Manchester United kick off their Europa League campaign by hosting FC Twente, whose men’s team have qualified for a continental competition proper for the first time in over a decade.
The Red Devils will have to be wary of the Dutch side’s attacking threat if they are to enjoy a good start to their European campaign.
Ten Hag reunited with his boyhood club
Manchester United head coach Erik ten Hag has not enjoyed the smoothest of starts to the season, so he will hope that his boyhood club does not add to his miseries. Born and brought up in the Twente region, he started and ended his playing career with the club. Of course, he has continued to follow them closely as a fan and therefore was not too pleased with the draw, saying, “I would have preferred to play against someone else, it’s not nice to have to hurt something you love.”
He will have to put emotions aside for 90 minutes at least, and he will have a lot to think about for the match. Besides coming up with a plan to limit Twente’s threat, the 54-year-old Dutchman will have to make a lot of decisions in his quest to balance squad rotation with consistently high performance levels. The outcome of such an attempt was not perfect on the weekend as Manchester United could only manage a goalless draw against Crystal Palace, so it will be interesting to see what changes he makes.
Twente pack an attacking punch
FC Twente have been one of the Eredivisie’s most consistent overperformers in recent years. Having last won promotion as recently as 2019, they have done quite well to finish in the top five in each of the last three seasons. Add to that their attack-minded style of play – first under Ron Jans and now Joseph Oosting – and it becomes easy to see why they are quite well-liked by neutrals.
The Reds have already built up some nice momentum with back-to-back wins against Heerenveen and Almere City in the last week, contributing to the second-highest aggregate xG tally in the league in the process.
Having already scored seven goals in eight matches this season, attacking midfielder Sem Steijn will likely their most threatening player at Old Trafford. The team’s direct play with the ball and ability to make the most of transitions after turnovers should see them test Manchester United’s defence in various ways.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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2023/24 was a season of nearly but not quite for Arsenal. They did technically win a piece of silverware, the Community Shield at the start of the season, but fell tantalisingly short by just two points in the Premier League and could go no further than the UEFA Champions League quarter-final. Their challenge for this season will be to get over the final hurdle, but they could well find themselves held back by a new problem.
By the incredibly lofty standards they have set themselves over the last two seasons, Arsenal have had a bit of an underwhelming start to the 2024/25 campaign. They have failed to win half of their matches so far, drawing three of their last four.
More concerningly, though, their performances have dropped off in recent matches after the injury-enforced absence of Martin Ødegaard. How well they can cope with such setbacks could well determine their fate this season.
Recent drop-off
Arsenal’s match against Manchester City this last weekend was quite extraordinary. Leandro Trossard’s red card and the Gunners’ incredibly deep defending in a 5-4 or even 6-3 low block in the second half made it a once-in-a-blue-moon kind of affair, so there is not much to be read from the full-time stats. Even in the first half, though, Arsenal had been second-best for the most part and on paper, were rather fortunate to be in the lead.
Key stats vs. Man City
Being outplayed by arguably the best team in the world is nothing to be ashamed of, so alarm bells certainly need not have been rung on the back of this performance alone. However, Arsenal’s two previous showings should add at least some cause for concern.
The Gunners did win the North London derby away from home, but they did so with a rather uncharacteristic performance which involved a good deal of deep defending for the most part as they barely kept a third of the possession.
Key stats vs. Spurs
They then kicked off their UEFA Champions League campaign at Atalanta, looking second-best for the most part.
Arsenal’s performances have clearly dropped off without Ødegaard in the side, and it is quite easy to diagnose why. They simply do not have another creative midfielder of his ilk in the squad having sold both Fábio Vieira and Emile Smith Rowe in the summer, so their possession-play has taken a significant hit in his absence. The Norwegian international also played a key role out of possession as the leader of the press, so the Gunners have had to drop back and cede possession much more in recent matches.
Any team in the world will perform at least slightly worse after losing a key player, but the point of concern is the extent to which Arsenal have been affected. They will likely need to rejig their system to get somewhere nearer to their best now, so how they adapt in the next few matches and weeks will be critical.
Other weak spots
Besides the troubles they are currently facing, the biggest cause for concern for Arsenal is the fact that they could well face these exact same issues in some other positions. Their lack of depth was the big talking point after the summer window in which they only made a couple of permanent signings and let go of a number of squad players. Evidently, it is already hurting them.
The right wing in attack is probably the clearest weak spot in the squad as Arsenal have been heavily reliant on Bukayo Saka in recent seasons.
Goals + assists, Premier League 2023/24
Of course, there is nothing wrong with depending on a star attacker, but the lack of a second option in the position has to be a concern for the Gunners. Saka has played over 8,000 minutes (nearly 90 full matches worth of game time) for Arsenal alone since the start of the 2022/23 season, so his fixture load surely needs to be managed carefully going forward in order to ensure he does not join the injury list.
The other options in the squad include deadline-day signing Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus. The Chelsea loanee has played on the left more often than not lately and his form is a question too, while Jesus is much more of a striker than winger. Kai Havertz is another potential option, though he already covers the midfield and striker positions.
Either way, Arsenal will almost certainly have to tweak their system with Saka out of the lineup. First-choice right back Benjamin White tends to stay deep to afford his fellow Englishman spatial freedom in the advanced positions on the wing, which suits his dribbling qualities, but none of the other options seem well-suited to such a role.
Game time generally is not a concern among goalkeepers, but Mikel Arteta’s side will want to keep their fingers crossed for David Raya’s fitness. Their backup goalkeeper Neto has not shown himself to be as convincing as the Spaniard both with and without the ball, and his relative lack of familiarity with the back line as a new arrival could be another potential problem.
Similar tests for rivals
While injuries – especially ones to key players – are always unfortunate, club football has reached a point where the best teams have all sorts of contingency plans to make do without any of their players. Arsenal’s title rivals Manchester City, for example, had to make do without Kevin De Bruyne, Erling Haaland, John Stones and Ederson in certain periods last season, and they still managed to win the title. City’s squad depth and ability to soldier on without almost anyone is a big part of what makes them one of the best teams in the world, and it is sure to be tested once again this season following Rodri’s long-term injury.
Injuries were cited as the main reason why Arsenal fell short in the 2022/23 Premier League title race, but two seasons on, they should not be satisfied with the same excuse. The Gunners must find a way to make things work without anyone and should consider making a couple of signings in January to give themselves the best possible chance of finally lifting some significant silverware.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Just 12 months ago, the 22-year-old was struggling to impress for Middlesborough following his summer move from Manchester City. Rogers started the first five games of the season before dropping to the bench. His next start didn’t arrive until the end of November. He didn’t score his first goal for Boro until October and he registered his first assist a week prior.
The one-time Bournemouth loanee found his feet in December and his good form extended into January as he assisted four goals and found the back of the net on one occasion. And then Aston Villa came calling.
Rogers’ move to Villa Park caught people off guard. Unai Emery already had options in attack and another versatile forward seemed a bit excessive. Not only has he managed to carve out a spot in the first-team picture, he’s now a key player in the starting XI.
The 6’2″ attacker made his Champions League debut for the Villans in their 3-0 win over Young Boys. He then followed up that performance with a Player of the Match showing against Wolves last weekend.
His performance was rightly praised by the media. Gary Linekar singled him out on the Rest is Football podcast. The Match of the Day host waxed lyrical about Rogers’ heroics against Wolves: “I’ll tell you who was good again, Morgan Rogers. I mean, he was really, really good, and he was probably the one that turned it round more than anyone else.”
This sort of game had been coming for Rogers. His end product had been missing this term until last weekend’s game. But he’d still been effective and that is why he’d been able to retain his place in the starting XI.
Rogers himself had acknowledged the lack of final third contributions prior to the Wolves match.
“I’m struggling to hit a barn door at this rate! I’m just missing a goal or an assist. My confidence is high, I’m going onto the pitch with a real swagger. I’m loving my football. I’m playing the best I’ve ever played. As long as we’re winning, I’m happy. A goal would be nice – I can feel one coming.”
The four-cap England Under-21 international scored twice for the Young Lions against Austria during the September international break and you could tell he’d been playing with confidence. It was just a matter of when he’d start to impact the final phase for the Villans this term. He could clearly do it at this level. He finished with four-goal involvements last season following his move from Boro.
Deployed as an attacking midfielder by Emery this campaign, Rogers is pivotal to how Villa play. And it isn’t as though the Spanish tactician doesn’t have options. The likes of Leon Bailey, Ross Barkley, Emiliano Buendía, and Durán are all watching from the sidelines. His ability and potential also no doubt played a part in the club’s decision to part ways with Moussa Diaby in the summer, despite the Frenchman’s exploits last season during his debut campaign in the Premier League.
Rogers has a fairly unique profile and that could be why he’s part of Emery’s starting XI.
The 22-year-old is tall but has the playing style of a nimble winger. He’s a progressive ball carrier, averaging over 2.5 successful dribbles per 90 since moving to the Premier League. He’s robust, explosive over short distances and a dual threat in the sense he can score and assist.
It is something Michael Appleton, Rogers’ former manager at Lincoln City mentioned during an interview with Sky Sports last season.
“I think that is what makes him even more dangerous compared to others who are known for dribbling the ball. It is one thing being nippy with a slight frame and going past people but when you are 6’2″ and you can do that…
“Some of them are almost scared of their own shadow at times, aren’t they? Morgan is the opposite. He actually likes the contact. He enjoys people being really tight to him and he can then use his physical frame to roll them on the inside or the outside.”
If this early season form continues, Rogers could force his way into the senior England squad. Yes, he’d be competing for minutes against a talented group of players, with the Three Lions stacked in the final third, but there’s just something about him and his style that could give him an edge over his competition. He’s already gone from the Championship to the Champions League in the space of a year. Would it really be surprising to see him gatecrash the England team?
(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.
Indeed, Los Blancos are currently on an unbeaten run of 38 league matches yet find themselves chasing early pace-setters Barcelona at the top of the table. Carlo Ancelotti’s team can’t allow their rivals to build any more of an advantage.
Four points is the difference between Barca and Real Madrid after six games. The defending champions could close that gap to just one point by beating Alavés on Tuesday with Barca not playing Getafe until Wednesday. That, coupled with Real Madrid’s performance against Espanyol on Saturday would suggest they are building momentum.
Espanyol took the lead at the Santiago Bernabéu, but Real Madrid’s response to ultimately win 4-1 was emphatic. It was arguably their best all-round performance of the season so far with Kylian Mbappé more involved and dangerous than at any other point of his fledgling Real Madrid career.
Mbappé had 63 touches of the ball against Espanyol which was his highest tally to date as a Real Madrid player. He also had nine shots (six of which were on target) and registered seven key passes. He was an all-round threat. This was the sort of performance Real Madrid envisaged the Frenchman would produce on a regular basis when they signed him.
Alavés will arrive at the Bernabéu in confident mood having won three of their last four league fixtures. Manager Luis García could stick with the lineup that beat Sevilla 2-1 on Friday with right winger Carlos Vicente a player who could pose a threat to the home team – the 25-year-old has scored two goals in his last three games.
Los Blancos have won their last five matches against Alavés, a run that includes a 5-0 thumping in last season’s corresponding fixture. Real Madrid will almost certainly control possession on Tuesday night with Alaves ranking second-last for average possession share among LaLiga’s 20 teams this season.
Jude Bellingham’s return to fitness has given Real Madrid another dimension through the centre of the pitch while Arda Güler has made the most of recent opportunities. Vinícius started on the bench against Espanyol, but could be rotated back into the lineup to face Alavés. Dani Carvajal, however, is an injury doubt for the match. Nonetheless, this is another opportunity for Real Madrid to prove they are finally finding their groove.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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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.
Brazilian winger Gabriel Pec has been one of the signings of the season in MLS in 2024.
He’s offered exactly what LA Galaxy needed in attack after replacing compatriot Douglas Costa who left the team in the offseason.
Pec caused constant problems for Saturday’s opposition, Vancouver Whitecaps, scoring one and assisting two more in a 4-2 Galaxy win.
He also ‘assisted’ the own goal from Sebastian Berhalter following a one-two with Riqui Puig and a cross into the box turned in by the Vancouver defender as he desperately tried to intervene.
The Puig-Pec combination (pictured above) played a part in all four Galaxy goals, and the duo rounded things off as Pec assisted Puig for the fourth.
9.0 FotMob rating: Pep Biel, Charlotte FC
With plenty of assistance from substitute Patrick Agyemang, Biel helped Charlotte to a 4-0 win at home to New England Revolution.
Liel Abada put Charlotte 1-0 up early on, but Agyemang came off the bench to combine with Biel to make sure of the win and pile more misery onto New England who remain bottom of the Western Conference.
They assisted goals for each other in the second half to put Charlotte 3-0 up before Kerwin Vargas finished the job.
Biel is currently on loan at Charlotte from Greek side Olympiacos but says he would like to remain in MLS beyond the loan period.
“I hope to stay because I enjoy it here and they’ve given me a lot of confidence and I want to pay that back,” he said after the game.
Three more standout performers
8.8 FotMob rating: Max Arfsten, Columbus Crew
Though they are not top of the MLS standings and look unlikely to catch Inter Miami between now and the end of the season, there is still a feeling that Columbus Crew are the best team in this league.
Max Arfsten stepped up as the star on this particular Matchday, but as is often the case there were quality displays throughout the Crew side.
Arfsten assisted two goals in a 4-3 win for Columbus against Orlando.
The first was a pinpoint cross lofted onto the head of the impressive Christian Ramirez, and the second was a low cross from the right into the path of one of the star players in MLS, Cucho Hernández.
He showed the versatility to be effective from the right as well as the left.
Orlando scored three late goals to taint what had been a solid, typical Crew performance to that point, and the visitors deserve credit for their late rally, but Columbus still came away with a win and remain on course to finish second behind Miami.
8.7 FotMob rating: Quinn Sullivan, Philadelphia Union
In a clash of local rivals and playoff-challenging mid-table teams, Philadelphia Union came out on top, winning 4-0 against DC United to hang on to ninth spot in the East.
Remaining in this position would ensure a place in the post-season wildcard round, but the Union may also be looking further up the table with 12 points still to play for.
Daniel Gazdag, Tai Baribo, and Quinn Sullivan all put in standout performances as Jim Curtin’s side built on their 5-1 win against New York City in midweek.
A lot of the attention around Philadelphia Union recently has been on Quinn Sullivan’s younger brother, Cavan — the 14-year-old who is set to join Manchester City when he turns 18 — but Quinn has been steadily emerging as a reliable and impressive first-team player for the Union.
He assisted two goals against DC with some great play down the right wing throughout which saw him create four chances in the game.
He had 11 touches in the area and was heavily involved for his team with 63 touches in total.
It has been a disappointing season generally for the Union given they are usually challenging at the top end of the league, but they appear to be coming into form at just the right time in a late bid to qualify for the playoffs proper.
8.6 FotMob rating: Robin Lod, Minnesota United
After an up-and-down season, Minnesota United are still in with a chance of making the playoffs.
Robin Lod came off the bench to assist both goals in a 2-0 win at Sporting Kansas City and keep United in touch with the teams involved in a close fight for a playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Lod created three chances in the 45 minutes he was on the pitch, also completing two dribbles and winning 3/3 ground duels. The Finn remains one of the most creative players in the league and is one of those players who plays a big part in whether his team is successful or not.
After an inconsistent season, Minnesota reaching the post-season would be considered a success at this stage, but despite being considered below their best, they still sit above the likes of New York City, Charlotte, FC Dallas, and Philadelphia Union in the overall table.
(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.
After a couple of years at Everton, Onana was brought in to replace Douglas Luiz in the middle of the park for the Villans.
At the age of 23, Onana has already played for a host of clubs as he continues to climb the ladder of European football. The former-Lille man has never shied away from seeking a new challenge, but Villa fans will be hoping he’s found a place to settle after an impressive start to the season.
At Everton, we were never likely to see the best of Onana due to Sean Dyche’s style of play. Someone who likes to get on the ball and control games from deep, he wasn’t tailor-made for Everton’s system at the time.
Villa saw enough and forked out a hefty amount of money to secure his signature, and it’s already beginning to pay off. Onana wasn’t brought in to score goals, but he’s already found the back of the net three times in six competitive appearances. Standing tall at 195cm (Villa assistant coach) Austin McPhee’s set-piece routines have gone to the next level thanks to the addition of Onana.
The Belgian international is the perfect profile of midfield in the modern era. The new age of football focuses heavily on pace and power coupled with technical ability, and Onana has that all in abundance. Not only is he silky smooth on the ball and secure in possession, he’s a duel-winning machine.
In Unai Emery’s system, we’re starting to see the best of Onana, just like we do with Belgium. Particularly with Boubacar Kamara out injured, Onana is tasked with being one of the pivots in the build-up alongside Youri Tielemans, looking to break lines with his paces into the likes of Jacob Ramsey and Morgan Rogers in the middle, or switching it wide to the full-backs and wingers with his superb range of passing.
Onana offers a layer of protection in front of the back four that they don’t have when he’s not in the side at the moment. Youri Tielemans regularly partners him in the middle of the park, but his Belgian compatriot likes to play slightly higher, and the added protection of Onana gives him licence to do so.
The 23-year-old is already averaging 7.79 duels won, 1.61 interceptions, and 2.42 aerial duels won per 90 in the Premier League. To be such a dominant force defensively at his age is incredibly impressive.
Ramsey and John McGinn are often deployed in the wide areas, on paper, but the Villa duo are naturally central players, so will often tuck inside to create a box midfield. Due to Villa having plenty of bodies to protect themselves in transition, this is allowing Onana and Tielemans to both get involved in the player higher up the pitch. They certainly benefited against Young Boys in the Champions League last week.
Onana has already scored as many goals for Villa as he did for Lille and Hamburg, while he’s one away from matching his tally for Everton. The young midfielder was often criticised during his time at Goodison Park, with plenty arguing that he needed a higher-level environment to flourish, and that’s starting to be proved right.
Premier League shooting stats, 2024/25 season
It’s a small sample size, but Onana is starting to become a threat in the final third, something we barely saw during his time at Everton. Dyche’s midfielders were rarely given licence to go forward during Onana’s time at the club, but Emery’s style means we are starting to see Onana make an impact at both ends of the pitch.
Against Everton in the Premier League, the midfielder produced a disappointing display, fumbling possession in the middle of the park to allow Dwight McNeil to score before being hooked at half-time. Just a few days later, he bounced back with an 8.1 FotMob rating against Young Boys and a long-range finish, showing his mentality to put poor performances behind him.
Villa are currently sitting pretty in third place in the Premier League, and Onana has quickly become undroppable in the middle of the park for Emery. The Belgian powerhouse is making an impact domestically and in Europe, and it’s easy to see why the Midlands club were keen to spend a large amount of cash to prise him away from Goodison Park.
Still being just 23 years old, Onana has plenty of room to grow and is still far from reaching his full potential. In a few year’s time, there’s a good chance we’re looking back at the price Villa paid and considering it a bargain in the modern era.
(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.
Four unbeaten teams faced off this weekend and all four teams held on to their unbeaten records. Surprisingly, though, no player from that quartet of teams make it into the FotMob Team of the Week.
Who did make the XI though and what was the justification for it?
Goalkeeper: Dean Henderson
Henderson put on a goalkeeping clinic against his former employers as Crystal Palace claimed a point against Manchester United. The shot-stopper was extremely busy at Selhurst Park, making seven saves having faced efforts with an Expected Goals value of 1.9. The clean sheet was hard-earned and well-deserved. His FotMob rating of 9.2 was more than justified. The 27-year-old almost single-handedly frustrated the Red Devils as the Eagles picked up a third successive draw in the Premier League.
Right-Back: Ezri Konsa
The versatile defender impressed as Aston Villa came from behind to claim all three points against Wolves. The 26-year-old scored the second goal for the Villans to cap off a fine performance. Konsa completed 97% of his passes, won 100% of his tackles and triumphed in five of his seven ground duels. It was a dominant defensive showing. Even without the goal, he did more than enough to catch the eye. The goal just ensured everyone recognised his performance.
Centre-Back: Ibrahima Konaté
The Liverpool defender bossed things at Anfield as the Reds claimed a 3-0 win over Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon. Konaté won 100% of his aerial duels, made two blocks, recovered the ball on six occasions and made six clearances. The France centre-back attempted 110 passes and had a significant hand in two of the goals scored by the hosts. He finished with an assist, having played a Trent Alexander-Arnold-esque ball into the path of Luis Díaz for the opener.
Centre-Back: Cristian Romero
By his standards, he had a quiet game. Romero didn’t score and he wasn’t involved in any controversy. The World Cup winner was solid though, for Spurs, in the win over Brentford. He completed 87% of his passes and 60% of his long passes. The Argentine made three interceptions and 12 ball recoveries as Tottenham came from behind to claim a 3-1 win. He also won two of his three aerial duels. Nothing fancy from the No. 17, but exactly what Spurs needed on the day.
Left-Back: Ashley Young
Young rolled back the years in Everton’s 1-1 draw with Leicester City. For starters, the 39-year-old claimed an assist. He created two chances and completed 80% of his passes at Goodison Park. The left-back completed 100% of his dribbles, won 100% of his tackles, recovered the ball on eight occasions and won 100% of his ground duels.
Midfield: Moisés Caicedo
Caicedo bossed things for Chelsea against West Ham United. The £100million signing earned a FotMob rating of 8.5 on Saturday afternoon. The 22-year-old completed 87% of his passes and claimed an assist in the 3-0 win for the Blues. Caciedo was involved in eight tackles and 16 duels. In total, he made 14 defensive actions as Chelsea kept a clean sheet to extend their good start to the season.
Midfield: James Maddison
The 27-year-old was deployed in a deeper role by Spurs in the win over Brentford and it suited him perfectly. Maddison claimed an 8.9 FotMob rating. He carved out three chances for teammates, attempted 11 dribbles and, incredibly, involved himself in 23 duels. The England international was a creative maestro and capped off this performance with a goal, his first of the season.
Attack: Heung-Min Son
Son ran riot against Brentford. The Spurs skipper created seven chances against the Bees and finished the game with two assists. With Dominic Solanke leading the line, the South Korea international was able to operate as more of a creative outlet for Spurs and he thrived in the role. He wasn’t much of an attacking threat himself, finishing the game having taken just one shot. But it highlihted his duality as a player – one week he’s the main man in attack, the next he’s the one pulling the strings as the creator. Thomas Frank’s men had no answer to his exploits in the final third.
Attack: Morgan Rogers
Rogers has started the season in fine form. However, the 22-year-old levelled up against Wolves this past weekend. The Manchester City academy graduate, who has four goals in four England Under-21 appearances, claimed two assists as Villa overturned a 1-0 deficit to pick up all three points. He created three chances at Villa Park and attempted six dribbles on his way to an 8.6 FotMob rating.
Attack: Luis Díaz
Another two goals for Díaz as the Liverpool No. 7 continued his ruthless streak in front of goal. The 27-year-old had four shots, all of which worked the goalkeeper, as he terrorised the Cherries at Anfield. He also created a chance, completed 94% of his attempted passes and tested the Bournemouth backline with five dribbles. His showing earned him a 9.2 rating, his highest rating of the season so far.
Attack: Nicolas Jackson
Jackson has started the season like a man possessed. The Chelsea frontman made it four goals in five starts after netting a double against West Ham United. He also created two chances in the win over the Hammers, and assisted Cole Palmer for his goal. It was a performance that any centre-forward in the Premier League would’ve been proud of. He was ruthless and efficient in the final third.
(Images from IMAGO)
You can follow every match from the Premier League live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage, xG and player ratings. Download the free app here.
Four unbeaten teams faced off this weekend and all four teams held on to their unbeaten records. Surprisingly, though, no player from that quartet of teams make it into the FotMob Team of the Week.
Who did make the XI though and what was the justification for it?
Goalkeeper: Dean Henderson
Henderson put on a goalkeeping clinic against his former employers as Crystal Palace claimed a point against Manchester United. The shot-stopper was extremely busy at Selhurst Park, making seven saves having faced efforts with an Expected Goals value of 1.9. The clean sheet was hard-earned and well-deserved. His FotMob rating of 9.2 was more than justified. The 27-year-old almost single-handedly frustrated the Red Devils as the Eagles picked up a third successive draw in the Premier League.
Right-Back: Ezri Konsa
The versatile defender impressed as Aston Villa came from behind to claim all three points against Wolves. The 26-year-old scored the second goal for the Villans to cap off a fine performance. Konsa completed 97% of his passes, won 100% of his tackles and triumphed in five of his seven ground duels. It was a dominant defensive showing. Even without the goal, he did more than enough to catch the eye. The goal just ensured everyone recognised his performance.
Centre-Back: Ibrahima Konaté
The Liverpool defender bossed things at Anfield as the Reds claimed a 3-0 win over Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon. Konaté won 100% of his aerial duels, made two blocks, recovered the ball on six occasions and made six clearances. The France centre-back attempted 110 passes and had a significant hand in two of the goals scored by the hosts. He finished with an assist, having played a Trent Alexander-Arnold-esque ball into the path of Luis Díaz for the opener.
Centre-Back: Cristian Romero
By his standards, he had a quiet game. Romero didn’t score and he wasn’t involved in any controversy. The World Cup winner was solid though, for Spurs, in the win over Brentford. He completed 87% of his passes and 60% of his long passes. The Argentine made three interceptions and 12 ball recoveries as Tottenham came from behind to claim a 3-1 win. He also won two of his three aerial duels. Nothing fancy from the No. 17, but exactly what Spurs needed on the day.
Left-Back: Ashley Young
Young rolled back the years in Everton’s 1-1 draw with Leicester City. For starters, the 39-year-old claimed an assist. He created two chances and completed 80% of his passes at Goodison Park. The left-back completed 100% of his dribbles, won 100% of his tackles, recovered the ball on eight occasions and won 100% of his ground duels.
Midfield: Moisés Caicedo
Caicedo bossed things for Chelsea against West Ham United. The £100million signing earned a FotMob rating of 8.5 on Saturday afternoon. The 22-year-old completed 87% of his passes and claimed an assist in the 3-0 win for the Blues. Caciedo was involved in eight tackles and 16 duels. In total, he made 14 defensive actions as Chelsea kept a clean sheet to extend their good start to the season.
Midfield: James Maddison
The 27-year-old was deployed in a deeper role by Spurs in the win over Brentford and it suited him perfectly. Maddison claimed an 8.9 FotMob rating. He carved out three chances for teammates, attempted 11 dribbles and, incredibly, involved himself in 23 duels. The England international was a creative maestro and capped off this performance with a goal, his first of the season.
Attack: Heung-Min Son
Son ran riot against Brentford. The Spurs skipper created seven chances against the Bees and finished the game with two assists. With Dominic Solanke leading the line, the South Korea international was able to operate as more of a creative outlet for Spurs and he thrived in the role. He wasn’t much of an attacking threat himself, finishing the game having taken just one shot. But it highlihted his duality as a player – one week he’s the main man in attack, the next he’s the one pulling the strings as the creator. Thomas Frank’s men had no answer to his exploits in the final third.
Attack: Morgan Rogers
Rogers has started the season in fine form. However, the 22-year-old levelled up against Wolves this past weekend. The Manchester City academy graduate, who has four goals in four England Under-21 appearances, claimed two assists as Villa overturned a 1-0 deficit to pick up all three points. He created three chances at Villa Park and attempted six dribbles on his way to an 8.6 FotMob rating.
Attack: Luis Díaz
Another two goals for Díaz as the Liverpool No. 7 continued his ruthless streak in front of goal. The 27-year-old had four shots, all of which worked the goalkeeper, as he terrorised the Cherries at Anfield. He also created a chance, completed 94% of his attempted passes and tested the Bournemouth backline with five dribbles. His showing earned him a 9.2 rating, his highest rating of the season so far.
Attack: Nicolas Jackson
Jackson has started the season like a man possessed. The Chelsea frontman made it four goals in five starts after netting a double against West Ham United. He also created two chances in the win over the Hammers, and assisted Cole Palmer for his goal. It was a performance that any centre-forward in the Premier League would’ve been proud of. He was ruthless and efficient in the final third.
(Images from IMAGO)
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The first big clash of title hopefuls for the 2024/25 Serie A season takes place with the Milan derby on Sunday night, with both Inter and AC having shared similarities, but also wild contrasts, from their midweek buildup.
Shared stadium aside, reigning champions Inter are the ‘home’ team – and it’s hard to argue against absolutely everything being in their favour.
While Inter have started out the year with two wins, two draws and a very credible stalemate at Manchester City in the Champions League, for the Rossoneri it has been rather different. Their only win from four in the top flight came last week against the league’s bottom side, Venezia, and in midweek it was merely ten minutes of optimism before a chastening rest of the match as they were soundly beaten 3-1 by Liverpool after initially taking the lead.
Already there are dissenting voices around the club aimed at new head coach Paulo Fonseca, with some Italian outlets reporting if he doesn’t win the derby he’ll be out of a job. Igor Tudor, Edin Terzic and Thomas Tuchel are among those who have been linked, meaning a quick upturn in fortunes is required for Fonseca’s AC side.
Four league matches isn’t much to take in terms of data, but they are third in the league for possession and shots on target, second for corners and expected goals, first for penalties awarded and touches in the box. All of that points to attacking cohesion and creation of chances – yet at the other end of the pitch it’s a different story.
Six conceded could be dismissed as a false start if the numbers didn’t show they were leaking chances, but their xG conceded stands at 5.0, middle of the league, and the defeat at Parma highlighted an issue: four big chances allowed to a team which had 39% possession. While Parma’s total xG was lower than Milan’s own, much of Fonseca’s side’s chances came from set plays.
They are wide open, were soundly beaten by set pieces against Liverpool too and come into the derby with a fine front four, but massive concerns over the back five and midfield protection – plus goalkeeper Mike Maignan went off injured.
Inter have no such concerns. While not perfectly purring, they’ve created 14 big chances, they’ve conceded three goals. They are third for xG conceded and fourth for xG. There is balance, there is quiet expectation and there is a settled side – and above all else, in Simone Inzaghi, a head coach comfortable in his job.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
You can follow every game from Serie A with FotMob this season — featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.
It might be too early for a title decider, but Sunday’s clash between Manchester City and Arsenal could have a big bearing on the outcome of the 2023/24 Premier League season.
Having gone head-to-head for the title in each of the last two seasons, the two rivals could produce a memorable spectacle at the Etihad Stadium.
Final Premier League standings, 2023/24
However, the absence of Martin Ødegaard through injury could impact the dynamic of the game as it did Arsenal’s goalless draw against Atalanta in the Champions League on Thursday. The Gunners don’t have another player who can create like the Norwegian can and so Mikel Arteta might have no choice but to set his team to be more conservative.
Of course, this is something Arsenal did at the Etihad Stadium last season when they held Manchester City to a 0-0 draw. Ultimately, though, that result contributed to Arsenal losing the title race by just two points. An away win over the defending champions would electrify the Gunners’ entire season and grow belief they can go the full distance this time.
City also enter Sunday’s match on the back of a goalless draw in the Champions League, but Pep Guardiola’s team have the highest Expected Goals (xG) per 90 minutes in the Premier League this season (9.3) with Erling Haaland currently on a run of nine goals in his last four league appearances.
Haaland and co. will pose the biggest threat to Arsenal’s defence this season, but if any centre back pairing can handle the Norwegian striker, it’s likely Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba. The Gunners have conceded just once in four league games this season and that defensive resolution is largely due to the partnership of Gabriel and Saliba, although David Raya’s outstanding recent form has been a factor too.
Set pieces will be a key battleground on Sunday. No team has scored more Premier League goals from set pieces since the start of last season than Arsenal (22) and so with Ødegaard missing, this could be how the visitors to the Etihad Stadium pose a threat to the Manchester City goal. That is how they claimed three points against Spurs last weekend.
For two teams with so much attacking talent, Sunday’s clash could be a cagey affair. Arsenal will probably set up to limit City, like they did in the same fixture last season, while the importance of the match might also lead to a more cautionary approach from the hosts. Nonetheless, this has the potential to be a defining match in the 2024/24 campaign.
(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.
