In many ways, football is a simple game: the team that scores the most goals, wins. Yet in every single match, there are intriguing statistical sub-plots that help make the beautiful game the fascinating spectacle that it is.

That's why, each week, FIFA.com takes a look at the numbers behind the results. This latest review reflects on Liverpool and Ron Jans ending long-standing records, and Valencia breaking a club-best start to a league campaign.

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matches unbeaten at home in the English Premier League is the proud record Chelsea carried into Sunday's visit of Liverpool. 90 minutes and a solitary Xabi Alonso strike later, the Reds became the first team to win at Stamford Bridge in the league since Arsenal triumphed 2-1 in February 2004. Luiz Felipe Scolari's maiden defeat as the Blues' manager also elevated Rafa Benitez's side above their rivals into pole position on the standings.

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points from eight games have given Valencia the best start to a La Liga campaign in their history. David Villa's ninth league goal this term earned Los Che a 1-1 draw at Recreativo Huelva on Sunday, eclipsing the 19 points from a possible 24 they returned in the 2003/04 season and keeping them one point clear of Barcelona and Real Madrid at the summit. The Spain striker is not alone atop of the scoring chart, however, after Samuel Eto'o's 19-minute hat-trick in Barça's 5-0 defeat of Almeria - their fourth victory by five goals or more in little over a month - took him level with Villa.

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goals in the league this season is the figure Mounir El Hamdaoui reached by scoring twice in AZ Alkmaar's 2-0 win at Roda JC yesterday evening. In doing so, the 24-year-old sent his side top of the table and became only the fourth player in the past 25 years to post more than ten goals in the first eight rounds of a Dutch Eredivisie campaign. Marco van Basten in 1983/84 and 1985/86, Dennis Bergkamp in 1992/93 and Ruud van Nistelrooy in 1999/2000 previously achieved the feat, all finishing as the competition as its leading marksman in these seasons.

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goals without reply is the stunning result AS Lossi achieved away to JS Baco in the New Caledonian Division Honneur on Saturday. It marked a considerable turnaround in fortunes for the two teams, with the six-time champions having pipped the Noumea outfit to the title in 2007. The same number also bore significance for Al Merreikh, who beat Al Ahly 2-0 on Friday to make it maximum points from their last 11 games in the Sudanese top flight. The Red Devils' 17th victory in 18 attempts this season took them one point behind leaders Al Hilal, who were held to a 1-1 draw at second-bottom Al Ittihad, with a game in hand.

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years in charge of Groningen is the figure Ron Jans reached on Monday, making him the longest-serving coach in the club's history. Previous record-holder, Theo Verlangen, spent five years and 364 days in the hot-seat between 1977 and 1983, during which time Jans served him as a player alongside Jan van Dijk and the Koeman brothers, Erwin and Ronald. The 50-year-old celebrated in advance of the landmark by guiding Groningen to a 3-0 victory over Sparta Rotterdam on Saturday; a result that left them top of the Dutch Eredivisie standings. AZ Alkmaar have since gone two points above the Pride of the North, who can nonetheless return to the summit if they beat NEC tonight.