Stats preview: Liverpool have out-shot their opponents in every game this season

Jose Mourinho's return to Chelsea as Manchester United manager is not the only story in the Premier League this weekend.

Here we take a look at some of the statistical pointers heading into the action.

Can Saints deal City another blow?

Manchester City remain top of the league but have gone winless in their last four games in all competitions and the shooting statistics suggest they face another tough test. Southampton's average of 6.6 efforts on target per game is the highest in the Premier League and they have also given up the fewest, just 1.9 per game. City are joint second in the former category at 6.4 and fifth in the latter with 3.3, while both teams have only had one game in which their opponents have had more shots than them.

Patience can pay off for Reds

Sticking with that last stat, only Liverpool have out-shot their opponents in every game, a factor in their 11-match unbeaten home run — second best in the Premier League. Fans expecting them to roll past a West Brom team who have scored no more than once in any of their last nine away games, the worst such run in the division, may have to be patient — only one of the eight goals conceded by Albion so far has come before half-time, the lowest percentage in the Premier League.

Hugo’s the man to stop clinical Cherries

Tottenham's fine form at either end of the field sees them having scored in their last 18 games while goalkeeper Hugo Lloris has saved 85 per cent of the shots on target he has face (16 of 19). Both of those figures are the best in the league, as is Spurs' eight-match unbeaten run. Bournemouth have converted 39 per cent of their shots on target into goals, a record bettered by only three clubs and aided by last week's hammering of Hull, but they will do well to live up to it against Lloris and co.

Home comforts for Leicester

While impressive in Europe, Leicester’s league form has not been that of defending champions and they languish 13th — but they remain unbeaten in a league-high 19 home games and will bank on continuing that run against a Crystal Palace side without a clean sheet in 14 away games or 13 at any venue.

Six of one, half a dozen of the other

Arsenal’s surge to join leaders Manchester City on 19 points has come courtesy of the best winning run in the league, six straight league victories. They have scored more than once in each of their last five home games and have netted at least three in five of their eight games this season, leading the division in both categories. Middlesbrough, by contrast, have not won in six and have scored no more than once in any of those games — this one appears a foregone conclusion.

Moor goals wanted

Burnley have not conceded more than once in any of their last 18 games at Turf Moor, but Everton have gone nine games in succession without doing so and the Clarets have failed to score in half of their games this season. Two miserly defences and one shot-shy attack adds up to a low-scoring Everton win and a game best left off your “Goals Galore” coupon.