In-depth player stats: Sunderland vs Fulham
Sunderland v Fulham 15:00
– Sunderland are five points clear of the relegation zone, despite losing 2-1 to West Brom in their last Barclays Premier League outing. Stephane Sessegnon hit the target in that game.
– Sessegnon also completed 6 dribbles in the game. Only two players have completed more than six dribbles in a game this season – Sergio Aguero v QPR and Luis Suarez v Norwich, and Sessegnon also sits third overall for dribbles in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.
– Sessegnon’s skill on the ball is well complimented by a tough tackling midfield. James Mclean has attempted 98 tackles this season, the 5th highest in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. He has the best percentage of tackles won in the top ten most prolific tackles with an impressive 66.3%.
– Meanwhile Craig Gardner leads the Premier League’s midfielders in interceptions (109), blocks (15) and clearances (30).
– Simon Mignolet was named North East Football Writers Player of the Year last week for a series of impressive performances for the Black Cats. He has made the second highest number of saves in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index with 153. Just behind him in third place is his opposite number today Mark Schwarzer, who has made 150 saves this season.
– Fulham beat Stoke 1-0 in their last game thanks to a Dimitar Berbatov volley from Sascha Riether’s cross.
– Reither is in the top 20 crossers of the ball in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, having delivered 49 so far this season. That’s the 19th highest overall and 5th highest by a full back.
– Berbatov’s goal was his 9th of the season, coming from 54 efforts at a rate of exactly 6 shots per goal. He is also ranked third among the Premier League’s strikers for passes completed in the opposition half, with 554.
– Berbatov has made the second highest number of interceptions among the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index’s strikers, with 49, just one behind last week’s opponent Jonathan Walters.