Premier League: Bad omens for Liverpool against QPR

Brendan Rodgers' side usually struggle after the October break

Michael Lintorn reveals which Premier League clubs fare well and terribly after October international breaks...

There have been ten Premier League ever-presents across the past six seasons: Chelsea, Man United, Arsenal, Tottenham, Man City, Aston Villa, Liverpool, Everton, Stoke and Sunderland. We've analysed every team's results in their first fixture after each October international break to assess which ones come back strongest and which ones struggle to rediscover their rhythm...

The Expert Adjusters

Man City - 1.51/2 to beat Tottenham

The champions are the only side in the Premier League to have won after each of the previous four October international breaks. You have to go all the way back to 2002 - when they were practically a different club with Kevin Keegan as manager, David Bernstein as chairman and Niclas Jensen starting nearly every game - for the last time that they lost at this part of the year, 0-3 at home to Chelsea.

Arsenal - 1.434/9 to beat Hull

The Gunners love their routines: they're always in the top four, always in the Champions League knockout phase and almost always triumphant in mid-October. Arsene Wenger's men have achieved an unrivalled seven victories from eight in the tenth month's initial post-international encounter, yet are a similar price to beat Hull at the Emirates to what Man City are to overcome Tottenham!

The Awkward Acclimatisers

Liverpool - a 1.618/13 lay at QPR

The Reds appear to have a great chance to put a poor start behind them away to bottom club QPR, particularly with Raheem Sterling well rested and Daniel Sturridge fit. However, in addition to having won just one of their last four Premier League matches, they have prevailed in a mere one in five after a fortnight off in October, and that was a Sterling-inspired 1-0 scrape past Reading in 2012.

Aston Villa - 1.618/13 to lost at Everton

The light dimmed on Aston Villa's bright beginning before the international break, as they traded a run of three wins and a draw in for for three successive defeats to nil. They weren't helped by facing three of the "Big Seven" in Arsenal, Chelsea and Man City, but have another up next in Everton. Villa were the sole team in our study to have lost following each of the last three international intervals.