The Pulse of Football

Sep

2025

Preview: Chelsea look to end abysmal run at Old Trafford

Manchester United host Chelsea with Ruben Amorim desperate for a change of fortune.

By Filip Mishov

The clock is ticking fast at Old Trafford

Ruben Amorim‘s public outbursts have evolved from charismatic to something a little more egocentric this season, and the underperforming Portuguese manager is under pressure and walking a fine line after only four Premier League games and United’s early exit from the EFL Cup. Furthermore, the 40-year-old holds the lowest win percentage of any permanent United coach since World War II, which is damning to say the least.

*Amorim’s career history in win percentages*

By contrast, Enzo Maresca enjoyed a decent start to the season as Chelsea remain unbeaten in the Premier League, although the draw at Brentford and the loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League may have spoiled the mood a little.

A difficult trip to Manchester comes next, and even though Old Trafford has lost some of it’s aura in the post-Ferguson era, that has not been the case for the Blues, with their last win at the Theatre of Dreams coming all the way back in 2013, when Juan Mata scored a late winner.

Key players

It was no surprise to see Bryan Mbeumo claim the Player of the Month award for August at Carrington as the Cameroonian forward has already scored a couple of goals this season, and if it was not for Gianluigi Donnarumma‘s heroic save at the Etihad last week, the 26-year-old might have scored one of the goals of the season. Also, the former Brentford man has been involved in six goals across seven appearances against Chelsea during his time with the Bees, marking him our as a key threat against the Club World Cup champions.

Cole Palmer, on his day, continues to be one of the best players in the league, and he showed it on the European stage with his performance at the Allianz Arena during the week. The Englishman scored in the first half and then added a second before the final whistle which was later ruled out by VAR. The 23-year-old earned a FotMob rating of 7.7 with only Harry Kane boasting a higher rating on the night. Palmer, a childhood Manchester United fan, is back in form after returning from injury and his record against the Red Devils is impressive with four goals in as many appearances – including a hat-trick at Stamford Bridge and a goal at the Theatre of Dreams back in 2023.

Team news

Ruben Amorim will welcome back Mason Mount and Matheus Cunha to the squad after the duo missed the derby defeat through injury, but Diogo Dalot and the long-term absentee, Lisandro Martínez are still out. Also, it will be interesting to see whether Altay Bayındır and Luke Shaw will keep their places in the starting XI after their subpar performances with the likes of Senne Lammens and Ayden Heaven pushing for a start.

*Predicted Manchester United XI, built with the FotMob lineup builder.*

No major changes are expected in Chelsea’s starting line-up, but Enzo Maresca opened the door for Alejandro Garnacho to be given his first start, with none of their injured players expected to return until after the next international break.

Prediction

Manchester United always come up with a performance to derail Chelsea’s plans despite all their struggles, and with Ruben Amorim left with no choice but to go all-out attack in a bid to salvage his job, something tells me that once again the Red Devils will find a way to prevent the Blues from ending their 12-match winless run at Old Trafford.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Premier League with FotMob this season – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, player ratings. Download the free app here.

Sep

2025

Preview: Liverpool and Everton meet for first derby of 2025/26

Liverpool and Everton go head-to-head at Anfield on Saturday afternoon in the 247th Merseyside derby.

By Matt Smith

Bragging rights across the city are to play for as the champions of England face an Everton side who have enjoyed an impressive start to the season.

The two sides met earlier this year at Anfield, with the late Diogo Jota scoring the only goal in a 1-0 victory. In the reverse fixture, the Toffees secured a last-minute equaliser thanks to a thunderous volley from James Tarkowski.

Team news

Arne Slot confirmed to the media on Friday that Curtis Jones, who has been missing of late due to injury, is back with the squad ahead of the game against Everton. Alexander Isak made his debut for the Reds against Atlético during the week, but Slot was fairly cautious on whether he would start this weekend.

David Moyes has suggested that Jarrad Branthwaite and Vitalii Mykolenko are ‘making progress’ ahead of the game against Liverpool, but he wasn’t willing to confirm whether they would be available.

Liverpool struggling to create, but it’s not mattered

Liverpool haven’t fully clicked in the final third yet this season, and it’s no surprise as they look to bed in new signings such as Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike. Although they sit top of the Premier League on 12 points out of a possible 12, they’ve not been as creative as Slot might have hoped in comparison to their peers.

Seven teams in the Premier League, including rivals Everton, have created more expected goals this season than Liverpool. What they have been is clinical, often scoring late winners to seal three points, showing their mentality to keep going until the end. Whether that’s sustainable, remains to be seen.

Everton solid at both ends of the pitch

As mentioned, the Toffees have shown more creativity in the final third than we’ve seen in previous years, producing 6.4 expected goals from just four games. They’ve also remained resolute at the back, conceding just 0.8 goals per match.

This kind of form is the reason why they are sitting in the top half of the Premier League table, and if they continue staying compact at the back and free-flowing in attack, then they could enjoy an impressive season under David Moyes.

Jack Grealish vs…

The most interesting battle is going to be between Jack Grealish and…whoever Liverpool decide to play at right-back. Dominik Szoboszlai has been utilised this season, but he often tucks into midfield, leaving gaps.

Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley are other options, but the former spends most of his time in the opposition half, while the latter is still inexperienced. The battle between Grealish and Liverpool’s right-back will be one to watch, with Grealish enjoying a sensational start to the campaign, and he’s looking like he’s close to being back to his best.

Prediction

Although the Toffees have shown plenty of improvement this season, they always struggled at Anfield and have won just once there in the last 25 years. We’re going for a 1-0 Liverpool victory.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Premier League with FotMob this season — featuring deep stats coverage, xG, physical metrics, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Sep

2025

Preview: Brighton host Spurs at the Amex

A trip to the seaside to play Brighton & Hove Albion could prove to be a tricky one for Thomas Frank’s reinvented Spurs.

By Ian King

Early season form

Spurs travel to Sussex by the Sea on Saturday afternoon with a sense that it’s difficult to predict where Thomas Frank’s team might end up this season. Their 1-0 win against Villarreal in the Champions League was an excellent example of ‘winning ugly’, but the defence looks reborn under Frank and they’ve been a considerable improvement on last season’s effort, so far.

Brighton’s early season form has really been a case of ‘make it make sense’. They’ve been masters of inconsistency so far, with their only league win coming with an excellent performance against Manchester City, but have flattered to deceive somewhat in their other three league performances, with a draw and two defeats from matches against Everton, Fulham and Bournemouth.

History

Brighton completed a League double against Spurs last season, winning 3-2 at the Amex in October and 4-1 at The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on the final weekend. Prior to this, Spurs had won five of the last seven matches against Brighton, but their last league double over them came in the 2022/23 season.

Key Players

Randal Kolo Muani finally made his Spurs debut for 13 minutes against Villarreal on Tuesday, and he almost feels like the forgotten signing from Spurs’ summer transfer window recruitment. The former PSG and Juventus forward needs more gametime if he’s going to prove himself, and with Spurs having looked a little tepid when going forward, this match could be an opportunity for him to show us all what he can do, if selected.

Brighton’s four Premier League goals so far this season have been scored by four different players, and that sense that their attacking threat could come from anywhere remains strong. But the player to keep an eye on is, of course, Carlos Baleba. Much coveted by Manchester United, Baleba ended up staying at the Amex, but he hasn’t had the start to the season that many would have expected and, with an average of rating of 6.52 so far this season, both the player and his team could do with his season igniting.

Team News

Yves Bissouma, Kota Takai, Dejan Kulusevski, Radu Drăgușin and James Maddison will all be missing for Spurs, while Mathys Tel didn’t make their Champions League squad because the club somehow overlooked having enough ‘homegrown’ players, but can return for this match. Dominic Solanke is still doubtful, having missed the Villarreal match. Spurs don’t appear to have any fresh injury worries, for once.

Brighton have some problems starting to back up. Adam Webster and Solly March are out for an extended period with serious knee injuries, while Mats Wieffer could also be unavailable with a knee problem. Maxim de Cuyper was taken off against Bournemouth, and is doubtful, while. Diego Gómez was ill for the Bournemouth game and Jack Hinshelwood could also be out for a while with an ankle injury.

Prediction

Brighton had the beating of Spurs last season, but their indifferent start this time around makes them difficult to predict, having put in their best performance so far against Manchester City and their worst against Everton. Defeat at Bournemouth was a disappointment, but the Cherries do look like a good team so far, this season.

Spurs’ defensive solidity has made them look coherent, even if they were a little reliant on lady luck to get their Champions League campaign off to a winning start in midweek. But despite this, there are usually goals in this fixture – there were ten, last season – so I’m going for a 2-2 draw and an entertaining afternoon by the seaside.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Premier League with FotMob this season – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Sep

2025

Noni Madueke might turn out to be Arsenal’s secret weapon – and England’s

Amid the big summer signings, a few wingers went…if not under the radar, then certainly outside the must-get-it-done boxes that supporters were wanting ticked. Noni Madueke fits that criteria – but he’s already showing why he might turn out to be one of the transfers of the year.

By Karl Matchett

With Bukayo Saka’s early season injury, the value of signing a first-team player who can fill in for the England star has already been shown. But perhaps more pertinently for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal as a whole, Gabriel Martinelli’s continued underwhelming impact – even accounting for his midweek goal in Bilbao – highlights the value of having a winger equally at home on either flank.

Sure, Eberechi Eze may feature prominently from the left side as well, but he’s a different style to Madueke and Martinelli – regardless of which of that duo starts, there’s pace aplenty and an ability to run at defenders, and it’s Noni Madueke who is filling the Saka-shaped void in having success with both creation and ball-carrying. For Arteta, who has built a side solid in shape and reliant on certain individuality in open play, that’s of paramount importance.

*Arsenal, chances created in the Premier League, 2025/26*

It’s early in the season, so not too much emphasis should be placed on numbers, but at the same time it provides a barometer for autumn form: Madueke leads the way in the entire squad for expected assists (0.8), is second behind Eze for successful dribbles per 90 (2.4) and has double the number of chances created to anyone else in the Gunners’ squad (8). For comparison, Saka averaged 3.0 chances created per 90 minutes across the whole of last term; Madueke is running at 2.8 so far – and Martin Ødegaard, a key mover of the ball in the final third, has been ineffective and absent in turns so far.

There are non-numerical bonuses to Madueke’s quick impact, too. Arsenal’s campaign opener saw Saka on the wing and Ben White at right-back; neither have been in place of late, with Madueke forging a good relationship so far with Jurrien Timber. It takes the pressure off needing to bring back Saka in a hurry, and also reduces expectations on Ethan Nwaneri – an unquestioned talent, but still only 18 and needing time and space to develop his game naturally. Madueke, at 23, still has room for improvement himself but is also already experienced enough to contribute regularly.

He did that for Chelsea last season of course. The Stamford Bridge club has a rotating door seemingly, when it comes to wide players – yet even so he played more than 2,000 league minutes for them and on a per-90 basis ranked in the top 10% in his position for shots, xG, tackles and – in the top 6% – touches in the box. It wasn’t enough for the Blues but he’s showing he can improve on that output in a red shirt. £55m isn’t cheap by any means, but he’s still offering strong value so far.

*Madueke’s possession stats per 90 for Chelsea, Premier League 2025/26*

There’s also a question over what comes at the end of the season: Madueke now has nine England caps and dazzled in the September international break, scoring his first for the Three Lions against Serbia. It’s hard to shake the feeling that a fit Saka is a certain starter, for Arsenal and England alike, but therein lies the joker in the pack with Madueke’s ability to play both sides. It shouldn’t be ruled out that the north London club has both starting wide men for Thomas Tuchel’s side when the 2026 World Cup rolls around, just nine months from now.

But if that’s an ambition for the future, England shirts also offer a lesson from the past. There has been a strangely short shelf life at international level for would-be wide men of late.

*Madueke impressed during the September international break*

Callum Hudson-Odoi, Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford, Jack Grealish, Harvey Barnes, Raheem Sterling…they’ve all fallen by the wayside in one manner or another, some losing their way and others never quite seeming to peak. Factor in the apparent obsession in some quarters to force-fit Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham too, and it’s clear there’s no easy run at a shirt – yet Madueke, more under the radar than most of those names, is simply…doing his job. And doing it well, on and off the ball. Madueke ranks third in the entire Premier League – again, early days – for possession won in the final third per 90. That’s something Tuchel and Arteta alike will recognise and reward.

It’s fair to say that after Arsenal supporters spent a lot of the summer suggesting he was unnecessary and focus and funds would have been better spent elsewhere – a No. 9 was top billing of course, pre-Gyökeres deal – the former Chelsea man has quickly become a fan favourite. The challenge for Madueke will be twofold: maintaining form is obviously the best way to stay in the team and involved in Arteta’s plans, but also impacting from the bench when rotation kicks in or when his game-long form inevitably drops off somewhat.

Leandro Trossard has had flashes of being that go-to guy off the bench for Arsenal, while Martinelli showed he can do it in Bilbao – but has been disappointing, considering his ceiling, for some time now. If Madueke simply stays above the two of them in the preference order, he’s automatically likely to be first cab off the ranks even in games he doesn’t start – and the same role is very much a possibility for England.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Premier League with FotMob this season – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Sep

2025

Jack Grealish gives Everton hope ahead of the Derby

There is newfound optimism at Everton on and off the pitch ahead of the upcoming Merseyside Derby, and the performances of a new signing, Jack Grealish, epitomise this fresh outlook on the banks of the River Mersey.

By James Nalton

The fact that Everton have been able to make new signings at all has in itself been cause for optimism, but the arrival of such a star name, still just about within the prime years of a footballing career, has provided additional hope.

When Everton’s rumoured interest in Jack Grealish surfaced in the summer, there was some disbelief, mainly because the club had for several years operated only on the fringes of the transfer market. Once it became clear Everton were back in the mix for such players, the excitement grew.

How did Everton manage to sign Grealish?

The Grealish links meant that a couple of things, both from the business and sporting side, needed to be taken into account.

The first was an issue that football cannot escape in recent years, and that is one of finance.

Mismanagement at Everton in previous years led to problems with profitability and sustainability rules, and related financial fair play issues. At times, it felt like Everton were unfairly made an example of as other teams got off lightly, but nevertheless, the club was poorly run, and fans regularly made their feelings clear regarding this.

Everton are now starting to emerge from this with new ownership from the Friedkin Group and a new stadium on Bramley-Moore Dock. This is the first transfer window in which they have had some breathing space to attempt to put together a team that can do more than merely survive in the Premier League.

A loan deal, in which Everton are, according to the Athletic, covering three-quarters of Grealish’s wages with Manchester City making up the difference, is the perfect solution for the club at this moment in time.

Where would Grealish play?

The second question around this high-profile arrival was where he would play. Everton’s best player last season was Iliman Ndiaye, and the Senegalese operated in Grealish’s usual role as a No.10-style creator but one who plays from the left.

Adding Grealish to Ndiaye and another new signing, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, seemed like adding too many of the same type of player, when what Everton really lack is some pace out wide, but it turns out that simply adding a load of good footballers brings good results.

Manager David Moyes has found a way to fit Grealish, Dewsbury-Hall, and Ndiaye into his lineup. Many thought that Grealish might play as the central No. 10, but, instead, he has taken the position from the left with Ndiaye now performing his magic on the right.

Grealish tops the Premier League for expected assists and actual assists with four, having only managed two across his two previous full seasons for Manchester City. The creative spark has returned to his game.

Dewsbury-Hall’s energy, often unheralded tenacity, and midfield attributes have made him ideal for a central role, either as one of the deeper two or as an attacking midfielder behind the striker, completing the puzzle. He is also second in the league for expected assists behind Grealish and is regularly involved in delivering the team’s set-pieces.

Moyes now has the question of where to fit another exciting new signing, Tyler Dibling, into all of this, but it’s a nice problem to have.

The team still feels like it needs a bit more pace and more quality in the centre-forward position, but there is a hope Thierno Barry can provide some of that once he settles, and Dibling will offer some speed off the bench or in rotation.

Hope and ambition

So far, Everton’s start to life on their new pitch suggests that they are looking to do more than merely recover; they are looking to be genuine challengers for places in the upper middle of the Premier League table. European football has even been mentioned for the first time since Carlo Ancelotti was in charge.

No club has a given right to any status within any league. Everton know that better than most as they have repeatedly fought relegation and points deductions in recent seasons. But the club remains one of only six to have been ever-present in the English top flight since the start of the Premier League era in 1992, and one that for most of this time had at least one eye on European qualification, regardless of how regularly it actually qualified (seven times).

Football fandom can be a pessimistic business, not least when your team is regularly fighting against relegation, but there is always the hope that something more positive is just around the corner.

This is the kind of dynamic that football support is built on, and there are few better providers of this kind of hope than a player like Grealish. It’s no wonder the fans have taken to him straight away.

“Since I’ve come here, I don’t really know how or why the connection’s been the way it has, but it’s just something that’s just happened, and it’s so lovely,” Grealish told the Liverpool Echo.

“Everyone, all of my family says it as well, because they come to every game and they can see it.

“I just want to thank you [the fans] for all the support and all the love. Hopefully I can repay you in so many different ways, and hopefully there are many more good times to come.”

For both of the clubs involved, Merseyside derby wins can always produce such good times, regardless of the respective clubs’ wider aims for the season. Grealish will be looking to provide some for the blue half of the city this weekend when they make the trip back up to Stanley Park to face Liverpool at Anfield.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Premier League on FotMob – with in-depth stat coverage including xG, shot maps, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Sep

2025

Could Doku be the difference maker against Arsenal?

We may only be in September but we’re already at the ‘must not lose this match’ stage of the campaign. Manchester City travel to the Emirates this weekend for a Sunday afternoon clash with Arsenal.

By Sam McGuire

Pep Guardiola’s side have lost two of their opening four fixtures and trail leaders Liverpool by six points. A loss this weekend could see them nine points off the pace. Granted, there’s a lot of football still left to be played this season, but it’s quite the gap to make up.

Arsenal meanwhile have been almost faultless this term. The Gunners have kept three clean sheets in four, picking up nine points along the way. The only goal they’ve conceded as a team was the Dominik Szobozlai wonderstrike from 32 yards at Anfield in the 1-0 loss.

Yet defeat to City on Sunday could see them end the weekend six points off the top and level on points with the visitors. The narrative would shift entirely around their start to the campaign.

So, a lot to play for. Neither team will want to lose and this could see the game played out in such a way. Both sides will want to dominate the ball and the space. They won’t be giving much up. It was the same story the last time these two faced off.

The scoreline doesn’t reflect that idea though with the Gunners romping to a 5-1 win over City. However, everything went right for Mikel Arteta’s side and wrong for the then reigning champions. The hosts scored five goals from an Expected Goals total of one. They had just 12 shots in total and seven on target. Play that exact game 100 times over and you’d never see that scoreline again.

Both coaches yearn for complete control and want their teams to leave nothing to chance. Everything is calculated and meticulous. And that’s why a wildcard could well be the difference on Sunday afternoon. The wildcard in question is Jérémy Doku.

*Doku player traits comparison against similar players in top five leagues*

The Belgian winger is the definition of instinctive. And he’s currently full of confidence. The 23-year-old scored two goals while on international duty, playing a key role in the 6-0 win over Kazakhstan. In fact, his 9.1 FotMob rating from the game could only be bettered by one player, a certain Kevin De Bruyne (9.5).

In that game for the Red Devils, he showcased how far he’s come since the move to the Etihad. He had a total of six shots, five of which arrived from inside the penalty area.

He added value to his efforts too. His xG for the game was 0.4 but his xG On Target was 1.11. Doku is now smarter in his decision making as well as being a lot more composed in the penalty area. He’s learnt that not everything needs to be done at 100mph.

In his next game, this time for Man City in the Manchester derby, Doku showed his brilliance as a creator.

He was directly involved in the opening two goals. For the first, he picked the ball up 25-yards out from goal. The City No. 11 raced away from Amad and Manual Ugarte before a swivel of the hips freed allowed him to bypass Luke Shaw and nudge the ball beyond Patrick Dorgu. In the blink of an eye, he was in the penalty area. His initial cutback was blocked by Ugarte but he showed great instincts, and composure, to float a cross into the box, all while falling over.

Phil Foden was there to nod the ball into the corner and give the hosts the lead. It was all Doku though. The injection of pace out of nowhere. The explosiveness with the ball at his feet. The aggression to take control of the situation.

For the second goal, Doku held off Lenny Yoro to receive the ball. Without even taking a touch, he managed to thread a pass into the run of Erling Haaland who finished in typical style. In total, the former Rennes man created four chances against Ruben Amorim’s side. All very different but all effective. Only Haaland (9.3) claimed a higher FotMob rating (8.7) in the derby, with Doku also attempting six dribbles to go along with his four chances created and two assists.

In this form, full of confidence, Doku could be the difference-maker against Arsenal. He could be purely because his style is so unpredictable. He’s the one player Arteta can’t really plan for because a lot of what he does is so off the cuff.

The 35-cap international can beat players on the outside as well as cutting inside. He can go through the gears in a matter of seconds from a standing start. He’s comfortable in central spaces as well as when tasked with hugging the touchline. Doku makes things happen, in his own way. If City are able to funnel the ball his way, the gravitational pull he has will create space for others and this could disrupt a usually resolute and robust Arsenal defence.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Premier League with FotMob this season – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Sep

2025

Napoli ready for European challenge

Napoli are Italian champions and are targeting a genuine Champions League run after strengthening their squad over the summer.

By Graham Ruthven

There isn’t a city anywhere that celebrates the success of its team like Naples. When Antonio Conte’s side won the Scudetto last season, the sky above Mount Vesuvius was lit up by fireworks. Bunting lined the city streets and shrines to Scott McTominay and Romelu Lukaku were added to the ones for Diego Maradona and other Neapolitan icons.

After three decades of waiting, Napoli have celebrated two Serie A titles in three seasons, first under Luciano Spalletti, then with Conte at the helm. Each time, the city turned out to celebrate in the way only the Neapolitan can. Yet for all their domestic success Napoli have still to make a true impact on Europe.

Gli Azzurri only made it as far as the Champions League’s first knockout round in the 2023/24 season. The season before that, Spalletti’s side made a run to the quarter-finals, but suffered a disappointing exit to AC Milan when the draw had opened up for them to potentially make the final.

Napoli have never made it past the quarter-final stage of the continent’s most prestigious club competition even dating back to the days of the old European Cup. Maradona famously led the club to UEFA Cup glory in 1989, but Napoli have yet to make their mark in the Champions League. This is their final frontier as a club.

It’s also Conte’s final frontier as a coach. While the 56-year-old has won titles in Italy and England, he has struggled to translate this domestic success into anything meaningful on the continent. In seven Champions League campaigns, Conte teams have won just two knockout games and have suffered three group stage exits.

This season for Napoli and Conte will be largely defined by what happens in the Champions League. This is a club, and a team, that is ready to make a serious European run. Napoli have strengthened over the summer and are better equipped to compete on multiple fronts for silverware.

Kevin De Bruyne was Gli Azzurri’s marquee addition and the Belgian already looks to have settled quickly in his new surroundings. The 34-year-old has scored two goals in his first three Serie A appearances for Napoli with Conte moulding his midfield framework around one of the best creative forces of his generation.

*De Bruyne’s player trait comparisons still track highly*

It might have been the right time for Manchester City to move on from the ageing De Bruyne, but Pep Guardiola could get a painful reminder of how he has yet to fully replace the Belgian when Napoli visit the Etihad Stadium to open their Champions League League Phase campaign tonight. De Bruyne looks to be in top form. He might have a point to prove on Thursday night.

Rasmus Højlund is another new Napoli signing set to return to Manchester in better shape than he left over the summer. The Danish striker scored just 14 minutes into his Serie A return on Saturday and already looks to have rediscovered the energy and confidence that disappeared from his game over two seasons at Old Trafford.

Of course, it was a similar story for McTominay after he left Manchester United for Napoli last year. At Old Trafford, the Scottish international was underappreciated. In Naples, though, he is an icon and a symbol of Conte’s title-winning team. McTominay is a proven difference-maker for Napoli.

Conte could have left Napoli at the end of last season. He publicly clashed with Aurelio De Laurentiis over the club’s transfer plans for the future, essentially strong-arming the Napoli owner into spending big on De Bruyne, Højlund, Sam Beukema, Noa Lang, Miguel Gutiérrez and Vanja Milinković-Savić, all of them have been signed to be important figures.

Opta estimates Napoli have been handed one of the toughest draws in this season’s League Phase. Indeed, only Monaco and Bodø/Glimt are judged to have a tougher run of fixtures with Conte and his players set to take on Chelsea, Manchester City, Benfica, Sporting, PSV, Eintracht Frankfurt, FC København and Qarabağ.

Nevertheless, Napoli now have the squad to handle the rigours of a Scudetto defence and a Champions League challenge. The way Conte sets up his team to stay compact at the back and attack open space in the final third could suit the European game and make Napoli difficult opponents.

If Naples exploded with title-winning joy in May, it’s difficult to envisage how it would react to a deep run in the Champions League. This is a city, and a club, that represents the local pride all fans have for their team and their community. That local pride, however, could be a powerful force that drives Napoli to continental glory.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from Serie A on FotMob in the 2025/26 season – with in-depth stat coverage, including xG, shot maps, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Sep

2025

Preview: City face Napoli in De Bruyne reunion

Pep Guardiola’s Man City host Antonio Conte’s Serie A holders in the two clubs’ first game of the 2025/26 Champions League campaign. There is a lot of football between now and the final, but both clubs could make it.

By Alex Roberts

It’s been a mixed start to the season for City, with two wins and two defeats from their four games so far, although a 3-0 win over Ruben Amroim’s disastrous Man United side should have given them a much-needed morale boost.

As for Napoli, they’ve carried on from where they left of last season, sitting top of the table with a 100% record, winning all three of their games to far, conceding just one goal in the process.

An emotional reunion

The Ginger Pele, Kevin de Bruyne, will face off against the club he won it all with. After spending a truly remarkable ten years at the Etihad, De Bruyne was released at the end of last season.

Since the move, he’s shown why he was correct to reject offers from the MLS and Saudi Arabia to remain at the top level, bagging two goals in his three games, including a tasty freekick in the 2-0 win over Sassuolo in his first match.

He’s only been there for a couple of months now but it’s clear that everything is already going though him. It’s a small sample size, but six chances created, nine accurate long balls, and 126 accurate passes indicate he’s their main creative outlet.

It’s pretty surreal to say, but City will have to STOP De Bruyne if they want to win this.

*De Bruyne still compares favourably among his peers in the top five leagues*

Finally finding some end product?

Much has been said about Jérémy Doku since his arrival at City, but the most persistent criticism is that while he gets into great positions, he lacks the end product to secure a regular place under Guardiola.

Four assists in his last two games for club and country may suggest the times are changing, however. He absolutely did Luke Shaw with some lovely footwork before running to the byline and getting the assist for Phil Foden’s opener, via a little bit of luck.

Doku got his second assist with a deft little through ball to Erling Haaland, who had absolutely no problem holding off Shaw and slotting beyond Altay Bayındır and give City their second of the night.

The winger has been City’s most creative player so far this season, creating a high of seven chances, two of which can be considered ‘big’, while also leading the way in terms of xA (expected assists) with one, which he is beating by 100%.

Team News

Of course, there are the unfortunate few that will miss out on the game due to various injury issues. Mateo Kovačić, Omar Marmoush, and Rayan Aït-Nouri are all out and aren’t expected to make their returns until October, while Rayan Cherki is out until November.

John Stones remains a major doubt for this one too as he continues to work his way back from a knock he picked up while with the England camp.

As for Napoli, centre-back Amir Rrahmani will be out for another few weeks with a hamstring injury and ‘keeper Nikita Contini is sidelined with a broken hand. Obviously not ideal for someone in his position.

Big man up top Romelu Lukaku wasn’t even included in their Champions League squad due to his thigh injury so we could see former Man United forward Rasmus Højlund starting in the number nine. The Dane scored on his debut so let’s see if the redemption arc continues.

Prediction

Both sides have plenty of attacking talent so expect goals in this one. We’re going to go with a 2-2 draw at the Etihad.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Champions League with FotMob this season — featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Sep

2025

Preview: Newcastle United host Barcelona at St. James’ Park

Newcastle United’s first Champions League fixture of the season sees them host none other than Spanish giants Barcelona.

By Neel Shelat

Newcastle looking to relive the highs of 1997

Newcastle United have not faced Barcelona for over two decades, but they met them four times in a five-year span around the turn of the century. The Magpies lost the majority of those meetings, but did record one famous win at St James’ Park.

That match was also their Champions League curtain-raiser for the 1997/98 campaign, when Kenny Dalglish was in charge of the team. A Faustino Asprilla hat-trick put Newcastle in a commanding position, leaving the visitors with nothing to show for late goals from Luis Enrique and Luís Figo.

New strikers for Newcastle

Interestingly, Asprilla’s mid-season departure rather derailed Newcastle’s 1997/98 campaign, so they will be keen to avoid a similar outcome after losing their star striker this summer. The Magpies have reinvested the British record fee they earned for Alexander Isak’s move to Liverpool in two new strikers, namely Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa.

The main upside of these transfers is that they give Eddie Howe more room for tactical flexibility with different profiles of forwards to pick from. Woltemade scored on his Premier League debut against Wolves last weekend, but Wissa would likely have been a better option for a more open game such as this one. The DR Congo international is unavailable after suffering a knee injury with his national team, so the German forward will surely start again.

Battle of two intense high presses

An intense and intriguing tactical battle is to be expected in this match. Both teams will likely press high, so that should make for quite an open game.

Newcastle have toned down their pressing intensity on the whole over the last couple of years, but they certainly still have the capability to get in their opponents’ faces. With what should be a raucous crowd on such a big night, they could well go for it.

Barcelona’s high line under Hansi Flick has been the talk of town since last season. It did serve them well as far as generating high turnovers was concerned, but they also had a pretty leaky defence in the Champions League.

How the Blaugrana go about things in Flick’s second season will be interesting to follow, and this match should give us a good initial indication.

Lamine Yamal likely to remain absent for Barcelona

Flick voiced his displeasure about the Spanish national team’s handling of Lamine Yamal’s injury after the last international break, as he will now have to make do without his star winger for a few matches.

The German tactician deployed summer signing Roony Bardghji on the right wing in the weekend’s league game but took him off at half-time for Raphinha, who went on to bag a brace. The Brazilian international was Barça’s top-scorer in the Champions League last season, so he will surely start. The fitness of Robert Lewandowski will likely determine the striker pick, while Marcus Rashford should be expected to complete the front three.

Prediction

The quality and tactical approaches of both sides should result in a close and hard-fought contest. Barcelona might just have enough of an edge to come away with a narrow win.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Champions League with FotMob this season – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, physical metrics, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Sep

2025

Kees Smit: The next Dutch super talent?

For a nation of its size, the Netherlands has produced some ridiculous footballers. It’s been some time since a truly world-class player emerged, though, perhaps Kees Smit could be the one to end the wait.

By Alex Roberts

Real Madrid, Barcelona, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United and Bayern Munich all reportedly think so anyway. As is so often the case, the big boys have come knocking, all wanting to sink their claws in any young talent with a whiff of something about them.

He certainly has bags of it. Primarily an attacking midfielder, Kees Smit has been used anywhere from a number six to a right winger during his time with Alkmaar’s senior team. There have been comparisons with Kevin de Bruyne, and not just because he’s very pale and ginger.

*Smit player traits compared with similar players in comparable leagues*

His manager, Maarten Martens said it best, “He sees things that other players don’t see.” Smit has a remarkable eye for an incisive line splitting pass, so far this season he’s leading the Alkmaar charts when it comes to chances created with 12, three of which can be considered ‘big.’

Smit’s fancy footwork has also proven to be a huge asset; he’s only behind winger and fellow academy graduate Ro-Zangelo Daal in terms of successful dribbles per 90 with 1.6 compared to Daal’s 2.3.

Watching him play, it’s easy to forget he’s only 19, but then he’ll do something, that makes you remember. Smit has won possession in the final third more than any other Alkmaar player with 1.3 per 90 mins, but he’s also committed the most fouls per 90 (1.9). He can be a little over enthusiastic at times, but that will be stamped out in time

His future is something that Smit has addressed, suggesting he will prioritise his development over the bright lights, “First, I want to show here that I can do well and be important.” He told HN Nieuws

“The interest from Barcelona and Real Madrid is positive, but if I go there, I don’t know how many times I’ll play. I enjoyed watching it and reading about it. They’re very good things, without a doubt, perhaps the two biggest clubs in the world. Nothing is concrete. There’s just interest.”

Bayern tried to scoop him up like a childless millennial’s cat and take him to Bavaria back in back in 2020, but he turned them down, instead signing his first professional deal with AZ Alkmaar in January 2021.

That turned out to be a bright decision. He has a remarkable football brain under all that ginger hair, while with the Alkmaar academy, moonlighting with the five-a-side team, he scored one of the most unique goals, dribbling past three Fulham players, before smashing the ball at the wall so it rebounded into the net.

By this point he was training with the first team but still balling for the Under-19s. Smits played a key role as Alkmaar went on a surprise run to the UEFA Youth League title in 2022-23.

Alkmaar beat Eintracht Frankfurt, Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Sporting on their way to the final, scoring 14 goals and conceding just two in the process. They met Croatian side Hajduk Split in the final, which they won 5-0.

Smit scored the goal of the tournament in the win over Barcelona. He picked up the ball in his own half, ran at the opposition defender, who couldn’t take his eye off the ball, but that didn’t matter.

Reaching the top of the centre circle, he spotted the Barcelona keeper off his line. “Schroef het,” he thought — and let fly. The young keeper scrambled back, but he could do nothing as Smit broke the deadlock from just inside the opposition half.

Despite his impressive 2022-23 UEFA Youth League campaign, he was made to wait for his first team debut. Another season with the reserves came and went before he was handed his first Eredivisie appearance in March 2024 at 18 years and 48 days old, coming on as a late substitute in a 4-0 victory over Excelsior.

Last season was his real breakout campaign. Maarten Martens, who came in to replace Pascal Jansen last January and gave Smit his debut, started giving him more and more chances, and he hasn’t looked back since.

He bagged his first senior goal just 11 minutes after coming off the bench in Alkmaar’s 3-1 Europa League win over José Mourinho’s Fenerbahçe. Smit played the ball off to Sven Mijnans, who backheeled it right back to him. He had a defender in his way, but a cute lil shimmy found him one-on-one with the ‘keeper, and he slotted it home.

Not long after, he got his first assist, playing a perfectly weighted ball through to Denso Kasius who rounded the Fenerbahçe ‘keeper and put it just beyond the reach of Sebastian Szymanski, who had scurried back to the goal line.

He had likely expected to be one of the first names on the team sheet after that impressive cameo, but that didn’t happen. He got regular playing time, but Martens continued to limit his minutes, much to Smit’s dismay.

After only playing 19 minutes in a 1-0 home win against Fortuna Sittard on February 23, the playmaker allowed his feelings to boil over and publicly called out his boss. It could have backfired, but Martens took it as proof of the teenager’s strength of character, and he started six of AZ’s final eight Eredivisie games.

Once the curtain came down on the domestic season, Smit was handed the opportunity to represent his country at the summer’s U19 Euros. It’s fair to say, he took it with both hands, scoring in each of the Netherlands’ first four wins against Germany, Norway, England and Romania.

Facing a Spain side beat Germany 6-5 after extra time in the semi’s, Smit put in a man of the match performance before ultimately winning the Golden Boot and being named the Player of the Tournament.

*Alkmaar’s best rated players this season*

He’s nailed down a spot in Alkmaar’s starting eleven so far this season, but it’s unlikely Smit will be playing in the Netherlands for much longer. For now, they should enjoy him while they can and be proud to have produced someone such amazing talent, because players like Smit don’t come about often.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Eredivisie on FotMob in the 2025 season – with in-depth stat coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.