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Martin Tyler's stats and facts: Can Man Utd close gap on Man City?

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Martin Tyler brings you his latest brain teaser from the Etihad Stadium ahead of Manchester City’s match against West Ham

Does history suggest Manchester United can close the gap on Manchester City this season? Who has scored more late goals than Pep Guardiola's side in a season?

Sky Sports commentator Martin Tyler has the answers to those questions and more. Plus, don't forget to try his Derby Day teaser.

Got a question for Martin? Tweet @SkySportsPL with #TylersTeasers.

Martin's Starting Stats from Man City v West Ham

Man City are now 28 games unbeaten, 23 in the Premier League with 20 straight wins (though I know Wolves fans claim their Carabao Cup meeting should be recorded as a draw) and 13 of those in the league.

That equalled Arsenal and Chelsea's record of 13 straight wins within one season. Chelsea did it last season and Arsenal did it in 2001/02. Arsenal won a 14th game at the start of the following season to set the overall top division record and Manchester City can match that in Sunday's derby.

Sergio Aguero remains one goal short of becoming the first player to score 100 goals at the Etihad. He has 99 goals in 133 appearances at that stadium. His next game there is against Tottenham next week.

West Ham had untried goalkeeper Nathan Trott, 19, on the bench on Sunday, who didn't play. However, it reminded me of New Year's Day 1996 when West Ham were playing Man City at Maine Road. Ludek Miklosko was suspended and Les Sealey was injured and Bermuda-born Neil Finn played three days past his 17th birthday. Amazingly that was his only appearance and he never played again in league football! While I was commentating I was wondering if he was watching 22 years later…

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Late shows

Has a team ever scored as many late winners (after the 80th minute) as Man City have this season? (Craig)

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Highlights: Manchester City 2-1 West Ham

MARTIN SAYS: In their opening 15 Premier League matches, Man City have scored four winning goals after the 80th minute. Three of them were scored by Raheem Sterling (97th minute v Bournemouth; 84th minute v Huddersfield; 96th minute v Southampton) before David Silva (83rd minute v West Ham)

They are on track to trouble the record for a single Premier League season, which currently stands at SEVEN winning goals after the 80th minute and was achieved by two different Premier League sides.

The first was Liverpool in 2008/09, who scored winners after the 80th minute against Sunderland, Middlesbrough, Manchester City, Wigan, Chelsea, Portsmouth and Fulham. Fernando Torres scored three of those winning goals, Dirk Kuyt got two and Steven Gerrard and Yossi Benayoun also managed one each. Four of the seven winners came in injury time.

Liverpool’s seven winning goals after the 80th minute in 2008/09:

Date Opponent For Against Venue Winning Goal Time Scorer
16-Aug-08 Sunderland 1 0 A 83 Torres
23-Aug-08 Middlesbrough 2 1 H 90 Gerrard
05-Oct-08 Man City 3 2 A 90 Kuyt
18-Oct-08 Wigan 3 2 H 85 Kuyt
01-Feb-09 Chelsea 2 0 H 89 Torres
07-Feb-09 Portsmouth 3 2 A 90 Torres
04-Apr-09 Fulham 1 0 A 90 Benayoun

Arsenal also scored seven late winners in 2011/12 including three in injury-time. Three of the seven were scored by Robin van Persie, while Thierry Henry, Yossi Benayoun, Thomas Vermaelen and Mikel Arteta were also on the scoresheet in matches against Sunderland (twice), Chelsea, Aston Villa, Liverpool, Newcastle and Man City.

Arsenal’s seven winning goals after the 80th minute in 2011/12:

Date Opponent For Against Venue Winning Goal Time Scorer
16-Oct-11 Sunderland 2 1 H 82 Van Persie
29-Oct-11 Chelsea 5 3 A 85 Van Persie
21-Dec-11 Aston Villa 2 1 A 87 Benayoun
11-Feb-12 Sunderland 2 1 A 90 Henry
03-Mar-12 Liverpool 2 1 A 90 Van Persie
12-Mar-12 Newcastle 2 1 H 90 Vermaelen
08-Apr-12 Man City 1 0 H 87 Arteta

Liverpool finished second in 2008/09, while Arsenal came third in 2011/12 after picking up all those late points. It was interesting to see Man City on the receiving end of late winners in both of those runs.

Mind the gap

Has anyone ever made up an eight-point gap after 15 games to win the Premier League? (Jack)

Manchester United
Image: Manchester United won their first Premier League title in the 1992/93 season

MARTIN SAYS: Only one team has ever recovered from an eight-point disadvantage after 15 games to win the Premier League and it is good news for Jose Mourinho as that side was Manchester United.

And what's more, they did it twice!

The first occasion United - who currently trail Man City by eight points heading into Sunday's derby at Old Trafford - managed that feat was back in the inaugural Premier League season.

On that occasion, Sir Alex Ferguson's team trailed Norwich City by nine points after the first 15 games of the campaign, only for them to go on and win their first title for 26 years by 10 points from Aston Villa. It is worth pointing out that was a 42-game season, however, so there were more matches to make up the gap!

Four years later and United were at it again as Ferguson's men reeled in Arsenal's eight-point lead after 15 matches to claim a fourth Premier League title by seven points from both the Gunners and Newcastle United. That was the only time it's been done in a 38-game Premier League season.

No other team has ever won the Premier League after being six or more points behind after 15 matches.

Lucky omens

Antonio Valencia has never lost after scoring in the Premier League. Can anyone else match that record? (Katie)

Antonio Valencia of Manchester United celebrates scoring his side's first goal with Phil Jones during the Premier League match v Everton
Image: Antonio Valencia (left) has never lost when he's scored in the Premier League

MARTIN SAYS: You are right, Antonio Valencia - who opened the scoring for Man Utd against Arsenal on Saturday - has never lost a Premier League game in which he has scored for either Wigan Athletic or United, a run stretching back 22 matches.

However, he still has some way to go to beat the record currently held by James Milner. He has scored in 47 Premier League contests for Leeds United, Newcastle United, Aston Villa, Manchester City and now Liverpool and still not tasted defeat in any of those games.

And that is one more than Darius Vassell, who scored in 46 Premier League games for Villa or City, none of which resulted in defeat.

Three other players have scored in more games than Valencia without losing one of those games; Salomon Kalou, Oyvind Leonhardsen and Dele Alli.

Players who have never lost after scoring in the Premier League

Name Games scored in Lost
Milner, James 47 0
Vassell, Darius 46 0
Kalou, Salomon 32 0
Leonhardsen, Oyvind 28 0
Dele Alli 27 0
Antonio Valencia 22 0
Sharpe, Lee 19 0
Riise, John Arne 19 0
Oscar 19 0
Irwin, Denis 18 0
Roy, Bryan 18 0
Coleman, Seamus 18 0

Goal-shy travellers

What's the fewest away goals scored by a team before Christmas in the Premier League? (Eddie)

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Highlights: West Brom 0-0 Crystal Palace

MARTIN SAYS: I'm assuming you're asking in relation to Crystal Palace still waiting for their first away goal of this Premier League season.

In fact, Palace only have two more away matches before Christmas (at Leicester on December 16 and Swansea on December 23) to avoid becoming the first team in Premier League history to make it to Christmas without an away goal.

In fact, no team has ever made it to Christmas before without scoring at least two Premier League away goals.

Seven teams have made it to December 25th with just two away goals on their records:

1994/95: Everton (August 24 v Tottenham; November 26 v Chelsea)

2002/03: Aston Villa (October 26 v Man Utd; November 30 v Arsenal)

2003/04: Portsmouth (August 23 v Man City; September 13 v Arsenal)

2006/07: West Ham (August 22 v Watford; August 26 v Liverpool)

2008/09: Fulham (August 16 v Hull; October 26 v Portsmouth)

2013/14: Sunderland (August 24 v Southampton; August 31 v Crystal Palace)

2016/17: Burnley (October 16 v Southampton; December 18 v Tottenham)

As you can see, from the list above no other side has made it into December without an away goal before Palace.

Possession is nine tenths.....

Was the 25 per cent possession Man Utd had against Arsenal one of their lowest-ever figures? (Jack)

Antonio Valencia of Manchester United celebrates after scoring his sides first goal with Ashley Young of Manchester United
Image: Manchester United won at the Emirates on the weekend with just 25 per cent of the ball

MARTIN SAYS: It was not one of, but their lowest possession ever in a Premier League game since Opta records began in the 2003/04 season.

United's five lowest possession stats in that period have actually all been under Jose Mourinho - but his methods worked as his side lost none of those games.

United secured goalless draws at Man City last April (31 per cent), as well as at Liverpool earlier this season and in the previous campaign too (36 per cent in 2016/17 and 38 per cent in 2017/18).

And despite having just 37 per cent of the ball at Middlesbrough in March, they still got all three points.

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