All Premier League Semi Finals

The two matches this weekend will take the total of all Premier League semi-finals up to 25. Higher ranked teams, as Chelsea and Spurs are, have a distinct edge having lost only four of the 23 matches in normal time with eight requiring extra-time. Since the abolition of replays (2000) higher ranked teams have won 8/13 and of the three they’ve lost, two were all Big Four affairs. Of the two that went to extra-time, Chelsea beat Blackburn three years ago and Man Utd lost to Everton on penalties last year.

The most interesting facet to the 13 all Premier League semi-finals since 2000 is that only two have been goalless at the break, yet only seven finished with three or more goals.

There is some evidence that in recent seasons, teams that have had an easier route to the semi-final (played fewer Premier League teams) have had an advantage as they’ve won six of the last eight all Premier League semi-finals. The only team that favours this weekend is Portsmouth who have played one less top flight team than Spurs.

Aston Villa (6.3) (Bettorlogic Rank 37)  v Chelsea (1.62) (3)

At this stage of the competition in the Premier League era, Chelsea have a W5-D1-L1 record with their most notable victory being their 2-1 defeat of Arsenal last year. In all seven matches there’s been a goal in first half with Chelsea holding a 1-0 advantage in five of the seven. Since beating Villa in the last ever final at Old Wembley, Chelsea have normally prevailed in all Premier league ties, regardless of venue. They’ve lost only six of the 22 played and four of the defeats were against Arsenal.

Home or away, Aston Villa have a poor record in all Premier League matches with just six wins in 23 ( four at home) and two defeats at Wembley. Villa are attempting to emulate what Chelsea achieved in 2006/07 and Liverpool in 2000/01; namely reaching both domestic finals and the only other team this century to be in a similar position were Man Utd last year when they lost to Everton at the penultimate stage of the FA Cup.

Since Chelsea beat Villa in the 2000 Final, the teams have met only twice in Cup games (Carling Cup) with honours shared.

Tottenham (1.33) (39) v Portsmouth (12) (127)

This is Spurs’ fifth semi-final appearance in the Premier League era and they’ve yet to win one, losing three in normal time and the other in the extra period. It should be noted that their last such appearance was nine years ago and two of their defeats were at the hands of their bitter North London rivals, Arsenal. The only facet to their all Premier League Cup ties, regardless of venue, is a propensity for goals – nine of the last 12 (since 2005) have settled the +2.5 goals market.

When Portsmouth reached the Final two years ago under Harry Redknapp, their most notable win was the quarter-final defeat of Man Utd at Old Trafford; thereafter they played two Championship sides. As a top flight team, they’ve never failed to score against another Premier League side, regardless of venue, with six of the nine matches having three or more goals.

This is the first Cup meeting between these two teams since Spurs, inspired by Paul Gascoigne, won a fifth round tie on their way to Cup success in 1991.