Aston Villa could make unwanted Premier League history when Unai Emery’s side travel to Hull City on Saturday after a miserable attacking start to the new season.
Villa have failed to score in either of their opening two league games and, more remarkably, are yet to register a single shot on target.
Fresh data from Squawka shows Villa would become the first Premier League club since shot-on-target records began in 2003/04 to go through their opening three matches without managing one if that drought continues at the MKM Stadium.
Aston Villa risk unwanted Premier League history at Hull
The attacking problems already looked concerning after defeats to Brighton and Arsenal.
Now there is a historical consequence attached to Saturday’s game.
Villa also failed to score in their opening three Premier League fixtures last season.
According to Opta data published by Betfair, the only team in English top-flight history to fail to score in their first three matches in consecutive seasons is Ipswich Town, who did so in 1969/70 and 1970/71.
Another blank against Hull would therefore put Emery’s side alongside a record which has stood for more than half a century.
It would also leave Villa with three matches without a goal and, unless they finally test the goalkeeper, an unwanted Premier League first in the modern shot-record era.
That makes Saturday about considerably more than simply collecting Villa’s first points.
We have already looked at four changes Emery can make at Hull following Villa’s Deadline Day rebuild, with Ibrahim Mbaye and Alejandro Garnacho offering the direct running which has been missing.
Villa’s Hull City TV and team-news guide also details everything supporters need before Saturday’s 5.30pm kick-off.
Hull chasing history of their own
The contrast could hardly be sharper.
Hull have won both of their opening Premier League matches following promotion and have not conceded a goal.
Squawka says victory on Saturday would make them only the second newly-promoted club to win their first three Premier League fixtures, following Bolton Wanderers in 2001/02.
Sergej Jakirovic could go one step further.
If Hull beat Villa without conceding, Opta says the Croatian would become only the fourth manager to win each of his first three Premier League games with a clean sheet.
The others are José Mourinho, Sven-Göran Eriksson and Arne Slot.
That remarkable start comes after a chaotic summer in which Hull made 18 signings.
Read Aston Villa previously examined how Villa’s next opponents rebuilt their squad without conceding in their opening matches.
Hull will now attempt to protect that perfect defensive record against the only Premier League side yet to produce a shot on target.
Emery needs Villa’s new attack to click
The numbers underline why Villa’s late transfer business mattered.
Nicolas Jackson has now made his debut, while Mbaye is available for the first time and Garnacho is pushing for a start.
Emery finally has more pace and one-against-one threat available around the penalty area.
Saturday is the moment Villa need that investment to translate into chances.
Another defeat would be damaging enough.
Going three league games without a goal, and potentially without a shot on target, would leave Villa entering unwanted territory that nobody expected after such an aggressive summer rebuild.
