Page 17 – The Pulse of Football

Oct

2024

Preview: Slovan Bratislava vs. Man City

English champions Manchester City will visit Slovakia for the first time ever to take on the country’s most successful club.

By Neel Shelat

Slovan looking to recover from Celtic thrashing

Slovan Bratislava’s very participation in the UEFA Champions League proper is an achievement worth celebrating. This is just their second appearance in the competition after the 1992/93 season, meaning this also is the first time they have entered a group/league stage. In fact, they are the only team in the tournament whose campaign started in the very first qualifying round, and they are the first Slovakian team to make it in 14 years.

Slovan have dominated the domestic scene of late, winning the league in each of the last six seasons. They are quite a fun team to watch under Vladimír Weiss, with a dynamic attack led by 23-year-old striker David Strelec who impressed for the national team at the Euros. The supporting cast includes Vladimír Weiss (the head coach’s son with the same name), Armenian winger Tigran Barseghyan and former Sydney FC forward Robert Mak.

Their defence, however, is not tested too much domestically but has proven to be an issue on the continental stage. They could only keep two clean sheets in eight matches in the qualifying rounds, and were thrashed 5-1 by Celtic a couple of weeks ago.

*Key stats from Slovan’s defeat at Celtic*

Unless Slovan are at their very sharpest out of possession against Manchester City, the scoreline could get ugly quite quickly.

Manchester City still searching for a Rodri replacement

Manchester City’s 2024/25 campaign took an unexpected turn early on after Rodri’s season-ending injury. All of a sudden, they have at least a slight weakness in the defenisve midfield position.

Mateo Kovačić has played that role a few times this term including against Newcastle United this weekend, but he has some limitations. He is not the strongest in duels, cannot stop counterattacks as well as the Spanish international did and he also does not offer much in the final third against low blocks.

City will almost certainly sign a defenisve midfielder in January, but they will have to find a temporary solution in the meantime. Mateus Nunes could be a part of that, as could some of the centre-backs such as John Stones and Manuel Akanji. Pep Guardiola’s team selections will have to go a through a bit of trial and error before settling on something, and this match will provide the perfect opportunity for some experimentation.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Oct

2024

Preview: Barcelona vs. Young Boys

The Champions League returns and Barcelona are one of the few big sides who have something to prove and a victory being something of a necessity against Young Boys, after a first-gameweek defeat to Monaco leaves them pointless so far – but with plenty of time left to secure themselves a play-off berth at the very least.

By Karl Matchett

It’s an undeniable fact of the new format that, even as early as it is in the league phase, it appears the big clubs will find it even easier to progress: with an estimated ten points from eight games enough to secure a play-off berth, league-stage exits would take more than a handful of shock results for a club as big as Barcelona to fail to make it through past January.

Even so, after such a good start domestically in LaLiga, Hansi Flick will be wanting Barca to show their quality on the European stage too – not least of all because of the increased financial rewards which can come as a result of winning games there. Their defeat in Monaco came as a result of defensive mistakes and an early red card for Eric García; with the defender suspended and goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen sidelined for the season, plenty of changes will be enforced from that first outing. Indeed, the German boss has almost a full XI unavailable including the likes of Dani Olmo, Gavi and Ronald Araújo – and as their weekend defeat at Osasuna showed, that might be starting to make a telling difference.

Barcelona’s starting side there contained six players aged 22 and under, while of the 12 named subs, just two were over 21. There’s little scope for refreshing the team, which might have Young Boys thinking they’ve a chance of an upset.

Following the Swiss side’s 3-0 thrashing by Aston Villa, though, it would be a huge upset indeed if they were to take a point, particularly as even in the Swiss Super League they’ve been dismal – one win in eight, they sit 11th in the 12-team division.

The encounter really will be about how long they can hold out against constant Barcelona pressure and possession, and for Flick then, once the breakthrough comes it must be about managing minutes, offering experience and simply getting the job done. Much tougher tests lie ahead – Bayern Munich next European gameweek – and while points are a must, so too is protecting the players he has left.

(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

2024

The top performances in MLS, Matchday 35

Our Major League Soccer expert James Nalton picks the standout players from the latest round of games in MLS, including his two votes for the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) MLS Player of the Matchday.

By James Nalton

The Top Two

9.1 FotMob rating: Cedric Teuchert, St Louis City

German attacker Teuchert has been in great form for St. Louis since joining in the summer transfer window.

His goal in a 3-1 win against Sporting KC this weekend, curled into the corner from outside the area, means he now has five goals in seven appearances for his new club in MLS.

On top of this, he added two assists, crossing for Rasmus Alm to score St. Louis’ second before driving forward and crossing for Eduard Löwen who added a third.

Last season’s Western Conference league leaders can no longer make the playoffs this time around after a disappointing season, but in Teuchert they have a player who will give them belief they can bounce back next year.

Even though he’s only a recent addition to the league, he’s still been one of the best transfers of the season so far.

9.1 FotMob rating: Cucho Hernández, Columbus Crew

Two moments of brilliance from Cucho led to two goals for Columbus Crew against DC United, but it wasn’t enough to claim the win as the league’s top scorer Christian Benteke also got in on the act.

Cucho’s goal was hit from outside the area, lofted over DC goalkeeper Alex Bono who had the temerity to be ever so slightly off his line when the Colombian received the ball.

Cucho spotted this and lifted the ball perfectly into the gap behind Bono, dipping his shot under the bar and into the goal.

His assist for Jacen Russell-Rowe was equally pinpoint, crossed from deep on the right wing, Trent Alexander-Arnold style.

Cucho has a bit of everything in his locker and showed it with another display of quality despite his team only managing a 2-2 draw.

It’s this kind of consistency that marks the former Watford man out as one of the best players in MLS, and Columbus will be hoping he can make a difference when they face league leaders Inter Miami on Wednesday.

Three more standout performers

8.8 FotMob rating: Tayvon Gray, New York City

Gray has quietly become one of the most creative full-backs in MLS, and he showed this again with a great assist in New York City’s memorable 5-1 Hudson Rover Derby win against the Red Bulls this weekend.

It might not be expected of a defender who has always been in the centre-back/full-back mould, rather than a traditional attacking full-back/wing-back, but this season he has cemented himself as a creative force.

He’s beginning to change the perception of what his game is about.

No defender with more than 800 minutes played in MLS this season has more assists per 90’ than Gray, not even the likes of Jordi Alba or Kai Wagner.

On top of the assist, crossed to the far post for Andrea Perea to head home, he rifled in a goal of his own, hit first-time from outside the area with his weaker left foot, curling into the bottom corner.

9.2 FotMob rating: Josef Martínez, Montréal Impact

Montréal continue to edge their way up the Eastern Conference standings.

They made it three wins and a draw in their last four games after defeating San Jose Earthquakes 3-0 in this latest victory.

Martínez bustled his way into space at a corner to open the scoring with a header. His movement and positioning was excellent, especially for his second goal.

He held his position as San Jose’s defensive line retreated, opening up the space for Caden Clark to find him with a cross back to the edge of the area. Martínez finished first-time into the corner.

The Venezuelan ended the game having also created four chances, and he might have felt he should have had more goals, given how often he got into good shooting positions.

9.0 FotMob rating: Alonso Martínez, New York City

Costa Rican attacker Martínez has proved the unlikely solution to New York City’s striker problem.

Having tried to use Designated Players Talles Magno and Mounsef Bakrar to solve the goalscoring issue, NYCFC found the solution in a player who was originally signed from fellow City Football Group side Lommel SK of Belgium to add squad depth.

Despite having played mostly as a winger before moving to MLS, he has emerged as one of the best finishers in the league from the centre-forward position.

Only Lionel Messi has a better goals per 90’ record, and Martínez continued his impressive form with two well-taken finishes in the 5-1 win against the Red Bulls.

(Cover Image from IMAGO)

You can follow every match from MLS live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage including shot maps, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Sep

2024

Preview: Arsenal vs. PSG

The Dembélé-less Parisians travel to London to interrupt Arteta’s masters of the ‘dark arts.’

By Filip Mishov

Surprisingly enough, last season’s Premier League runners-up and the Ligue 1’s champions do not boast a rich history of meeting one another in European competition, but whether one takes a look at the past or the present, it does not matter, as everything is related to the term – undefeated. Both Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain are undefeated since the start of the season, in all competitions, and additionally, their two previous meetings in the Champions League’s group stage back in 2016. Those games finished 1-1 in Paris and 2-2 in London.

Another point they share is the fact that they both have a Spanish coach at the helm, who favours a possession-based as well as attacking style of play and it is not a surprise that only a couple of teams have scored more goals (12) than the Gunners in the England’s top-tier, while the Parisians possess the top-scoring squad in France with 20 goals already scored this season.

The less experienced Arteta may have a few wonderkids like Bukayo Saka and the up-and-coming, Ethan Nwaneri in his squad, but the former Champions League winner with Barcelona from 2014/15 – Luis Enrique enjoys the presence of the string pulling young midfielder – João Neves, who Mikel would surely love to coach, as the Portuguese has exceeded everyone’s expectations and quickly became an irreplaceable cog in PSG’s starting XI.

The 20-year-old has already racked up five assists in just six Ligue 1’s appearances, which is impressive to say the least, especially given that the product of Benfica’s academy is playing in a deep-lying role, but the more experienced Thomas Partey and Declan Rice will provide Neves’ most difficult test yet at the Emirates Stadium. However, Nuno Mendes and Vitinha are back to help their compatriot after missing the last match through illness and injury, respectively, and Gianluigi Donnarumma was part of the travelling squad despite being out with injury since mid-September. But PSG will be without one of their key players in Ousmane Dembélé, who has been omitted from the roster by the Spanish coach due to disciplinary reasons following the Parisians’ win against Rennes on Friday. The main dilemma for Enrique will be who to replace the tricky winger in attack and whether Randal Kolo Muani warrants a place in the starting XI or will Marco Asensio be given the chance to lead the line as a false nine, perhaps leaving Gonçalo Ramos on the sidelines.

*Built with the lineup builder found at FotMob.com – give it a go yourself!*

As for Arsenal, the former PSG’s loanee from his playing days – Arteta does not expect anyone back from the absentees (Takehiro Tomiyasu, Kieran Tierney, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Mikel Merino, Martin Ødegaard) to return, but hopes to have Ben White and Riccardo Calafiori available after the former missed the last couple of matches through a knee injury. The Spaniard hailed his squad’s strong mentality shown in recent weeks, but pointed out that PSG will provide an exceptional test for his players ahead of the match.

With Arsenal snatching a point against Atalanta in Bergamo thanks to David Raya‘s heroics in the opening round, the Gunners will be eager to display an improved performance in front of their own fans, while one can’t help but wonder whether Luis Enrique will regret his decision to leave Dembélé at home for such a difficult match in London.

(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

2024

Preview: Atletico Madrid vs. Real Madrid

How much difference can two days make? If the white half of Madrid are celebrating on Sunday evening, Diego Simeone will doubtless tell you it’s an enormous amount, and he might have every reason to be annoyed.

By Karl Matchett

When Atlético are hosting Real, every inch and every moment matters, so LaLiga scheduling Carlo Ancelotti’s team to play Tuesday night and then Los Rojiblancos not until late on Thursday does feel somewhat skewed towards the visitors.

And yet, one or two situations might also favour Atleti. The absence of Kylian Mbappé, of course, will be one of them. The other – minor as it seems – might be the manner of midweek wins: Atlético will be boosted by a 90th-minute victory at Celta Vigo, while Real almost let a three-goal lead slip late on and lost their star striker in the process.

Following something of a summer revamp, much is still the same for Simeone’s side; the hope is that it’ll be the same, but better. So far they have the best defence, the most clean sheets, the third-lowest xG conceded (5.9) across their seven matches. Interestingly, Real Madrid are one of the sides improving on them in that regard (5.1), though they’ve conceded more in total.

But differences remain between the teams going forward. While they’ve both won possession precisely 114 times in midfield, Atleti’s 2.4 times per match average of winning the ball in the final third is one of the lowest in the division. For Real (4.6), it’s one of the highest. Atlético also have only 56% of the touches in the opposition penalty area that Real Madrid make – at 283 theirs is comfortably the highest in LaLiga – and unsurprisingly it’s Ancelotti’s side who are making, and taking, the best chances more often.

All the same, Mbappé’s absence – 7.0 xG this season in LaLiga, six goals and assists, 5.8 shots per 90 minutes – is a big one for Real to bear, regardless of the qualities remaining in the side. The Frenchman had found form, the team had found a way to serve him chances. Any alteration to that disrupts rhythm.

Atlético’s own star in attack, Antoine Griezmann, is in similarly strong form, but in truth Simeone rarely turns to an individual in a game like this: if Atlético want the points it’ll be about moments, about anybody at all on the team finding a way to find the net, just as Julián Álvarez did in the last minute in midweek. That, and a sixth clean sheet in seven league games, of course.

(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.

Sep

2024

Preview: Man United vs. Spurs

Sunday sees Manchester United open their Old Trafford doors to Tottenham Hotspur and as things stand the two upcoming opponents have a number of similarities.

By Dan Tracey

Both ‘languishing’ in midtable at the start of the campaign due to league inconsistencies, both also competing in the Europa League in midweek.

However, the similarities stop there in terms of continental football and whereas United were toiling to a draw at home to FC Twente on Wednesday, a Spurs side that played with 10 men for the majority of the game eased past Qarabağ.

The ideal European start for Ange Postecoglou’s men and with Thursday’s 3-0 home win, it also means a third successive win in all competitions – a trio of victories that are all connected by a common denominator.

A denominator that comes in the shape of Brennan Johnson and although the Welsh international’s level of performance has been criticised by portions of his North London fanbase, a goal in each of those wins has gone a long way to silencing his in-house critics.

While the criticism connected to Manchester United in the past week has only increased and after being held by Crystal Palace last Saturday at Selhurst Park, there was an expectation that Wednesday night would offer a return to winning ways.

Then again, expectation in football can have a habit of not being met and although Christian Eriksen would put the Red Devils ahead before the break, former Rangers forward Sam Lammers would restore parity after it.

*For more graphics like this follow FotMob on Instagram*

A share of the points in the newly expanded Europa League format and although there are seven more opportunities in which to get the necessary points for automatic progress, there is a feeling of two points dropped after Wednesday’s showing.

Which brings us neatly to the weekend and because of where both hosts and visitors find themselves after Saturday’s set of Premier League results, neither outfit can afford to drop further points.

Postecoglou’s charges start the day in 10th while ten Hag’s United sit one place worse off, and thus, will be starting this encounter while sitting in the bottom half of the table and if either outfit are still there after their sixth skirmish of the season is completed, it is those in charge who will feel the pressure.

The easiest way to alleviate that is to pick up a maximum in Manchester but with both United and Spurs very capable of taking one step forward and two steps back rather quickly, they may have to settle for a point each instead.

(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

2024

Preview: Osasuna vs. Barcelona

Can Barça continue their fairytale league start of the season or will Los Rojillos finally end their winning run?

By Filip Mishov

It is fair to say that Barcelona are one of the clubs playing the most entertaining football at the start of the season alongside Bayern München, with whom they are the only sides with a perfect league record in the top five leagues. Hansi Flick‘s squad has noted seven wins on the bounce in LaLiga and the energetic pressing machinery has already earned a four-point lead ahead of their arch-rivals from Madrid at the top of the standings, but another challenge is upon them, when they visit Osasuna’s El Sadar in Pamplona on Saturday. Unlike Blaugrana, Los Rojillos’ hot and cold form leaves them mid-table, but Vicente Moreno‘s squad is still undefeated at El Sadar this season with three wins and one draw on their account. However, if history is anything to go by, Osasuna’s home record will be severely tested as Barça are unbeaten in Pamplona since 2012 and they have secured five wins and three draws over that period.

The out-of-this-world wonderkid, Yamal and the free-scoring, Lewandowski may be stealing the headlines for their impressive start of the season, but the rejuvenated Raphinha deserves the same praise for his performances, to say the least. The pacey Brazilian did not always see an eye to eye with Xavi’s decisions last season and the 27-year-old could have easily left Barça over the summer, but Flick helped Raphinha restore his confidence, and the German coach is reaping the rewards now, who even gave the captain’s armband to the winger following the injury of Marc-André ter Stegen. Additionally, Jules Koundé and Raphinha are the only players that have played each and every minute in all competitions for Barcelona this season, becoming undisputed in Flick’s starting XI.

Blaugrana’s fruitful attack is flourishing at the moment with 23 goals scored (the most in LaLiga), but their issues lay at the other side of the pitch as the captain, Ter Stegen joined Marc Bernal on the sidelines as a long-term absentee after the goalkeeper ruptured the patella tendon in his knee and both of them are expected to miss the rest of the season. The vice-captain – Araujo, Christensen, de Jong, Gavi, López and Olmo are still absent and are not expected to return until after the international break at the earliest, which should spring Flick into making changes and for Pedri to return to the starting XI ahead of the match vs. Young Boys in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday. On the other side, Osasuna are desperately waiting for Bayern München’s loanee, Bryan Zaragoza to rediscover his magic and for last season’s top scorer – Ante Budimir to recapture his goalscoring instinct as the Basque-based club is struggling for goals and no player has scored more than a single goal for Los Rojillos this season.

With Barça eager to continue their perfect start in LaLiga and Osasuna’s undefeated home record on the line, an interesting clash awaits us in Pamplona on Saturday as Yamal & co. are striving for more victories, while El Sadar’s fortress will fiercely battle to remain unconquered.

(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.

Sep

2024

Preview: Bayern Munich vs. Bayer Leverkusen

The biggest match of the Bundesliga campaign so far takes place on Saturday evening, with Bayern Munich top of the table and ready to host Bayer Leverkusen, the reigning champions who have found it somewhat tougher going this term with a target on their backs, following on from that incredible unbeaten year last season.

By Karl Matchett

While there’s no doubting the fantastic job Xabi Alonso has done, it was always going to be a big ask to repeat the feat of winning the title in any manner, let alone in an unbeaten 34-match streak. And so, when they lost on just gameweek two, there was plenty of comment and no small amount of wondering over a potential implosion – it’s happened before elsewhere, after all. But this Leverkusen side is resilient, and knows how to grind out wins. It’s not as though last year they merely swatted aside everyone; there were plenty of late goals, comebacks, big shows of big mentality.

This term already they’ve won 3-2 deep into stoppage time and, last time out, 4-3 by the same manner – Victor Boniface after 94 minutes to see off Wolfsburg. It is not, of course, a sustainable way to take victories over the long haul. The emotional high from such encounters can be great, but Leverkusen must again find the way to become miserly in defence. They conceded only 24 last season, an average of 0.7 per game; this season already it’s nine in four, 2.25 a game.

The sample size is small, but the improvements they need to make, despite three wins from four, are glaring. That said, go deeper than the ball merely being in the net and B04 might feel hard done by: nine have been conceded from an xG against of just 4.4 – they are being punished for every chance allowed.

That might be fine to absorb a few times when you come up against a run of sides who are not excellent in attack, but it’s fair to say that would not include Bayern Munich.

Vincent Kompany’s side are looking explosive in the final third, with a massive array of options and several talents – new signing Michael Olise in particular – looking in magical form. Harry Kane, meanwhile, tops both goals and assists charts, contributing nine in total already.

The positive for Leverkusen to cling to? As many chances and goals as they’re conceding, they are matching it and more in attack. This could be an end-to-end slugfest where simply the most clinical wins.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Sep

2024

Preview: Arsenal vs. Leicester City

Arsenal will be hoping to continue their unbeaten start in the Premier League this season as they host Leicester City at the Emirates Stadium.

By Matt Smith

The away side are yet to secure their first victory since returning to the top flight, but they’ve been difficult to beat, picking up three draws.

The Gunners produced a valiant defensive display last time out against Manchester City, going down to 10 men in the first half and almost holding on to come away with three points. A last-minute John Stones equaliser meant the points were shared, but Mikel Arteta will have been proud of their performance.

Arsenal have been solid at the back this term, just as they were last season, conceding just 0.6 goals per game, only bettered by Liverpool (0.2). It’s been no doubt significantly helped by some impressive goalkeeping from David Raya, who sits second in the save percentage charts with 88.5%.

In attack, Bukayo Saka has been a key creative force in Arteta’s side, producing five assists. The English winger has in fact created a goal in every single Premier League game so far this campaign.

*Saka passing stats per 90, Premier League 2024/25*

The North London outfit could see themselves climb to the top of the table if results go their way, which is an impressive achievement considering they’ve already come up against Aston Villa, Brighton, Manchester City, Wolves, and rivals Tottenham.

It’s been a tricky start to the campaign for Leicester, with Steve Cooper under increasing pressure from supporters after they were taken all the way to penalties by League Two Walsall earlier this week.

The Foxes have struggled from an attacking sense, with only Ipswich Town creating more expected goals (xG). Cooper’s side have struck six times, conceding eight goals in the process.

Wilfred Ndidi, who could have come close to leaving the club due to being out of contract, has been one of the standout players for the Foxes this term. The Nigerian midfielder has averaged a match rating of 7.44, higher than any other Leicester player, registering three assists and creating four big chances while also being a ball-winner in the middle of the park.

*Ndidi defensive stats per 90, Premier League 2024/25*

Leicester will be desperate to find their first win, but it’s not going to be an easy afternoon against a side who are likely to be competing for the Premier League title. The Foxes are going to have to find a win from somewhere eventually though as they continue to fight to stay in England’s top flight after gaining promotion from the Championship last season.

(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

2024

Preview: Newcastle United vs. Manchester City

The true impact of Rodri’s knee ligament injury will be clearer after Saturday. Manchester City will travel to St. James’ Park to face Newcastle United without the Spanish midfielder who went down in last week’s thrilling draw against Arsenal and is expected to miss the rest of the season.

By Graham Ruthven

City have already proven their ability to cope without Rodri this season. Indeed, the 28-year-old’s start against Arsenal was his first of the 2024/25 Premier League campaign with Mateo Kovačić and Rico Lewis instead used as a deep-lying pairing in wins over Chelsea, Ipswich Town, West Ham, and Brentford.

Last season, though, Manchester City lost three straight games that Rodri missed through injury, highlighting the importance of the Spanish international to the defending Premier League champions. Pep Guardiola will have to find a way to reconstruct his midfield. City’s entire season could depend on it.

While City are unbeaten in their last 28 league matches, Newcastle come into Saturday’s game on the back of a disappointing defeat to Fulham. The Magpies had their mid-week Carabao Cup tie against AFC Wimbledon postponed and so have had extra time to prepare for the visit of the Premier League champions.

Harvey Barnes has been in excellent goalscoring form for Newcastle, notching in each of his last three games. Alexander Isak, on the other hand, has scored just one goal in five league matches and needs to improve his productivity in front of goal to come anywhere close to the tally of 21 goals he registered last term.

Erling Haaland is experiencing no such issues in front of goal having scored 10 times in just five league games. The Norwegian striker has reached new heights in the early part of the season and has been aided by the summer addition of Savinho who is doing a lot to stretch opposition defences on the right side and open up space in the attacking third. Newcastle will have to keep things tight at the back.

Kevin de Bruyne is a doubt to feature at St James’ Park after missing last weekend’s match against Arsenal while Nathan Aké and Oscar Bobb are also sidelined through injury. Newcastle, meanwhile, will be without Sven Botman and Callum Wilson, although neither player has featured for them this season anyway.

*Newcastle home and away points breakdown, 2023/24*

St James’ Park is one of the toughest away venues in the Premier League. Only Liverpool, City and Arsenal had a stronger home record than Newcastle last season while Eddie Howe’s team have won both of their matches in front of their own supporters this term. City will have to work hard to leave the North East with three points.

(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.