Friday 12 January 2018, 08:12

The Week in Numbers

  • Wild cats claiming prey outside of their den

  • Fullbacks proving the reyes of assists

  • A Beppe Signori feat being emulated

110

years after Arsenal last conceded four goals to a lower-division team in the FA Cup, they suffered the same fate. Woolwich Arsenal, as they were then known, lost 4-1 to Hull City in a first-round replay in January 1908. Nottingham Forest won 4-2 on Sunday to ensure Arsenal suffered a third-round exit for the first time since 1996 – six months before Arsene Wenger assumed their controls.

50

league goals for Sporting is what it took Bas Dost merely 48 appearances to reach. The towering Dutchman brought up the half-century with his sixth league hat-trick in the last ten months against Maritimo.

20

goals in back-to-back Serie A seasons is what Ciro Immobile became the first Lazio player to record since Beppe Signori 24 years ago. The 27-year-old’s four goals away to SPAL left him, staggeringly, with 20 in 18 appearances this campaign.

10

coaches is what Canada have had in the last 15 years following their ground-breaking appointment of John Herdman. The 42-year-old became the first person in history to go directly from coaching a country’s women’s side to its men’s.

9

months without an away win is what Pumas had gone until they reversed a two-goal deficit to beat Pachuca 3-2 on the opening matchday of the Mexican Clausura. A Nico Castillo double gave the Coyoacan outfit the first victory on their travels in 15 attempts.

8

games is what Paris Saint-Germain have managed five-plus goals in this season – twice as many as any other team from Europe’s top five leagues. PSG won 6-1 on Sunday to inflict upon Rennes their heaviest Coupe de France defeat since Maxime Bossis and Vahid Halilhodzic inspired Nantes to a 7-0 victory in 1984.

7

hours and 33 minutes is what Faiz Al Rushaidi went without conceding to inspire Oman to their second Arabian Gulf Cup title. Pim Verbeek’s side, the huge underdogs, were unable to end their ten-hour-plus goal drought against Alberto Zaccheroni’s United Arab Emirates, but they didn’t need to to win the final. Al Rushaidi dived to his right to repel a penalty from Omar Abdulrahman in the final minute of normal time, before diving to his left to deny the same player in the shootout.

5

assists is the most one player has supplied for another in the 2017/18 La Liga – set by two players, both Barcelona fullbacks, and to different forwards. Jordi Alba set up Lionel Messi for the fifth time this term against Levante on Sunday, before Sergi Roberto did the same for Luis Suarez.

5

goals is what Real Betis scored against Sevilla in the league for the first time in history – and they did it on enemy territory. Fabian took just 21 seconds to score Betis’s fastest-ever goal against Sevilla, and it put them en route to a thrilling 5-3 victory.