STATS: Mariappa the most effective defender at Reading vs Jagielka’s interceptions for Everton
Reading v Everton, Saturday 15:00
– Reading played out a 0-0 draw with Norwich in their last game, their sixth league draw and the first time they have managed to prevent their opponent’s scoring all season.
– Jobi McAnuff has been impressive for Reading so far this season, and has contributed five assists so far, more than any other English player in the Premier League.
– Mariappa has made four appearances so far this season, but for his time on the pitch has been the league’s most effective defender. He has attempted 11 tackles, made 7 clearances, 67 interceptions and 10 blocks, averaging a defensive contribution once every 4 minutes, the best in the league.
– Everton beat Sunderland 2-1 in their last game thanks to goals from Marouane Fellaini and Nikica Jelavic
– Fellaini’s goal was his sixth of the season, an incredible return from the player who scored just 3 goals in the whole 2011/12 season.
– Jelavic made an incredible start to life at Everton when he scored 9 goals in 13 games at the end of last season, averaging a goal every 112 minutes. This season goals have been a little slower coming, but his rate of a goal every 171 minutes this season is still not to be ignored.
– Leon Osman was celebrating this week as an excellent season so far culminated in an England call up. Osman has completed 277 passes in his opponent’s half this season, the 14th highest overall and the 4th highest among English players in the league.
– Phil Jagielka has been in outstanding form this season, and made 23 interceptions in the game against Sunderland, the joint 4th highest by a player in a single match this season.
– Leighton Baines remains top of the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index for crosses delivered and contributed another 8 crosses against Swansea, the most by a player in the last round of games.
– Kevin Mirallas’ impressive play continues to frustrate when it comes to turning that into goals. Mirallas still has just one goal to his name despite an impressive 21 shots on target, the fifth highest in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.
– Everton’s Irish full back Seamus Coleman had an impressive game for Ireland in the week. Coleman has completed 10 dribbles this season, more than any other defender in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.