Both Nottingham Forest and Manchester United go into their meeting at The City Ground in decent form. United are four games unbeaten in the Premier League and through to the quarter-finals of the Europa League, while Forest have taken seven points from their nine and got through to the semi-finals of the FA Cup for the first time since 1991 at Brighton last weekend.
H2H History
In January 1990, Alex Ferguson famously went to The City Ground in the FA Cup needing a win to stay in his job. He got it, and the rest of that story writes itself. Things aren’t quite that bad for Ruben Amorim. Not yet.
More recently, Forest have won two of their last three against Manchester United and beat them 3-2 at Old Trafford last September. But United did win on their last trip to The City Ground, in the FA Cup Fifth Round last February, and it is also worth remembering that prior to these last three games United had won the last eleven in a row, a record stretching back to 1995/96.
Key players
What an evening it would be for Anthony Elanga to show United what they gave away. They sold him to Forest for £15m in the summer of 2023. Since then, Elanga has made 65 Premier League appearances for Forest, scoring ten goals, and managed a hat-trick of assists in Forest’s recent 7-0 demolition of Brighton.
Whichever way you cut it, Manchester United continue to be heavily dependent on their captain, Bruno Fernandes. His hat-trick against Real Sociedad in the Europa League made it five goals in his last three games in all competitions, while he has three goals and three assists in his last five Premier League matches.
Team News
Manchester United’s early FA Cup elimination gave them a break, and Amorim can welcome back Luke Shaw, Leny Yoro, Harry Maguire, Altay Bayındır and Tom Heaton. Patrick Chinazaekpere Dorgu has now served his suspension, but Lisandro Martínez, Amad Diallo, Kobbie Mainoo, Ayden Heaven and Jonny Evans will all be absent.
Nuno Espírito Santo has a couple of significant doubts. Chris Wood ran into problems with his hip while on international duty with New Zealand, and is a major doubt for this fixture. And there was a fresh worry on Saturday, when Morgan Gibbs-White collided with a goalpost at Brighton. He’ll be in need of assessment before starting.
Prediction
This match does feel like something of a summit. Forest are where United may feel they should be, and with both teams in decent form this does have the vibe of a pretender to the throne staking their claim. But we should believe the evidence of our own eyes. Forest are A Good Football Team, and winning this fixture would be confirmation of what we already know. I’ll go 3-2, though in the full knowledge that anything could happen tonight.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Marco Silva’s men will be looking to overcome the disappointment of being eliminated from the FA Cup at the weekend as they continue to fight for the European places in the league.
The Cottagers have picked up some impressive results over Arsenal in the last few seasons, and are unbeaten in their last three meetings. The last time the two sides met, they couldn’t be separated as goals from Raúl Jiménez and William Saliba saw the game end 1-1 earlier in the season.
Team News
Arsenal have received a major boost heading into the game with Mikel Arteta confirming that Bukayo Saka will be available for selection once again. The England international is yet to feature in 2025 after undergoing surgery. In more disappointing news, Riccardo Calafiori will be unavailable after picking up an injury on international duty.
Fulham aren’t expected to have any fresh fitness woes, with Silva confirming that there is ‘nothing serious’ except a few knocks and some tiredness from the Crystal Palace clash.
Defence over attack
Arsenal have been one of the most impressive sides in the Premier League this season when it comes to their defensive performances, conceding just 0.8 goals per game, fewer than any side in the league. Going forward is where the issues lay, and losing Saka for a large portion of the campaign undoubtedly hampered their impact in the final third.
The Gunners have created 45.7 expected goals this season, ranking them seventh in the division. If they are hoping to win the Premier League, they’re going to have to show more of a threat in the final third.
Fulham a tight-knit unit under Silva
Similar to Arsenal, the Cottagers are a difficult side to penetrate and have conceded just 33.4 expected goals this season, only bettered by the Gunners and Liverpool. The addition of Joachim Andersen at the back has helped their cause, meaning they’ve conceded just 1.3 goals per game on average.
The defeat at home to Crystal Palace in such a crucial FA Cup tie might have knocked some of the wind out of the sails of Fulham, but they’ll need to bounce back quickly if they want to stand a chance of winning the incredibly tight race for Europe.
The return of Saka could be key
Despite Saka missing the whole of 2025 so far, the England international still leads the way for goals and assists combined for Arsenal. Saka has also created the most big chances (19), has the highest expected assists tally (5.6) and averages a higher match rating than any other player in the squad (7.76).
Arteta simply doesn’t have another player who can replicate what Saka produces. There’s an argument to suggest he could be rested with a Champions League clash against Real Madrid coming up, but even a 30-minute cameo against Fulham could make all the difference for Arsenal.
Prediction
Winning the Premier League title is still mathematically possible, so we’re not expecting the Gunners to slip up. We’re going for a 2-0 Arsenal win.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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The Premier League is finally back. And for the first time since the weekend of March 8th, we have a full round of fixtures in the English top-flight. Oddly enough, following the international break, matchday 30 is being played across mid-week. Still, though, good news that football is back, isn’t it?
The random fixture generator has been awfully kind to us too. With that in mind, here’s a look at some of the upcoming games to keep an eye on this week.
The Gunners play a day ahead of the Reds and though it is still a big ask to really put pressure on Arne Slot’s side with just nine games remaining, Arsenal have to just keep on doing all they can to prolong this title race.
Heading into the international break, this was probably viewed by rivals fans as a game in which Mikel Arteta’s side could drop points. Fulham have been deceptively good this season. They’re just three points off of fifth-placed Manchester City and four points behind fourth-placed Chelsea. A few positive results on the bounce could lift them into the Champions League places.
Away from home this term, Marco Silva’s side have lost just four of their 14 games. They have the eighth best record in the Premier League on their travels.
The narrative has completely shifted following their 3-0 humbling at home to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup quarter-final over the weekend.
Fulham had more of the ball and more shots but Palace were more of a threat, finishing with a higher Expected Goals haul and more big chances.
A reaction is needed but will they be able to get up for this game after such disappointment? Can Arsenal take full advantage of this? Two big questions and we’ll know the answer to both by the end of tomorrow evening.
Can Newcastle now focus on the Premier League?
The last time Newcastle United played a football match as a team, they ended a 70-year trophy drought. The Magpies defeated Liverpool 2-1 in the Carabao Cup final.
Their season could now go one of two ways.
They could use this victory at Wembley as a platform for the rest of their campaign. Champions League football is within their grasp, they’re just two points off of the pace right now and could have momentum on their side having been freed from the shackles of needing to deliver a trophy.
Alternatively, the Carabao Cup success could derail their 2024/25 season. They’ve won a piece of silverware, there’s an emotional toll to that, as well as a physical one, and to get up for the remainder of the campaign might be too much of an ask. Champions League football is still up for grabs, and if they claim European football it boosts their chances of keeping the in-demand Alexander Isak, but sometimes there’s a hangover to success.
They’re up against an inconsistent Brentford on Wednesday. The Bees have won three of their last five, and this includes a victory over the impressive Bournemouth in their last outing, but they don’t travel too well. Surprisingly, though, they’re just six points behind their hosts.
The Newcastle performance this week could well give us a glimpse of things to come for the rest of the season.
The Merseyside derby
Liverpool’s lead at the top could be down to just nine points before a ball is kicked at Anfield. The Reds have lost two on the bounce. They were defeated in the Carabao Cup final and knocked out of the Champions League, at Anfield, in a penalty shootout loss to Paris Saint-Germain.
Their last good performance probably arrived in February when the Reds swept Newcastle aside in a confident and competent showing. Since then, Slot’s side have looked sluggish. They eked out a 1-0 win in Paris and had to overturn a 1-0 half-time deficit against Southampton to claim a 3-1 victory.
A good showing and result against Everton is needed. It will settle nerves. It could even extend their lead at the summit to 15 points depending on results elsewhere. If it does, they have one hand on the Premier League title. That is how monumental this game is in the grand scheme of things.
Everton are unbeaten in six but have won just one of those matches. The Toffees have drawn their last four outings, and their last three have all finished 1-1. They’re difficult to beat and they’re now more of a threat going forward under David Moyes.
Having claimed a last minute equaliser against the Reds at Goodison Park, they’ll be determined to further dent Liverpool’s title charge at Anfield. Taking more points off the champions elect could be huge.
The famous last Merseyside Derby at Goodison Park
Can Chelsea stay in control of their fate?
At the time of writing, Chelsea are in possession of the final Champions League position. The Blues have been the best of a bad bunch recently. But with how tight things are at the top of the table, they could finish matchday 30 in as low as seventh. For that to occur, there would have to be a massive swing in goal difference but you never know what you’re going to get in the Premier League, do you?
On paper, there should only be one winner. Chelsea are pushing for European football, Spurs are struggling in the lower half of the table. Ange Postecoglou’s side are rooted in 14th position in the Premier League without a win in the Premier League since February.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Jonas is a 21 year old student who, like FotMob, hails from Norway. He was Fantasy Premier League champion for the 2023/24 season, finishing ahead of 11 million other managers. So who better to provide expert advice?
Read his expert advice every week.
*Don’t forget the FPL deadline for this round – make your transfers and get your team sorted before 18:15 BST on Tuesday 01st April*
The Eye Test vs. The Stats
Ismaïla Sarr (5.6m) has really come into his own for Crystal Palace recently.
Indeed, the winger has scored three times in his last two Premier League appearances and also found the back of the net as the Eagles beat Fulham 3-0 on Saturday to make the semi-finals of the FA Cup.
With his lighting quick speed and ability to create something out of nothing, Sarr is a constant threat to opposition teams.
Sarr’s season summary with Palace
The Senegal international’s stats make for good reading too. Sarr is averaging 0.6 Expected Goal Involvements (xGI) per 90 minutes in the Premier League and registered 1.81 xGI (1.35 xG and 0.46 xA) against Ipswich Town in GW28. This is impressive for a player who is priced at just 5.6 million.
Crystal Palace face Southampton away from home in GW30. This could be a fruitful fixture for the Eagles in terms of attacking returns.
No Premier League team has conceded more xG (69.6) than Southampton this season with the Saints currently rooted to the bottom of the table.
On top of this, Palace have a double gameweek coming up in GW32 and another one likely in GW33 due to the club’s involvement in the FA Cup final four.
Palace’s next five fixtures, as things stand
Omar Marmoush (7.3m) has made a fast start to life as a Manchester City player.
The Egyptian has registered four goals and one assist in the Premier League since making the January move from Eintracht Frankfurt to the Etihad Stadium. He already looks worth the €70m fee City paid for him.
Marmoush has given Manchester City the energy and attacking electricity they have lacked since Julian Alvarez left and with Erling Haaland suffering an injury against Bournemouth in the FA Cup, it’s likely he will start up front in GW30.
Marmoush player traits – comparison made against strikers in top five leagues
Statistically, Marmoush is averaging just 0.39 xGI per 90 minutes in the Premier League. However, the Egyptian will likely have more opportunities to find the net as a centre forward.
City face Leicester City at home in GW30. The Foxes have conceded the second-most goals in the Premier League this season and so this could be a match for Marmoush to add to his tally.
The 2024/25 champions will also have a double gameweek at some point later in the season due to their run in the FA Cup. Marmoush is an attacking asset who should be on your radar.
Long shot
Only 1.9% of FPL managers own Tino Livramento (4.5m), hinting at the battle he has had with Lewis Hall for game time on the left side of Newcastle’s defence.
However, with Hall sidelined until the end of the season, Livramento is now a nailed on starter for the Magpies with Newcastle about to embark on a favourable run-in, starting with games against Brentford and Leicester. This will be followed by a double gameweek in GW32.
Livramento defensive numbers, Premier League 2024/25
It would make sense to load up on three Newcastle assets for the remainder of the season.
Alexander Isak can’t stop scoring and will be in most FPL teams. Anthony Gordon will also be a popular pick once he returns from suspension while Dan Burn and Livramento could be attractive defensive options.
Upcoming games to follow
After a long break from FPL action due to the international break and FA Cup weekend, there will be plenty to keep an eye on in GW30.
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Andoni Iraola’s side have in fact never reached the semi-final of the FA Cup, but they come up against serial trophy winners Manchester City, who are looking to find a silver lining in what has been a disappointing season.
Bournemouth actually got the better of Pep Guardiola’s men the last time the two sides met, securing a 2-1 victory in their first meeting of the 2024/2025 Premier League campaign. Antoine Semenyo and Evanilson struck for the home side that day, with Joško Gvardiol netting a late consolation.
Team news
Iraola will be without two of his star performers for this one, with Milos Kerkez and Dean Huijsen both suspended after picking up two yellow cards in the competition. It’s a crucial blow for the Cherries, but Iraola has confirmed that Marcos Senesi is edging closer to full fitness and could replace Huijsen.
City should have no fresh injury concerns heading into this game. Rodri, John Stones, Nathan Aké, and Manuel Akanji remain on the treatment table, but Oscar Bobb has recently returned to action for the U21s.
Bournemouth dropping off after impressive start
Bournemouth enjoyed a sensational start to the Premier League season, which saw them in contention for a European place. However, in recent weeks, the Cherries have dropped off drastically, failing to win (in 90 minutes) in their previous five matches.
Iraola’s side have been one of the most impressive sides going forward in the competition so far. Only Manchester City (12.9) have created more expected goals in the FA Cup this campaign than Bournemouth (8.9) Justin Kluivert has created eight chances for his team-mates in the competition, but he’s only provided one assist.
City scoring at will in the FA Cup
Although Guardiola’s side have struggled in the Premier League and Europe, they’ve been finding the back of the net with ease in the competition. The Citizens have scored 4.3 goals per match this campaign, more than any other side.
City have also created a whopping 26 big chances, double the number of Wolves who have created the second-most in the competition. The attacking quality of City needs no introduction, and on their day, the majority of sides in Europe will struggle to contend them.
Doku the danger man
Jérémy Doku hasn’t featured too heavily in the FA Cup so far, but with City only competing for one trophy, we could see Guardiola go full strength and start the winger. In the Premier League this season, Doku has produced 6.82 successful dribbles per game, comfortably more than any other player.
Doku’s possession stats, Premier League 2024/25
Due to injuries, Bournemouth are likely to line up with Lewis Cook at right-back. Although he’s performed impressively in that position, he’s naturally a midfielder, so that could be an interesting match-up at the Vitality Stadium.
Prediction
Although City have struggled this season, the thought of Guardiola’s side going without a trophy feels unfathomable. We’re going for a 1-1 draw, with City advancing in extra-time.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Barcelona players barely had any time to recover from a grueling international break, earning an impressive 3-0 win over Osasuna on Thursday night – just 72 hours after jumping off the plane. It’s something they’ll have to get used to; Hansi Flick’s side face Girona as their manic schedule continues.
Without a win in their last five games and sitting down in 13th, it’s fair to say Girona have failed to build on last season’s Champions League qualification. Losing Artem Dovbyk and Savinho has essentially made their attack impotent.
Top of LaLiga, Barcelona have no such issues, actually, they can’t stop scoring. In the league alone they’ve bagged 78 goals. It’s getting a bit out of hand to be quite honest.
Barca average 2.8 goals per game in LaLiga
Real Madrid thought THEY had scheduling issues
Earlier in the season, Carlo Ancelotti bullishly said his side would refuse to play if they didn’t have at least 72 hours rest. Barcelona would be so lucky. The Catalonians have a massive EIGHT games (including this one) over the next three weeks.
Flick wasn’t quite so entitled about the situation, but he was clearly furious about their hectic next few weeks in his presser ahead of the win over Osasuna, saying: “I don’t want to speak about my reaction, I think it is not good.”
He of course went on to speak about it, in some depth, but he has every right to be annoyed. The Osasuna game was ‘indefinitely’ postponed because of the unfortunate and untimely death of beloved club doctor Carles Miñarro Garcia. The powers that be should have been more sympathetic.
A stand out in a struggling side
Girona have been poor this season, but Yangel Herrera has not. The Venezuelan is the heart beat of Michel’s squad, sitting in the pocket between the defence and his fellow central midfielders.
Herrera’s four goals and three assists can only be bettered by veteran striker Cristhian Stuani, who has eight goal contributions for Girona this season. That’s not bad for defensive midfielder whose main job is to start attacks rather than finish them.
Herrera player traits
Barcelona’s midfield is arguably the best in the world at the moment, at the very least it’s the most balanced, even with Dani Olmo set to miss the next couple of weeks. Herrera will have his work cut out, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t up to the challenge.
Maybe Barca shouldn’t sell Frenkie de Jong after all
The Dutchman has been linked with a move away from Camp Nou since he walked through the door. It’s not entirely his fault, the club’s ongoing financial issues have forced them to try to sell one of their prized assets.
De Jong has refused to leave, however, and over the past few weeks, he’s shown exactly why Flick and Co should do absolutely everything they can to keep him around. Much like Herrera for Girona, he is the base from which everything builds.
With a 94.1% pass accuracy and a 66.7% long ball accuracy, he’s one of the best ball players in the world, never mind LaLiga. Barcelona have had plenty of transfer flops over the past decade or so, De Jong isn’t one of them.
LaLiga as it stands before Sunday’s games
Prediction
Barcelona score loads of goals and Girona don’t, it’s as simple as that really. We’re going to go with a comprehensive 4-0 win for the league leaders, to restore Barca’s three point advantage over Madrid.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Think about Real Madrid and it’s usually, glitz, glamour, trophies and transfers. But the truth of arriving at those big-ticket moments is about doing the job during the more mundane, run-of-the-mill matches like this: a home match against a relegation struggler where the expectation is of nothing more than a forgettable, routine victory.
It’s Leganés who come to town on this occasion, with both they and Los Blancos just a single position and a handful of points in the table shy of their seasonal objectives – but there any similarities end. Real Madrid are second in LaLiga, chasing down Barcelona who have a three-point lead with ten games to go. For Leganés, it’s relegation they seek to avoid, but they lie 18th, the final drop-spot, in a congested battle to avoid falling to La Segunda.
Los pepineros don’t have a great track record of spoiling the party against Madrid; they’ve never won a game against them from nine LaLiga meetings and results this term were 0-3 in league play and 2-3 in the Copa, both games at the Butarque rather than the Bernabéu and the latter featuring a heavily-rotated Real side.
Recent form
More recently, Real have won seven of their last eight and haven’t lost a fixture played at the Santiago Bernabéu since November. They have LaLiga’s best home record too this year, four points more than Barcelona after the same games, or the same points as Atlético after playing two at home fewer. For Leganés, it’s six defeats from the last eight and one away win in LaLiga all season – though, to be fair, that did come against Barcelona of all teams. It’s reasonable to expect that if they survive it will be based on home form – five wins from 14 so far – not trips to the title challengers, yet even a surprise draw would go a long way to helping considering the four teams 15th to 18th are separated by just one point.
Team news
The usual suspects are unavailable for the long haul for Real, including Dani Carvajal and Éder Militão, and the shorter-term doubts such as Thibaut Courtois and Ferland Mendy are unlikely to be risked either given the Copa semifinal coming up in midweek. Leganés have their own long-term issues with left-backs Borna Barišić and Enric Franquesa both sidelined but are otherwise at full capacity.
Key player
Ultimately these types of matches tend to be settled by greater final-third quality, even if performance levels aren’t in top gear. But sometimes that means someone needs to be the spark to turn a stroll into a success and Federico Valverde is frequently that someone for Real Madrid. He’s won more duels than 98% of similar LaLiga players, won the ball back in the final third more than 84% and has had more shots on target than any other central midfielder. A true team dynamo from deep.
Valverde’s defensive numbers, LaLiga 2024/25
Prediction
Bringing it back to the top then: an ultimately forgettable result in the context of the season with a routine Real Madrid win, 3-0.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Inter Miami get back to it against Philadelphia Union having been one of only two MLS teams not to play during the international break. Will Lionel Messi be rested and recovered enough to feature as they face the league leaders?
An international break for Inter Miami but not for MLS
Inter Miami, along with their would-be opponent that week, New England Revolution, were spared from playing during the international break while all other MLS teams did.
This means they have played one game less than the rest of the league, but despite that are still just two points off the top of the table.
Inter Miami’s ability to keep up with the other teams while balancing games in the Concacaf Champions Cup, playing a good chunk of the season down to ten men, and the absence of Messi for several games is a good sign as they look to retain their Supporters’ Shield trophy and finish top of the overall MLS standings once again.
This weekend’s opponents will be a good test of this, as they have already threatened to be one of Miami’s challengers at the top of the table.
Philadelphia Union’s impressive start
Philadelphia Union have just entered their first season since 2014 without Jim Curtin as their head coach at the start of it.
Former St. Louis City coach Bradley Carnell took over ahead of the new campaign and has the team playing their brand of pressing football with renewed vigour.
They shot to the top of the Eastern Conference thanks to the goals of Tai Baribo and the creativity of left-back Kai Wagner, along with the team ethic instilled by Curtin and continued by Carnell.
Only Columbus Crew have won possession in the final third more than the Union, and they the highest FotMob rating in the league so far in 2025.
If Carnell’s side click, they could cause problems for Miami in and out of possession.
The Eastern Conference table
See Messi Play?
It’s becoming a regular section in these previews. Will Messi play?
Messi didn’t make the Argentina squad for this international break after picking up a groin injury in Inter Miami’s game against Atlanta the week before.
He’s been back in training, but not fully and has clearly been nursing the injury.
It would be a surprise to see him miss international duty and play so soon after, and there’s a chance the club are eyeing one of the Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal legs against LAFC for his return.
Top FotMob average ratings in MLS, Messi and Wagner in the top three
The Champions Cup balancing act
Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano has done well to balance his squad and manage early season progress in two competitions.
However, Concacaf’s Champions League and Copa Libertadores equivalent, the Champions Cup, has now reached the quarterfinals stage, where Inter Miami will face one of the strongest continental teams in MLS, Los Angeles FC.
LAFC have qualified for the Champions Cup twice in the last five seasons and finished as runners-up on both occasions.
It will be a big test for Mascherano’s team, and if they are prioritising continental progress early in the season, then this could affect their lineup for the game against Philadelphia.
Prediction
Union have won all three of their road games this season, and if Tai Baribo continues his goal-scoring form, they could cause an upset and head back to Pennsylvania with a memorable 2-1 victory.
(Cover Image from IMAGO)
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Dayot Upamecano, who has formed a stalwart central defensive pairing with Kim Min-jae, is out for the rest of the season after suffering knee cartilage damage whilst representing France in the UEFA Nations League. Alphonso Davies, who has proven indispensable at left back, also damaged his knee cartilage and tore his ACL whilst on international duty with Canada, and he will miss the next 6-8 months.
Their form has been equally ambivalent: Bayern brushed aside Bayer Leverkusen with a 5-0 aggregate victory in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, but they also failed to beat two relegation-battling sides, losing 3-2 to Bochum and drawing 1-1 at Union Berlin.
Apart from their qualification to Europe’s elite eight, perhaps the biggest positive from March has come off the pitch, rather than on it. Joshua Kimmich extended his contract through 2029, becoming the latest starter to commit their long-term future to Bayern after Jamal Musiala (2030) and Davies (2030) and putting an end to months of speculation. Rather than departing on a free transfer this summer, Kimmich has penned a deal that will see him earn a reported €20 million per season, bonuses included. Kimmich was 20 when he left Saxony for Bavaria – by the time his current deal expires, he will be 34.
“Mentality and identity – that is what Joshua Kimmich represents,” stated Bayern’s Director of Sport Max Eberl. “He has internalized the DNA of FC Bayern over the years and embodies it both on and off the field. Where others stop, he starts. We are very happy that he will continue to drive our team forward.”
After developing at Stuttgart’s academy, Kimmich spent two years at RB Leipzig before joining Bayern for €7 million in 2015. One year after playing in Germany’s second tier, Kimmich was competing in the Champions League, learning from Pep Guardiola, playing a key role in Bayern’s domestic double, and deputizing in a variety of positions from center back to central midfielder to right winger. Between Guardiola, Carlo Ancelotti, Hansi Flick, Thomas Tuchel, and Jupp Heynckes, Kimmich has worked under some of the game’s greatest managers during his time in Munich, and it’s clear that this privileged footballing education has helped him emerge as a world-class contributor in not one, but two positions.
When Philipp Lahm retired in 2017, Kimmich went from jack-of-all-trades to full-time right back. When Thiago Alcântara departed for Liverpool three years later, Kimmich went from Bayern’s #32 to their #6 and filled the Spaniard’s void as Bayern’s deep-lying midfield playmaker, although this didn’t stop him from reaching 20+ goal contributions for the fourth consecutive campaign. Whatever position he’s been used at, Kimmich has proven crucial in Bayern’s domestic dominance, racking up 20 trophies across his decade in Bavaria. And whilst he came up empty last season amidst Leverkusen’s ruthless domination, he is poised to add a ninth Bundesliga championship to his resume and potentially even a second Champions League title.
Kimmich’s trophy haul at Bayern
Bayern sit six points clear of second-placed Leverkusen with eight matches remaining, and they’ve done so thanks in large part to the consistently world-class performances of Kimmich. Having been forced to deputise at right back over the final months of the 2023/24 campaign, Kimmich is back in his preferred central midfield position, and the results have been clear as day.
Kimmich is the second-highest FotMob player (7.90) of the 2024/25 Bundesliga season after Omar Marmoush (8.23), who joined Manchester City in January. Paired alongside the more physically imposing box-to-box midfielder Leon Goretzka in the double pivot, Kimmich has the license to roam around the pitch and orchestrate moves from deeper areas. At 5’10″, he has a fairly low centre of gravity that enables him to wiggle out of pressure and keep the ball glued to his feet whilst carrying the ball forward, but his modest stature doesn’t impede him from holding his own in 1v1 battles, winning an impressive 63.3% of his duels. Such is his leadership and never-say-die spirit that both Vincent Kompany and Julian Nagelsmann have entrusted him with the captain’s armband with increasing regularity for Bayern and Germany.
Similar to the dogs that hail from his hometown of Rottweil, Kimmich isn’t afraid to bear his fangs and get his paws dirty in order to win the ball back. Whilst he’d prefer to stall his opponent and wait for a slip-up before making his move, he isn’t afraid to put in a lunging tackle in order to prevent his defence from being exposed. Thanks to his positional awareness and self-confidence, he constantly has his head on a swivel and is constantly backing himself to step up and intercept a dangerous ball or track back and outmuscle his opponent, racking up 6.09 recoveries per 90. Moreover, his proactivity and in-game intelligence permit him to not only put out fires but catch the opponent napping, pounce on an errant pass or a sloppy touch and recover possession in advanced areas, before shredding the backline with a razor-sharp pass.
The top rated players in the Bundesliga, 2024/25
Kimmich’s moneymaker is arguably his long passing and overall ball-striking. He thrives at dropping between Bayern’s central defenders, alleviating pressure on the backline, enabling his fullbacks to push forward, and spreading the possession into deeper areas with his measured through balls. Kimmich ensures that all 11 players are beating to the same drum and receiving the ball in the best possible areas to make a positive impact. He leads the Bundesliga with 101.8 accurate passes completed per 90 and 65 chances created, whilst only Dortmund’s defensive colossus Nico Schlotterbeck (6.1) is playing more accurate long balls per 90 than Kimmich (5.8).
Kimmich’s passing stats, Bundesliga 2024/25
But he isn’t just a midfield metronome – he’s also their creative protagonist, capable of unpicking deep blocks with a sumptuous chipped pass, or bewildering the goalkeeper with a swerving cross into the box, or playing a quick give-and-go and feeding his teammate with just the right amount of pace on the ball. All told, Kimmich is one of the most complete players in world football, a player who is equally capable of blitzing down the flank and conjuring up a tap-in for his centre forward as he is jockeying his opponent and shepherding him into safety. A player who not only ranks amongst the best central midfielders in the world and the best right backs, but also one of the greatest players in club history. Kimmich is the 14th-leading appearance maker at Bayern, having played more times (430) than the likes of Franck Ribéry, Robert Lewandowski and Lothar Matthäus.
The 30-year-old leads all UEFA Champions League players for chances created (35), big chances created (11), and expected assists (4.2), whilst he showcased his attacking prowess in Germany’s recent matches against Italy. Germany found themselves behind until the 49th minute when Kimmich lined up a cross from deep and took aim, launching a perfectly weighted cross for Tim Kleindienst to head home, before completing the comeback with a brilliant corner kick to the near post for Goretzka to nod past Gianluigi Donnarumma. The second leg would see Kimmich open the scoring from the penalty spot before assisting Musiala and Kleindienst, leading them past an Azzurri side that featured various Inter players like Nicolò Barella, Alessandro Bastoni and Davide Frattesi, and into the UEFA Nations League semifinals.
Bayern will face St. Pauli and Augsburg before competing against Inter in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals. It remains to be seen whether Kompany’s side can weather a storm which has seen various key players like Upamecano, Davies, Manuel Neuer and Aleksandar Pavlović succumb to injury, but one thing’s for sure: if Bayern are to get past the Italian champions and advance to the final four, they’ll need Kimmich to bring his A-game in both legs.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
You can follow all the action from the Bundesliga on FotMob – with in-depth stat coverage including xG, shot maps, and player ratings. Download the free app here.
With just six games to go, we are into the Business End of the Season™. There should be no margin for error and yet, here we are. Looking at the top eight teams and their form over the last three games, ALL eight have lost at least one of them.
It’s a maddening maelstrom. Here, anyone can beat anyone else. It’s Heath Ledger’s Joker and every team is a dog chasing a car, not knowing what to do if they’d ever catch one. You just don’t get this higher up the leagues. Take Crewe in ninth. They were in the promotion spots from October onwards but thanks to a 4-1 home defeat to Fleetwood and three draws in a row, they too have stumbled out of the play-offs. Give them a couple more victories however, and they could be back into the automatic promotion places!
Walsall wobbling after Nathan Lowe blow
Let’s take league leaders, Walsall. Nine consecutive wins by mid-January put them 12 points clear at the top of the table. That advantage has been virtually wiped away.
Blowing a margin on this scale leads, inevitably, to memories of Kevin Keegan’s maverick 1996 Newcastle side and his infamous ‘I will love it’ rant, live on Sky Sports. The rot had set in long before his Monday Night Football outburst, but given Walsall are down to the solitary point, you could forgive Mat Sadler for also getting emotional in a cupboard.
The pressure, mind games and an Alex Ferguson-led Manchester United cut Keegan and his men down but for Sadler it’s down to losing just one man, Nathan Lowe.
Rule number one with transfers in the lower leagues is ‘don’t fall in love with a loanee’. There will always be a break-up. I once painstakingly sewed ‘Kasper Schmeichel’ onto a Denmark flag in homage to one of Bury’s finest temporary shot-stoppers. He came back for a second season but the same won’t be happening for Lowe. Scoring 15 and setting up another five in just 22 league games, the 6’4” 19-year-old was too good for the fourth tier, and Stoke City recalled him in January. In his absence, I’ve seen Lowe’s abandoned strike partner, Jamille Matt, have the ball lumped up to him, ploughing away in the mud, with his side in the mire.
Nathan Lowe’s shot map while in League Two
Aside from losing Lowe, the data clearly tells you Walsall’s style of play. They are hard-working in winning the ball in the final third – better than anyone else in fact (4.3 times per game). They’ll move the ball quickly and have the third lowest possession in the league (43.7%).
And, added to this has been set pieces. 22 of their 67 goals have come from set-plays, only Lincoln City (25) have scored more this season across all four of England’s professional divisions. It’s worked a treat but right now, their opponents have their number.
The Wombles one Wimbledon are coming to town
Next up for Walsall is third-placed AFC Wimbledon, and I’m looking forward to my trip to the Bescot Stadium on Saturday. We’ll also have a glimpse into the past as the ‘Matt Attack’ is reunited. Just when Jamile Matt is getting over losing Lowe, he’s confronted with another old partner in Matty Stevens. At Forest Green Rovers they plundered 42 goals between them to help take the League Two title back in 2021. But as far Walsall’s current woes, both players can relate to a wobble at the top.
League Two top scorers
Leading by 10 points in mid-February with only two defeats all season, Rob Edwards’ FGR went completely off the boil. They ended with just one victory in their final seven games and clinched the title from Exeter City on goal difference only.
Three automatic promotion spots mean you can stumble over the line but with Port Vale on the same points-tally as Wimbledon and with Doncaster Rovers having just one fewer, this time around Walsall are in real danger of falling far if things don’t turnaround quickly.
Add to that, Wimbledon are just hard to beat. They have the best defence in the league, conceding just 28 goals all season and have kept 18 clean sheets. Walsall misfired in their stalemate at Gillingham and just to make things worse, Stevens is the division’s joint-top scorer (17) along with Alassana Jata and Michael Cheek. Remember though, as this is League Two, of course Stevens’ 85th minute finish to make it 2-0 against Barrow last time out wasn’t enough for three points! An 85th minute Wimbledon corner led to Dean Campbell pulling one back at the other end before Connor Mahoney’s injury-time equaliser stunned Plough Lane. Even the division’s best defence can completely switch off.
Valley trophy Parade in May?
So, if Walsall can’t get it together, enter second-placed Bradford City. For the longest time they’ve been expert at finding new and exciting ways to fail. The division’s best supported side are now into their sixth tier in the EFL basement.
As an away fan, Valley Parade is one of my favourite football memories. Visiting players have raised their game as the home side shrank in front of its towering stands, until now. Their record up aside from this campaign has been abysmal. But, given time, Graham Alexander has taken last season’s 16th best home side and made them the top team on their own turf.
Bradford City’s time in League Two
Valley Parade’s strength was demonstrated ‘scarf day’ against Colchester United, where a league-record 23,381 saw them run out 4-1 victors. Colchester were spirited and arrived off the back of five wins in a row and 13 unbeaten, and on a promotion push of their own. Despite this, a relentless City side were able to put them away. George Lapslie has impressed since his January arrival and has been just the tonic for the ACL injury that’s ruled out Bradford talisman, Andy Cook.
All of this sets us up for a thrilling finale. I’ve not even managed to mention the evergreen David McGoldrick, now aged 37, turning it on at just the right time again which, combined with Alassana Jatta’s exploits, put Notts County in a fantastic position to push on after they’d fallen away.
Nor have I told you how mesmerised I was at seeing the mercurial Luke Molyneux, effervescent Jordan Gibson and clinical Rob Street play for Doncaster. I should probably have noted Jaden Stockley finding his feet under Darren Moore at Port Vale and you would have thought I’d have made time for a Bury old-boy in Danny Rose at Grimsby Town but no, this is League Two, and by next week the promotion picture will have completely changed again!
The world’s best fourth tier continues to be as brilliant as it is baffling. And this time, we’re in for a hell of a finale.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
You can follow every game from EFL League Two on FotMob – with in-depth stat coverage including xG, shot maps, and player ratings. Download the free app here.
