The Analyst: Not them again - a look at which Premier League side your team struggles with most

Cameron Loftus
21 December 2021

Planet Sport crunches the numbers to find out if that side you hate playing against really are your club's bogey team.

There are certain matches a soccer fan looks out for when the fixtures are released; the local derbies, the games against your mates' teams and the potential championship/relegation decider. But there are also the ones you look at through your fingers, the games you just know you are going to lose.

Planet Sport has delved into the stats from the Premier League era to find out the games you might want to give a miss - and the teams you wouldn't mind playing every week.

Games included are from the Premier League, EFL and cup matches since 1992/93.

Arsenal

Mikel Arteta's men are one of six teams to never have been relegated from the Premier League since its introduction in 1992 and have played almost 900 matches against teams who currently reside in the top flight.

Their least favourite opponents in that time have been Manchester United.

The battles between Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson were iconic but not always particularly enjoyable for Arsenal fans - especially the 8-2 demolition at Old Trafford just over a decade ago.

And the Red Devils are the only team the Gunners have a less than 30% win ratio against.

Aston Villa

Surprisingly, the Midlands club have not beaten Premier League new boys Brentford since the inception of the Premier League, even though the Bees have been in a lower division than the Villans for the majority of the time.

Seven times they have met since 1992/93, with Brentford having won three and four being drawn, the latest of which was played out at Villa Park in August.

Brentford

Brentford have only played a little over 100 times against their fellow top-flight clubs since the 1992/93 campaign kicked off and have yet to defeat six of the Premier League.

Of those, they have played Tottenham and Burnley most frequently, losing all four games to both sides.

Brighton

Although Brighton have not beaten Chelsea, their bogey team is without doubt south coast rivals Southampton. They have met the Saints on 19 occasions across various competitions, but have only come away with three victories.

They defeated Southampton for the first time in nine matches in March thanks to goals from Lewis Dunk and Leandro Trossard and followed that with a draw on Matchday 15, so perhaps Graham Potter's Seagulls are slowly breaking the curse?

Liverpool and Aston Villa also deserve an honourable mention as they have just one loss on record against Brighton (from 11 and 9 matches, respectively).

Burnley

Sean Dyche's men have traditionally struggled against the Premier League's Big Six, with win ratios less than 20% against all of them - even Tottenham.

They have recorded only one win against Manchester City in 22 matches and have a goal difference of -55 against the reigning Premier League champions. That win came back in the 2014/15 season and since then have gone 14 consecutive matches without beating Pep Guardiola's outfit, picking up a solitary point in that time.

However, a pretty mediocre 21.7% win ratio against Brighton is also worthy of a mention, a figure dragged down by the Clarets drawing 12 of their 23 encounters with the south-coast side.

Chelsea

Five-time Premier League winners Chelsea have been one of the most successful clubs during this era, and particularly since Roman Abramovich took over in 2003.

Longstanding rivals Manchester United and Arsenal are the only clubs who have a positive record against Chelsea, having won more than they've lost against the Blues.

In fact, the only team Chelsea have an overall negative goal difference against is Manchester United.

Crystal Palace

Patrick Vieira's side boast a 10% win ratio against Manchester United and his former club Arsenal and in 59 matches against the two giants they have won on just six occasions.

However, considering the similarity in status between the two teams, their record of just five wins from 26 meetings with Newcastle United is not one to be proud of.

Between 1999 and 2014, Crystal Palace did not beat Newcastle once.

Everton

Everton are yet to avoid defeat against Brentford, but with only two matches to judge from, it's far too soon to call them the Toffees' bogey team!

With a win ratio of 16.9%, Everton's most feared opponents are certainly Manchester United.

In recent years Everton's record against their north-west neighbours has been nothing short of woeful.

They have registered just one win in their past 15 meetings with the Red Devils, though they did at least do it in style, winning 4-0 in April 2019.

Leeds United

To the immense pain of the Elland Road faithful, it is Lancashire rivals Manchester United who are their bogey team.

Leeds have won just five of the 31 clashes between the two sides since the 1992/93 campaign.

One of those wins was Leeds' famous FA Cup third round success at Old Trafford in 2010, when Jermaine Beckford sent the away faithful into raptures.

In meetings closer to the present day, Leeds have not managed to recapture any of that magic. They are currently five matches without a win, which includes drubbings of 5-1 and 6-2.

Leicester City

The Foxes' win ratio against Man United, Chelsea and Arsenal is under 20% but their bogey team would have to be Everton.

They have failed to win in 24 of 32 matches against their least favourite opponents and have won just two of their last seven.

Liverpool

As one of the biggest clubs in the Premier League, Liverpool boast a win rate of over 30% against every Premier League club, apart from Brentford, who they played out an eventful draw with in September.

Barring the Bees, Liverpool's bogey team is Manchester United, who have beaten Jurgen Klopp's side 33 times in 70 matches.

Manchester City

Man City's worst win ratio is against Liverpool, standing at 22% across 58 matches since the league began. However, Leeds United are certainly City's bogey team, with Pep Guardiola's team having won six and lost eight of 19 meetings.

City's goal difference in the fixture was boosted significantly in their last meeting, however, with the five-time Premier League winners running out 7-0 winners.

Manchester United

It's hard to gauge whether the Red Devils actually have a bogey team from the Premier League era, considering their dominance especially when Sir Alex Ferguson was at the helm.

The 13-time Premier League champions, until recently, have feared no opposition, but the team they have the worst record against is Chelsea.

With their win ratio standing at over 45% against all other rivals, their somewhat disappointing 35% win percentage against Chelsea shows just how much United dislike playing the west London side.

Ironically, United are also Chelsea's bogey team, which shows just how closely matched the two giants have been over the years. Since 2008/09 there have only been two games in which the winning margin has been over two goals, highlighting the competitiveness of this fixture.

Newcastle United

The Magpies have their fair share of clubs that they do not enjoy coming up against - even more so this season. Manchester United head the list, understandably, but a shock team follows a close second.

Brighton are no big hitters by any stretch of the imagination, but Graham Potter's men seem to have Newcastle's number.

In 13 matches, Newcastle have only won two. Even more incredibly, the Tynesiders are yet to collect all three points against Brighton in the Premier League, a run that stretches back nine matches.

Norwich City

The Canaries' bogey team is West Ham, with Norwich having only won two (12.5%) of their 16 meetings.

Goals are almost a certainty when these two play, as there have been two or more scored in the past seven meetings.

Norwich's last win against West Ham came in 2013 courtesy of a 3-1 win at Carrow Road. Goals from Gary Hooper, Robert Snodgrass and Leroy Fer overturned a one-goal deficit to earn the Canaries their first win against their opponents in 19 years.

Southampton

Surprise, surprise, Man United are Southampton's least favourite team to play. However, the Saints do have a poor record against another one of their current league rivals in the shape of Leeds United.

Their win rate stands at 30.6% against the West Yorkshire team, with a -17 goal difference accumulated over 36 matches.

Tottenham Hotspur

Spurs' win ratio against Man United and Chelsea stands at below 20%, but like Southampton, Spurs do not enjoy playing Leeds.

They have won 12 and lost 12 of 32 meetings against the Elland Road side.

Between 1999 and 2001, the two faced off six times in the Premier League and Tottenham lost all six.

Watford

Newly promoted Watford have never beaten Manchester City in 18 attempts.

Two draws are all Watford have to show from their meetings with the reigning Premier League champions. What is more staggering is the -50 goal difference from just 18 matches, which include a 6-0 FA Cup final defeat and an 8-0 league defeat in 2019.

The Hornets are currently on a run of 14 consecutive losses against Pep Guardiola's side.

West Ham

David Moyes' improving Hammers have two bogey teams: Brighton and Leeds.

They have only five wins from 27 matches against Leeds, with three of those coming in the last three meetings.

Prior to 2020, the Hammers had failed to win against the Elland Road side in nine matches across the Premier League and Championship.

West Ham only have a 21% win ratio against their other bogey team, Brighton.

They did win three of their first five meetings in the new millennium, but followed that with three losses and then a staggering six draws in a row, covering the last four Premier League seasons.

Wolves

Wolves have historically struggled against the Big Four (Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United) but next on the list are both Newcastle and Brighton.

Against Newcastle, Wolves have taken 21 points from 17 matches, with the majority of matches ending in a draw. In fact, before their first meeting of this season, the previous five games featuring the teams had ended in a 1-1 draw.

With Brighton, it is a similar story. Wolves clearly love a draw, with the sides sharing the spoils on no less than 11 occasions in their 21 meetings.

They have enjoyed better form against the Seagulls in recent seasons, however, and are on a six-game unbeaten run. Nevertheless, four of those have been draws.