Seven stats from the Premier League: 40 per cent of stars this weekend had beards, and other vital statistics
The Premier League is the home of beards with 40 per cent of the starting top-flight players at the weekend sporting facial fuzz... but which team had the hairiest bunch
SEVEN key statistics from the weekend's Premier League action
1
TWO of Bournemouth’s weekend superstars have 15 Premier League appearances between them this season – but have never played together.
Jordon Ibe – who terrorised the Hull defence in the 6-1 romp on Saturday – has started all eight Cherries game this season, but he has been taken off in every one of this games. Dan Gosling, meanwhile, has been subbed on by Eddie Howe a whopping seven times. However, Ibe has either been hooked before Gosling’s entrance, or at the same time as the former Everton man has come off the bench.
2
OF THE 198 Premier League players who started the weekend’s fixtures, a huge 80 of them were bearded. The furry 40 per cent are still clinging on to the hipster trend for Shoreditch stubble. Watford’s starting XI had eight hirsute stars while seven of Tony Pulis’ team had ducked a razor before the 1-1 draw with Spurs.
3
ON THE day of the M62 derby it’s clear Liverpool need more Manchester more than the Old Trafford side needs Merseysiders.
United have signed 25 players from Merseyside in their history – like proud scouser Wayne Rooney – but Liverpool have signed 30 players from Greater Manchester.
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4
BURNLEY let Southampton have a shot on Tom Heaton’s goal every 94 seconds the ball was in play on Sunday afternoon. Their 34 attempts came in 53 minutes and 12 seconds. Once every minute-and-a-half the England keeper was faced with a strike from Saints, with Charlie Austin scoring two of them.
5
LUCKY Phil Jagielka is the first Everton player to concede two missed penalties since 2001. Steve Watson was the last man to give two spot-kicks away for the Toffees, with neither finding the net.
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6
LEAKY LEICESTER are the first team of champions to lose three consecutive away games by three games or more for more than 50 years. The 4-1 losses to Liverpool and Manchester United - and the 3-0 defeat by Chelsea - have matches Ipswich’s dismal run of form in the 1962-63 season.
7
X marked the spot for Arsenal on Saturday. Granit Xhaka’s harsh-looking red card was the first for a player with a surname starting with that letter in English football history.