A place in the first Cup final of the season is up for grabs and, improbably, it’s Newcastle United who hold a serious upper hand to get there – but Arsenal couldn’t have had a bigger pre-match boost as they look for a second-leg overhaul here.
The Magpies took a 2-0 win from the Emirates a month ago and Eddie Howe has fans dreaming of, finally, ending the long wait for a significant trophy: the 1955 FA Cup final, still the last time they won a major honour. They have, remember, never won the EFL Cup. This is the opportunity of a generation for them to have a crack at it, and all they need to do…is not concede two against the team who have just put five past Manchester City.
Change in flow at a tricky time?
Newcastle will rightly point to their own in-form forward, Alexander Isak. His goal in the first leg came at a time when he also netted in eight Premier League games in a row – 11 goals in that period – but, since then, he had one shot and failed to score against Bournemouth, netted twice against bottom club Southampton, then had one shot again and didn’t score against Fulham. No run of form can go on without end, but Newcastle will hope the chance creation and clinical edge isn’t drying up at a hugely important time.
Recent form
As for Arsenal, they had 23 shots and didn’t score in that first leg, then had 26 shots, scored once and went out in the FA Cup in their next match. Since then it’s 15 goals in six games and they’ve won five of them. The Gunners don’t just have some winning rhythm again, they have enormously growing confidence, particularly after battering the champions in such emphatic fashion. Newcastle had won nine in a row before the recent loss-win-loss run, but perhaps that pendulum has just swung away from them ahead of this second leg.
Team news
Harvey Barnes and Callum Wilson are the squad options missing at St. James’ Park, but Joelinton remains a doubt. Bruno Guimarães is back from a ban and will start. For Arsenal, it’s the same faces as recently who are long-term absentees: Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus and Ben White. Neto is unavailable to play.
Key player
Obviously, Arsenal need goals to find a way back into the tie. But if they concede, that might be game over. Goalkeeper David Raya is third in the Premier League for clean sheets (eight), fourth for save percentage (72.8%) and top for lowest goals conceded per 90 (0.9). However, he’s also 13th for goals prevented; with -0.1, his value shows he basically concedes as many goals as you’d expect him to from the shots he faces – by number rather than the actual reflex stops we’ve all seen highlights of. The Spaniard has had a good season in terms of occasional sensational impact, but here Arsenal need him to excel.
Raya’s goalkeeping numbers, Premier League 2024/25
Prediction
Arsenal to find a route back into the match and pick up a win by two goals…From there, pick your own winner from the ensuing penalty shootout!
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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There were two big twists in the Serie A title race this weekend as stoppage-time equalisers altered the results of both chief contenders, but their points gap has ultimately remained the same. Defending champions Inter are three points behind leaders Napoli with a game in hand, so there is effectively nothing to separate them in the current standings.
While most of the big five European leagues have not produced that many great title races of late, Italy’s Serie A has been an exception thanks to its competitiveness and unpredictability. In fact, no team has managed to defend the Scudetto since Juventus’ dominance ended in 2020/21. Regardless of whether that trend continues, we look set for another memorable conclusion to the season as Napoli and Inter are going neck-and-neck at the top of the standings while Atalanta will be keen to pounce on any major slip-ups.
Antonio Conte’s instant impact at Napoli
The last couple of years have been topsy-turvy for Napoli, to say the least. The highs of 2022/23 – when the Serie A title came to Naples for the first time in over three decades – will likely not be matched anytime soon, but fans were swiftly brought back down to earth in 2023/24. The team looked like a shadow of its former self after the departure of head coach Luciano Spalletti, whose boots proved too big to fill. The club went through three head coaches en route to a 10th-place finish – their worst in 15 years.
Hopes were naturally not that high for this season, even more so since the Partenopei lost some key players in the summer transfer window including midfielder Piotr Zieliński and star striker Victor Osimhen. Although the new head coach who came through the door was four-time Scudetto winner Antonio Conte, few would have expected him to lead an instant title charge.
Indeed, the former Chelsea tactician got off to quite a shaky start in the south of Italy. Napoli needed penalties to beat second-tier Modena in their first competitive match of the season, while their Serie A opener ended in a comprehensive 3-0 defeat to Hellas Verona. However, they then seemed to turn a page as they won nine of the next ten games, and they have hardly looked back ever since.
Interestingly, Conte abandoned his generally favoured 3-4-3 system quite early on in the season. Although Napoli still do adopt a back-three-based shape both in and out of possession in certain situations, they have lined up in a 4-3-3 since late September. This system seems well-suited to get the best out of the players in the squad and has certainly worked from a defensive perspective.
Using their rock-solid defence, Napoli have edged out as many as eight wins by a one-goal margin so far this season. However, this does mean that their attack isn’t quite up there with the best. They are only fifth in terms of goals scored in the league and have looked prone to being blanked by disciplined defences. Conte’s trusted line leader Romelu Lukaku has been quite good, but he does not have a reliable strike partner after the mid-season departure of Khvicha Kvaratskelia.
Napoli goals + assists, Serie A 2024/25
Inter remain exceptionally well-rounded
Defending champions Inter are the favourites for many experts thanks to their all-round excellence. Simone Inzaghi has ensured that the Nerazzurri have remained up there with the very best teams in the world over the last couple of years by maintaining exceptional balance in his 3-5-2 system.
Their world-class defensive solidity has been on display for all of Europe this season as they conceded just once in well over 700 minutes of UEFA Champions League action. Their midfield has a great mix of experience and dynamism that enables it to control proceedings against all sorts of opponents, while their attack is simply irresistible when it clicks (which is quite often). Although some of their forwards’ form has been fluctuating, Inter have so many sources for goals including their strikers, wing-backs, midfielders and even wide centre-backs! It should be no surprise, then, that they have scored in every single one of their Serie A matches this season.
The current title holders can boast of the league’s best underlying numbers in both attack and defence at the moment, so they surely have to be backed to retain the Scudetto for the first time in 15 years.
Atalanta still in with an outside shout
While Napoli and Inter look set to be the two chief protagonists of the Serie A title race, it is worth mentioning Atalanta as well. The Bergamo-based club have never managed to get their hands on the top-flight title in their 117-year history, but they looked on course to changing that earlier this season.
La Dea led the standings in the month of December, but their streaky form has cost them since. They also started the season poorly by losing three of their first five league matches, though they soon turned things around to string together an 11-match winning streak in the division. However, they have won just one of their subsequent seven matches in domestic competition, thus dropping seven points behind the league leaders.
Atalanta’s attack has once again been excellent. They are the only team apart from Inter to average over 2 goals per game in Serie A, and each of their favoured front three of Mateo Retegui, Ademola Lookman and Charles De Ketelaere is in double digits for goal involvements. However, their defence seems to be holding them back as they have only kept seven clean sheets in 23 league fixtures and are conceding more than a goal per game on average. Quite simply, this is the difference between them and the top two.
It would be very difficult to overstate how good a job Gian Piero Gasperini has done in his nine years with Atalanta, but he will need to find some more solutions and hope for a bit of assistance from the rest of the league if he is to go one better than last year’s Europa League triumph.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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The Team of the Week is dominated by Nottingham Forest players. Are you really surprised though? Nuno Espírito Santo’s side ran riot against Brighton and recorded a 7-0 win just a week after being thrashed 5-0 by Bournemouth. It was the perfect response.
The Forest quintuple are joined by three from Crystal Palace after the Eagles recorded yet another win against Manchester United at Old Trafford. No more spoilers though. Here’s the Team of the Week for Matchday 24 with a detailed look at exactly why they’ve made the cut.
Sels was back to his brilliant best between the sticks after disappointing last time out. The 32-year-old made six saves against Brighton as Nottingham Forest claimed a 10th clean sheet of the season. No team has more clean sheets in the Premier League this term. He faced efforts with an Expected Goals on Target value of 1.33 and repelled them all on his way to an 8.8 rating – his highest FotMob rating of the campaign.
Muñoz was resolute against Manchester United as the Eagles claimed a 2-0 in over the Red Devils on Sunday. The right-back claimed an assist, setting up Jean-Philippe Mateta for the all-important second to kill off the game. The 28-year-old won 70% of his ground duels on his way to an 8.3 FotMob rating.
The versatile defender was deployed on the right side of a back three at Old Trafford and he put in a dominant performance. The 24-year-old won the most tackles (four) and won the most duels (nine). In fact, he won 100% of his ground duels, He made a total of 10 clearances and made two interceptions. He more than played his part in ensuring the Eagles finished with a clean sheet.
The third and final Crystal Palace player to get into the FotMob Team of the Week. Lacroix, who signed in the summer from Wolfsburg, completed 80% of his passes. He won two of his three attempted tackles, made 11 clearances and four interceptions. He won 80% of his aerial duels and 50% of his ground duels at Old Trafford. He was another who put in a dominant showing for Oliver Glasner’s team.
Williams was fantastic as a left wing-back for Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon. The former Liverpool full-back won the most duels (12) and won the most tackles (four). He was involved in 21 duels on the day, made three clearances, two interceptions and recovered the ball on three occasions. The 23-year-old also scored a goal, hit the woodwork with an effort and completed 86% of his attempted passes on the day. It was a dominant, all-round showing from the Wales international.
Another week, another Morgan Gibbs-White masterclass. The 25-year-old was deployed in a three-man attack this week with Espirito Santo tweaking the shape after the humbling after Bournemouth. Gibbs-White scored a goal, claimed an assist and won a penalty for Forest on his way to an 8.7 FotMob rating. Gibbs-White completed two of his three dribbles, won all three of his tackles and come out on top in 70% of his ground duels at the City Ground.
Partey completed 88% of his passes against the reigning Premier League champions as Arsenal hammered Manchester City 5-1 at the Emirates to send a message to their rivals. The 31-year-old scored a goal too, albeit via a big deflection, as well as completing 100% of his attempted dribbles. He was accurate with 75% of his long passes, attempted four tackles and recovered the ball on seven occasions. The midfielder won six of his seven duels too.
And yet Partey wasn’t the dominant Arsenal midfielder. That title belongs to Declan Rice. The former West Ham man and one-time Manchester City midfielder was utterly dominant on Sunday. He created the most chances (four), claimed two assists and finished with an 8.8 rating. He completed 89% of his attempted passes, completed 100% of his dribbles and won 100% of his ground duels.
Attack: Mohamed Salah
Salah became the first player to hit 20 goals in the Premier League this season when he netted twice in Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Bournemouth. The 32-year-old also created two chances, had four shots and completed two of his three dibbles. His second on the day was quintessential Salah as he guided a curled left-footed effort into the far corner, making it look ridiculously easy. His showing at the Vitality Stadium earned him a 9.2 FotMob rating.
The versatile winger partnered Chris Wood up front this week as opposed to playing in one of the wide areas. Elanga claimed a 9.5 FotMob rating. More often than not, such a rating would be the highest in the match. It is usually the highest of the week. This time, however, it wasn’t. And we’ll get to why in a moment. The former Manchester United man was in fantastic form though and chipped in with three assists against Brighton. He completed two of his three dribbles, and finished the game having created the most chances (three).
Wood claimed the FotMob Player of the Match for Forest against Brighton. He also claimed the FotMob Player of the Week with a 9.6 rating. The New Zealand international scored a hat-trick against the Seagulls. He was in the right place, at the right time, time and time again. He was barely involved, attempting just nine passes in total, but when he was, he made it count. He landed all four of his efforts on target and completed 100% of his dribbles. He was unplayable and in this form he’s unstoppable.
(Images from IMAGO)
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Manchester United have waited until the very end of the mid-season transfer window to make their first senior signing under Rúben Amorim, but they have finally announced the arrival of Patrick Dorgu. The young Dane will be expected to have an immediate impact in helping plug a glaring gap in the Red Devils’ squad.
Despite their shaky form going into and throughout the month of January, Manchester United never seemed to be in a rush to make new signings. In fact, there were hardly any reports of them even negotiating potential deals before they went in for Patrick Dorgu, whom they ended up signing for €30 million after a bit of back and forth.
United fans certainly have a lot of reasons to be excited about the Danish international’s arrival, but how much of an immediate impact he can have remains to be seen. While he has shown all the signs of having the potential to grow into an excellent player, he might not necessarily offer the best solutions for the various pressing issues in Amorim’s side.
Promising traits
Putting Manchester United’s current plight aside for a moment, it is quite easy to see why there is so much excitement around Dorgu in general.
The 20-year-old Dane did not take long to establish himself as a regular starter after getting his senior breakthrough at the start of the last season with Lecce. His exceptional versatility certainly helped his cause as his ability to play pretty much any position on both wings enabled him to consistently find a spot in the starting XI.
The main reason Dorgu is able to do a job in all of these various positions is that he has all the physical traits needed to excel on the wing. The young Dane has remarkable endurance, which is why he has played 1,840 out of a possible 2,070 league minutes this season in some of the most demanding roles on the pitch. He also possesses a serious turn of pace which he can use both to leave defenders in the dust going forward and to track back and support his side’s defensive effort.
Unlike many speedsters, the 20-year-old wide man does not mind getting stuck into physical challenges. He contests quite a high volume of duels and comes out on top in a good chunk of them, though he could yet improve his win rate by picking his battles a bit more carefully.
Dorgu defensive numbers per 90, Serie A 2024/25
Dorgu also is an excellent ball-carrier as he uses his speed to rapidly advance up the pitch. Although he is not a take-on specialist, he is incredibly tough to stop once he gets past a defender. He also makes smart forward runs in transition and consistently gets the ball into dangerous areas.
Dorgu possession numbers per 90, Serie A 2024/25
All things considered, the young Dane already is quite a handy all-round wide player, and of course, he has a lot of time to get better yet.
Players of Dorgu’s profile – someone who is equally capable going both ways – are exactly what the Portuguese tactician needs, so he certainly should be happy with this signing. The main decision for him will now be which flank he uses the former Nordsjælland youth prospect on.
Despite being right-footed, Dorgu spent the majority of his playing time on the left side of Lecce’s defence. United’s squad is also weakest in the left wing back spot as Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia’s persistent unavailability has forced the likes of Diogo Dalot and Nouassair Mazraoui to plug the gap, so that position appears to be the clearest opening for the Danish international.
Is this the best move for both parties?
Lecce certainly cannot be displeased about their club-record sale, but both Manchester United and Dorgu might have some slight concerns about each other.
For all his promising traits, the 20-year-old Dane is far from the finished product. He has a good deal of development to do before he can be considered a top-class player, and he particularly needs to sharpen up in the aspects that Manchester United are lacking in right now.
Perhaps the biggest weakness in Dorgu’s game right now is his lack of end product in the final third. While he gets into great positions quite consistently, he leaves a good deal to be desired with his decision-making. He is a pretty trigger-happy shooter and does get good power on his efforts, but his accuracy is far from the best. His creative output is quite low, as he has created less than one chance per 90 on average this season.
Dorgu passing numbers per 90, Serie A 2024/25
Evidently, Dorgu cannot be expected to instantly reinvigorate Manchester United’s misfiring attack. Since he needs time to develop naturally, the Red Devils might have been better off bringing in a more experienced campaigner who would promise an instant impact.
At the same time, Dorgu might also be a little worried by the amount of experimentation Amorim has done in a bid to get his side to click. The most drastic of his measures were taken this weekend when the former Sporting coach benched both of his recognised forwards to deploy Kobbie Mainoo as a false nine, though it is safe to say that it did not quite work as he might have envisioned.
The prospect of consistent game time at a club of Manchester United’s stature will surely have been a big factor in Dorgu’s decision to move to Old Trafford, so the sight of such unconventional line-ups will not be too reassuring for him. The Red Devils’ recent track record with youth development has also been quite hit-and-miss, and it is unlikely to improve when their general performances are so poor.
So, while this move makes perfect sense on paper as Dorgu looks well on course to become a great player, he might find himself under a bit of pressure to perform immediately to ensure that his career continues on an upward trajectory.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Between Naomi Girma’s €1 million move to Chelsea, Kerolin’s free transfer to Manchester City and Jenna Nighswonger’s surprise switch to Arsenal, it is safe to say that the January transfer window saw quite a few blockbuster signings made in the English Women’s Super League. So, can it stake a claim to being the strongest women’s league in world football?
The English Premier League irrefutably is the strongest domestic competition in men’s football, and by some margin at that. It continues to widen the gap to the chasing pack every year, as its astronomical broadcasting revenue (among other things) helps strengthen the spending power of all 20 of its clubs. Today, various models suggest that about 15 of its contestants can claim to be among the top 50 clubs in the world.
The picture isn’t quite as clear-cut in the women’s game. Many would agree that Barcelona have the strongest team in the world, but the lack of serious domestic competition for them prevents Spain’s Liga F from staking a claim to the top spot. The debate boils down to two other leagues: the English Women’s Super League – which has four of the strongest teams in world football – and the National Women’s Soccer League, which also has some very strong teams and is more competitive from top to bottom.
The lack of a women’s Club World Cup makes it all the more difficult to come up with a definitive answer, but one factor we can look at is transfer flows. There have been some major developments in that respect this month, as 2023 NWSL Defender of the Year Naomi Girma joined Chelsea for a world-record €1 million transfer fee, 2023 Rookie of the Year Jenna Nighswonger moved to Arsenal and 2023 MVP Kerolin signed for Manchester City.
With more rumours swirling about potential moves to England for other NWSL stars including Trinity Rodman and Sam Coffey, many have started to wonder whether the WSL is now firmly overtaking it as the strongest league in women’s football. However, a closer look reveals a more nuanced situation.
WSL’s lower table getting left behind
From the WSL’s perspective, it is worth noting that the league’s apparent uptick in spending is pretty much solely driven by the top clubs. Chelsea alone have been responsible for the vast majority of transfer spending this season as they also spent €500,000 on Keira Walsh besides bringing in Girma. They also paid a then world-record fee for Mayra Ramírez last year, while Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United also spent decent amounts on players from other European leagues.
Among the rest, the likes of Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur occasionally make a notable move (such as the Reds’ €250,000 signing of Olivia Smith last summer), but most of the lower table sides behind them hardly make any waves. As a result, the gap between the title contenders and the rest only keeps widening. At the time of writing, for example, fifth-placed Brighton & Hove Albion have half as many points as leaders Chelsea, while nearly half the division is averaging less than a point per game.
The financial disparity in the WSL is unlikely to be bridged anytime soon. As of last season, the top four accounted for two-thirds of the 12 clubs’ aggregate revenue. Interestingly, a significant portion of their income came in the form of ‘group income’, which Deloitte defines as “revenue attributable to the women’s club from full club-wide commercial agreements, and contributions from the men’s club”.
With that in mind, it should be easy to understand why sides like Chelsea, Arsenal and the Manchester clubs are running away at the top of the WSL; they are backed by some of the strongest and richest clubs in world football. Liverpool and Tottenham likely have the potential to match them, but the rest surely cannot keep up.
NWSL remains a hub for global talent
After recent developments, some have suggested that the NWSL’s financial regulations such as the wage cap and transfer budget will hold the league back as investment in the women’s game continues to grow. While that may be the case to some extent as star players might move abroad to earn bigger paychecks, it is undeniable that these rules have kept the league very competitive.
According to Opta’s women’s club rankings, all but one of the NWSL teams are among the top 30 in the world. The league’s top five are in the global top 15, while lowest-ranked Houston Dash are only 39th. By contrast, the WSL has four of the global top six, but each of its six bottom-half teams are below the Dash.
There are various factors besides financial restrictions that have kept the NWSL extremely competitive. For one, the collegiate soccer system provided the division with a constant stream of top-class talents. As recently as a few years ago, it was arguably one of the best talent development pathways in the women’s game, in lieu of professional clubs and academies. While its future is not quite so certain after the NWSL decided to do away with the draft, its historical impact cannot be overlooked.
As the women’s game continues to grow, the NWSL has established itself as a hub for top talents from all around the world. It is no coincidence that some of the very best African, Asian and South American players including Barbra Banda, Temwa Chawinga, Hina Sugita, Marta and Debinha are plying their trade in the league right now. While big transfers away such as those of Girma, Kerolin and Nighswonger make all the headlines, quieter signings such as Prisca Chilufya and Daiane underscore the fact that the NWSL’s status is unlikely to change anytime soon.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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It’s no more Mr Nice Guy for Graham Potter as he returns to Stamford Bridge for the first time since his doomed seven-month spell in charge of the club back in 2022-23. East London’s West Ham travel west to face Cheslea. Confusing we know.
Enzo Maresca has had a week to mull over their disappointing 3-1 defeat to Champions League qualification rivals Man City in their previous fixture, and it’s fair to say he has some serious decisions to make.
Potter has only had four games at West Ham since replacing Julen Lopetegui, and they’ve been a mixed bag. A decent win over Fulham was quickly forgotten when they lost to Crystal Palace. Their 1-1 draw with Aston Villa last week was another good result, but that doesn’t mean they’ll get another today.
Graham Potter’s win percentages
It’s OK to admit when you’re wrong, Enzo
The Italian has backed Robert Sánchez to the hilt all season, but he seriously struggled to look on the bright side after the goalkeeper’s performance in the defeat to Man City, admitting he doesn’t know if the Spaniard will keep his place beyond this season.
For many Chelsea fans, the prospect of him staying between the sticks for the next few months is daunting, especially considering no goalkeeper has made more mistakes leading to a goal in the Premier League this campaign.
Sánchez goalkeeper stats, Premier League 2024/25
Filip Jörgensen is the only viable option to replace Sanchez currently with the squad, although they do have a couple lads out on loan who could do a decent job, including Djordje Petrovic, who supplanted him last season. If Maresca is going to pull the trigger on Sánchez, he needs to do it soon.
Aaron Wan Maldini
The great Italian one said, “If I have to make a tackle, then I’ve already made a mistake. Wan-Bissaka doesn’t quite subscribe to that school of thinking, but he may well be one of the best one-on-one defenders in the Premier League.
He’s only been dribbled past five times throughout his 22 Premier League appearances, that’s pretty decent going for a defender playing for a side in the bottom half of the table. The thing is, even if you do somehow get past him, he ain’t letting you go.
With 115 recoveries, 30 tackles won, and 41 interceptions made, whoever Maresca plays against him, likely Jadon Sancho, will have to be at their tricky best.
Nicolas Jackson needs a goal
Jackson was arguably the best forward in the league earlier in the season, but it’s been a while since he bagged, seven games to be precise, and old questions about his ability to lead the line for top four side are starting to pop up again.
He had a hand in all of Chelsea’s goals the last time they met West Ham, scoring a brace and providing the assist for Cole Palmer’s goal.
His hold up play and ability to create space for his teammates remains the most important aspect of his game but improving in front of goal need to be a priority, although we’ve been saying that for some time now.
They just can’t seem to get it right!
West Ham’s luck with striker signings is unfathomably bad. The club had signed a remarkable 52 forwards since David Gold and David Sullivan took over all the way back in 2010, and Niclas Füllkrug appears to be the latest of numerous big investments.
Potter was forced to play Mohammed Kudus up top in the 1-1 draw with Aston Villa because of the German’s injury, and he played well, completing more dribbles than any other player (6) and ending his game with a 100% pass accuracy rate.
Still, they need a focal point, and a deal for Evan Ferguson is reportedly progressing. He’ young, had injury issues, and is incredibly raw, but he really can’t be any worse than what they’ve had for the past 15 years.
Prediction
Sorry Chelsea fans, we think it’s going to be another frustrating night for you, we’re going to go with a 1-1 draw at the Bridge.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Defending Serie A champions Inter are going neck-and-neck with Napoli in the title race, so anything but a win against local rivals Milan will be a disappointing result for the Nerazzurri.
16 points separate Italy’s premier capital clubs going into this big game as Milan have had a very disappointing season so far. Even so, they have been responsible for both of Inter’s domestic defeats this term – first in an early league meeting and then in the Supercoppa last month.
Recent H2H results
These results are made even more surprising by the fact that Milan had lost a record-equalling six consecutive derbies over the last couple of years. It is worth noting, though, that both wins required dramatic late winners in games that Inter controlled for the most part.
If the Rossoneri manage to pull off another victory, this will be their first league double over Inter since 2010/11. It will also be the first time in two decades that they register three wins over their bitter rivals in the same season.
Conceição’s side yet to show consistency
Sérgio Conceição‘s side certainly displayed the grit and fighting spirit he promised in their Supercoppa triumph, but they are yet to show some much-needed consistency. They have drawn with Cagliari and lost to Juventus in Serie A, while both of their wins in the league have required late turnarounds. They suffered some more disappointment this week as a loss to Dinamo Zagreb bumped them out of the UEFA Champions League’s top eight.
Injuries and absences have obviously not helped the Rossoneri cause, and they will have to deal with some big ones tonight. New signing Kyle Walker could be in for a trial by fire as Emerson Royal picked up an injury last week while Alessandro Florenzi has been out since the start of the season. Malick Thiaw will be missed at centre-back as both he and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are contending with a hamstring injury, while Youssouf Fofana’s yellow card suspension could well force Ismaël Bennacer to complete his first full 90 of the season.
Inter’s rock-solid defence setting them up for success
Simone Inzaghi’s Inter have consistently been one of the best teams in Europe over the last couple of years. They are perhaps best known for their fluid and eye-catching attacking play, but their defensive record has been even more impressive this term.
They conceded just one goal in their eight UEFA Champions League matches despite facing the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal and Bayer Leverkusen. In the league, their title rivals Napoli are the only team to have conceded fewer goals.
Of course, Inter also have some serious firepower up front and in the wings, while their experienced midfielders can dictate proceedings against almost any opponents. So, the Nerazzurri are as close as they come to being a complete package.
Prediction
With no noteworthy absences, a full-strength Inter should be expected to control the match and get the better of Milan by a goal or two.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Arsenal’s run of fine form in both the Champions League and the Premier League has continued unabated over the last seven days. Last Saturday they overcame one of the more bizarre refereeing decisions of the season to win 1-0 at Wolves, and during the week they came from a goal down to beat Girona in the Champions League. They’re unbeaten in twelve Premier League matches and finished third out of 36 in the Champions League megagroup.
Are Manchester City BACK? Recent results would seem to indicate that they are. They’ve won four out of their last five in the Premier League, and got through against Brugge in the Champions League, albeit after a little bit of a scare. It’s probably too late for City to catch Liverpool at the top of the table, but a late run for second place is starting to take on that sheen of inevitability that always seems to come when they start winning matches relentlessly.
Title contenders in recent years
Arsenal’s form in this fixture has been much improved over the last couple of seasons. They’re unbeaten in their last four meetings, although three of those did end in a draw. But City don’t have to look back much further than this for consolation. Prior to the 2023 Community Shield, they’d won 15 of the previous 16 meetings between the two sides in all competitions.
Key players
Where Arsenal have dropped points of late, against both Brighton and Aston Villa, it’s been because of sloppiness having got themselves into a comfortable winning position. As such, the return of William Saliba to their first eleven would be a big boost to Mikel Arteta. For Manchester City, Kevin De Bruyne is exactly the sort of creative outlet that Pep Guardiola needs in midfield to unlock the Premier League’s joint-stingiest defence.
Team News
Saliba’s return is welcome news for Arteta, but Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus remain on the sidelines. For Manchester City, Omar Marmoush may return to the first eleven after having missed their Champions League game because he wasn’t registered to play in that competition, while Rico Lewis may step in at left-back. John Stones played against Brugge, but Abdukodir Khusanov may be preferred for this one.
Prediction
It remains the case that it will take something most unexpected for Liverpool to be knocked off the top of this year’s Premier League table, but that doesn’t mean that there’s nothing to play for at The Emirates. Arsenal need to keep going, whether Liverpool have a slip or not. Manchester City, meanwhile, have a point to prove having recovered from a slump that’s already starting to feel like a bit of a fever dream to all who witnessed it. There’s little between these two teams and they’re both playing well. I’ll go for the 2-2, but this particular match feels…unpredictable.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Perhaps tough love was what Manchester United needed all along, who knew? Well, that and a head coach capable of a solid tactical setup. Do they finally have both in place?
Not a regular occurrence in the Premier League these days, but this fixture will see two managers go head-to-head who are wedded to a tactical ideal which stems from playing a three-man defence. For Rúben Amorim, he has been super clear: United hired me to play this way so the players better get on board and show they can do so. A lot of moving parts still have to be sorted out and no doubt new signings will still change a lot of the XI by the time August rolls around, but it’s still clear to see that the foundations are being put in place for what Amorim believes will work long term.
Oliver Glasner has had a few extra months to put those foundations in place in similar fashion, and after a terrible start this term, seems to have rediscovered the formula to get his team moving up the table. Palace can look sensational in attack in short bursts, and if the ability of Michael Olise has been sorely missed this term, the boss will also point to injuries down the spine of the team which has hampered consistency and progression at times.
These teams rank 10th and 13th for xG, 14th and 16th for goals actually scored. They might both be slightly better than the league table shows right now, but only one has the expectation and pressure which rightly comes with the outrageous expenditure they’ve made.
Recent form
Five wins in the last six for United, but in league terms it’s still just two wins from seven, so starting to find consistency is of paramount importance if Amorim wants this period to be more than two steps forward, one and a half steps back. Palace had won four and drawn two of their last six before defeat to Brentford last time out – and they’ve not lost away in the Premier League since late October.
Team news
The names are familiar for Manchester United who’ll be missing in action: Luke Shaw, Mason Mount, Jonny Evans. For Palace it’s still the midfield pivot pairing of Adam Wharton and Cheick Doucouré who are the big absentees, with Joel Ward, Franca and Chadi Riad all sidelined too – the latter is out for the whole season.
Key player
It seems obvious and boring to pick out Bruno Fernandes but…it’s Bruno Fernandes. He’s still United’s chief lock-unpicker, most likely to take a half-chance and has the best movement in tight matches. Palace rank ninth for lowest xG conceded, while United are ninth-lowest for shots on target. They’re fifth-worst for shot conversion too, with Palace even lower down that list. Fernandes – highest xG in the team, highest key passes, most big chances created, top of the league in his role for long passes per 90 – is the one who can find or force a breakthrough.
Fernandes player traits
Prediction
Only a goal in it either way…so we’re just about leaning towards a home win: United 1 Palace 0.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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The gap between Barcelona and Real Madrid at the top of LaLiga could stand at 10 points by the time Hansi Flick’s team kick off against Alavés on Sunday afternoon.
Real Madrid will have faced Espanyol the night before with the table-toppers firm favourites to extend their winning run to six games. This would pile the pressure on Barca to match the pace of their fiercest rivals.
Since dropping points away to Getafe two weeks ago, Barcelona have scored 12 goals in wins over Benfica and Valencia, also drawing 2-2 against Atalanta when their place in the Champions League top eight was already secured.
Barcelona’s chances of catching Real Madrid depend on whether their defence can hold out. Flick’s high defensive line has given countless opponents space to attack in behind this season, making Barca vulnerable.
It might only be February, but Barcelona have no margin for error in the title race. Sunday’s home match against Alavés at Montjuïc is a must win.
Alavés, on the other hand, are on a run of just one win in their last nine matches, but did claim three points in their last away outing against Real Betis. Eduardo Coudet will hope that result can give his team confidence to upset the odds in Catalonia.
Recent Barca results
Key players
Anyone who has watched Barcelona this season will be well aware of the players who pose an attacking threat to every opposition team they come up against.
Lamine Yamal is the Catalans’ creative hub, registering 15 goal involvements in just 18 league appearances this season. The teenager found the net against Atalanta on Wednesday and is a danger cutting inside off the right wing.
Robert Lewandowski gives Barcelona cutting edge in front of goal while Raphinha is in the form of his life this season. Indeed, only Lewandowski and Kylian Mbappé have scored more league goals than the Brazilian winger this season.
Kike García will be Alavés’ primary goal threat with the veteran centre forward expected to lead the line for the visitors on Sunday. Carlos Vicente, who has three league assists this season, will provide support from the wings.
Realistically, though, Alavés will need fill-in goalkeeper Jesús Owono to be in top form if they are to stand any chance of earning a result at Montjuïc with centre back Abdel Abqar also sure to be under pressure.
Team news
Marc-André ter Stegen, Andreas Christensen, Iñigo Martínez and Marc Bernal are all long-term absentees for Barcelona with Dani Olmo also expected to miss Sunday’s match against Alavés.
Flick could rotate his starting lineup after fielding a full strength team against Atalanta in the Champions League during the week with Fermín López and Ferran Torres two players who could come into the side.
Goalkeeper Antonio Sivera will be sidelined for Alavés as they travel to Montjuïc this weekend. Central midfielder Joan Jordan is another player who will miss out for the visitors through injury.
Prediction
All the signs suggest that this is going to be another high scoring win for Hansi Flick’s side but, as always, it’s hard to say that Barca will keep a clean sheet: Barcelona 4-1 Alavés.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
You can follow every game from LaLiga with FotMob this season – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.
