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There’s nothing quite like Boxing Day football in the Premier League.Whether you’re attending one of the twenty stadiumsÂor watching from the comfort of your sofa, loading up on Christmas leftovers and the year’s supply of chocolate Santa Claus brought, Boxing Day football is always bitter-fought, entertaining and accompanied by a uniquely festive atmosphere.The 2016 edition perhaps wasn’t a classic compared to recent years, when we’ve seen shock upsets, controversial refereeing decisions and mesmerising performances, but nonetheless, we were certainly given our fair dose of post-Christmas action.Chelsea maintained their stranglehold on the division’s summit with an impressive 3-0 win over Bournemouth, Manchester United scored some sublime goals in a 3-1 win versusÂSunderland, Arsenal left it late against West Brom and Sam Allardyce picked up his first point as Crystal Palace manager.The footballing world has gone statistics mad over the last decade, so what better day to reflect on all the Boxing Day action than a look back at some of the shock statistics to emerge from it?

Killer Kelechi

Kelechi Iheanacho came off the bench to administer some further punishment on rock-bottom Hull City, netting Manchester City’s second after Yaya Toure had converted from the spot just six minutes earlier. Largely due to his cameo role withinÂthe City squad, the Nigerian prodigy now boasts the best goals-to-minute ratio of any striker in Premier League history to have scored ten times or more. That’s some feat for the 20-year-old, who’s looking like a phenomenal talent for the future.

Overreaching Olivier

Despite often having to settle for a role from the bench, Olivier Giroud has certainly offered Arsenal something a little different this season – letting Alexis Sanchez obliterate defences on the deck before coming on and providing a huge aerial threat. The Frenchman actually started yesterday and returned Arsene Wenger’s faith with another headed goal. Incredibly, only Cristiano Ronaldo has bagged more headers in Europe’s top five leagues over the last three-and-a-half seasons.

Seasonal Sterling

Some players thrive during the festivities whilst others shrink back into their shells, holding out until better weather arrives. Well, Raheem Sterling certainly belongs in the former camp. Indeed, many have questioned the England winger’s consistency throughout his short career but he clearly enjoys Boxing Day football, ‘scoring’ in both of his last two December 26th outings. Unfortunately, however, his strike against Hull officially went down as a Curtis Davies own goal.

Reliant on Romelu

Everton overturned a worrying run of form with a 2-0 win at the home of reigning champions Leicester City yesterday, with Romelu Lukaku netting in stoppage time to guarantee all three points. The Belgian international’s contract situation is continuing to rumble on at Goodison Park and this stat will have Toffees fans hoping the club find an agreement as soon as possible. Lukaku’s scored 64% of Everton’s goals on the road this term, propelling them to seventh in the away table, which makes you wonder where they’d be without him.

Pogba to Zlatan

They say great footballers always find a way of playing together and this statistic certainly pays testament to that. During an impressive win over a hard-to-crack Sunderland side yesterday, Paul Pogba laid on the pass for an impressive finish from Zlatan Ibrahimovic, whipping the ball past a helpless Jordan Pickford. That was the world-record signing’s third assist in the Premier League, with all supplying his fellow summer arrival.

Tremendous Toure

Yaya Toure started the season completely frozen out at Manchester City but claimed the Man of the Match award against Hull City yesterday, having controlled the game from midfield and got on the scoresheet via the penalty spot. That was the Ivorian icon’s tenth successful Premier League penalty in as many attempts – a stunning record – and also moved his top flight total to 52 since the start of his second season with the Citizens. No midfielder has notched up more in that time.

Perfect Arsenal

Arsenal needed a late goal from Olivier Giroud to get past West Brom yesterday, the Frenchman making his first start in any competition since November. In addition to all three points, that secured Arsenal a 100% scoring record against the Baggies in the Premier League – an impressive run spanning 21 games. Speaking of leaving it late, only Manchester City have scored more Premier League goals in the final five minutes than the Gunners in the last three-and-a-half seasons.

Allardyce arrival

Crystal Palace fans were probably a little disappointed by the way their side threw away three points by conceding a soft penalty with just twenty minutes to go against Watford in the Premier League’s early kickoff – especially during Sam Allardyce’s first game in charge. But this stat suggests the point was actually an improvement from the norm for the one-game former England gaffer, who has the worst Boxing Day record of any manager in Premier League history. One gained, rather than two lost?

Armenian Assassin

Henrikh Mkhitaryan scored one of the Premier League’s most incredible goals ever yesterday, converting a Zlatan Ibrahimovic cross with an acrobatic, audacious finish that has since been dubbed a scorpion kick. Perhaps even more incredibly, that was the Armenian assassin’s only shot on target against Sunderland – highlighting an unusual trend. Indeed, all three of Mkhitaryan’s last three shots on target have found the net, including goals against Spurs and Zorya.

Mesmerising Mesut

Mesut Ozil continues to divide opinion and an underwhelming second-half performance against Manchester City earlier this month inflamed long-term criticisms of his knack of going missing in big games. But this statistic speaks volumes – only the legendary, iconic Eric Cantona had more assists than the Arsenal No.1 after his first 100 Premier League appearances. Coincidentally, the German World Cup winnerÂadded to his total against West Brom – setting up Olivier Giroud for the winner.

Jermain Defoe is the man tasked with scoring the all important goals to keep Sunderland in the top flight this season but it also seems as though a couple of Premier League rivals would like him to carry out the same task for them when the transfer window reopens in January.

And it could be that Defoe is set to return to London with both Crystal Palace and West Ham reportedly in the running to acquire his services over the next few weeks. With the 34-year-old in demand, David Moyes is going to have his work cut out to keep hold of Sunderland’s talismanic forward.

West Ham would certainly have it’s own appeal as that is where Defoe made his Premier League debut and the Hammers are in desperate need of a forward of their own as they look to put more distance between themselves and the bottom three.

But it could be a move to South London and Crystal Palace that becomes the more likely as Sam Allardyce will look to once again link up with the former Tottenham forward, after their relatively successful time together at Sunderland last season.

Allardyce may have only been at the Stadium of Light for the best part of six months but in that time, he managed to transform a Sunderland side down on their luck and once again pull off another great escape. A huge part of that escape was thanks to Defoe’s 15 league goals and that is the kind of attribute that makes Defoe so appealing coming into the January transfer window.

Even with this floundering Sunderland side, Defoe has still managed to find the net on eight occasions. With 14 Premier League appearances that is a goal ratio better than one in two and one that is at least giving Sunderland a fighting chance of beating the drop.

But would the sale of Defoe end any chance of staying in the division? It could almost be a near suicidal move by David Moyes and Sunderland. The question is whether or not they can convince Defoe to stay in the North East for at least the remainder of the season.

It could very well come down to a question of Geography. It’s not to say that Defoe is necessarily unhappy with life on Wearside but at the same time, you get the feeling that he would love a move back down to his home city of London.

Also, from Sunderland’s point of view, they have very little in the way of funds coming into this transfer window to buy players of their own. With Defoe being the only real saleable asset it may well be that they have to sell their crown jewel to fund a more balanced squad.

If that is to be the case then it will come down to a simple decision. Does the former England international return to the club which gave him his big break back in 2001, or does he opt to link up with Sam Allardyce in a bid to rekindle that successful partnership?

Sunderland fans will have to hope that a move to London doesn’t materialise but if he does decide to leave in January, then their hopes of survival will take a crushing blow while providing a massive boost to one of their nearest relegation rivals.

Defoe may be 34, and there will certainly be no return on any investment when it comes to a potential transfer feel but if his signature is the difference between staying up or relegation then it will be a price that is very much worth paying.

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In recent days, a number of publications – including The Daily Mail – have discussed West Ham’s rather dark striker history under current owners David Gold and David Sullivan. Indeed, since the Daves took over in east London in January 2010, the Hammers have signed a staggering 32 strikers, producing a miserly collective return of just 125 goals in 642 games.

On the surface, that’s a pretty abysmal record, especially considering West Ham have spent some of that time in the Championship. But how do the Irons stack up against other Premier League clubs? FootballFanCast have decided to put the numbers to the test – starting with Liverpool.

Liverpool’s overall striker history is arguably the most intriguing in the Premier League. Whether chasing down European titles or fending off mid-table mediocrity, the Reds have nearly always boasted a world-class frontman. From Kenny Dalglish to Luis Suarez, the Anfield outfit are pretty much synonymous with them; inevitably, however, not every striker signing has managed to fill the boots of the aforementioned duo.

From the 14 strikers to have arrived at the club since January 2010, only six have gone on to reach double figures for the Reds, only two have finished up as the club’s top scorer for a single campaign and two failed to find the net at senior level – whilst Iago Aspas is the solitary member of the one-goal club.

On average, each striker signing has cost Liverpool £13.3million, has gone on to make 45 appearances and score 16 goals, leading to a strike-rate of one-in-three. Perhaps most curiously, each goal has set Liverpool back roughly £850k. Now we’ve discussed the exact middle of the spectrum, it’s time to look at either end of it – two emphatic hits and two unforgettable flops.

Biggest hit – Luis Suarez

Who else but King Luis? The Uruguayan wasn’t even Liverpool’s biggest expenditure of the January 2011 transfer window but etched his name into Anfield folklore with a spate of talismanic campaigns, including his ultimate which took the Reds within a hair’s breadth of the title in 2013/14.

That heralded a £75million move to Barcelona, where the South American has continued to excel – even outscoring Lionel Messi last season. Indeed, racism scandals and cannibalistic tendencies aside, Liverpool got excellent value from their £23million acquisition – 82 goals, three top-scorer campaigns, a runner-up finish, Champions League qualification and a £52million return on their original investment.

Biggest flop – Andy Carroll

Liverpool fans must have known this was coming; the aforementioned greater expenditure than Luis Suarez from January 2011. Indeed, whilst the Uruguayan went on to join the Reds’ also aforementioned world-class striker alumni, the clunky, clumsy and often injured Andy Carroll didn’t enjoy such luck.

A decent half-season in the Premier League with Newcastle convinced the Merseysiders to shell out £35million after selling Fernando Torres to Chelsea, but Big Andy’s battering ram approach produced just eleven goals in 58 appearances for the Reds, costing them just shy of £3.2million each.

Clearly a poor fit for Liverpool’s historic philosophy and clearly below the level of quality associated with the Reds, the England international was soon offloaded to West Ham at a £20million loss. Ouch.

Best bargain – Daniel Sturridge

He may be struggling under Jurgen Klopp and he may have missed a staggering 457 days of his Anfield career due to a raft of never-ending injury problems, but there’s no doubt Liverpool have got more than their money’s worth from Daniel Sturridge.

Disgruntled in the wide forward role he couldn’t shake at Chelsea, Brendan Rodgers brought the England international to Merseyside at a cost of just £12million in January 2013. 18 months later, he’d already scored 31 league goals for the Reds, working in close tandem with Luis Suarez as they chased down that ever-illusive Premier League title.

Of course, the rest of Sturridge’s Liverpool spell hasn’t been quite so spectacular and it could well come to an abrupt end this summer. But at just £181k per goal, he’s the most cost-effective signing from the 14 in question – and the Reds are certain to make a huge profit if he does leave at the end of the season.

Biggest backfire – Mario Balotelli

Replacing Luis Suarez with a child trapped in a top-class striker’s body was always a big gamble on Brendan Rodgers’ part – an unnecessary vanity project in the eyes of many. And after just a few weeks, as the former Manchester City striker’s Premier League drought continued, it quickly became apparent that he was a terrible fit for a side who had thrived on the tenacity and energy of Suarez the campaign previous.

A few months down the line and Balotelli was already rotting in the reserves. A few months after that, he was loaned back to former club AC Milan, where he failed to score a goal in open play from 20 appearances, and twelve months after that, he was allowed to leave Anfield on a free transfer. The controversial Italian is now at Nice banging in goals for fun with ten already this season – albeit, a tally somewhat besmirched by two red cards.

It was a quiet Deadline Day at the top end of the Premier League and particularly at Manchester United, who didn’t partake in any incomings or outgoings as the January transfer window drew to a close.

But one rumour did create a bit of excitement around Old Trafford yesterday morning, as The Sun reported on a potential shock last-minute move for Everton right-back Seamus Coleman.

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The Irish international quickly put speculation to bed but he’s been linked with the Red Devils for such a long time that there must be some truth in the gossip somewhere down the line.

“I haven’t heard about the story. I am preparing for a game on Wednesday and that is all I am concentrating on.”

And although Antonio Valencia’s enjoying a strong campaign, whether he’s got what it takes to be United’s long-term No.2 remains open to debate. He’s not a natural defender and will turn 32 by the start of next season.

With that in mind, we asked United fans yesterday whether they’d support a summer swoop for Coleman and according to the results of our exclusive poll, a slim majority of 63% would welcome the potential move.

Will Jose Mourinho follow up in the summer? We’ll have to wait and see.

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Tottenham Hotspur are once again finding themselves linked with the services of Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha, with The Daily Express stating Mauricio Pochettino’s side are planning another swoop this summer following failure to secure a deal in the previous two transfer windows.

The 24-year-old, who flopped at Manchester United after making just two Premier League appearances in two-years, has got his career back-on-track since returning to Crystal Palace and should make a step-up this summer.

Whilst Spurs are blessed with impressive attacking options, the stats show Wilfried Zaha would be an ideal addition to Mauricio Pochettino’s side and a swoop should definitely be made.

With six assists and four goals this season, Zaha has been one of few bright sparks for a struggling Crystal Palace side but his most impressive contribution is the fact he’s completed a whopping 127 take-ons; a number only Leicester City’s Riyad Mahrez can better.

Zaha would excel out-wide with Mauricio Pochettino’s side, creating a deadly attacking quintet alongside Harry Kane, Dele Alli, Christian Eriksen and Son Heung-Min, so Spurs should definitely push to complete a deal.

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Arsenal’s defence has looked shaky at times this season, particularly on the left-hand side, but it seems they may have found the ideal recruit this summer to bolster their ranks and push them towards greater success.

Reports in Italy state Arsenal have been keeping a close eye on Napoli full-back Faouzi Ghoulam and, having looked at the Algerian defender’s statistics for the season, it’s clear he would be a significant upgrade on their current options on the left-side.

Ghoulam has been solid for the Serie A giants this season, winning 26 aerial duels, making 11 tackles and 22 interceptions- whilst making just one defensive error and conceding just 11 fouls in the process.

Like potential future team-mate Hector Bellerin on the opposite flank, Ghoulam is also extremely capable in attack and has created an impressive 33 chances for team-mates- although he has not yet secured an assist.

With the right attackers around him, Ghoulam could thrive and he’s still just 26- so the prime years of his career is still to come.

After perhaps the most entertaining Champions League knockout tie you’ll ever see, Manchester City have a two goal cushion and that’s exactly what they wanted from the home leg, even if three away goals is less than ideal.

What will worry City, though, is that they couldn’t control the game, despite dominating possession: Monaco still found away to counter attack more often than not.

Tonight, as they relax after a job well done, the champions of England Leicester City face Sevilla in the first knockout round, and one Manchester City player won’t have the night off.

Samir Nasri, on loan at Sevilla, currently challenging the Barcelona / Real Madrid hegemony, is one of the form names in La Liga this season. After leaving Manchester in search of first team football, he certainly found it in Sevilla: not only is he now playing regularly and playing well, but he has also been given a role in which he seems to be thriving in the centre of midfield. So much so that, on first glance, he no longer even resembles Samir Nasri.

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“Nasri is like a player from a different era. He has that amateur’s spirit where you want to enjoy the game,” his coach Jorge Sampaoli told Sid Lowe of The Guardian. Not only doesn’t that sound like the former Arsenal player, but in fact, it sounds like the polar opposite. It seems he is a man reborn.

Before the end of last season, Nasri told Reuters that when Pep Guardiola arrived, he would find a fit and ready player. “He’s just going to be a lucky man because I will be really hungry. I am the type of player for his philosophy.” Instead, the Frenchman was one of a handful of players forced to train away from the main squad during pre-season after coming back from the summer break overweight after apparently taking “hunger” in a literal sense.

It turns out that he wasn’t wrong, though. Nasri really has proven himself to be hungry. Hungry for first team football and hungry to show what he can do on the pitch. Hungry for the ball, too. Averaging 94 passes per game in the Champions League so far this season, Nasri scored the winning goal in Sevilla’s victory over Dinamo Zagreb in October in a game where he set the record number of passes in a Champions League game since records began. His 145 passes that day inflate his Champions League numbers overall, of course, but with over 70 on average over the course of this La Liga season, there’s no doubt that Nasri is Sampaoli’s main creative outlet.

His parent club, meanwhile, don’t have a player to better that this season. Fernandinho averages just over 67 passes per game, John Stones around 66. And while Nasri is breaking records in the Champions League, City’s best passer in that competition is Nicolas Otamendi, averaging just over 61 passes per game.

Number of passes proves very little, of course. Style of play and the opposition you face will dictate how many passes it’s possible to play. And City have had to work out how best to negotiate the fact that most opposition teams now fly at them in the most aggressive high-pressing fashions. That’s not a situation that lends itself to many neat, frivolous passes, even if Guardiola’s team somehow manages to dazzle with intricate moves anyway.

This season, Nasri has been Sevilla’s man in the middle to get forward and join the attack as well as sit deep to offer his services as an out-ball. He is still the kind of attacking midfielder with an eye for goal we all know, is still devastating on the counter attack and still possessing of a canny knack of making the right decision. But this season he has added a thirst to control games, too.

It’s not just the fact that Nasri is still well-liked in Manchester that should have Blues watching his performances against Leicester over the next few weeks. Nor is it even his performances, though. Not by themselves, anyway.

If he was right when he said that Guardiola would find a hungry player, he was also right when he said that he was exactly the type of player who would fit into the coach’s philosophy. At the time, maybe people would have laughed at that comment, too. The Frenchman can often come across as sulky and self-centred, and as Pep Guardiola’s required worth-ethic has caused the casualty of no less a player than Sergio Aguero, it was always hard to see how Nasri could have fared any better.

Yet City have suffered problems this season in the very position in which Nasri is currently excelling in Spain. Ilkay Gundogan is a long-term absentee and Fernandinho is filling in as a makeshift full-back (though he does seem well-suited to that role more permanently, too), while Fabian Delph and Fernando don’t seem to be the most trusted members of the squad. Against Tottenham Hotspur in January, David Silva and Kevin de Bruyne were joined in the midfield by Yaya Toure in deeper midfield role: a strikingly similar attack-ready, deep-lying role to the one Nasri operates for Sevilla this season.

And so if City fans want a team that isn’t their own to succeed this season, it should be Nasri’s Sevilla. Because Samir was right: he was hungry and he would fit in. A changed man, a player who runs games, and best of all for Blues fans, still contracted to Manchester City.

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According to reports in the Birmingham Mail, Aston Villa have joined Championship rivals Derby County and Birmingham City in the race to sign Oxford United winger Marvin Johnson.

What’s the story, then?

Well, only on Thursday, Derby were linked with a move for the 26-year-old by the Daily Mail, but it appears that they aren’t the only club interested in the in-form wide man.

Villa, their arch-rivals Birmingham, and Premier League outfit West Bromwich Albion are all said to be keeping a close eye on the Midlands-born player too.

He must be doing well?

Correct.

Ever since moving to the Kassam Stadium for a club-record fee from Scottish outfit Motherwell on the final day of last summer’s transfer window, Johnson has been impressing for Oxford.

He has scored five goals in 38 appearances in all competitions for the U’s this term, helping them to reach the final of the EFL Trophy in the process, while also providing nine assists.

So, what would he bring to Villa?

An attacking threat on the left wing.

While Albert Adomah has been a regular starter on the right-hand side for Villa this season, it has been a far more changeable situation on the opposite flank.

Jordan Ayew tended to play there before his departure to Swansea in January, and left-back Jordan Amavi even had to fill in there against Huddersfield Town on Tuesday night following an injury crisis for Steve Bruce’s men.

According to reports in the Daily Mirror, Southampton are said to be lining up a £20m move for Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho.

What’s the story, then?

Well, the Saints are looking to bring in a new centre-back this summer whether captain Virgil van Dijk leaves the club or not, and they are being linked with a £20m move for the France international.

Sakho fell out of favour under Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp after being sent home from the club’s pre-season trip to America last year, and he joined Crystal Palace on loan until the end of the campaign during the January transfer window.

How’s he done at Selhurst Park?

It’s been so far, so good for the Frenchman.

After the Eagles’ 1-0 defeat against Stoke City at the start of February, they were 19th in the table and had conceded five goals in their last two matches – they were thrashed 4-0 at home to Sunderland the week before.

Sakho was brought into the starting line-up for their next match at home to Middlesbrough, and Palace won that one and their next two Premier League fixtures – without conceding a goal – to move themselves up to 16th position and four points above the relegation zone.

Wasn’t he linked with Southampton before?

Yes, he was.

Following the departure of Jose Fonte to West Ham and the injury suffered by Van Dijk against Leicester in January – he is still on the sidelines now – Saints boss Claude Puel was said to be keen on bringing the Liverpool outcast to St Mary’s.

However, the transfer/loan fee or the Frenchman’s wages must have been the problem, as he subsequently joined Palace on deadline day.

What’s changed now, then?

It’s difficult to say.

Maybe Southampton are realising that they may need to spend big on an experienced defender this summer in case Van Dijk does leave, and they are obviously willing to break their transfer record to do so.

Would he be a good signing?

From what we’ve seen at Palace in his last three appearances, he absolutely would be.

If Saints could add Sakho and keep Van Dijk, Ryan Bertrand and Cedric Soares during the summer, they would have one of the best defences in the Premier League.

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As reported by Spanish outlet Don Balon, Arsenal’s Hector Bellerin is at the centre of Barcelona’s summer plans to wheel and deal in the upcoming transfer window.

What’s the story?

Bellerin has had an inconsistent season at the Emirates but remains a popular figure amongst supporters and offers lots of quality on their right flank. However that contribution could soon be coming to an end.

That’s what Don Balon say anyway, believing that Barcelona are ready to make the Spaniard a key part of their summer recruitment drive.

In order to negotiate a high asking price from Arsenal, they’re even willing to throw a current first teamer into the deal, believing that offering Arda Turan could help seal the deal and bring the right-back to the Nou Camp.

Is that a deal worth pursuing for the Gunners?

A fair swap?

There’s no doubt that Arda Turan is a quality player but attacking prowess is the least of Arsenal’s concerns this season, netting over 60 goals in the Premier League so far. At 30 years old, he also doesn’t offer much long-term upside.

Bellerin is still just 22 years old and improving all the time. Arsenal have managed his development expertly since signing from Barcelona’s youth sides and it’d be a shame for supporters to see that hard work go to waste by losing him to his hometown side.

If Bellerin really wants his move to Barca then of course the Gunners have to maximise his value but we reckon that should involve purely a cash deal that they can put to better use in the transfer market than bringing the Turkish attacking midfielder to the Emirates.