EPL stats preview: Matchweek 2 - Stoke City vs Crystal Palace

Jermaine Easter of Crystal Palace has his shot saved from Thomas Sorensen of Stoke City during the FA Cup with Budweiser Third Round replay match between Stoke City and Crystal Palace at Britannia Stadium on January 15, 2013

Both Stoke City and Crystal Palace lost their respective opening day fixtures, and Mark Hughes will hope his characteristically slow starts to the season don’t kick in once again.

Heading into this match Stoke are caught halfway between the Pulis era and Hughes’ new signings, and points may well be hardy to come by until Hughes gets them going with his new style.

On the other hand, Crystal Palace also had a poor start to their last Premier League season when they lost 1-0 to Tottenham Hotspur, and they’ll need to strengthen if they are to avoid relegation this time around.

Let’s have a look at what stats have to offer for Stoke City vs Crystal Palace

- Crystal Palace and Stoke City have met 12 times in English football’s top division but never in the Premier League era. Both clubs have five wins apiece while the other two have been draws.

- Stoke won only one of their last six home matches last season, 1-0 against Norwich at the end of April.

- Crystal Palace have only ever won two of 19 Premier League matches in the month of August: away to Everton and Leeds in 1997. They have lost 10 times.

- Crystal Palace have scored just five goals in their last 13 matches in all competitions.

- Crystal Palace have won only one of their last 11 Premier League matches, a run of results that date back to their last top-flight campaign of 2004-05.