Can Leicester get another step closer to the title? What to expect from this weekend’s Premier League action

But will there be happiness or woe throughout the rest of the league. Here we look at the expectations around each game, guided by the stats.

Arsenal v Leicester

Arsenal’s finishing has been wasteful at the Emirates this season, with more shots on target taken for each goal scored than any other home side. Such profligacy could cost them against leaders Leicester, who have converted their shots on target more efficiently than anyone else on their travels.

The Gunners are therefore likely to be asking a lot of Petr Cech, whose heroics have seen his side concede once for every 8.3 shots on target faced at home: more than double the average of 3.6

Man City v Tottenham

Tottenham should not be underestimated in one of Sunday’s two top-four clashes: they are the only Premier League side to have carved out more shots on target than opponents Manchester City, and comfortably so.

Spurs have also allowed the fewest in return, with opponents having troubled Hugo Lloris at a rate of just 2.9 times per match. This has actually dropped to an even lower 2.5 on the road, so there’s a very real chance that City could end up losing two consecutive home matches to a title rival.

Bournemouth v Stoke

Both of these clubs have tended to get on the scoresheet quickly this season, with nearly half of Bournemouth’s goals and more than four in every 10 of Stoke’s arriving in the first half an hour: higher proportions than any other top flight side. The Cherries have also conceded the second largest share in this period, so there’s a strong chance that we’ll witness a fast start here.

Chelsea v Newcastle

While Chelsea are unbeaten in nine league games they haven’t kept a clean sheet at Stamford Bridge in any of their last six attempts. However the visiting Magpies’ attack has struggled for goals on the road, where they’ve taken almost two and a half times more shots for each goal scored, so the home side stand a good chance of keeping them out.

Crystal Palace v Watford

These two clubs will each be desperate for a win, having only recorded one between them in the Premier League since before Christmas: the Hornets’ narrow victory over relegation strugglers Newcastle.

Whoever triumphs here may need to be patient for their breakthrough given that nobody has conceded a higher share of goals in the second half of matches. Both Palace and Watford have seen over two thirds of the goals scored against them arrive after half time.

Everton v West Brom

With Everton having netted three goals in all but one of their last four Premier League fixtures it’s safe to say that the Toffees are in good goalscoring form ahead of West Brom’s visit this weekend.

The Baggies’ performances on the road suggest that they’ll struggle to match their hosts, with Tony Pulis’ side having registered fewer shots away from home than anyone else in the division while allowing among the most in return. With Everton being the division’s most clinical home finishers, having taken just seven shots for each goal scored at Goodison Park, they look capable of piling further misery on their visitors.

Norwich v West Ham

Norwich slipped into the bottom three last weekend after sustaining their fifth loss in a row and will surely be going all-out for the win here. However the later they leave it, the less chance they would appear to have of arresting their slide. No defence has been more porous than the Canaries’ in the second half of matches while the visiting Hammers have been the toughest side to break down after the interval.

Sunderland v Man Utd

Sunderland are unlikely to make life easy for Manchester United here, having defended stubbornly in front of their own fans this season. Only four clubs have faced more shots for each goal conceded at home and it’s been eight matches since the Black Cats shipped more than one goal at the Stadium of Light, so their visitors could be made to work hard. However their run of 11 Premier League matches without a clean sheet – the division’s longest – suggests that it could be a matter of when, not if, United score here.

Swansea v Southampton

After struggling for goals under Garry Monk, Swansea have now netted in each of their last six Premier League matches: the longest current run in the division. Visitors Southampton will provide a stern examination of how much improvement the Swans have made up front, having kept five consecutive clean sheets.

The Saints’ own finishing will be under scrutiny too, with the need for a reliable attack to compliment their strong back line if they are to sustain a charge into the table’s upper reaches. So far this season they have required an average of 14.9 shots to score each league goal on the road, which makes them the second most wasteful away finishers.

Aston Villa v Liverpool

This match brings together the two most wasteful finishers in the division, with Aston Villa the only side to have taken more shots for each goal scored than Liverpool this season, so we may not be inundated with goals here. We may have to be patient for any to arrive, with no side having scored a larger proportion of their goals after half time than Aston Villa’s 70% and Liverpool not far behind with 63%.

The visiting Reds have also seen 60% of their opponents’ shots taken after the interval – the second highest share – which potentially makes a late Villa strike more likely.

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