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Martin Tyler's stats: Where does Dimitri Payet rank among Europe's elite?

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Martin Tyler returns with another football trivia question.

Where does Dimitri Payet rank among Europe's elite? Should Troy Deeney be worried about his goalscoring drought? Have goal-crazy Manchester City broken a record? Read the latest stats from Martin Tyler...

How to send your questions to Martin:

Tweet @SkyFootball using the hashtag #TylersTeasers

Martin's starting stats

Arsenal continued their 100 per cent record in the Premier League against Watford. They have played five and won five, but the win only evened up the overall league record between the two clubs. They have met 17 times and each side has won eight.

That may surprise many people, but Watford actually beat Arsenal twice in two days in the old First Division (on Monday March 31, 1986 Watford won 2-0 at Highbury and on April 1, 1986 they won 3-0 at Vicarage Road).

Watford's last win over Arsenal remains a Friday night in April 1988, which I attended. Watford were on their way to relegation and won 1-0 with a goal from Rick Holden. Since then they have met five times in the Premier League and once in the FA Cup - and Arsenal have won all six.

Also See:

Watford have now scored only one goal at home in five games. Last season they were the third highest home goalscorers (48) in the top four divisions of English football behind only MK Dons (60) and Norwich (50).

I also like this stat. Troy Deeney is nine games into his sixth league season and has played with 103 different team-mates under seven managers. 

Pay charts

I read Dimitri Payet has scored six and assisted nine goals in his last 17 league games. Has anyone in Europe got a better record? I reckon even Ronaldo can't match that. Alex.

Dimitri Payet of West Ham United celebrates
Image: Dimitri Payet has taken the Premier League by storm, by where does he rank in Europe?

MARTIN SAYS: Dimitri Payet's record is impressive and those stats you mention (scoring or assisting 15 times in 17 matches) come across appearances in both the Premier League and Ligue 1.

Of current Premier League players, only Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero can better that tally. The Argentine has scored or assisted 18 goals in his last 17 outings.

Somewhat surprisingly, Leicester City frontman Jamie Vardy's remarkable recent form sees him level with Payet in the goals and assists charts over the previous 17 top-flight games.

Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid poses with his Golden Shoe award
Image: Unsurprisingly, Cristiano Ronaldo leads Europe's goals and assists charts

But where do the Premier League's leading lights rank across Europe's top five leagues? Well, I can tell you that Cristiano Ronaldo has scored or assisted an incredible 25 goals in his last 17 La Liga games (18 goals and seven assists).

The four-time Golden Boot winner edges PSG's striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic (24) into second place, while the prolific Robert Lewandowski (21), Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez (20) and Arjen Robben, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, James Rodriguez and Nolito (19) complete the illustrious shortlist. Payet is very good company!

Top 5 Euro Leagues - Goals & Assists (Last 17 apps)

  • Cristiano Ronaldo - 25
  • Zlatan Ibrahimovic - 24
  • Robert Lewandowski - 21
  • Lionel Messi - 20
  • Luis Suarez - 20
  • Arjen Robben - 19
  • Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - 19
  • James Rodriguez - 19
  • Nolito - 19
  • *Dimitri Payet - 15

Newcastle's joy of six

Newcastle scored with all six of their shots on target on Sunday against Norwich. Is this a record? ToonG1986

Georginio Wijnaldum celebrates after making it 2-0 in the second half
Image: Georginio Wijnaldum was the star as Newcastle claimed first win of the season

MARTIN SAYS: Newcastle ended their wait for a Premier League victory this season in emphatic style on Super Sunday, converting all of their shots on target as they hit Norwich for six at St James' Park.

And I would argue Newcastle do boast a new record - even though Opta's stats might suggest a slightly different story.

Opta will quite rightly tell you that since their records started in 2006/07, Arsenal have gone better, scoring with all SEVEN of their shots on target in a 7-1 thrashing of Blackburn in February 2012.

However, closer analysis tells you that one of their goals was a Scott Dann own goal - therefore only six of their shots on target actually resulted in goals (an own goal does not count as a shot on target).

Therefore Newcastle are the first team to boast a 100 per cent scoring record from six shots on target in a single game.

LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 04:  Thierry Henry, Robin van Persie and Yossi Benayoun celebrate after Henry scores Arsenals's seventh go during the Barclays P
Image: Arsenal converted each of their seven shots on target as they thrashed Blackburn in Feb 2012

Previously, Leicester City, Liverpool and Manchester United have all scored five goals from five shots on target in the Premier League. Leicester were the last team to do so in that memorable 5-3 victory over United in the 2014/15 season.

Before them, Liverpool achieved the feat in their 5-2 victory away to Norwich in the 2012/13 season, while Manchester United's hammering of Portsmouth in February 2010 also saw them hit five from five.   

Shots on Target/Goals ratio

PL 06/07 to 15/16 Team Opponent Goals Shots on Target %
04/02/12 Arsenal Blackburn 7 7 100.00%
18/10/15 Newcastle Norwich 6 6 100.00%
21/09/14 Leciester Manchester United 5 5 100.00%
29/09/12 Liverpool Norwich 5 5 100.00%
06/02/10 Manchester United Portsmouth 5 5 100.00%

Troy's toils

I saw on Twitter that Troy Deeney has had the most shots without scoring in the Premier League this season. Who has the record for the most shots without getting a goal.

Troy Deeney, Watford
Image: Troy Deeney is yet to transfer his Championship form into the top flight

MARTIN SAYS: Having been unable to stop scoring in the Championship last term, Troy Deeney's toils in front of goal following Watford's promotion to the Premier League have surprised many. He has hit 23 shots on goal (including blocks) without finding the back of the net.

We asked the boffins at Opta which players have gone on the longest runs of shots without scoring a goal in the Premier League. Their records only go back to the start of the 2006/07 season, but in that time Papa Bouba Diop went a staggering tun of 110 failed attempts on goal. 

The former Senegal international scored eight goals in his first two seasons with Fulham in the Premier League but he went on to rack up the highest number of failed attempts on goal since Opta began collecting shooting stats .

Papa Bouba Diop (Fulham to Portsmouth for £3.5m, 2007): Another deadline day buy for Pompey in 2007 was 'The Wardrobe', a key man in their 2008 FA Cup win.
Image: Papa Bouba Diop hit 110 shots without finding the back of the net

Former Wolves and QPR midfielder Karl Henry is next on the unenviable list with a run of 56 failed attempts. Christophe Berra (45), Nabil Bentaleb and Alan Smith (44) and Jobi McAnuff (43) have also gone on long runs of shooting without scoring.

PL 06/07 to 15/16 - Total shots (inc blocks)

  • Papa Bouba Diop – 110
  • Karl Henry – 56
  • Christophe Berra - 45
  • Nabil Bentaleb - 44
  • Alan Smith - 44
  • Jobi McAnuff - 43
  • Kyle Naughton - 40
  • Josip Skoko - 39
  • Luke Shaw - 38
  • Patrick van Aanholt - 37

Is Raheem Sterling the youngest player to score a Premier League hat-trick? Mark Evans

Manchester City's Raheem Sterling celebrates scoring his side's fourth goal of the game and completing his hat-trick, during the Barclays Premier League ma
Image: Raheem Sterling hit his first Premier League hat-trick in Bournemouth victory

MARTIN SAYS: Raheem Sterling has become the 11th player under the age of 21 to score a Premier League hat-trick, but at 20 years and 313 days the other 10 were all younger.

Michael Owen scored three hat-tricks at just 18 years of age, and his treble against Sheffield Wednesday in February 1998 make him the youngest ever player to achieve the feat at just 18 years and 62 days.

Owen and Robbie Fowler both scored four trebles apiece before turning 21. Sterling's birthday is on December 8 so he'll have to be quick to reach their tallies!

The eight other pre-21 hat-trick heroes are Romelu Lukaku (Everton, 20 years 6 days), Mario Balotelli (Man City, 20 years 138 days), Luke Moore (Aston Villa, 19 years 356 days), Jermaine Pennant (Arsenal, 20 years 112 days), Nicolas Anelka (Arsenal, 19 years 343 days), Steffen Iversen (Tottenham, 20 years 144 days), Chris Sutton (Norwich, 20 years 34 days) and Chris Bart-Williams (Sheffield Wednesday, 18 years 300 days).

Youngest Premier League hat-tricks

PL Hat-trick Scorer Team Opponent Years Days
17/10/15 Raheem Sterling Man City Bournemouth 20 313
19/05/13 Romelu Lukaku West Brom Man Utd 20 6
28/12/10 Mario Balotelli Man City Aston Villa 20 138
04/02/06 Luke Moore Aston Villa Middlesbrough 19 356
07/05/03 Jermaine Pennant Arsenal Southampton 20 112
06/09/00 Michael Owen Liverpool Aston Villa 20 267
20/02/99 Nicolas Anelka Arsenal Leciester 19 343
24/10/98 Michael Owen Liverpool Notts Forest 18 314
30/08/98 Michael Owen Liverpool Newcastle 18 259
14/02/98 Michael Owen Liverpool Sheffield Wed 18 62
04/03/97 Steffan Iversen Tottenham Sunderland 20 144
23/12/95 Robbie Fowler Liverpool Arsenal 20 258
23/09/95 Robbie Fowler Liverpool Bolton 20 167
28/08/94 Robbie Fowler Liverpool Arsenal 19 141
30/10/93 Robbie Fowler Liverpool Southampton 18 204
14/04/93 Chris Sutton Norwich Leeds 20 34
12/04/93 Chris Bart-Williams Sheffield Wed Southampton 18 300
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