STATS: Aston Villa’s most effective player Clark vs Johnson’s clearances for Norwich

Aston Villa v Norwich, Saturday 12:45

Aston Villa hover just above the relegation zone after a 1-0 defeat to Fulham in their last league game

Villa have now scored just 6 goals in 8 games this season, with Darren Bent scoring two having had 15 attempts at goal with 9 on target. That puts Bent on a shot every 40 minutes 48 seconds, a sign that the England striker may be struggling for service when compared to Jermain Defoe’s rate of a shot every 17 minutes 47 seconds

Villa’s frustrations are spilling on to the pitch with Karim El Ahmadi and Eric Lichaj two of five players on four yellow cards so far this season

El Ahmadi has attempted 39 tackles this season, winning just 15 of them and giving away 17 fouls

Young defender Ciaran Clark is currently Aston Villa’s highest ranked player in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index having won half of his 18 attempted tackles and made 15 clearances, 20 interceptions and 10 blocks

Norwich secured a famous victory over Arsenal in their last game, overcoming the Gunners 1-0. Grant Holt scored the winner for Norwich, while Michael Turner drew praise from coach Chris Hughton. That was Holt’s third Premier League goal of the season, having had 13 efforts at goal with 8 on target.

Turner has won 8 or 17 tackles attempted this season and also made 15 interceptions, 2 blocks, and 6 clearances

Bradley Johnson has been typically industrious this season, and has made more clearances than any other midfielder in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index with 11

Johnson’s 6.28 miles against Arsenal was enough to lift him into the top ten for overall distance covered this season, taking his total covered to 48.38 miles

John Ruddy is now ranked second in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index’s busiest goalkeepers, having made 45 saves, just one short of Wigan’s Ali Al Habsi.

Nine of those saves came against Arsenal, as Ruddy had his busiest game of the season to keep the Gunners at bay.