Statistical Preview: Hull vs Newcastle

Steve Bruce’s men took a huge step towards safety in the last round of Premier League fixtures, inflicting a humbling 4-0 defeat on Cardiff. They host Newcastle, who will have been buoyed by a victory over Aston Villa in their last Premier League fixture.  

Nikica Jelavic opened his Hull account at the weekend, scoring two vital goals to compound more misery on Cardiff. The Croatian has been a constant menace since arriving on Humberside, causing headaches for defenders throughout matches, and it was unsurprising to see him open his account for the Tigers when looking at his eagerness to take shots at goal. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index shows that Jelavic took more shots than any other player in the league (7), at an impressive rate of a shot every 12.8 minutes. 

Ahmed Elmohamady registered his second assist of the season on Saturday when he squared the ball in for Livermore to guide home. It was a just reward for the Egyptian’s efforts, as he was a creative force on Saturday, completing an impressive 28 passes in the opposition half – more than any other Hull player.

The scoreline may have been incredibly convincing on Saturday, but for all of Hull’s offensive efforts they still needed a solid defensive platform from which to build their attacks on, and to nullify Cardiff’s forays forward. Curtis Davies marshaled his defence to great effect to ensure that this happened, making a total of 18 defensve contributions (based on clearances, blocks, interceptions and tackles won). This was more than any other Hull player and the third most in the league.

Tom Huddlestone is one man who will be looking to force his way into Roy Hodgson’s squad in the forthcoming months, particularly as he has been inspirational for Hull so far this season. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index underlines his importance to Steve Bruce’s men as it shows that he has featured in 2342 minutes for The Tigers, second only behind Ahmed Elmohammady.

Loic Remy scored a last minute winner to hand Newcastle the win over Aston Villa, and end their poor run of form.

Alan Pardew joked that he may not field Loic Remy for the rest of the season in order to detract the huge list of potential suitors that are likely to come after his services. Remy’s goal could prove critical in Newcastle’s stagnating season, but it was no surprise to see him hit the back of the net as he proved to be a menace throughout the game, taking a total of 7 shots – the most in the league. 

Vurnon Anita has had his fair share of critics since arriving in the North East, but he showcased his excellent passing ability on Sunday, spraying the ball around the park at will. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index shows that the Dutchman completed 29 passes in the opposition half, the most in the Newcastle squad.

Fabricio Coloccini has become something of a Newcastle stalwart since arriving at St James’ Park in 2008, with the former Deportivo man establishing himself as one of the Premier League’s most consistent defenders. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index shows precisely why he’s held in such high regard, as it shows that he made a total of 15 defensive contributions on Sunday (based on blocks, clearances, interceptions and tackles won), which was the most in the Newcastle squad.

Alan Pardew praised Paul Dummett’s performance against Aston Villa, as despite a nervy start, the local lad produced an awesome performance to cement his status as the club’s number one left back. In addition to his excellent set pieces, Dummett made a total of 23 attacking contributions (based on passes in the opposition half, crosses, dribbles and shots on target), the ninth most of any defender in the league.