Liverpool FC Forum

[Owzat]

Well fourth game of the season we've played the mancs, and won for a change (in recent seasons) It seems like we're always getting the big guns early in the season, is this true and is it a good thing or a bad thing?

First fixture of the season against Man Utd, Chelsea or Arsenal

08/09 : 4 Man Utd (h) - Won
07/08 : 2 Chelsea (h) - Drew
06/07 : 4 Chelsea (a) - Lost
05/06 : 4 Man Utd (h) - Drew
04/05 : 5 Man Utd (a) - Lost
03/04 : 1 Chelsea (h) - Lost
02/03 : 9 Chelsea (h) - Won
01/02 : 10 Man Utd (h) - Won
00/01 : 2 Arsenal (a) - Lost
99/00 : 5 Arsenal (h) - Won
98/99 : 2 Arsenal (h) - Drew
97/98 : 9 Chelsea (h) - Won
96/97 : 2 Arsenal (h) - Won
95/96 : 9 Man Utd (a) - Drew
94/95 : 2 Arsenal (h) - Won
93/94 : 9 Chelsea (a) - Lost
92/93 : 3 Arsenal (h) - Lost

Average = 4.76
Most frequent = fixture 2 (5 occaisions)

So 12 seasons out of 17 in the Premiership so far, we've faced Arsenal, Chelsea or Man Utd in one of the first five fixtures of the season. Interestingly, of those 12 played in the first five fixtures only three have been away while nine have been at home (75%)

Games 1-5 : P12 W4 D3 L5
Games 6-10 : P5 W3 D1 L1

Home : P12 W7 D3 L2
Away : P5 W0 D1 L4

Our record under Rafa isn't so good in these first fixtures against the rest of the 'big four', yesterday's win was the first : P5 W1 D2 L2.

And by rival :

Man Utd : P5 W2 D2 L1 (H3,A2)
Chelsea : P6 W2 D1 L3 (H4,A2)
Arsenal : P6 W3 D1 L2 (H5,A1)


So yes we do face the rest of our 'big four' rivals early season quite a lot, latest being the 10th fixture of the Premiership season. We do fare pretty well except against Chelsea, with four of those six early season fixtures against them coming since 2002/03. In the last five seasons, all under Rafa, the only problems facing the 'big four' rivals early season comes away from home. That is no surprise as Rafa has a pretty poor away record against them

Rafa vs 'big four' rivals away

Premiership : P12 W0 D2 L10
Other : P6 W0 D3 L3

Total : P18 W0 D5 L13

Both Premiership away draws came last season against Arsenal and Chelsea. Overall the record isn't great, not such a problem except against Man Utd - yesterday was our first league win over them under Rafa. Last time we beat them under Rafa, we won that competition ............................. 

[tubby]

Definatley a good thing. We are fresher and there its a good mental block out of the way knowing that you have already beaten the top team(s).