Page 19 – The Pulse of Football

Jan

2025

Preview: Arsenal face Aston Villa in a key game at the Emirates

Arsenal must back up their mid-week North London Derby win against Aston Villa in Saturday’s late kick-off to put pressure on Liverpool at the top of the table.

By Graham Ruthven

Momentum builder

Wednesday’s win over Tottenham Hotspur must be a catalyst for Arsenal to build momentum again. The Gunners can’t allow the four-point gap between themselves and Liverpool to grow any further otherwise the title race could be over sooner rather than later.

Some believe Liverpool already have the title wrapped up. However, Arne Slot’s side face a tricky test away to Brentford on Saturday, meaning Arsenal might have the opportunity to apply pressure on the table-toppers by the time they face Aston Villa a few hours later.

Villa enter Saturday’s match at the Emirates Stadium on the back of a three-game winning run. Unai Emery’s team have recovered from a difficult period which saw them go eight matches without a win in November to once again climb the Premier League table.

Last season, Aston Villa claimed all three points away to Arsenal in a match that all but ended the Gunners hopes of winning the Premier League. It might be much earlier in the campaign this time, but Arsenal’s title chances are once again on the line.

Key players

Saturday’s match in North London could be decided in midfield where both teams will set up to have control. Arsenal will have Declan Rice, Thomas Partey and Martin Ødegaard while Aston Villa boast Boubacar Kamara, Amadou Onana and Youri Tielemens. The midfield battle will be worth watching.

Gabriel Magalhães and William Saliba’s partnership in central defence is frequently the foundation from which Arsenal build on. The former also poses a goal threat, as he demonstrated by forcing a goal from a corner kick against Spurs.

In attack, Arsenal are currently depleted through a number of injuries to key players. Kai Havertz is expected to start up front despite facing criticism for his finishing in recent defeats to Newcastle United and Manchester United.

Morgan Rogers will be a threat for Villa having registered five goal contributions in his last five games while Ollie Watkins has rediscovered his scoring touch recently, netting twice in four outings.

Donyell Malen – named as a FotMob Transfer of the Week – could make his Premier League debut after joining Aston Villa from Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday, although the Dutchman is most likely to start on the bench.

Team news

Arsenal’s injury troubles have worsened recently with Gabriel Jesus joining Bukayo Saka, Ethan Nwaneri, Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu on the sidelines after coming off against Manchester United in the FA Cup last weekend.

Riccardo Calafiori hasn’t played since early January due to a muscle injury, but could feature against Aston Villa. Myles Lewis-Skelley is, however, expected to keep his place at left back with Jurrien Timber on the right side of the defence.

John McGinn and Ross Barkley will both miss out through injury with Diego Carlos and Pau Torres also currently sidelined. Otherwise, Emery has a full squad to pick from for the trip to North London.

Prediction

This could be a cagy affair where both sides cancel each other out – Villa are in form but the Gunners don’t draw a blank that often, so we’ll go with a 1-1 draw.

(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.

Jan

2025

Can PSG remain unbeaten at home and progress in Europe?

Paris Saint-Germain, top of the league. Not much of a surprise there, but the Ligue 1 champions still have a massive week ahead of them as they bid to stay in contention to reach the Champions League knockouts – yet can’t take their eye off the ball domestically, either.

By Karl Matchett

For Luis Enrique’s team, there’s probably only one priority in the week ahead. The Parisian side are in danger of missing the cut amid Europe’s top 24, improbable as it seems, and with two league phase games left they are one point adrift of Dinamo Zagreb, PSV and Manchester City to sneak into those Champions League playoff places. Their remaining fixtures are at home to the last of those three sides, a big clash anyway but a crunch one now, and then away to Stuttgart – who themselves are on the same points as PSG, just behind on goal difference.

*The massive sides in and around the play-offs in the Champions League table*

It really could go any which way between that triumvirate in particular, given Man City’s recent poor form, PSG’s lax showing on the continent, and the German side’s recent run of six wins in seven across all competitions. Even so, it’s in their own hands: win twice and PSG will certainly be in the playoffs. Luis Enrique will expect his team to do exactly that, however difficult the opposition – after all, that’s what’s demanded given the financial outlay at the club and the long-term target they’ve sought.

For a long time, PSG have been criticised for being missing in action when it comes to the most critical parts of the campaign and fighting for European honours; no matter the presence of Neymar, of Kylian Mbappé or even of Lionel Messi, they rarely, truly threatened to be conquerors of Europe.

And perhaps a part of that stems from a lack of competition domestically. It has been pointed out, not just with PSG but in previous years with Bayern Munich and their Bundesliga dominance too, that being so far ahead in league terms by the mid point of the season can often mean they are undercooked in competitive terms when they suddenly must step up again, against Europe’s finest.

Perhaps there’s merit to that theory.

And that means it’s not just PSG’s Champions League short-term future at stake across the coming weeks, but also their longer-term prospects, because while they are indeed already seven points clear at the top of Ligue 1, there’s a bigger prize available, one which brings with it historical value as much as sporting, one which nobody has yet achieved in the national top flight.

That is, to go the entire season unbeaten.

And, we could go further – PSG haven’t yet proven themselves in another regard, perhaps again by way of the title being wrapped up so early sometimes that results simply…trail off. Consider this: despite winning ten of the last 12 league titles in France, such dominance has not come with the title of being the nation’s hardest to beat side, ever.

That distinction currently belongs to Nantes, who in 1994/95 – the vintage of Claude Makélélé and Christian Karembeu, of Patrice Loko and Nicolas Ouédec – blew away the competition to win the title, ten points clear of Lyon and losing just a single fixture all season long.

So far, the best that PSG have managed is two defeats in a single campaign. They have equalled that Nantes side in other ways, of course; their long-held record of 32 matches unbeaten from the start of a campaign was matched by PSG in 15/16, while PSG also went 36 unbeaten in the league between 2015 and 2016. That still stands as a league record itself.

But for all the frontiers PSG have crossed, perhaps this one – an invincible domestic campaign – is the most notable one they’ve yet to achieve.

For, if they can truly go the distance mentally as much as technically and tactically, would Luis Enrique’s team then not be also able to replicate that resilience in Europe? If the team have something to fight for all year long, a genuine accolade to keep striving for every time they step on the pitch, would that not eliminate the so-called issue of non-competitiveness which blights them in the latter stages of Europe?

This is a question which can only be answered a single game at a time, and even then only if PSG do lift themselves into the top 24 with their last two fixtures in the league phase. And there’s even an argument in the opposite direction: if PSG go out of Europe at this point, doubling down on becoming France’s best side ever is not just a way to get over the disappointment, but to still ensure this campaign can be seen as a resounding success, not in the way they expected perhaps, but in a way which can never, ever be beaten.

Right now, they at least have the opportunity to do it either way, unbeaten through 17 at the halfway stage.

Sometimes, all the very finest sides need is exactly that: opportunity. For PSG to prove they remain one of the finest, after the exits of not just Mbappé but of Manuel Ugarte and Carlos Soler, of Marco Verratti and Leandro Paredes…of Neymar and Messi…this would be the way to do it. Find a way in Europe. Get into the knockouts, and then impact there. And maybe the key to unlock that particular door at last is to not be obsessed by Champions League success, but to instead remain entirely focused on domestic dominance. What follows from that might be more historic than anything they’ve already done.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from Ligue 1 with FotMob this season – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Jan

2025

Preview: Bordalás’ Getafe prepared to square up against Barcelona

Barcelona are back in LaLiga action close to a month after their dramatic defeat to Atlético Madrid. Their first league game of 2025 will see them visit the Community of Madrid to face Getafe.

By Neel Shelat

Barcelona’s free-flowing attack

Barcelona certainly kept their fans entertained despite a lack of LaLiga action over the last four weeks. Their short winter break was dominated by squad registration drama surrounding Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor – who will be available for now at least – after which they won all four matches played in resounding fashion.

The victories over Barbastro in the cup and Athletic Club in the Supercopa semifinal were routine enough, but their attack found yet another gear in the last two games. They put five past eternal rivals Real Madrid in Saudi Arabia on Sunday before doing the same to Real Betis back on Spanish soil in a midweek Copa del Rey tie.

Barça alerady were the best attacking team by quite a large margin in the first half of the La Liga season, so the possibility of them getting even better will send shivers down the spines of defenders around the division.

A clash of polar opposite styles

While Barcelona traditionally like to keep a lot of the ball and put together slick attacking moves, José Bordalás’ Getafe side are quite the opposite. Perhaps nothing encapsulates the team better than their most recent result – a single goal win over fourth-tier Pontevedra in the Copa del Rey. This game had all the hallmarks of peak Bordalás-ball: a comically low possession figure, an incredibly resolute defensive display and of course, a red card for violent conduct.

While Getafe’s stats are not quite so eye-catching in every singly match, they do have one of LaLiga’s lowest possession averages this season at 43.6% as well as the second-lowest attacking return of just 13 goals.

Entertainment limited at the Coliseum

Getafe’s attacking numbers have not been much better in any of their recent seasons, so the only reason thay have been able to stay up is their incredibly tight defence. They are on course to repeat the trick having let in just 16 goals in 19 league fixtures so far.

Unsurprisingly, then, Getafe’s games have seen the fewest goals scored. They are particularly stingy at home as just 13 goals have been scored at both ends combined in the 10 league matches they have hosted. Clearly, fans looking for goals should not expect to be too entertained at the Estadio Coliseum.

Getafe’s impressive home record against Barcelona

Barcelona have surely not enjoyed any of their recent visits to Getafe. In fact, they have failed to score in their last four matches at the Coliseum, drawing the last three and losing to a single goal in 2020. So, their last scorers at the venue are Luis Suárez and Junior Firpo.

A full-strength attack led by the irresistible front three of Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha will be keen to change that tonight.

Prediction

Barcelona have the momentum and attacking firepower to break down Getafe’s staunch defence and put an end to their three-match winless streak in LaLiga.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Jan

2025

Preview: Brentford prepare to face leaders Liverpool at the GTech

For a little while this game looked like being billed as the Premier League’s best home team against the division’s best team overall; recent events, though, have shown perhaps only one of those is accurate.

By Karl Matchett

Familiar faces at the Gtech

For Sepp van den Berg, this fixture might be a bit of self justification. The Dutch defender departed Anfield the in summer after feeling he wouldn’t get much of a look-in; he joined the Bees and has started 16 times in the top flight. Immediately alongside him once more was Fabio Carvalho; the attacker similarly thought that game time would be at a premium under Arne Slot, but so far it hasn’t been quite as frequent as he’d like under Thomas Frank either – of 16 games for him, 13 have come from the bench.

The two can be seen as examples of Brentford’s own progression and desire to push higher up the league table, signing talents from those above; alternatively they can be seen to hint that Liverpool, who only signed Federico Chiesa in summer for under half the amount received for Carvalho, have kept their powder dry. No moves have been made by the league leaders yet this month, but it could still change quickly.

Fluctuating form

Rewind only a month and Brentford sat top of the table themselves – at least when it came to home form. After battering Newcastle, they sat pretty with seven wins from eight at the Gtech Community Stadium, a fantastic start in front of their own fans which made them top-half contenders, at least on the face of things.

But the truth was slightly skewed and recently has been unveiled somewhat. At the same point of the campaign, Brentford had also lost almost every away game and hadn’t won any. They have since done so – but only at the bottom club, Southampton. And, meanwhile, they’ve lost twice and drawn one at home as well – plus were beaten by Plymouth in the FA Cup. The wheels have come off where they were working for Frank’s injury-hit side.

Liverpool, meanwhile, remain top of the league. A recent blip could only be described that way for the team who were previously near-faultless: their current league form reads “drawn twice”. It’s not quite into the dramatic territory some would have you believe. Worse still for Brentford, Liverpool have yet to lose once away in the league this term.

Team news

Liverpool have Darwin Núñez back from suspension and Joe Gomez is out injured – Slot has very nearly a full squad. Frank has far more issues, with seven still out, the main ones of which are Ethan Pinnock, Kristoffer Ajer, Aaron Hickey and Igor Thiago.

Key player

With Mohamed Salah looking off-key of late – against his very high standards – we’ll go for Alexis Mac Allister to pull some strings. Brentford’s midfield is physical but he can mix it too – and still find the pass at the end. He’s 93rd percentile for xA, 90th for possession won in the final third and is vital to the Reds’ tactical plan.

Prediction

Brentford’s home form showed they can beat the sides below them, but they are still a way off those above. Three points for the visitors: Brentford 1 Liverpool 3.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Jan

2025

A season of stick or twist in Premier League management

Football management is a fickle occupation, just ask the six Premier League managers who have been sacked so far this season.

By Ross Kilvington

Erik ten Hag, Steve Cooper, Gary O’Neil, Russell Martin, Julen Lopetegui and Sean Dyche all paid the price for underperforming at their respective clubs.

A couple could perhaps count themselves a tad unlucky while for others, such as Martin and O’Neil, the writing was on the wall. The duo registered only three wins in the top flight between them this term in charge at Southampton and Wolves.

The revolving door in football is continuous. Some clubs are worse than others when it comes to hiring and firing. For every managerial sacking in the Premier League, an opportunity is presented elsewhere for someone to turn around the fortunes of a club.

David Moyes, Graham Potter and Ivan Jurić are the three most recent hires, joining Everton, West Ham and Southampton respectively.

Here at FotMob, we take an in depth look at all three, examining exactly what they can bring to their respective clubs over the final few months of the season.

David Moyes

“Everton is different.” Said Moyes during his first press conference since returning to the Toffees, 12 years after departing Goodison Park to take over from Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.

We all know how that turned out, but the Scot refused to let this disappointment linger, returning to management with Real Sociedad just seven months later. It was at West Ham, however, where the 61-year-old proved he wasn’t just a one-trick pony.

At times, the football may have been a tough watch, but Moyes led the Irons to their first major silverware in 43 years, claiming the Europa Conference League title in May 2023.

The Friedkin Group secured their takeover of Everton towards the end of 2024, heightening the pressure on Dyche, who was eventually sacked on January 9 after two years at the helm.

Next season marks the start of a new era for the Merseyside club, moving into their new stadium at Bramley Moore Docks. Considering £800m has been spent on building the ground, retaining Premier League status this season is imperative.

Moyes, in that respect, is the ideal candidate. Not only does he know the club inside out, but a two and a half year contract indicates the new owners have faith in his abilities.

Everton have the joint-fifth best defensive record in the top flight, conceding just 26 goals. The priority for Moyes will be finding a way to get his team to score more goals in the second half of the season.

With 15 goals, they rank as the second-worst attacking side in the division. If Moyes can utilise the counterattacking style that was often on show at points during his two spells at West Ham, then the Toffees will claw themselves away from the drop zone over the next few months.

The prodigal son has returned.

Graham Potter

Graham Potter has bided his time with regards to making a return to management, turning down various offers since his Chelsea sacking in April 2023.

The next move had to be the right one, especially with his reputation at stake. West Ham, therefore, is the ideal club for him.

His spell at Chelsea was forgettable, but this shouldn’t take the shine off the incredible work he did at Brighton.

Across three seasons on the south coast, Potter took the club from the lower reaches of the table into the top half and the West Ham supporters will be hoping the 49-year-old can repeat the feat at the London Stadium.

Potter’s tactical philosophy centres around a possession based system, but will this change at West Ham? He has plenty of players who are capable of individual brilliance such as Lucas Paquetá, Mohammed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen.

His greatest strength is being adaptable, which could see him move away from the 3-4-2-1 system he used at Brighton, shifting in the direction of 4-2-3-1, a formation Julen Lopetegui shaped with his summer signings.

If given time, Potter can turn West Ham into his next big project, which may just see them return to European competition sooner rather than later.

Ivan Jurić

Of the three sides discussed here, Southampton certainly took the biggest gamble when appointing their new coach. Ivan Jurić’s arrival on the south coast marks his first coaching role outside of Italy.

His spells with Hellas Verona and Torino established the Croatian’s managerial reputation, finishing either ninth or tenth across five seasons in Serie A with both clubs, leading to his big move to AS Roma.

Like his predecessor, Daniele De Rossi, Jurić wasn’t offered much time to implement his own ideas in the capital, receiving his marching orders after just eight matches in charge.

His spell in Italy allowed Jurić to develop his high intensity pressing approach which is built on defensive solidity. It may be too late to save Southampton from relegation this season, but this tactical philosophy could be perfect for the club in the long run.

Languishing at the bottom of the table having won just one game in the Premier League this season, Jurić faces a difficult task indeed.

The 49-year-old has endured a baptism of fire since taking over at the Saints, losing his first four league games, scoring just twice in the process. But there was some positivity following the FA Cup win over Swansea City.

Long term Atalanta boss Gian Piero Gasperini has been Jurić’s mentor for nearly two decades. If Southampton can achieve half of what La Sea have in recent years, then it could be a marriage made in heaven.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Jan

2025

Premier League Preview, Matchday 22

Every single matchday in the Premier League now feels pivotal. Margins are finer and results are more impactful with the number of games remaining now dwindling. After all, we’re into the second half of the season.

By Sam McGuire

So, with a lot still to play for, here’s a look ahead at what might be the biggest talking points this weekend.

The Alexander Isak show continues?

The Newcastle United forward is on an incredible run of form right now. He’s scored in eight successive Premier League matches and is now on 15 goals for the campaign. Only Erling Haaland (16) and Mohamed Salah (18) have more than the Sweden international.

He’s on 20 goal involvements for the season, a figure that only Salah (31) can better.

This weekend, he comes up against a Bournemouth team that is going under the radar. And the striker doesn’t necessarily have the best record against the Cherries. He’s got one goal in three matches against them and he’s yet to be on the winning side against Andoni Iraola’s men.

Bournemouth are quietly going about their business in the English top-flight this term. A win for the Cherries would, momentarily at least, lift them up to sixth. They’re 10 matches unbeaten across all competitions and their last defeat arrived in November. Iraola’s side have kept four clean sheets in their last eight Premier League matches with Dean Huijsen playing a key role in their new-found defensive resilience.

If Iraola and his players can end Isak’s streak, people might start to take notice of them as contenders for European football.

*Isak’s eight game streak shown in FotMob ratings*

Pressure on Liverpool

Liverpool have seen their lead at the top of the Premier League table cut to just four points following a 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest.

The Reds have looked a little leggy so far in 2025, struggling against Spurs and Manchester United.

They travel to Brentford on Saturday needing a performance and a result. Arne Slot‘s side have the best away record in the Premier League, and they’ve scored the most away goals. However, they’re up against a team with the most home goals this season as well as the second best home record in the English top-flight.

Brentford have an in-form attacker in Bryan Mbeumo within their ranks. The versatile attacker has 16 goal involvements this term, including 13 goals.

Liverpool have their own potent weapon in Salah. He leads the way for goals (18), assists (13) and goal involvements (31).

It looks set to be the battle of the left-footed right-wingers at the Gtech on Saturday afternoon. The winner of that battle will likely determine the winner of the match.

This is a big day for the Reds. They could finish the weekend seven points clear at the top if things go their way. If results to against them, they could end the weekend just one point clear.

A sustained Arsenal challenge?

It is also a big day for Arsenal.

Depending on results, they could be seven points off the pace at the top or just a point behind the leaders on Saturday evening, albeit having played a game more.

This matchday is massive for momentum.

Mikel Arteta‘s side ended their three match winless streak with a 2-1 victory over Spurs in the North London derby. The win was a hard fought one.

The game on Saturday looks set to be another difficult one for the title hopefuls at the Emirates as they welcome Aston Villa.

Unai Emery will be looking to get one over on his former side and his Villa team are in good form right now. They have won three on the bounce and are unbeaten in four. A win could see them move up to fifth position. Despite their inconsistent form overall this term, they’re still in contention for claiming a top four finish.

The Villans have won two of the last four meetings between the two sides. A win here would be a statement one for the away side and it could be the result needed to give them a platform for the remainder of the season.

The Chelsea collapse?

A little over a month ago, Chelsea looked like genuine title contenders. They’d were on a nine-match unbeaten run and had claimed six victories during this period. Now, though, they’re sitting in fifth position, 10 points off leaders Liverpool having played a game more.

Enzo Maresca’s side are winless in five having recorded three draws and two losses.

They welcome a struggling Wolves side to Stamford Bridge on Monday evening looking to get back to winning ways in their pursuit of a top four finish.

Their visitors had improved under Vítor Pereira but they’ve lost their last two Premier League matches by an aggregate scoreline of 6-0.

Wolves are outside of the relegation zone having scored more goals than Ipswich Town. The two teams are on 16 points and both have a goal difference of -17. Earlier in the season, Chelsea romped to a 6-2 win over Wolves. A similar scoreline here would likely see Pereira’s side end the matchday in the relegation zone.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Jan

2025

Transfer of the Week: Why Donyell Malen could be a key addition for Villa

Over the course of the January transfer window, we are taking a close look at some of the biggest and best business in our ‘Transfer of the Week’ columns. This time, our focus is on Aston Villa’s newest signing, Donyell Malen.

By Neel Shelat

The January transfer window has certainly gotten into gear now as a host of big deals have reportedly been in the works this week. Most of them are yet to be completed, though, and at risk of this going out of date as soon as we publish this article – that means that Donyell Malen’s €25 million move to Aston Villa is the most expensive transfer of the window so far.

Even so, that amount is €5m less than what Borussia Dortmund paid to sign the Dutch forward in 2021. It is safe to say that the 25-year-old attacker has not fully lived up to the potential he showed in the early years of his career, but he could yet be a useful addition for Aston Villa.

Career so far

Born and raised in the Netherlands, Malen spent most of his childhood at Ajax but moved over to Arsenal at the age of 16. He certainly caught the eye of those following the Gunners’ youth teams but decided to move back to the Netherlands after a couple of years as PSV Eidhoven signed him for just €600,000.

After impressing with Jong PSV for a season in the Eerste Divisie, Malen soon got his senior breakthrough. Although 25 of his 31 Eredivisie appearances in 2018/19 came off the bench, he hit double digits in terms of goals and got a handful assists to boot. The Dutch youngster then looked well on course to having an explosive 2019/20 season, but a significant knee injury ended his campaign in December. Nevertheless, he came back strong in 2020/21, putting together his best league season with 19 goals and eight assists in addition to a seven-goal tally in the Europa League.

Top teams from Europe’s big five leagues including the likes of Liverpool and Juventus were said to be interested in his services in the summer of 2021 but it was Borussia Dortmund who got a deal over the line for a transfer fee of €30m. They must have expected him to quickly thrive in the Bundesliga considering his direct playing style, but that did not prove to be the case.

Although Malen got his fair share of starts and minutes, he only scored five league goals in his first season in North Rhine-Westphalia. He failed to hit double digits in 2022/23 as well, with seven of his nine Bundesliga goals coming after March. Indeed, the Dutch international has grown into quite a streaky player. Last season, for example, he scored four club goals by mid-September, went on a long goal-drought until late November, netted seven times in as many games in a run between mid-January and early March but then added just two more before the end of the season.

Player profile

Malen’s style of play perhaps partly explains his inconsistent attacking output.

Capable of playing across the front three positions, the 25-year-old forward stands out thanks to his rapid burst of pace for runs in behind opposition defences. So, he poses most of his threat by racing onto through balls and getting one-on-one with the goalkeeper.

This is precisely why Malen’s statistical profile is so pronounced – his overall involvement in the build-up is quite limited but he often serves as the outlet by getting into shooting positions. So, he should be seen as an off-ball attacker.

Although the Dutchman started out as a striker at PSV, he does not seem best-suited for that role in the big five leagues. For one, he is not great at linking up with his teammates as he has misplaced one in four passes in each of his four league seasons at Borussia Dortmund. He cannot be used as a target striker either since he is less than 180cm tall and tends to lose the vast majority of his aerial duels, so he is a little too one-dimensional to be a useful centre-forward for most teams.

His weaknesses can be better masked on the wings, though, while his runs in behind also become more dangerous after the striker distracts the opposition defenders. While he is not overly skilful or flashy on the ball, he can also use his pace to burst past defenders and quickly carry the ball forward.

Malen certainly has the potential to get better, especially by improving his end product. His relatively hopeful one-on-one finishing is a big reason behind his streaky output, especially because he tends to do worse when in a scoring rut. He could also get more assists with better awareness of his teammates’ positions and more pinpoint cutbacks.

Potential role at Aston Villa

Malen’s profile would suggest that Aston Villa are taking a bit of risk in signing him for €25m, but that amount could well be worth it for the balance he can provide to their attack. At the moment, Unai Emery’s side are light in the right wing position. Leon Bailey is their only recognised option in that position, so the likes of John McGinn and Morgan Rogers have had to fill in at times this season.

However, they are bad fits for the right wing role in Emery’s asymmetric 4-2-3-1 system, which becomes more of a 3-2-4-1 in possession. The left back pushes up as the left winger tucks inside, while the right winger stays wide with the right back remaining deeper. Of course, Malen will fulfil the role quite differently to Bailey, so his off-ball threat from wide could well add a different dimension to the Villans’ attack.

Even if he does not score a lot of goals, Malen’s arrival at least ensures that Rogers and company can continue to thrive in their best roles for Aston Villa. And if Emery manages to get the best out of the Dutchman, as he has done with so many other forwards, this will go down as a great transfer.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

To keep up date with all the latest deals this window, check out the FotMob Transfer Centre. Download the free app here.

Jan

2025

FotMob Profile: Enzo Le Fee, Sunderland’s potential difference maker

It has been nearly eight years since Sunderland last played a Premier League match, losing 5-1 at Chelsea on May 21, 2017, and finishing bottom of the table with 24 points. After a decade in the top-flight, Sunderland dropped down to the Championship – they are yet to return.

By Zach Lowy

Just under a year later, Enzo Le Fée made his debut for Régis Le Bris’ Lorient B team, playing the full 90 in a 2-0 defeat to Boulogne-Billancourt. Having cut his teeth in the French fourth division, Le Fée would break into the first team in 2019/20 under Christophe Pélissier and steer them to the Ligue 2 title. Lorient finished 16th in their first two seasons back in the top-flight before deciding to promote Le Bris to first-team manager in June 2022.

This provided the impetus for Le Fée to unlock his lofty potential: only Paris Saint-Germain’s Lionel Messi (49) and Neymar (47) created more big chances in France than Le Fée (41), who finished as the seventh-highest rated FotMob player in the 2022/23 Ligue 1 season. Having scored 2 goals and 10 assists in his first 106 Lorient appearances, Le Fée scored 6 goals and 5 assists in 36 appearances and led Les Merlus to a 10th-place finish – their best placement in nine years.

*Le Fée’s passing stats from that breakout season (2022/23)*

“For a long time, Le Fée was clearly a technically gifted player, but it was unclear where he would thrive most on the pitch…he looked a bit lost,” said Baptise Reynaud, the co-host of the Le Classique Podcast.“His slight build and lack of end product were also worrying, but under Le Bris, in an ambitious side that played smart, courageous football, he was an absolute delight. He made the team tick as the No. 8 and always seemed to be in the right place at the right time, with a little dash of outrageous creativity once in a while. Boasting smarts and technical ability, he’s a gifted passer who’s capable of dictating play in a possession-based side and taking risks in the right areas on the pitch. He’s intelligent, versatile, and just needs to be trusted to be the team’s technical leader in midfield.”

After 15 years at Lorient, Le Fée departed for fellow Brittany side Rennes, joining for a fee of €20 million. Whilst Le Fée struggled to adjust to life at the Roazhon Park, Lorient failed to cope without his creative spark and were relegated. Le Bris parted ways at the end of the 2023/24 season and joined Championship club Sunderland, whilst Le Fée moved to Roma for €23 million, where he managed just 10 appearances. Exactly six months after penning a five-year contract with the Giallorossi, Le Fée decided to reunite with Le Bris at Sunderland, joining on loan with an option to buy for €23 million – an option that will be triggered should they achieve promotion to the Premier league.

On the face of it, it seems like a massive coup for the Black Cats. Le Fée has made 132 appearances in Ligue 1, he’s represented France at the U20, U21, and U21 level and played for them in the Olympic Games, and he has demonstrated enough talent to merit not one, but two lucrative transfers to two UEFA Europa League-level clubs. But just what can Sunderland fans expect from him?

Le Fée is an all-action No. 8 who has the spatial awareness to pick up the ball in tight spaces and evade pressure with his silky movement and nimble dribbling skills, and whilst he only stands 5’8” tall, he’s proven himself to be no slouch in physical duels. In fact, only Benjamin André (3.8), Andrei Girotto (3.4) and Laurent Abergel (3.2) completed more tackles per game than Le Fée (3.1) in the 2022/23 Ligue 1 season. He uses his low centre of gravity to his advantage by turning on a six pence and leaving his marker in his wake with an elusive drop of the shoulder, a player who thrives at attracting pressure and quickly extinguishing the threat. He’s always thinking one step ahead of his opponent, constantly scanning his surroundings and positioning himself well to receive in an ideal location.

Le Fée is someone who excels at driving forward with the ball, riding physical challenges, slaloming past markers and keeping the ball glued to his feet whilst maneuvering past physical challenges. Even after a year that has seen him struggle to convince at Rennes and Roma, he still ranks in the 97th percentile amongst midfielders for successful take-ons per 90 (1.72) and the 94th for progressive carries per 90 (2.65). These attributes should fit Sunderland’s counter-attacking style like a glove, and they should also provide them with another dimension against deep blocks. His exquisite vision and footballing IQ enable him to thread the needle and tee up his teammate with a perfectly timed pass. Above all, he’s someone who’s always looking to pick up the ball and make things happen, and he’s more than capable of cementing a starting spot as one of the No. 8s in Le Bris’ 4-2-3-1 formation. After working under five different managers in two different countries over the past 18 months, Le Fée will be hoping to knuckle down and find some stability under Le Bris.

Make no mistake: this is a statement signing for Sunderland, who find themselves locked in a heated promotion race, sitting fourth in the table with 50 points behind Sheffield United (52), Burnley (52) and Leeds United (52). At 24 years of age, Le Fée already proven his mettle as a superb ball-winner, a deep-lying midfield creator, and a fleet-footed ball carrier, and there’s reason to believe that he will provide an immediate boost in quality to Sunderland’s engine room.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow all the action from the EFL Championship on FotMob – with in-depth stat coverage including xG, shot maps, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Jan

2025

FPL tips from the reigning champ: GW22

Get ahead of the Group Chat thanks to our new regular column from FPL expert Jonas Sand Låbakk.

By Graham Ruthven, in conversation with Jonas Sand Låbakk

Introducing our expert

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 sort your team out before 11:00 GMT on Saturday 18 January*

The Eye Test vs. The Stats

There is no Premier League winger in better form right now than Anthony Gordon (7.6m).

Indeed, the Newcastle United winger has returned in each of his last six gameweeks in a row with the Magpies currently the most in-form team in the league. Alexander Isak’s nine goals in those six games have caught the eye, but Gordon’s contribution shouldn’t go unnoticed.

Gordon has averaged 0.59 Expected Goal Involvements (xGI) per game over the course of Newcastle’s six-game winning run, registering nine points in GW21.

Newcastle face Bournemouth next before a clash with Southampton. Trickier tests against the likes of Manchester City, Nottingham Forest and Liverpool await in February, but Gordon and the Magpies have proved their ability to beat anyone.

Gordon, along with Lewis Hall (4.9m) and Isak (9.3m) are the best picks from Newcastle.

Erling Haaland and Isak are the only forwards (as defined in FPL) to have scored more Premier League goals this season than Chris Wood (6.9m) who is spearheading Nottingham Forest’s surprise top four challenge.

The New Zealand international has scored 13 goals from just 7.35 Expected Goals (xG), indicating that he is massively over-performing. Wood has had the golden touch in front of goal, but could a course correction come at some point in the future?

However, that course correction hasn’t happened yet and some FPL managers were made to regret their decision to bench Wood against Liverpool in GW21 when he opened the scoring after only eight minutes.

Wood’s goal came from his only shot of the game and was from an opportunity with an xG of just 0.16, highlighting the ruthlessness of his finish into the bottom right corner.

Forest host bottom-of-the-league Southampton in GW22 and so it wouldn’t be surprising if Wood continued his excellent form with another solid return. Wood is also a penalty taker for Forest, boosting his chances of a big points haul.

Long shot

Ibrahima Konaté (5.1m) only has 49 FPL points to his name this season. However, this shouldn’t put you off the Liverpool defender for your team.

Konaté has missed six of Liverpool’s last eight league matches due to injury, but is now available again and is in line to start more games from this point on with Joe Gomez now sidelined.

Owned by just 3.5% of FPL managers, Konaté could be a valuable differential for your team. What’s more, Liverpool have an upcoming match against Ipswich Town in GW23 and a double gameweek in GW24. This could be a good time to bring the defender into your team.

The Liverpool centre back doesn’t carry much of a goal threat, registering just 0.08 xGI per 90 minutes this season. However, the Reds have conceded just 18.2 xG this season, the lowest of any team in the league.

Konaté’s low ownership, clean sheet potential and upcoming double gameweek makes him a player to consider.

Upcoming games to follow

GW22 has the potential to produce a number of high-scoring games and big returns for popular FPL assets, but three matches in particular stand out.

Table-toppers Liverpool travel south to face Brentford in what could be one of the most interesting matches of the weekend.

Brentford have scored 29 goals at home this season, more than any other team in the Premier League. Meanwhile, Liverpool have the best away attacking record in the division (28 goals in 10 games).

This match should produce goals, so consider Mohamed Salah (13.7m), Cody Gakpo (7.4m), Trent Alexander-Arnold (7.2m) and Bryan Mbeumo (7.8m).

Second-place Nottingham Forest will also face Southampton after their disappointing defeat to Manchester United on Thursday which saw the 20th place team conceded three goals in 11 minutes.

Nuno Espírito Santo’s team have been in excellent form at both ends this season, therefore attacking and defensive returns are to be expected from Forrest this weekend. Players to watch in this game are Wood (6.9m), Ola Aina (5.3m) and budget option Neco Williams (4.3m).

Finally, Chelsea will host Wolves on Monday night with the Blues looking to end a run of five league matches without a win.

However, Enzo Maresca’s team are a solid bet to turn around their form against their relegation-threatened opponents. Cole Palmer (11.4m) has scored in three of his last three games in all competitions and could return once more on Monday.

Nicolas Jackson (8.1m) and Reece James (4.8m) are also worth considering after the latter scored a freekick in his cameo off the bench against Bournemouth in GW21. He could be a good differential going forward.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

Did you know that you can track live Fantasy points with FotMob? Simply select any Premier League game, swipe to the Lineup tab, and press the big ‘Fantasy’ button! Download the free app here.

Jan

2025

Premier League Team of the Week: Matchday 21

The gap at the top of the Premier League table has been cut to four points after Nottingham Forest held Liverpool to a draw. Manchester City gave up a 2-0 lead against Brentford and David Moyes’ return to Everton ended in defeat. The midweek fixtures did not disappoint.

By Sam McGuire

More importantly, though, who made the FotMob Team of the Week?

Goalkeeper: Martin Dúbravka

The 36-year-old goalkeeper has been exceptional for Newcastle United since coming in to replace the injured Nick Pope. His fine form continued against Wolves this week as he made seven saves in the 3-0 win. He faced shots with an Expected Goals on Target value of 1.6 and was given a FotMob rating of 8.8 for his exploits between the sticks.

Right-Back: Amad Diallo

Amad exploded into life during the final 10 minutes of Manchester United’s match against Southampton. The 22-year-old scored a 12 minute hat-trick as the Red Devils came from behind to pick up three points at Old Trafford. The wing-back claimed a FotMob rating of 9.7 after a dominant showing. He created three chances, had six shots and completed four of his five dribbles. He was rampant.

Centre-Back: Murillo

The Nottingham Forest centre-back was a colossus in the 1-1 draw with Liverpool. He made the most tackles (four), completed 100% of his dribbles and made 17 clearances. Going further, he also made two interceptions, seven recoveries and won five of his six duels. At times, it felt like he was single handedly repelling the Liverpool onslaught.

Centre-Back: Marc Guéhi

The Crystal Palace skipper scored in the 2-0 win over Leicester City. Guehi completed 83% of his passes, made five clearances, two blocks, recovered the ball on five occasions and won 75% of his aerial duels. He was a little loose with his long passes, completing just 30% but he did more than enough to justify his inclusion in the FotMob Team of the Week.

Left-Back: Antonee Robinson

Robinson is now on nine assists for the season after his showing against West Ham United. The Fulham captain finished the game with two assists in a 3-2 defeat. He created five chances, completed 79% of his passes and attempted nine crosses. Robinson made four interceptions and recovered possession on five occasions. He was also involved in 13 duels in a showing that earned him an 8.3 rating.

Midfield: Bruno Guimarães

The Newcastle skipper was in fine form at St James’ Park against Wolves. He created the most chances (four) and claimed an assist in the 3-0 win. He also completed 84% of his passes, attempted five tackles and involved himself in 12 duels. It was an all action display from the captain.

Midfield: Enzo Fernández

Enzo was on it for Chelsea against Bournemouth. The World Cup winner completed the most passes (49), created the most chances (seven), and was the most fouled player (four). The midfielder played 12 passes into the final third and was accurate with 89% of his long passes. Without the ball, he was just as impressive, recovering possession on 11 occasions.

Attack: Phil Foden

Foden netted twice as Manchester City picked up a point against Brentford. The versatile attacker completed 88% of his passes, carved out three chances and had a total of three shots. He had 10 touches in the box and won 100% of his duels. For the first time this season, he looked back to his brilliant best of last term.

Attack: Kevin De Bruyne

De Bruyne put on a creative clinic against Brentford. The 33-year-old created a match-high eight chances against the Bees and claimed an assist against Thomas Frank’s side. He finished the game with a pass success rate of 88% and he attempted four dribbles. If he’s back, Manchester City could be back.

Attack: Alex Iwobi

Iwobi netted twice for Fulham in their loss to West Ham United. The 28-year-old didn’t deserve to be on the losing side after this display. He created five chances to go along with his two goals. The versatile midfielder also completed 100% of his dribbles and we’d accurate with all six of his long passes.

Attack: Alexander Isak

Another game, another Isak masterclass. Isak has now found the net in each of his last eight Premier League appearances.

The Newcastle United striker scored twice and assisted in the 3-0 win over Wolves on his way to a 9.3 FotMob rating. He hit the woodwork with one of his three efforts, had nine touches in the penalty box and attempted four dribbles. Isak also won 100% of his aerial duels.

(Images from IMAGO)

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