• Having failed to score in consecutive Premier League home matches, United should be motivated to stop three in a row from happening for the first time since May 2002 — albeit poetically, that run was ended with a 1-0 win versus West Brom.
• Despite enjoying a two-game winning run in the league, Monaco have to cope with a 12-game winless streak vs PSG in all competitions, while conceding first by the 30th minute on nine occasions.
Image: /REUTERS
Manchester United vs West Brom Saturday 11pm
With three Premier League goals conceded in the opening 15 minutes at home and just one scored themselves before the 75th minute, Manchester United have a lot of work to do to rectify their dreadful form.
Having failed to score in consecutive Premier League home matches, United should be motivated to stop three in a row from happening for the first time since May 2002 — albeit poetically, that run was ended with a 1-0 win versus West Brom.
The visitors are in dire straits themselves, having failed to win their opening eight league games for the first time since 1985/86. Their joint-league high average of 2.13 goals conceded per PL fixture must take most of the blame.
Subsequently, West Brom have trailed at half time in all four Premier League away games this season, losing three by a 2+ goal margin, drawing one, and conceding an average of 1.5 goals between the 25th minute and half time across those trips.
Head-to-Head
15.04.18 PL Man United West Brom 0: 1
17.12.17 PL West Brom Man United 1 : 2
01.04.17 PL Man United West Brom 0 : 0
17.12.16 PL West Brom Man United 0 : 2
06.03.16 PL West Brom Man United 1 : 0
Monaco vs Paris SG Friday 11pm
Despite enjoying a two-game winning run in the league, Monaco have to cope with a 12-game winless streak vs PSG in all competitions, while conceding first by the 30th minute on nine occasions.
Unbeaten in their opening five top-flight home fixtures, the hosts are currently enjoying their best home start to a new league campaign since 2017/18.
Sticking with that potentially high-scoring theme, PSG have averaged 3.25 team goals per match across their eight Ligue 1 wins this campaign, with more than half percentage of their goals coming in the second half. However, a league-low one of their 10 league games to date has witnessed goals at both ends.
Currently on a run of four-straight top-flight away wins, the visitors have the opportunity to register a fifth consecutive away league clean sheet for the first time since January 2016. Usually strong from the off when playing away, PSG are the only league side yet to concede a first half goal on the road this campaign, returning a half time record of winning three and drawing two.
Head-to-head
15.01.20 L1 Monaco Paris SG 1 : 4
12.01.20 L1 Paris SG Monaco 3 : 3
21.04.19 L1 Paris SG Monaco 3 : 1
11.11.18 L1 Monaco Paris SG 0 : 4
04.08.18 SC Paris SG Monaco 4 : 0
Liverpool vs Leicester Sunday 10:15pm
The international break piled on the injury misery for Liverpool, but they still sport a 100 per cent record at home in the Premier League this season.
Overall, Liverpool are unbeaten in seven straight competitive matches, winning five and drawing two, and have won five of the last six league head-to-heads against Leicester. Currently, almost without a fit centre-back, Liverpool have conceded more league goals after eight matches, 2.0 per match on average, than Chelsea did in their entire 2004/05 title-winning campaign.
Six league wins from the first eight games where they lost both of the other matches, means Leicester have bettered the start from their title winning 2015/16 campaign. Their seventh successful spot kick from eight attempts this season gave them victory in their last Premier League game and marked the earliest in a campaign that any team have recorded eight penalties. With six straight competitive wins in a row, the ‘Foxes’ travel with confidence and recently won their opening four league away matches for the first time in their 116-year long club history.
Going the distance, Leicester have scored more than three quarters of their 13 away league goals this season after the break, and across those they average 1.5 goals per match scored from the 75th minute onwards. Scoring precisely one goal in each of their last four visits to Anfield, three of those were struck before the break.
Head-to-head
26.12.19 PL Leicester Liverpool 0 : 4
05.10.19 PL Liverpool Leicester 2 : 1
30.01.19 PL Liverpool Leicester 1 : 1
01.09.18 PL Leicester Liverpool 1 : 2
30.12.17 PL Liverpool Leicester 2 : 1