TOP PLAYER STATS: Reading vs Wigan
– Reading face Wigan on the back of consecutive 2-1 defeats at the hands of Manchester United in the Cup and Stoke in the Barclays Premier League.
– Jobi McAnuff was on target against United and Adrian Mariappa against Stoke. Despite his cup goal, McAnuff is yet to score in the Premier League despite 23 efforts at goal, the third highest number of shots without return in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.
– Mariappa has been more used to excelling in his own box than the opposition box this season. He is ranked 5th in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index for clearances with 153, and 6th for blocks with 24.
– Jimmy Kebe is currently Reading’s top ranked player in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index in 151st, just one place ahead of Mariappa. Kebe has 5 goals this season from just 16 efforts at goal, an incredible conversion rate of 3.2 shots per goal (the best rating in the Premier League among players with 5 or more goals to their name).
– Kebe has also won an impressive 64.5% of the tackles he’s attempted, howing the midfielder excelling in both his offensive and defensive duties.
– Wigan have also had the same scoreline in their last two games, although they were on the winning end the second time around as they bounced back from a 4-1 defeat to Chelsea in the Barclays Premier League to win 4-1 in the Cup against Huddersfield.
– Shaun Maloney scored his fourth Premier League goal of the season against Chelsea. His goals have come from 32 efforts at goal. While his 8 shots per goals is not the most efficient rating in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, his on target percentage of 65.6% suggests he will add to his tally before the season is out.
– Maynor Figueroa made 17 interceptions in the game against Chelsea, the fourth highest by a Wigan player so far this season. That took his tally for the season to 93 interceptions.
– Ali al Habsi made 8 saves against Chelsea, his sixth busiest game of the season. That took his tally for the season to 137 saves, the 5th busiest goalkeeper in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.
– James McCarthy is ranked 11th in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index for passes completed in the opposition area, keeping company with a top 15 passers compiled exclusively from players from Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Everton and Chelsea.