Experts in getting even: Villa and Everton draw most conclusions

By Brian Sears

23 August 2012

Of the 7,857 Premier League games played since the revamped top division began 20 years ago, 2,109 have ended as draws, or just over a quarter of all games, or 26.8 per cent.

The club with most draws Premier League draws (absolute total) is Aston Villa, with 240 from 773 games, and the club with the next most is Everton (218 from 773 games) and they meet on Saturday at Villa Park. See graphic at bottom for PL draw records of all clubs.

It is no surprise that meetings between the pair have ended with more draws than average, 16 from 40 meetings to be precise, or 40 per cent, with eight draws at Villa Park and eight at Goodison. Of the other 24 games, Villa have won 17 and Everton seven.

The only Premier League head-to-head that has produced more draws than Villa-Everton is Arsenal versus Tottenham, with 17 draws from 40 meetings.

Most Premier League head-to-head draws

17 draws: Arsenal v Tottenham, from 40 meetings (42.5 per cent)

16 draws: Villa v Everton; Chelsea v Everton, each from 40 meetings (40 per cent)

15 draws: Villa v West Ham, from 32 meetings (46.9 per cent)

15 draws: Villa v Tottenham; Chelsea v Man Utd; Chelsea v Tottenham, each from 40 meetings (37.5 per cent)

NB: Arguably the most remarkable drawing head-to-head in the Premier League era is 11 of 16 games drawn, Everton v Leicester (68.75 per cent)

The graphic below also shows what percentage of Premier League games each club has drawn, as well as the absolute numbers. Of current clubs, Villa are top by both metrics. Norwich, Fulham, Swansea and Everton are among those drawing more than average.

Manchester United’s draw tally is unsurprising low at 21 per cent (163 draws in 773 games). Part of their success in winning 12 Premier League titles and never finishing outside the top three in the past 20 years has been in transforming likely draws into late wins.

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