The Everton v Newcastle game epitomised the ref-influenced start to the season

• The two dismissals and nine other bookings has only been matched once before. There were eleven yellow and one red card issued in the 1998/9 Leeds v Chelsea encounter

• In just three games this season referee Styles has compiled five dismissals and a further 18 cautions

• Of all the referees who have run more than one game, his average of 3.95 cautions per game is the highest in Premiership history

• Both sides may have originally looked forward to the choice of referee. The teams had a combined 9 wins, 1 draw and one defeat in matches he had administered prior to this match

• With barely an eighth of the season completed, the 15 dismissals to date suggest last year's all time record of 71 is in serious jeapordy

• Everton extend their leading Premiership dismissal record to 45, five more than closest rival, Arsenal

• 21 of the 138 Premiership goals this season have come from the spot. At more than 15% the rate is roughly double the season high achieved last year when 77 of the 1000 goals came in that fashion

• Shearer has already bagged three penalties this season, extending his total to 46 , more than the next two on the all time premiership combined He has scored all five Newcastle goals this season to date

• Ferguson extended his goalscoring run without a headed effort to 15

• Newcastle are winless in their first four outings. Their worst start was a seven game stretch in 1999/2000 during which current boss, Bobby Robson, replaced Ruud Gullitt

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