Data supplied by the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. Select and manage your own team of stars at http://fantasy.premierleague.com/ or with FIFA Ultimate Team for FIFA 14.
Aston Villa got their season off to a great start last weekend with a 1-0 away win at the Britannia Stadium; a notoriously difficult ground to pick up points. Andreas Weimann scored the only goal of the game to gift Aston Villa their second opening away day victory in as many years.
Weimann opened his account after a hard working performance against Stoke according to EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, which saw him complete 9.41km in the game, completing 55 sprints with a top speed of 32.7km/h. The forward who grabbed five goals and five assists in last season’s Premier League campaign, will be looking to better those totals this term by continuing that work ethic. He is 51/20 to score anytime against Newcastle with 888sport.com.
Weimann’s strike partner Gabriel Agbonlahor didn’t get a sniff at goal last week, but was equally industrious, completing 10.22km and hitting a top speed of 323.7km/h in his 51 sprints. His pace will prove a major asset in trying to unlock the Newcastle defence, and that is why he is 14/5 to score anytime against Newcastle with 888sport.com.
Aston Villa’s new look centre back pairing of Philippe Senderos and Ron Vlaar will be happy with a clean sheet on the opening day of the season was something that was really down to them completing eight and seven clearances respectively. EA SPORTS Player Performance Index tells us that Senderos also managed two blocks and an interception, with Vlaar managing one block and one interception. With such solidity in the middle of the back four, both full backs Alan Hutton and Aly Cissokho were able to push on and both managed to deliver five crosses each last weekend.
Newcastle kicked off their season with a brave performance against Man City, but were ultimately left with nothing to show from the game. They will be looking to bounce back from their 2-0 defeat against Aston Villa. Newcastle handed a debut to Emmanuel Rivière, who managed three attempts on goal and completed 31 sprints with a top speed of 34.4km/h according to EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. He will look to trouble defences with his pace, hard work and finishing. He is 13/5 to score anytime against Aston Villa with 888sport.com.
Another debut was handed to Rémy Cabella who won five tackles and managed two interceptions, but it was going forward where he looked a real threat. He attempted six dribbles and delivered five crosses, and will look to be a real threat this weekend to the Aston Villa defence. He is 100/30 to score anytime against Aston Villa with 888sport.com.
The third and most impressive debut was handed to Jack Colback in the heart of the Newcastle midfield. EA SPORTS Player Performance Index shows us that he worked tirelessly to cover 12.33km in the game with an average speed of 7.8km/h and a top speed of 32.3km/h, reached in one of his 31 sprints. He also won his only two tackles during the game, had five interceptions, delivered three crosses and attempted four dribbles. He will have to deliver another equally rounded performance to help Newcastle overcome Villa.
