporting chance of continuing this amazing run at 29/10.

Man City v Sunderland, Saturday 26th December 3pm
Manchester City will be looking to bounce back from Monday’s defeat at Arsenal and at 2/11 are the shortest price team to win on Boxing Day against Sunderland. City have lost only one of their last 8 on Boxing Day, ironically to Sunderland who are 14/1 for a real shock this time round.

Jermain Defoe has a great Boxing Day record scoring 6 times in 10 festive fixtures and can be backed at 17/4 to make it 7.

Swansea v West Brom, Saturday 26th December 3pm
Swansea are really struggling at present and are only 5/2 to go down having failed to score on 8 occasions this season, the most in the league. It is hard to see their Liberty Stadium clash being a thriller and no surprise to see 0-0 only 6/1. If we do see some action, Wayne Routledge has a great scoring record against the Baggies and can be backed at 7/2 to grab another in this fixture this weekend.

Bournemouth v Crystal Palace, Saturday 26th December 3pm
Crystal Palace travel to Bournemouth for the first meeting between the sides since March 1989 and Alan Pardew will be hoping his final away fixture of 2015 can bring yet another 3 points. At 19/10 they will be a popular bet despite The Cherries suddenly finding some great form. They rescued a 3-3 draw at home to Everton and then rattled off 3 wins in a row away at Chelsea, at home to Manchester United and away at WBA, an incredible run which has given all at the club the genuine belief they may escape the drop.

Tottenham v Norwich, Saturday 26th December 3pm
Harry Kane is 8/13 to make it 9 in 9 for Tottenham who are 2/5 to beat Norwich, who often experience trouble at White Hart Lane. Since their last win at Spurs in April 2012 they have not won in 15 visits to London, but having said that they had an even worse record at Old Trafford and came away with a huge win in Manchester last weekend.

Newcastle v Everton, Saturday 26th December 5.30pm.
Newcastle have a great record at St James’ Park against Everton having beaten them 12 times and at 21/10 they are a big price to make that 13.

Romelu Lukaku has been on fire for Everton and if he scores against Newcastle…

…he will become the first Evertonian since Dixie Dean to score in 9 games in a row.

Everton are 5/4 to derail Newcastle’s recent revival with a draw at 12/5 in the 5.30 kick off, the first of 2 live Boxing Day matches on BT Sport.

Southampton v Arsenal, Saturday 26th December, 7.45pm
The other at 7.45 sees Arsenal, the Premier League market leaders at Evens, travel to Southampton who they have only lost once to in the last 11. That was a 2-0 defeat in January. Arsenal have only lost once in the Premier League on Boxing Day and will be a popular bet here at 11/10 for 3 more points.

Olivier Giroud, who has netted in 5 of The Gunners last 6 away games and who grabbed the 2nd goal v Manchester City on Monday night is 20/21 to continue his great scoring run with another goal on Boxing Day evening against The Saints.

In the last month there have been 16 live Premier League games and remarkably only 2 winning favourites so backers of Man United and Everton beware that the two market leaders were both Arsenal; away at Aston Villa and at home on Monday night to Manchester City.