Blackburn & Sunderland Aiming to Overturn Woeful Records

WhoScored looks ahead to this weekend in the Premier League, with three sides desperate to end their opponent's respective records, be it from this season or past encounters between the teams. This Saturday, Everton travel to St. James' Park to play a Newcastle side who are unbeaten all season, while the likes of Blackburn and Sunderland are hoping to reverse dreadful records against Chelsea and Manchester United respectively.

Early Goals at St. James' - Match Preview

A look at the most recent matches between Newcastle and Everton shows that much of the action often occurs in the first half. In the last four matches between the sides there have been 8 goals in total, in predictably tight affairs, but 7 of these have been scored prior to the half time whistle. In fact, the only goal scored in the second half came in the 47th minute through Damien Duff back in 2008.

The Irishman's goal that day sealed a comeback for the away side (Newcastle) to earn a 2-2 draw having been 2-down. Everton got their revenge, also playing as the away side, coming back from 1-down to beat Newcastle 2-1 in this fixture last season. Newcastle will be hoping they can protect a lead come Saturday, and indeed one of just 4 remaining unbeaten records across Europe's top 5 leagues. A look at the sides respective goal times this season suggests that there could, however, be an end to the trend. Only 40% of Newcastle's 15 goals have come in the first half this season, with just 31% of Everton's 13 strikes coming in the same period.

Steve Unlikely to be Kean on Next Fixture - Match Preview

More protests are scheduled this weekend at Ewood Park, with potential fly-overs demanding under-fire Steve Kean's dismissal as Blackburn host Chelsea. The first protest by the home fans came on a day when they would have been expecting another defeat, however, a surprise victory over Arsenal somewhat lifted the pressure on the Scot, though it is very much back on having not won since.

Steve Kean will feel aggrieved by a late penalty decision against Norwich last time out and has every right to do so. At 3-1 up, the manager took off some key players and it proved costly with the Canaries hitting back through Steve Morison and Grant Holt to earn a 3-3 draw. Though he may have been naive to make some of the substitutions he did, Kean could not be blamed for a more than questionable injury time penalty decision against his side, and he is equally unlikely to get a break this weekend.

Chelsea will make the trip North as somewhat of a scorned animal having failed to win in their last three matches. The Blues will be extremely confident of turning that around come Saturday, having won 13 of the last 18 league meetings between the sides, losing just twice, with their last defeat back in 2006. If Juan Mata lines up on the left he may come up against an inexperienced figure in Jason Lowe due to injury to fellow Spaniard Michel Salgado, and the youngster will have to be at the top of his game to stop the former Valencia man from running riot.

Sunderland United in Defeat? - Match Preview

You have to go back to 1997, in only the second Premier League game between the sides, to come across a Sunderland victory over United in the competition - a stat that former Red Devils defender - now manager of Sunderland - Steve Bruce will be all too aware of. An agonising 18 games have passed since the 2-1 win, with United coming out on top on 13 of those occasions.

The bad omens do not end there for the Black Cats having never won in the league at Old Trafford. In their last 9 attempts to break the apparent curse, Sunderland have failed to score 7 times and face a United defence which has kept 3 consecutive clean sheets in all competitions following their humiliating 6-1 defeat at the hands of fierce rivals Man City. Add to this the fact that United have the best record in front of goal with their home fans present, banging in 17 in just 5 games, and the uphill task couldn't seem steeper for Saturday's visitors!

Player to Watch - Fernando Torres

Fernando Torres has blown hot and cold since signing for Chelsea, which by my calculations makes him a somewhat tepid £50m signing! However, he has began to look back to his old self since the start of the new season, and although he has just 2 league games to his name this term, the striker will be relishing the prospect of facing Blackburn Rovers this weekend. His eagerness will not only be apparent due to Steve Kean's side having the second leakiest defence thus far, conceding 23 goals, but also because of an excellent personal record against the strugglers.

In 5 appearances against Blackburn, all coming for former club Liverpool, Fernando Torres has 5 goals to his name. In fact, all 5 of his strikes against Rovers came in just 4 matches against them, scoring in every one of his battles with the Lancashire club prior to Liverpool's 3-1 defeat last season. In 335 minutes of action in those 4 matches against Blackburn, the Spaniard scored a goal every 67 minutes on average, with all of his efforts coming in victories for Liverpool. Be afraid Blackburn. Be very afraid!