Page 2 – The Pulse of Football

Jan

2025

Preview: Arsenal travel to Girona looking to secure direct path to the R16

Girona will host Arsenal in the Champions League at the Estadi Motilivi in a game that means very little to one side and plenty to the other. The Spanish outfit have already succumbed to an early exit, while the Gunners could secure their place in the next round.

By Matt Smith

This will be the first time the two sides have met in their history, with it being the first season Girona have ever competed in the Champions League. The Gunners are currently sitting in third place in the table and need just one point to ensure their place in the final 16.

Tottenham loanee will miss out

Girona coach Michel will be without tricky attacker Bryan Gil for the clash with Arsenal after the Tottenham loanee picked up his third yellow card of the competition, meaning he will serve a one-game ban.

Paulo Gazzaniga and Daley Blind both suffered injuries against Rayo Vallecano in LaLiga last time out, so they might not be available for this one.

Girona’s lack of pressing won’t suit Arsenal

Arsenal have struggled at times this season against sides who sit deep and look to absorb the pressure. Girona have set up just like that in their debut Champions League appearance, rarely pressing high up the pitch and allowing opposition teams to play.

*Girona sit 36/36 in terms of possession won in the final third*

In fact, no side in the competition has won possession in the final third than Girona, doing so just 2.4 times per game. In possession, Girona will look to keep the ball, but without it, they could frustrate an Arsenal side who will be desperate to secure the three points.

Arteta will be sweating on Ødegaard readiness

Martin Ødegaard missed Arsenal’s trip to Wolves last time out, alongside Mikel Merino. The duo had been involved in recent weeks, but were unexpectedly absent from their previous match in the Premier League. Mikel Arteta will be hoping they’ve shaken off their troubles and will be available to face Girona.

Long-term absentees Ben White, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Gabriel Jesus, and Bukayo Saka will all be unavailable for the Gunners as they continue their recovery from injury.

Havertz flying high in Europe

Despite some inconsistent form in the Premier League, Kai Havertz has been prolific in front of goal in the Champions League. The German international has scored four times overall, finding the back of the net in three consecutive games.

With Jesus out injured at the moment, there is plenty of pressure on the shoulders of Havertz. The Gunners are yet to sign a new centre-forward in the January transfer window, so it’s an opportunity for the former Bayer Leverkusen man to prove that he’s the man to lead the line for Arteta for the rest of the campaign.

Prediction

Arsenal should have too much quality for Girona. Arteta’s side are playing for qualification, while it’s a meaningless game for Girona due to the Spanish side already being eliminated.

We’re going for a 2-0 victory to the Premier League giants.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Champions League with FotMob this season — featuring deep stats coverage, xG, player ratings, and a new super-intuitive knockout stage bracket. Download the free app here.

Jan

2025

Preview: Liverpool visit PSV looking to complete unbeaten League Phase

PSV and Liverpool have already secured their place in the Champions League knockout rounds, but both teams are aiming to finish their league phase on a high note.

By Graham Ruthven

Mission accomplished

On a night that promises chaos across 18 simultaneous matches to conclude the league phase of this season’s Champions League, this game doesn’t have so much riding on it.

Liverpool arrive in Eindhoven at the top of the 32-team table having won seven out of seven so far while PSV have already secured their place in the knockout rounds. For both teams, the hard work has already been done.

Nonetheless, Wednesday’s encounter at the Philips Stadium promises to be an entertaining one between two sides that like to attack – both teams are the current top scorers in their respective domestic leagues.

Arne Slot’s Liverpool are widely considered the strongest team in English, and European, football right now, but the former Feyenoord boss has won just one of his previous seven matches against PSV.

Of course, this will have little bearing now that Slot is at the helm of a different team, but Liverpool will have to improve on a stodgy performance in their last Champions League outing against Lille.

While a top eight finish might be beyond PSV, a positive result in their final league phase fixture could see them secure a seeded position for the first round of the knockouts.

Key players

Ricardo Pepi is PSV’s top scorer this season and increased his tally to 11 goals by finding the back of the net in the weekend win over NAC Breda.

However, Pepi is likely to start on the bench with Luuk de Jong favoured as Peter Bosz’s first-choice number nine. Johan Bakayoko and Noa Lang will also provide goal threat from the wide areas.

*PSV’s top goalscorers, Eredivisie 2024/25*

Jerdy Schouten and Joey Veerman will have their work cut out to disrupt Liverpool’s rhythm in central midfield. Indeed, the Reds are expected to field a formidable midfield unit including Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch.

Darwin Núñez is in line for another start at the head of Liverpool’s forward line even though the Uruguayan striker has only scored once in seven Champions League appearances this season.

Naturally, Mohamed Salah will be Liverpool’s biggest goal threat having registered 23 strikes in all competitions this season. Cody Gakpo is also in good goal-scoring form and is fresh from bagging a brace against Ipswich Town.

Team news

After seeing red against Crvena Zvedza, the wonderfully named Ryan Flamingo will miss Wednesday’s match through suspension while Sergino Dest remains a long-term absentee through injury. This leaves PSV short of options at right back.

Malik Tillman similarly would have missed the match against Liverpool through suspension, but the USA international is currently injured anyway. Adam Nagolo is also a doubt for the Eredivisie table-toppers.

Curtis Jones could be sidelined after being forced off against Lille last week with Diogo Jota and Joe Gomez still not ready to return to action. Otherwise, Slot has a full squad to choose from.

Prediction

As the current league leaders, and top scorers in the Netherlands, PSV should get on the scoresheet, but they might not be the side to halt Liverpool’s perfect record in the Champions League this season: PSV 1-3 Liverpool.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

Jan

2025

Alexander Isak: A man in form and in demand

Alexander Isak is the best striker in the Premier League right now.

By Sam McGuire

Yes, he’s better than Erling Haaland.

The Newcastle United striker took a detour to the top. He burst onto the scene as a 16-year-old for AIK and was snapped up by Borussia Dortmund just shy of 12 months after netting his first goal for the Swedish side.

Dubbed the ‘New Zlatan Ibrahimović’, Dortmund parted with a rumoured £7.5million fee to sign the 17-year-old. He reportedly rejected a move to Real Madrid with his eyes firmly on playing first-team football on a regular basis.

His time in Germany was disappointing though and he was limited to just a handful of appearances. The club decided to loan him to Eredivisie side Willem II. While there, he became the first foreign-born player in the Eredivisie to score 12 goals in his first 12 league games and he finished his stint with the club having scored 14 in 18 appearances across all competitions.

Real Sociedad, surprisingly, won the race to sign him after the impressive loan stint in Holland. Isak had a few injury issues in Spain but posted solid enough numbers. During his second season with the club, he scored 17 LaLiga goals. It was a glimpse into what might be. Either side of that, however, he found the back of the net a combined 15 times.

He was linked with big moves but top tier clubs refused to pull the trigger on him. Newcastle made the bold decision to make him their main man in attack, agreeing to pay a fee believed to be in the region of £63million.

It was an eye-watering amount. A club-record fee. It was a deal that had people raising eyebrows. The Magpies were paying for potential rather than quality. At least, they were at the time, anyway.

He settled into life in the Premier League with 10 goals in his debut campaign. It was a season impacted by a thigh injury that kept him sidelined for 19 games. Many wondered whether this might be a sign of things to come.

It wasn’t though.

*Isak Premier League shot map, 2023/24 season*

Well, groin injuries kept him out for 12 games last season but he still netted 21 Premier League goals. Despite the lofty price-tag reportedly placed on him, he was linked to Chelsea and Arsenal with both teams in the market for a goalscoring centre-forward. He remained at St James’ Park this summer but this could well be his last campaign with the Magpies.

Isak has carried his goalscoring form of yesteryear into the current season. He’s on 17 for the season already in just 21 matches.

He’s also chipped in with five assists, taking his tally to 22 goal involvements in the Premier League. It is a total that only Mohamed Salah (32) can better.

*Premier League goals + assists, 2024/25*

The Newcastle striker scored in eight successive matches before blanking against Bournemouth recently. He then found the back of the net twice in the win over Southampton to take his tally to 13 goals since the start of December. He’s also scored in nine of his last 10 matches in the English top-flight and 10 in his last 11 outings across all competitions. And these goals have come against top opposition too.

He scored and assisted against league leaders Liverpool. He’s found the back of the net against Chelsea and Arsenal, both in cup competition and in the league, as well as scoring against Tottenham, Aston Villa and Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Isak is no flat-track bully.

His FotMob rating og 7.63 is the fifth highest in the Premier League this term. The 25-year-old is performing at an elite level.

At the time of writing, Isak ranks third for goals scored behind Erling Haaland (18) and Salah (19). He’s also third for Expected Goals behind the same two players and third for Expected Goals on Target. It shows his output is sustainable.

He’s fifth for xG on a per 90 basis and only 21st for shots. The likes of Matheus Cunha, Raúl Jiménez, Eberechi Eze and Antoine Semenyo have averaged more efforts per 90. It shows that he’s not reliant on volume and he’s a genuine goal threat and a chance-getter.

His 3.31 shots per 90 is relatively low for a top-class striker. They tend to be dangerous because of the shot volume they’re able to generate. The likes of Salah and Haaland regularly average over four shots. A difference of 0.7 might not seem like a lot but over a 38-game campaign it is 27 more shots. That is a significant amount.

Newcastle play to his strengths, as referenced by Eddie Howe after the win over Southampton.

“We try to get a balance between information and freedom,” said Howe of his management of the Sweden international. “I think he’s so creative naturally that putting too many restrictions on his game in terms of where he moves would be a negative.

Now reportedly wanted by Liverpool as well as Arsenal, Isak could soon become the most expensive signing in Premier League history, surpassing the £114million Chelsea spent on Enzo Fernández. Newcastle are believed to want £120million for the 25-year-old, though he’s only valued at £70million right now on FotMob.

And if the reports are true and he’s liked by the top two in the league, they could well get that sort of money. Arsenal have already spent over £100million on a player when they signed Declan Rice. Liverpool were prepared to pay that when they bid for Moises Caicedo.

Isak could’ve been one of those wonderkids who falls into purgatory after one wrong transfer move. He got his career back on track though and is now destined for the very top. It is exactly where he belongs.

(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

Analysis: Dortmund’s disappointing season is a reflection of bigger issues

Borussia Dortmund sacked Nuri Şahin last week on the back of a run of four consecutive losses since the turn of the year. While the young Turkish coach’s tactics had various issues, the fact that this is the club’s fifth coaching change in just over four years points to much larger issues.

By Neel Shelat

Borussia Dortmund are currently all the way down in 11th place in the Bundesliga standings, on course for their worst season since 2007/08. The decision to sack head coach Nuri Şahin is hardly surprising, then, but it will hardly change much on its own.

Tactical issues under Şahin

Şahin joined Borussia Dortmund at the very end of 2023, initially as an assistant coach under Edin Terzić. His only previous senior coaching experience was a two-year stint at Antalyaspor, but he seemingly had a positive impact on the side. The team’s domestic performance improved enough to consolidate a top-five spot and they also went on to reach their first UEFA Champions League final in over a decade.

So, when Terzić left his post last summer, Şahin was backed as his successor. The team never got going under him, though, as they are yet to string together a run of more than two victories this season. Their recent form has been particularly poor as they have won just one of their last ten matches, so a change certainly is needed.

One of the biggest issues that the Turkish coach faced was an inability to get Dortmund’s attack clicking. Most opponents were quite happy to cede possession against his side, which is why they have the second-highest possession average in the league at close to 60%. However, they were much closer to the mid-table teams in terms of chance creation as they were very easily stifled in the opposition’s half.

Dortmund’s attacking contingent this season features a lot of quick forwards who might not be the best with the ball at their feet but certainly can trouble opposition defences in more open games. Such a front line could be best utilised by trying to adopt a more direct and transitional approach, so Şahin’s patient possession play did not get the best out of his side. Very often, the team showed no attacking ideas beyond looking for Jamie Gittens – the only standout dribbler on the pitch. It should be no surprise, then, that the young Englishman is the only one of their players with a double-digit league league goal involvements tally.

*Dortmund goals + assists, Bundesliga 2024/25*

Incredibly, Dortmund’s defensive numbers look even worse. Their high press was particularly poor as most opponents easily cut through it, while individual mistakes often cost them in their own half. Bad luck with injuries did not help, but their defensive record was far too bad to use that as a reasonable excuse.

Poor recruitment

While Şahin was rightly sacked for taking a Champions League-level squad into the bottom half of the table, the real issue for Borussia Dortmund is that they have gone from being one of the clear top-two in Germany to struggling to keep up with the top four. Indeed, their fifth-place finish last season was a perfectly fair reflection of their level, so it was their Champions League run which was rather deceptive as they faced relatively easier opponents en route to the final.

The likes of RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen have done well to raise their level in recent years, but Dortmund have really been the masters of their own downfall when it comes to falling out of the top two. Some analysts have suggested that their approach of buying and developing highly promising young talents to sell them on for big profits held them back from winning the title, but that likely is not the root of the issue; BVB came within two points of the title in 2018/19 and only lost out on goal difference a couple of seasons ago.

Instead, their failure to continue identifying and recruiting top-class talents is a more plausible explanation for their recent downward trajectory. Dortmund continued to sign some great prospects in the late 2010s and even early 2020s including the likes of Jadon Sancho, Erling Haaland and Jude Bellingham. They earned huge profits on each of their sales between 2021 and 2023, but failed to reinvest any of that money on similar players. Instead, they spread out their returns on more experienced but less promising signings who have gone on to be pretty mediocre, thus bringing down the overall quality of the squad.

Management drama

Diagnosing the cause of Borussia Dortmund’s poor recruitment is quite an easy task. Particularly over the last year or so, there has been a big power struggle among the management. Sporting director Sebastian Kehl and squad planner Sven Mislintat – whose designations alone suggest a great degree of overlap between their roles – have reportedly been at odds ever since the latter arrived last April. They were said to have disagreed over most transfer decisions, so it is no surprise that Dortmund’s recruitment was poor last summer.

Mislintat was sacked earlier today, so the club have clearly decided to take some action and work on this issue. Kehl’s position reportedly is not entirely safe either – even though he signed a contract extension earlier this month!

Amid such uncertainty, it seems quite likely that Dortmund will be compelled to treat the current season as a write-off. Under-19 head coach Mike Tullberg has stepped into the senior position for the time being, but his lack of experience will likely prevent him from sticking around for a long time. Whether the club goes for a long-term replacement or interim coach until the end of the season remains to be seen, but their next big decisions will have to be made at the management level.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Bundesliga on FotMob – with deep stats, xG, and players ratings. Download the free app here.

Jan

2025

Premier League Team of the Week: Matchday 23

The FotMob Team of the Week is dominated by two sides for Matchday 23. After dismantling high-flying Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth have four players in the XI while table-topping Liverpool have three in the team. There’s a fifth appearance of the season for an in-form striker too.

By Sam McGuire

Who made the cut though and why?

Goalkeeper: Kepa Arrizabalaga

Chelsea opted to retain Robert Sánchez this summer and loan out the most expensive goalkeeper ever in Kepa. On Saturday, Sánchez was at fault for the defeat to Manchester City. Meanwhile, the Spain international was impressing between the sticks for Bournemouth. The 30-year-old made four saves and kept a clean sheet as the Cherries recorded a 5-0 win over Nottingham Forest. He faced shots with an Expected Goals value of 1.02 but repelled all of the away side’s efforts in what was a commanding showing.

Right-Back: Trent Alexander-Arnold

Alexander-Arnold wasn’t at his creative best against Ipswich Town, creating just one chance for Liverpool. But what a chance it was though. He put in a cross that was so perfectly weighted for Cody Gakpo to nod home. His overall game was positive though. He struck the woodwork with one effort, completed 83% of his passes, 100% of his dribbles and won five of his seven ground duels. The 8.4 FotMob rating was more than deserved.

Centre-Back: Ibrahima Konaté

Konaté was a behemoth for Liverpool in their win over Ipswich at Anfield. The 25-year-old attempted 125 passes for the Reds and found a teammate 93% of the time. He created two chances and claimed an assist. The France centre-back won the most duels (12) and this was made up of eight out of 10 ground duels and four from four aerial duels. The former RB Leipzig man recovered the ball on six occasions too. He did more than enough for a clean sheet but Arne Slot’s side conceded late on.

Centre-Back: Emmanuel Agbadou

The January signing for Wolves impressed in the defeat to Arsenal. The powerhouse centre-back completed the most dribbles (four), the most passes (58), made the most tackles (five) and won a remarkable 18 duels, the highest total of the match. He was a one-man wrecking ball against the Gunners and did not deserve to be on the losing side. The 27-year-old could prove to be one of the signings of the window if this sort of performance becomes the norm.

Left-Back: Joško Gvardiol

Gvardiol is now on five Premier League goals for the season following his strike against Chelsea. In truth, he could’ve had a couple against the Blues at the Etihad. He was getting into some dangerous positions with great regularity. He had a total of three shots and had an Expected Goals total of 1.1. The versatile defender also completed the most dribbles (five), a remarkable stat considering the talent on the pitch on Saturday evening. He also won five of his seven duels, showing he’s impactful at both ends of the pitch.

Midfield: Phil Foden

It wasn’t just Manchester City against Chelsea on Saturday, it was Phil Foden against Cole Palmer. The latter has had a better season but the former won the battle at the Etihad. Foden scored a goal, completed 88% of his passes, had five touches in the opposition’s penalty area and completed two of his three attempted dribbles. His goal in the 87th minute killed off the tie and earned him a FotMob rating of 8.4.

Midfield: Justin Kluivert

Another week, another eye-catching showing from the in-form Bournemouth maestro. Kluivert has scored in three successive matches for the Cherries now and his haul for the season stands at 11 goals and four assists following his goal and assist against Forest. Having finally found a home, the Dutchman is living up to his potential. He completed the most dribbles (four) and was substituted off after 88 minutes with a pass success rate of 100%.

Midfield: Tyler Adams

Tyler Adams claimed two assists for Bournemouth in their emphatic victory over Nottingham Forest. The 25-year-old was barely involved, all things considered, attempting just 27 passes at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday, but he created two chances and both were converted. He did complete 85% of his passes while also winning seven of his 10 duels. He also attempted five tackles and made two interceptions in what was a dominant middle-third showing.

Midfield: Cody Gakpo

Gakpo finished the game against Ipswich with two goals and an assist on Saturday at Anfield. He earned a FotMob rating of 9.2 for his exploits in the final third. He was unstoppable at times, completing two of his three dribbles, having a non-penalty Expected Goals total of 1.09, a total that was comfortably the highest of the match with the Reds only creating chances with an Expected Goals haul of 1.98. He was their main man in a match they simply had to win.

Attack: Dango Ouattara

The Bournemouth striker earned the highest FotMob rating of the week with a 9.6 following his three goal haul against Nottingham Forest. He also had a goal ruled out for offside in what was an exciting showing from the 22-year-old versatile attacker. Ouattara finished with 100% shot accuracy and he completed 100% of his dribbles. He’s now on 10 goal involvements for the season in the Premier League.

Attack: Alexander Isak

Isak’s remarkable run of goals came to an abrupt end against Bournemouth last weekend. The drought didn’t last long though. The Sweden international netted twice in the win over Southampton on Saturday to take his tally for the season to 17. He was the star of the show in the game, with a 9.2 FotMob rating, having landed all four of his efforts on target. He also created a chance and won a penalty that he went on to convert. The 25-year-old is very much in contention for the Golden Boot.

(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.

Jan

2025

Preview: Barcelona face improving Valencia at Montjuic

Barcelona will be hoping to put an end to a drop-off in league form as they host Valencia in LaLiga.

By Matt Smith

The away side have seen an improvement on results under new manager Carlos Corberan, and he’s preparing to face Barcelona for the first time in his managerial career.

Valencia have struggled in recent years on their travels to Barcelona, failing to pick up three points since 2016 in LaLiga. When the two sides met earlier in the season, Barca secured the victory with a 2-1 win thanks to a brace from Robert Lewandowski.

Dani Olmo could miss out

Dani Olmo wasn’t named in the squad to face Benfica in the Champions League earlier this week, so it will be interesting to see if he recovers in time to make this one.

Barcelona confirmed last week that Olmo would miss the trip to Portugal due to picking up a ‘right soleus strain’. Iñigo Martínez, Marc Bernal, and Marc-André ter Stegen remain out.

Barcelona need to shake off disappointing form

Although Barcelona have been in impressive form in all competitions, Hansi Flick’s side have struggled in LaLiga of late. Sitting 18^th in the form table, Barcelona will need to start picking up results in the league if they want to mount a serious charge for the title.

Raphinha has undoubtedly been one of Barcelona’s key stars over the last few weeks and has been at the heart of everything. The Brazilian forward has provided six goals and assists combined in his last four games in all competitions, including a 9.4-rated performance against Real Madrid.

Barcelona’s home form has been a bit of a worry this season, already losing three games from eight on their own turf.

Corberan has injury doubts

Thierry Correia will be unavailable for Valencia ahead of their trip to Barcelona, while Mouctar Diakhaby, Rafa Mir, and Umar Sadiq are doubtful.

Dimitri Foulquier was also unable to complete training this week, so it will be interesting to see whether he makes the squad.

Turning a corner under Corberan

Valencia are starting to steer in the right direction after Corberan was appointed just a few weeks ago. Starting with an unfortunate 2-1 defeat at home to Real Madrid, Valencia have since been unbeaten and are slowly battling to climb out of the relegation zone.

Last time out, Valencia secured an impressive 1-0 victory over Real Sociedad in LaLiga, with a game plan that Corberan will likely have to replicate. Valencia had just 35% possession, but they produced 1.64 expected goals from just seven shots.

Barcelona are likely to dominate the ball against Corberan’s side, so hitting them on the counter-attack and creating chances when they do have possession will be pivotal.

Prediction

Corberan has certainly tightened Valencia up defensively, so we’re not expecting too many goals in this one. Barcelona have been finding the net regularly of late, but Valencia will be sitting deep and absorbing the pressure. We’re going for a 2-0 victory for Barcelona, who could have too much quality for the away side.

(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.

Jan

2025

Preview: Fulham welcome Manchester United to the Cottage

At risk of being the worst version of Manchester United ever, a last-minute winner did move them closer to Europa League last-16 qualification in midweek – are things suddenly looking up for Rúben Amorim and his inconsistent crew?

By Karl Matchett

From midweek smiles to weekend reality checks

Probably it’s a bit early to be drawing such optimistic conclusions. While incremental improvements and stoppage time celebrations are all positive and lead to an uplift in morale, the brutal truth is United head to Fulham, hardly one of the Premier League’s superpowers, three places lower than them in the table and a full seven points adrift.

Amorim may spin it as one defeat in United’s last five, but in the top flight it’s still one win in six – and that came against the bottom club. Add in the fact that United have managed two wins in ten on the road this term and this isn’t likely to be an away day they relish in West London. Amorim still hasn’t worked out his strongest team, and while that’s fine considering the time he’s had at the club, a bigger issue is how vulnerable they look on the road. Only Bruno Fernandes has averaged two shots or more in away games this term and the team as a whole only has six open play goals away too.

Recent form

Fulham are the draw specialists recently. Four straight draws on home soil mean they’ve only lost two of 11 at Craven Cottage, but have also drawn nine of 22 in total – only Brighton have drawn more. Factoring in FA Cup as well as league, it’s just one defeat in 11 for the Cottagers, four of them wins – and they’ve played each of Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal in that period.

Go back to the opening day of the campaign, mind, and it was Man United who emerged triumphant as these two sides met – a late Joshua Zirkzee goal enough to earn Erik ten Hag three points. He didn’t get too many more thereafter.

Team news

Fulham are missing right-back Kenny Tete and squad winger Reiss Nelson, but are otherwise at full strength. Amorim is without Luke Shaw and Mason Mount as usual, while centre-backs Victor Lindelof and Jonny Evans are sidelined too. Everyone else is available, with some suggesting Altay Bayındır may have shown enough in Europe to get a chance in goal domestically.

Key player

Fulham make more accurate crosses per game than any other team in the league (6.2) and have been awarded the third-highest number of penalties (four). Add those two attacking traits together and what you get is a rejuvenated Raúl Jiménez, with eight goals this term from an xG of 8.1. He’s averaging 3.5 shots per 90, plus has created five big chances and has won 40 aerial duels – more than 85 per cent of strikers in the league. The Mexican finally looks like he’s back to near his old effective self and Fulham are reaping the rewards.

*Jiménez shooting stats, Premier League 2024/25*

Prediction

More away day misery for United and Amorim. Fulham 2 United 1.

(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

Preview: Leicester look to break seven game losing streak at Spurs

Spurs managed to get past Bundesliga crisis club Hoffenheim; can they continue this run against a similarly out-of-sorts Leicester City?

By Ian King

One dismal run must end

A narrow-ish win against a pretty dismal-looking Hoffenheim in the Europa League and that win against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup notwithstanding, Spurs’ recent form has been dismal, with the small consolation from their trip Everton being that they at least kept the score respectable after having gone in at half-time three down. It’s now one win in ten in the League.

Leicester City’s new manager bounce following the appointment of Ruud Van Nistelrooy at the start of December fell quickly back to earth; one win and one draw on the way down, followed by seven consecutive defeats during which they’ve scored two goals and conceded eighteen. It doesn’t say much for the two teams above them that a win against Spurs could lift them out of the bottom three.

History

Spurs and Leicester have played each other twice in cup finals with Spurs winning both, 2-0 win in the 1961 FA Cup final and 1-0 in the 1999 League Cup final. More recently, this fixture has often brought goals. Over the last decade Spurs have won 6-2, 6-1 and 5-4, while Leicester won 4-1 at The King Power Stadium in 2023. They drew 1-1 on the opening weekend of this season, with a Jamie Vardy goal cancelling out Pedro Porro’s opener for Spurs.

Familiar faces

James Maddison has spent seven out of 23 on the bench for Spurs this season, but his early goal in Germany on Thursday could mean that he is given a more central role against his former club. For Leicester, a lack of goals has been as severe as the weak defending, but they have two former Spurs players, Harry Winks and Oliver Skipp, among their available midfielders.

Team News

Timo Werner, Brennan Johnson, Dominic Solanke and Yves Bissouma have all joined the Spurs injury list–now 14 in total–over the last couple of weeks. But it’s not quite all bad news. Antonín Kinský is available again after missing Hoffenheim and Richarlison came through the trip without incident.

Woyo Coulibaly should make his debut for Leicester following his transfer from Parma, while at the other end of the scale Jamie Vardy is now in 10th season with them, a period during which he has now scored 180 League goals.

Prediction

Their Europa League win in Germany was an improvement, but Spurs still looked brittle, particularly throughout the first fifteen minutes of the second half, and when pegged back to 2-1 it felt as though a very familiar script was playing out yet again. But they managed to hold on this time, and that’s something to carry back into a Premier League campaign that has fallen spectacularly off the rails in recent weeks. Leicester have been pretty bad these last couple of months, a badness arguably masked a little by Southampton’s even-worseness, and beating a running on vapours, out-of-sorts Spurs by 3-2 sounds in line with this fixture’s goal-laden history.

(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

Jarell Quansah: From half-time humiliation to restoring his reputation at Liverpool

Being substituted at half-time is one of the biggest humiliations a footballer can face; and for those at either end of their careers – just starting or tailing off – it can feel seismic.

By Jack Lusby, ThisIsAnfield.com

Arne Slot withdrawing Jarell Quansah just 45 minutes into his first competitive game in charge of Liverpool certainly felt like a show of intent, the new head coach making it clear the standards he expects.

It was no Mourinho-style power move, however, more a marker of the attributes supporters have grown accustomed to with Slot in the four months since: the Dutchman is a straight-talker, a fierce competitor and, most importantly, a tactical pragmatist.

Put simply, he had spotted a flaw and addressed it. Quansah was no symbolic fall guy, but Slot quickly accepted that his performance that day at Portman Road could have left Liverpool undone.

“Our problem in the first half was more that we lost too many duels – our defenders lost too many and our attackers didn’t win enough,” he explained after an eventual 2-0 win over Ipswich on the opening day of the Premier League.

Slot added: “That’s not that Jarell lost every duel – many of us lost too many duels – but I think we needed Ibou Konaté to win these long balls in the air from the No. 9.”

Quansah won four of his eight duels (50%) in his 45 minutes on the pitch, while Konaté won four of five (80%) – the youngster also conceded two fouls while his replacement gave away zero – which certainly acts as vindication for Slot’s decision.

But restoring Konaté to the fold also allowed Trent Alexander-Arnold more freedom to roam, knowing the centre-back’s ability to cover and defend over large spaces would not leave Liverpool as open as it perhaps would with a player of Quansah’s inexperience.

It was timely, then, that ahead of the return fixture as Ipswich visit Anfield on Saturday the head coach was asked, with no hint of pretence, whether Konaté could reach the heights of his centre-back partner Virgil van Dijk.

“Defensively, he’s of the highest standard,” he enthused. “He’s fast, he’s strong, he wins duels in the air, over the ground, he can cover for his teammates as well if needed, he can play one-vs-one with a lot of space in his back.”

Quansah’s half-time exit served as a statement that, under new management, the slate had been wiped clean for every player – for better or worse – and the months since have certainly been humbling for the 21-year-old.

He has started just seven of the following 32 games, with only two of those coming outside of the domestic cups; a chastening night at right-back as he struggled in a 3-3 draw with Newcastle in the Premier League and, on Tuesday, a first-ever start in the Champions League.

That 2-1 victory over Lille was significant for Quansah, not only as a milestone appearance, but having been restored to his natural role for a high-profile tie he finally looked comfortable in his boots again.

“It is not easy when you are not in the team but you need to do everything you can for the team. Keep pushing,” he told reporters after a victory that all but sealed top spot in the Champions League’s new league phase.

“I am always looking at my game whether I play good or bad. I am not going to be the finished article yet. I am my harshest critic, I have always said that. But whether I play good or bad, I will criticise myself.

“When I play my best games, that is probably when I have been the harshest on myself.”

Quansah, who started 27 games in a breakthrough season under Jürgen Klopp last time out, has used his time out of the starting lineup to take stock, and there has clearly been no issue with his attitude.

That is aided by Slot’s unwavering commitment to a player who, despite dropping down his pecking order, still has a big future under him at Liverpool.

Slot’s other three senior centre-backs – Van Dijk, Konaté and certainly Joe Gomez – can all speak for how formative battling through adversity can be in the career of a young footballer, and Quansah appears to have the mentality required to do so.

So while he may extend his record of making every matchday squad of the season so far as an unused substitute against Ipswich, the visit of Liam Delap and Co. should not be a reminder of the defender’s failures.

More so it should act as a prompt for Quansah that, when his chance comes again, he should be ready to take it and run with it.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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Jan

2025

Patrik Schick is on course to beat his best season at Bayer Leverkusen

When Bayer Leverkusen succumbed to a 1-1 draw at Bochum on 9 November, it seemed the clock had struck midnight on their Cinderella story, and that their magical carriage had finally turned into a pumpkin.

By Zach Lowy

The same team that had won 43 of their 53 matches the previous season – accumulating more trophies (2) than losses (1) – had failed to win in six of their last eight. It was rock bottom, but it was also a turning point.

Since that stalemate, Leverkusen have won 11 of their last 12 matches, a run that only stopped on Tuesday in a 2-1 defeat at Atlético Madrid in the UEFA Champions League. They sit second in the Bundesliga table, four points behind Bayern Munich, and they’ll be counting on Patrik Schick as they look to continue their upward momentum with a win at RB Leipzig on Saturday.

Schick broke onto the scene as a teenager for Sampdoria, earning a €30 million transfer to Juventus – only for the move to break down after failing two separate medicals – before joining Roma, where he struggled to convince. The Czech forward enjoyed a promising loan spell at Leipzig before joining Bayer Leverkusen in September 2020 for €26.5 million, scoring 9 goals in 29 Bundesliga appearances before skyrocketing in his second year at the BayArena with 24 goals in 27 appearances. But just when it seemed like he was set to become one of the best strikers in Europe, Schick missed nearly an entire year with an adductor injury, causing Leverkusen to sign Victor Boniface from Union Saint-Gilloise in the summer of 2023.

Boniface started the campaign as the first-choice striker under Xabi Alonso, only to suffer a hamstring injury at the Africa Cup of Nations. With the Nigerian striker out for the foreseeable future, Schick worked his way back into Leverkusen’s line-up and played a pivotal role in their unbeaten domestic double. However, he was back to a bench role by the time the 2024/25 season rolled around and didn’t score a Bundesliga goal until the Bochum stalemate. A few days later, Boniface incurred a thigh injury on international duty, opening the door for Schick to reclaim his starting spot.

“Schick was fortunate with Boniface’s injury in that Alonso had no other option other than to rely solely on Schick, and that run in the team brought back his confidence and scoring streak,” said Bundesliga journalist Ronan Murphy. “Both are physical attackers, but Boniface is better driving at defenders and dribbling past them. Schick prefers to play a quick pass and get in behind whereas Boniface likes to play with his head up and use his skills to make space for a shot.”

Over the past year, Schick has developed a penchant for clutch moments. He single-handedly saved Leverkusen’s unbeaten streak twice in the span of a week – a 92nd-minute equaliser in a 2-2 draw vs. Qarabağ and an extra time brace in a 3-2 win vs. Qarabağ – whilst he also scored an 88th-minute equaliser vs. Stuttgart to send the DFL-Supercup to penalties, where Leverkusen prevailed with another trophy. And on 23 November, he helped Leverkusen erase a two-goal deficit and beat Heidenheim 5-2 after scoring a hat-trick on his third league start of the campaign.

Whilst Schick has often been typified as a streaky, hot-and-cold player, he’s finally delivering on a regular basis for Leverkusen. After closing out 2024 with a poker vs. Freiburg, Schick has carried his form into the new year by grabbing a brace at Dortmund and a goal vs. Gladbach. Having scored 13 goals in 33 appearances last season, Schick has already registered 16 goals in 24 appearances this season in all competitions and sits atop the Bundesliga charts in goals per 90 (1.51) and shots on target per 90 (2.5). Only Harry Kane (16) and the now departed Omar Marmoush (15) have scored more goals in the Bundesliga this season than Schick (12), whilst only Wolfsburg’s Kevin Behrens (1.12) has registered more xG per 90 than Schick (0.94).

Standing at 6’3”, Schick has the physical capabilities to challenge for aerial duels, hold up the ball with his back to goal, and retain possession whilst riding tackles. His combination of physical prowess and tireless running allow him to close down opponents and press them for the ball – he’s winning 2.5 possessions in the final third per 90 in the UEFA Champions League, well ahead of Leverkusen’s second-best player in Florian Wirtz (1.5). What’s more, his clever movement allows him to catch defenders off guard and receive in dangerous situations, where he’s able to get a clean shot off without overthinking the finish. He’s also capable of linking up well with teammates, none more so than Wirtz. Wirtz has assisted Schick on 17 different occasions in the Bundesliga – since 2004/05, only Thomas Müller has provided more assists to a single teammate (Robert Lewandowski – 42).

“Schick has stayed patient, and even when he wasn’t the first-choice striker last season, he scored important goals,” said Bundesliga announcer Kevin Hatchard. “It’s also worth noting that Schick had a big meeting with Alonso two months into this season, and they discussed his lack of minutes. Since then, Schick says everything has been perfect. His form as a Bundesliga player has been consistently strong, he’s fitter and getting more chances to shine from the start, and in a team that dominates games routinely, he should continue to thrive.”

Boniface is finally back to full fitness after 10 weeks on the treatment table, but as long as Schick continues to bang in the goals, he’ll find it difficult to reacquire a place in Alonso’s starting line-up. After previously struggling with injuries and inconsistency, Schick is delivering the best form of his life at Leverkusen, and he’ll be looking to celebrate his birthday with yet another goal against Leipzig on Saturday, a day after turning 29.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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