Want to be the pub/terrace know-all this weekend? Want to know who has committed the most fouls? Or who has covered the most ground? Which player has provided the most crosses and who last week put in a true captain’s performance? Then read on and let the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index arm you with enough stats to impress everyone but girly girls.

Saturday 19th January

Liverpool v Norwich 15:00

An encouraging effort was not enough to prevent Liverpool slipping to a 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford last weekend. New signing Daniel Sturridge made an almost immediate impact after coming on as a substitute, and despite his goal seeming to galvanise Brendan Rogers’ side in the latter part of the match, it was not enough to snatch a draw.

Liverpool will as ever be looking to the talismanic Luis Suarez to propel towards three points this weekend against Norwich. The dynamic Uruguayan may be slightly wasteful with some of his chances in front of goal, boasting a 59% accuracy rate from 114 attempted shots, but it’s a case of law of averages for him given that he’s scored once from every 7.6 of those attempts on goal.

Suarez remains one of the main men in the Premier League though, placing second only to Robin van Persie in terms of his statistical affect on games this season. He’s notched up a combined 20 goals and assists this season.

Glen Johnson remains the top defender in the Liverpool squad according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index this week. The England full-back has won 40 tackles this season, giving him a solid 71.4% success rate.

His young teammate Andre Wisdom is obviously learning a few things from Johnson and has been justifying the new long-term deal he signed recently by also establishing a 71.4% success rate from 21 attempted challenges.

Fellow young tyro Raheem Sterling has also been making quite the impression in his debut season in the Premier League. The pacy winger sits third on the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index for dribbles with 30, as well as whipping in 34 crosses and notching 4 assists.

A game of few chances resulted in a 0-0 stalemate between Norwich and Newcastle at Carrow Road last week. While the draw stemmed a run of defeats for Norwich, it was a performance they will be looking to improve upon come this weekend.

Robert Snodgrass continues to carve out opportunities for his teammates, delivering 83 crosses, yet has only managed to register 4 assists, something he will be looking to improve upon this weekend.

Bradley Johnson will need to once again be careful against a Liverpool midfield starting to play some expressive football in the middle of the park. The Norwich hardman remains near the top of the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index for fouls committed, his 39 placing him 4th.

Despite impressing many this season largely through his defensive efforts, Sebastian Bassong has certainly found time to contribute at the other end of the park. He has an excellent shot-to-goal ratio of 3.6 from 11 attempts so far this season.

The Frenchman knows where his priorities lie though. No Norwich player has assisted more defensively that him this season according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, with 156 positive defensive contributions.

Grant Holt has been struggling a little to find his best form this season, the big frontman only mustering a 54% accuracy rate from 28 attempts on goal. That give him a shot on target only once every 101 minutes, something he will be keen to boost in the latter half of the season.

Man City v Fulham

Manchester City kept within touching distance of league leaders Manchester with a 2-0 victory over Arsenal last weekend

Edin Dzeko and James Milner were on target for the blues in that game. Dzeko’s tenth of the season means he is now averaging a goal every 96 minutes and 30 seconds, a rate bettered only by Manchester rival Chicarito Hernandez who averages one every 82 minutes 23 seconds

Milner is traditionally one of City’s hardest working players and he didn’t disappoint against Arsenal, covering 7.3 miles in the game, more than any other player on the pitch and the sixth most by a single player in a game this season.

Vincent Kompany was also in the headlines this week after his red card in the Arsenal game was reversed by the FA. Kompany has been a key part of the City team this season, making 112 defensive contributions this season including 33 tackles won, 24 clearances, 47 interceptions and 8 blocksbi, more than any other Man City player

Fulham earnt a point against Wigan in their last game thanks to a stunning 25 yard strike by Giorgios Karagounis

Karagounis, who is 35, showed he is still as competitive as ever with an all action display that saw him cover 6.33 miles, the second highest total of the Fulham team after Bryan Ruiz who covered 6.63 miles

Fulham fans have been calling for a new striker, but in new summer signing Mladen Petric they have one of the league’s best finishers, averaging a goal every 134 minutes this season, the 8th best in the league and better than the likes of Luis Suarez and Demba Ba

On loan Sascha Riether has excelled in defence for Fulham this season as the Cottagers had to cope without Brede Hangeland in the early part of the season. Riether has won an incredible 76.47% of the 51 tackles he has attempted this season, making 137 defensive contributions in total averaging one every 14 minutes 35 seconds

Star man Michu misses out

Swansea v Stoke 15:00

Swansea eventually succumbed to a 1-0 defeat in their FA Cup replay with Arsenal on Wednesday evening, a disappointing result after their 0-0 draw with Everton in the league the previous weekend. It fell to keeper Michel Vorm to come to Swansea’s rescue on several occasions, with their highly regarded attacking threats of Michu, Wayne Routledge and Nathan Dyer were unable to conjure.

Star man Michu will likely have been disappointed to miss out on the chance to start against Arsenal in mid-week, but you can guarantee he will be looking to remain the Swans’ biggest goal threat against a normally stoic Stoke defence. The Spaniard shows no signs of slowing down from his incredible start to the season and boasts a shot-to-goal ratio of 4.6 from 60 attempts according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.

Jonathan de Guzman has proven to be an almost tailor-made replacement for Joe Allen this season, the Canadian midfielder successfully completing 441 passes in the opponent’s half this season, the highest in the Swansea squad.

The best leaders are the ones who demonstrate their expectations for the teammates through their own actions and Ashley Williams has been doing exactly that this season. He’d made 239 defensive contributions this season, placing him second on the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.

Given his performance on Wednesday night, midfielder Nathan Dyer looks to be approaching somewhere near his elusive best. He’s racked up 387 successful passes in the opponent’s half and also has 4 assists to his name.

If international caps were won on performance alone, Wayne Routledge would be knocking hard on England’s door. The pacy winger has an excellent 89% shot accuracy rate from 18 attempts, 5 goals and 4 assists.

Stoke suffered a 4-0 at the hands of Chelsea last weekend, with Jonathan Walters enduring a particularly torrid afternoon after scoring two own-goals and missing a penalty. Asmir Begovic turned in another fine performance but was not able to keep the scoreline from running away from the Potters.

Sought-after keeper Asmir Begovic remains one of the busiest keepers in the league, with his 118 saves placing him 5th on the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.

Despite having an evening to forget, Jonathan Walters still turned in the kind of performance so prized at the Brittania Stadium, running for a squad-high 6.28 miles against Chelsea.

Robert Huth’s general defensive performances continue to be excellent in all areas this season. The big German leads the Stoke squad for interceptions with 133, also registering 20 blocks and 34 clearances.

Steven Nzonzi has already endeared himself to many of the Stoke faithful with some committed performances. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index shows him as contributing decisively in both defence and attack this season, racking up 320 passes in the opponent’s half this season, along with 77 interceptions.

Newcastle v Reading 15:00

Newcastle need to get used to life after Demba Ba, having scored just once in their two Premier League games since he left for Chelsea. Papiss Cisse scored that goal against Everton on January 2nd, before they played out a 0-0 draw with Norwich last weekend.

Cisse’s goal was his 5th of the season, coming from 35 shots at goal with 48.5% of those on target.

Newcastle’s back four have been beset by injury this season, but those players who have been brought in have excelled and have been among the league’s best defensive performers. Mike Williamson is ranked joint 7th in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index for clearances with 36 this season.

Williamson overall has won 26 tackles, made 91 interceptions and 12 blocks to add to those clearances, averaging a defensive contribution every 9 minutes 59 seconds while on the pitch this season.

Tim Krul, meanwhile, has made 111 saves, the 7th highest in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.

Reading are making a habit of dramatic comebacks this season, and West Brom were the latest team to fall foul to the Royals ‘never say die’ attitude last weekend.

Reading were trailing 2-0 against the Baggies before goals from Jimmy Kebe, Adam le Fondre and Pavel Pogrebnyak saw them leave 3-2 winners.

Reading’s strikers have been in efficient form this season. Le Fondre’s goal was his sixth league goal of the season, having come from 30 shots at goal with exactly 50% on target. Pogrebnyak has hit five goals from 17 shots with 57.8% on target, while Kebe has hit three goals from 13 shots at goal with 69.23% on target.

Overall, that gives the Reading strike force an impressive conversion rate of 14 goals from 60 shots, or a goal every 4.28 shots, a better conversion rate than league top scorer Robin van Persie who converts a goal every 4.53 shots.

At the other end of the pitch, Shaun Cummings is excelling for the Royals at right back and has the best tackles won percentage in the league, discounting players who have attempted fewer than 20 tackles. Cummings has lost out on just two tackles this season to make a 91.67% success rate.

Diame. So important for the Hammers.

West Ham v QPR 15:00

West Ham could only muster a well-below par performance against Sunderland last weekend, as they were soundly beaten 3-0 at the Stadium of Light. Chances were in very short supply until it was too late and Sam Allardyce will have no doubt read his side the riot act ahead of this week’s fixture against fellow struggler QPR.

Mohamed Diame is attracting interest from some of the top clubs in the Premier League after being the heartbeat of West Ham’s midfield for much of this season. The dynamic midfielder has a 60% tackle success rate and 23 interceptions to his name.

Joe Cole has wasted no time in re-starting his West Ham career, already delivery 8 crosses at a rate of one every 36.5 minutes according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.

Not only is Mark Noble regularly the most energetic player on the field for West Ham, consistently covering the most distance this season, he’s also the fulcrum around which their play develops, having completed a squad-high 401 passes in the opponent’s half.

However, Noble will be looking for greater consistency in his deliveries from the flank. He currently has the joint highest total for crosses made for only one assist, with 42.

Kevin Nolan loves to break forward with bursts into the box and may find space to work in what has a been a shaky QPR defence this season. He’s the Hammers’ top scorer with 5 goals, a rate of one every 8.4 attempts he has on goal.

No West Ham player has contributed more defensively to his side’s cause than Winston Reid this season, making 172 successful defensive interventions according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.

QPR managed to grind out a draw against a Tottenham side who are capable of beating anyone on their day, a result which may indicate that their revival under Harry Redknapp is under way. QPR keeper Julio Cesar was in fantastic form, saving a number of Tottenham efforts, and R’s fans will have taken hope from a performance that was full of hard-running and a battling mentality.

Adel Taarabt appears to have a new lease on life under Harry Redknapp and he is clearly enjoying his recent purple run of form. He’s getting himself ever-more involved in Rangers’ play, make a squad-high 460 passes in the opponent’s half, as well as chipping in with 4 goals and 3 assists.

Striker David Hoilett stands almost alone among the Premier League’s strikers in having an impressive defensive record to complement his attacking play. The Canadian has a 64% tackle success rate from 38 attempted challenges according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.

The rest of the QPR squad will need to show some of the same grit and determination being showcased by their captain Ryan Nelsen if they are to escape relegation come the end of the season. The respected Kiwi defender has been throwing himself in the way of the ball with abandon, blocking 26 times this season.

Esteban Granero may have crossed the ball in 22 times this season, but he will be looking for greater end product from his deliveries as the season moves forward. He’s only managed to register 1 assist so far according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.

Wigan v Sunderland 15:00

Wigan managed to claim a deserved point after a Franco di Santo goal secured a 1-1 draw against Fulham last weekend. Given the amount of chances his side created, Roberto Martinez may have been disappointed not to be have taken all three points but it was a performance to suggest there is plenty of fight in his team to help stave off a relegation dog fight.

Wigan will really miss the presence of Ivan Ramis after he was sidelined last week for the rest of the season after a serious knee injury. The Spanish defender has been a colossus at the back for the Lactics this year, making 120 interceptions and establishing a 68% tackle success rate from his 53 attempted challenges.

Roberto Martinez’s side will still be well–tended in his absence though, given that they have some of the most committed and effective defenders in the Premier League. The defensive pairing of Maynor Figueroa and Gary Caldwell have made a highly impressive 431 defensive contributions between them this season, at a rate of one every 7.8 minutes.

He’s been struggling to find the net in recent fixtures but Arouna Kone remains Wigan’s biggest threat on goal. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index shows his as have a shot-to-goal ratio of 1 every 8 attempts, so expect him to start adding to his tally of 8 goals in the near future.

Franco Di Santo’s movement and strength are of great value to the Wigan forward line, but he needs to tidy up his defensive work when tracking back to help his teammates. He’s joint-first in the Wigan squad for fouls committed, with 26 notched up this season.

Jean Beausejour has certainly been willing to get the ball into as many dangerous areas as possible, given that he ranks third on the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index for crosses delivered with 80, one for every 23 minutes he’s been on the pitch. He’s also had a decent return on those deliveries, racking up 6 assists to boot.

A fine all-round performance from Sunderland saw them record a dominant 3-0 win over West Ham last week. Goals form Seb Larsson, Adam Johnson and James McClean formed part of a superb win for Martin O’Neill’s side, ensuring they remain just above the relegation danger-zone in 14th.

One wonders where Sunderland would be had they not landed Steven Fletcher last summer, giving the level to which he has contributed to their cause this season. He’s their leading goalscorer with 8, but also their 2nd highest assist provider with 4.

Creative winger Adam Johnson has being doing his utmost to help Fletcher out there, having had 21 attempts on goal and managing to find the net once every 5.25 times he has a shot.

Spanish defender Carlos Cuellar has quietly been demonstrating the class many have known he possesses this season, proving himself to be one of their rocks in the Sunderland defensive line. He’s established a remarkable 87% tackles success rate from 53 challenges, by far the highest in the Sunderland squad.

His fellow defender John O’Shea may have lost a yard of pace but his mind clearly remains a sharp as ever. His 144 interceptions places him third on the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.

James McClean is quickly cementing his reputation as a true box-to-box midfielder, one who loves both the defensive and offensive sides of the games. He’s made more attempted tackles than any other Sunderland player with 96, and is second only to Adam Johnson for crosses made with 46.

Lukaku: Happy at the Hawthorns

West Brom v Aston Villa 15:00

West Brom threw away 3 points last weekend, as Reading came back from a 0-2 deficit to score 3 goals in the final eight minutes. The Baggies had been in total control for large parts of the match, so Steve Clarke will be looking to seeing his attacking-minded team respond this week and close out the match with more efficiency.

The Baggies back four have certainly been busy this season but have proven themselves to be more than up to the task. Defenders Gareth McAuley, Jonas Olsson and Liam Ridgewell have collectively combined for a massive 570 defensive contributions this season, providing the stability for their attacking players to venture forward.

Belgian youngster Romelu Lukaku made a point of saying how much he is enjoying his time at West Brom, an easy inference to make as the striker is flourishing under Steve Clarke. His 9 goals are the product of an excellent 75% shot accuracy rate from 44 attempts, the highest of any of the top ten scorers in the Premier League this season.

Fellow striker Shane Long’s all-action style is unfortunately lead him down the wrong path defensively-speaking this season. The 31 fouls he’s racked up so far is the highest total of any Baggies player according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.

James Morrison remains the pivotal figure in the West Brom midfield, leading the squad for both passes completed in the opponent’s half with 390, and assists with 6.

George Thorne was the man to who stood out in terms of workrate last weekend, the young defender clearly desperate to grab the chance to add to his limited appearances this season. He ran for 6.61 miles according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.

A controversial penalty saw Aston Villa fall to a 0-1 defeat at home to Southampton on Saturday, pushing them in the Premier League’s relegation zone.

Gabriel Agbonglahor may have been struggling to consistently find the net this season, but the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index suggests that the West Brom defence may have to be alert to stop his bad run of luck from changing. He has a 73% shot accuracy rate from 11 attempts, yet only one goal.

Fellow striker Christian Benteke has also been finding goals a little hard to come by in the past few weeks, despite a stellar start to his Premier League career. However, he remains by far the biggest threat Aston Villa possess up front, having a combined total of 10 goals and assists.

Defender Matthew Lowton is part of the lastest crop of talented youngsters to come through at Villa and his performances have demonstrated a maturity beyond his 23 years. He has a remarkable 79.1% success rate rom 72 attempted tackle and has only conceded 15 fouls.

He will be looking to add to his offensive weapons as his development continues though. He currently has the second highest total for crosses delivered without an assist, with 29, according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.

Sunday 20th January

Chelsea v Arsenal 13:30

Chelsea allowed a two-goal lead to slip through their fingers as Southampton battled back to earn a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge. New signing Demba Ba continued to pick up where he left off at Newcastle, but his and Eden Hazard’s goals were not enough to prevent Chelsea fans once again venting their frustration at the Blues’ lack of home form.

Fernando Torres continues to work hard to rediscover his best form in front of goal but he will have to be wary of committing too many defensive indiscretions this weekend against Arsenal. They are buoyed following an excellent midweek performance and will look to punish him should he add to his squad-high total of 31 fouls.

Juan Mata’s mix of guile and tireless work-ethic have proved invaluable to Chelsea since his arrival from Valencia. He once again demonstrated his willingness to track back to help his team against Southampton, running for an excellent 7.07 miles according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.

Despite ongoing attention over Chelsea’s refusal to over him a contract extension, Chelsea legend Frank Lampard continues to deliver the goods on the pitch. He has the best shot-to-goal ratio of any Chelsea player with more than 10 attempts on goal, scoring once every 3.7 attempts as he chases down Chelsea’s all-time scorer’s record.

Arriving to much fanfare, big things were expected of Eden Hazard and he has not disappointed in his Chelsea career so far. The Belgian magician has an excellent combine assists and goal total of 17, terrorizing defences with 26 dribbles to boot.

Ashley Cole’s solidity at the back has been one of the key factors behind Chelsea success in past seasons and he continues to add to his reputation ever in what Chelsea consider to be the latter part of his career. He has an excellent 79.4% tackle success rate from 39 attempted challenges, conceding only 7 fouls along the way.

Arsenal recorded a deserved 1-0 win over Swansea in their FA Cup replay on Wednesday evening, an all-action second-half performance capped by a sublime Jack Wilshere volley. They will be looking to carry the confidence this win will have brought into the weekend as they travel to the reigning European Champions.

If Jack Wilshere’s performance against Swansea in midweek was anything to go by, he’s fast approaching somewhere close to his devastating best. Look to see him add to his 11 dribbles and 2 assists this weekend and continue to make up for lost time by playing in a more advanced role.

Talent is never an excuse to stop learning though so you can guarantee that Wilshere will have been picking up advice from fellow midfield standout Santi Cazorla. The Spanish technician currently sits second on the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index for passes completed in the opponent’s half with 822, remarkably one every 2.4 minutes.

Kieran Gibbs was another one of Arsenal’s young guns who turned in a superb displaying at a freezing Emirates on Wednesday night, a cup performance he’s been replicating in the League. Comparisons will inevitably be drawn between his record and that of Ashley Cole, given he’s similarly excellent 74% tackle success rate from 46 challenges, combined with only 9 fouls.

Arsene Wenger will be happy to see Thomas Vermaelen and Per Mertesacker gel in the centre of the Gunners’ defence. Both centre halves have contributed equally to Arsenal defensive efforts in the league this season, successfully intervening defensively 95 times each according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.

Theo Walcott’s contract negotiations look to finally be coming to a close, allowing the electric frontman to concentrate on his ever-improving performance level for the Gunners. Despite rarely playing through the middle as he desires, Theo still has almost the best shot-to-goal ratio in the Arsenal squad, finding the net once every 4.5 attempts he has on goal.

Tottenham v Man Utd 16:00

Tottenham could only take a point from a 0-0 draw against QPR as they faced former manager Harry Redknapp for the first time since firing him last summer. Spurs were frustrated by QPR’s tactics and some excellent goal-keeping but will need to up their ruthlessness in front of goal when they welcome Man Utd this Sunday.

Gareth Bale’s pace and technical ability inevitably propels him into countless positions to have a crack on goal and he has been really letting loose this season. He’s had 72 attempts on goal, yet according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index has still managed to keep 63% of them on target.

Ask the Tottenham players and they will tell you they rate Aaron Lennon just as highly as Bale and it’s not hard to see why. The England international is full of confidence at the moment and has used his pace and low centre of gravity to notch up 28 dribbles, placing him fourth on the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.

Mousa Dembele was a shining light for Tottenham before being sidelined by injury. He turned in a typically all-action performance against QPR though, running for a squad high 5.84 miles at Loftus Road according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.

Tottenham fans are really starting to see just what a great acquisition Jan Vertonghen was for them as he continues to maintain some exceptional defensive standards. He is the leading percentage tackler in the Tottenham squad with a 75% success rate from 64 attempted challenges, as well as 27 clearance and 74 interceptions. He will need all of his ability to halt the rampant Robin van Persie this weekend.

A typically clinical Man Utd performance saw them dispatch fierce rivals Liverpool 2-1 at Old Trafford last Sunday. Yet another strike from Robin van Persie, as well as another from Nemanja Vidic saw Sir Alex Ferguson’s side maintain their seven point lead at the summit of the Premier League table.

Robin van Persie looks in unstoppable form at present, yet again ranking on the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index as the best player in the league. The striker has so far contributed a quite incredible 26 combined goals and assists to the Man Utd cause this season.

Patrice Evra is clearly enjoying rediscovering his scoring touch this season, and has been powering forward down the left flank with what Man Utd’s opponents will view alarming regularity. He’s whipped in 35 crosses and is second only to Michael Carrick for passes completed in the opponent’s half with 449.

Carrick was one again the heart of the Man Utd machine as they recorded a fine derby win over Liverpool. The classy central midfielder was the hardest grafter on the pitch on the day, working hard for a 6.5 mile total.

Look to see Ashley Young continue to bounce back from recent injury setbacks and add to his excellent season totals on the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. He’s provided 29 crosses and 2 assists this season.

Wayne Rooney has been challenged by Sir Alex Ferguson to start delivering more goals for United, but his statistical totals already show him as have a healthy shot-to-goal ratio of seven and a shot accuracy rate of 67.3% from 49 attempts.

Monday 21st January

Southampton v Everton 20:00

Southampton are on a hot streak, having taken four points from their last two Premier League games, winning 1-0 against Villa and coming back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with Chelsea.

Rickie Lambert scored in both games while Jason Puncheon hit the equaliser against Chelsea.

Lambert’s 10th Premier League goal of the season lifted him to 26th in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. His rate of converting a goal every 4.5 shots is on a par with league top scorer Robin van Persie, who averages a goal every 4.53 shots.

Midfielder Jason Puncheon’s conversion rate is lower than Lambert’s at a goal every 11 shots, but with an accuracy percentage of 63.64% of his 44 shots at goal on target, Puncheon should be tipped to add to his tally of four goals this season.

Full back Luke Shaw has also been tipped as a great talent based on his performances this season. Shaw has won 80.56% of the tackles he’s attempted this season, the second highest by a full back in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.

Everton will be hoping the goals start flowing again as their incredible season hit an obstacle with a 0-0 draw against Swansea in their last league outing.

Everton’s form players have understandably been the subject of transfer speculation this month, and hanging on to their star performers must be a priority for the Toffees.

No player, perhaps, has made more of an impact than left back Leighton Baines. Baines is ranked 4th overall in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index for the season, having scored three goals and contributed four assists in the Premier League.

Baines has delivered 83 crosses in the Premier League this season, more than any other player in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index and averaging one every 25 minutes 33 seconds.

But with all the talk of Baines’ crossing and lethal set pieces, his impressive defensive game is sometimes forgotten. Baines has won an incredible 72.26% of his 62 tackles this seasonMarouane Fellaini has also been on excellent form this season, and is Everton’s top scorer with 8 goals this season from 48 shots with an impressive 68.75% of shots on target. Fellaini also has five assists to his name, meaning he has contributed directly to over a third of Everton’s goals this season.