Manuel Almunia... never lost to a bottom-six side
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Arsenal.com's Nick Teale uses the Bettorlogic form lab to analyse the statistics ahead of this Saturday's Premier League clash.
For the third weekend running Arsenal take on a side in the Premier League's relegation battle
West Ham are three points and two places above the drop zone but haven't registered an away League win since overcoming Wolves on the opening day of the season.
The Hammers have not beaten a 'Big Four' side in 14 attempts under manager Gianfranco Zola. The Italian's side have failed to score in nine of those games and haven't hit the back of the net without Scott Parker in the starting XI.
Scoring the first goal could hold the key for Arsenal this weekend. West Ham have conceded the opening goal in 14 games this season and have gone on to lose 13 of those matches. Though it is worth pointing out that the one such fixture they were not defeated in was a 2-2 draw with the Gunners in November.
Goalkeeper Manuel Almunia has never tasted defeat when playing against a side in the Premier League's bottom six. The Gunners have picked up an average of 2.73 points per game in the 15 such games he has started.
The stats also suggest that the presence of Emmanuel Eboue aids Arsène Wenger's side in matches against clubs threatened with relegation.
In the 16 matches he has started against bottom six sides, Arsenal have conceded 24 per cent fewer goals than the team usually average in such fixtures.
But if the Gunners aren't ahead by the 75th minute there may not be any need to worry. As Wenger pointed out last weekend, no Premier League team has scored more late goals than Arsenal this season.
Over a quarter of the Club's goals this season have come in the final 15 minutes of games. On top of that, the Gunners have secured a further five Premier League points with last-minute strikes this season.
[Thursday, March 18, 2010]
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