Hyypia has also had good luck that we played Birmingham, Bolton, Cardiff, Wigan and Watford before they got a change in management/were between managers.
Luck, chance and randomness is one of favourite subjects, some further reading (in order of preference):
The Signal and the Noise - by Nate Silver.
Innumeracy - by John Allen Paulos.
Fooled By Randomness - by Nassim Nicholas Taleb.
The Black Swan - by Nassim Nicholas Taleb.
The Drunkard's Walk...