Page 30 – The Pulse of Football

Jan

2025

Preview: History repeats itself as Barca face Barbastro test

Barbastro and Barcelona meet in the Copa del Rey for the second season in-a-row with Hansi Flick’s team in desperate need of a positive result to build some momentum.

By Graham Ruthven

Familiar foes

It was only a year ago that Barcelona travelled west to face fourth tier Barbastro in the Copa del Rey round of 32 and the Catalans will make the same journey to take on the same opponent in the same competition this weekend.

Last season, Barca won 3-2, edging a match that was more competitive than many had predicted. Indeed, the lower league side made a good impression against a strong Barcelona team that included most of their big names.

Barbastro will enter Saturday’s cup match on the back of a four-game unbeaten run and having already knocked out Espanyol in this season’s Copa del Rey. They could make it a Catalan double by shocking Barcelona.

A Barbastro win would be one of the biggest upsets in Copa del Rey history and there is belief around the fourth tier club that they can at least push Barca. A sold out crowd of 6,000 supporters will make this a difficult experience for Flick and his players.

Key players

While Barcelona will have a sizeable talent advantage on Saturday, Barbastro have a number of key players who could hurt the top flight team.

Andres Barrera is enjoying an excellent season at left wing back, registering seven goals and two assists in 18 appearances. Marc Prat will also pose a threat in the centre forward position with Javier Albin and Ander El Haddadi also expected to feature in the attack.

Flick is expected to field a strong lineup as Barcelona look to move on from a challenging period which saw them relinquish control of the title race at the top of LaLiga. The Catalans must build momentum again.

Nonetheless, the likes of Pedri, Gavi, Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski could be rotated out of the team with the Spanish Supercopa in Saudi Arabia just around the corner. Ansu Fati, however, could be given an opportunity to make an impact.

Gerard Martín, Eric García, Pablo Torre, Ferran Torres and Fermín López could all be in line for a start with Barcelona fresh after a two-week winter break.

Team news

Reports claim Ronald Araújo could make his first appearance of the season after returning from a long-term injury while Wojciech Szczesny could also be handed a Barcelona debut after joining the club as a free agent two months ago.

Andreas Christensen, Marc Bernal, Lamine Yamal and Marc-André Ter Stegen remain unavailable for Barcelona while Dani Olmo will miss out due to the messy registration saga that is still playing out. Pau Víctor is also caught up in that situation.

Lamine Yamal will soon be back in training, but the Euro 2024 winner is still some way off featuring on the pitch for Barcelona who are desperately missing the creativity of their teenage prodigy.

Prediction

We know that Flick’s high defensive line is vulnerable and likely to concede, but just like last year, we believe the Catalan giants will have enough firepower to see off the plucky upstarts from the fourth tier: Barbastro 1-3 Barcelona.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Jan

2025

Preview: Gunners aiming to continue positive run at Brighton

While Arsenal are on a winning run of three Premier League matches, Brighton are struggling for form amid something of an injury crisis. Saturday’s match has plenty riding on it for both teams.

By Graham Ruthven

Contrasting fortunes

It wasn’t so long ago that Brighton were flying high near the top of the Premier League table. Indeed, the Seagulls lost just one of their opening nine fixtures as Fabian Hürzeler made a strong start as the club’s new manager.

Now, though, Brighton are on a winless run of seven matches, although Monday’s 2-2 away draw against Aston Villa could give the south coast side a platform to build on as they enter 2025.

Arsenal, on the other hand, have breathed new life into their title challenge with successive wins over Crystal Palace, Ipswich Town and Brentford.

The away victory over Brentford on New Year’s Day was particularly impressive given the recent injury suffered by Bukayo Saka. Missing their most productive winger, the Gunners were able to produce a 3-1 win after falling behind.

Key players

With Saka sidelined through injury for the foreseeable future, Gabriel Jesus is expected to once again start in Arsenal’s forward line at the Amex Stadium. The Brazilian’s return to scoring form has come at a good time for the Gunners.

Ethan Nwaneri also caught the eye against Brentford and it’s possible the teenager could keep his place in the lineup, giving Arsenal dynamism on the right side of the attack. Gabriel Martinelli will likely start on the left.

Declan Rice could return to the lineup after starting on the bench against Brentford while Myles Lewis-Skelly may come in at left back having forced his way into the first team in recent weeks.

Predicting the Brighton lineup is trickier given the number of injuries being suffered by the Seagulls, but Hürzeler will probably build his attack around João Pedro who registered a brace of assists in the recent draw against Villa.

Simon Adingra and Georginio Rutter will also give Brighton threat in the final third with Carlos Baleba crucial to Brighton’s chances of stopping Arsenal finding rhythm in the centre of the pitch.

At the back, Bart Verbruggen will have to be in top form to keep out the Arsenal attack with Lewis Dunk and Jan Paul van Hecke expected to start in front of the Dutch goalkeeper.

Team news

Brighton have a long lost of injury absences and concerns for Saturday’s match with no fewer than six first team players expected to miss out.

Evan Ferguson, Danny Welbeck, Mats Wieffer, James Milner, Ferdi Kadıoğlu and Jack Hinshelwood will all be sidelined with wing back Pervis Estupiñán also a doubt. Brighton’s squad depth is being tested at the moment.

Kai Havertz could miss another match through illness while Jurrien Timber is suspended after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season against Brentford.

Raheem Sterling, Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu will also be sidelined through injury as Arsenal emerge from a hectic Christmas schedule.

Prediction

The Seagulls may have to wait another week to break that run without a win, with the Gunners most likely to extend their run on the South Coast: Brighton 1-2 Arsenal.

(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

Preview: In form Newcastle travel to Spurs for the early kick-off

Spurs begin 2025 out of form and with a patchwork defence, which is not the ideal state in which to be facing an in-form Newcastle United.

By Ian King

Two sides heading in opposite directions?

Spurs enter the new year with their Premier League season already running out of gas. They’ve only won once in the League since beating Manchester City six weeks ago and there were few signs of improvement in their last match, with yet another two points dropped from a winning position against Wolves.

Newcastle, meanwhile, have recently recovered their poise after an underwhelming autumn, during which they won just two of eleven League matches. They arrive in North London having won their last four in a row, having scored 13 goals and conceded none whatsoever.

History suggests a goal fest!

Historically speaking, when these two meet there tend to be goals and big wins. Their last eight meetings have brought 37 of them, including 6-1 and 4-0 wins for Newcastle and 5-1 and 4-1 wins for Spurs. Spurs supporters with longer memories may shudder at the memory of a 7-1 defeat at St James’ Park in December 1996, a 6-1 defeat there in the FA Cup in 1999 or their 5-1 loss there in May 2016.

Key players

As with some other clubs, Spurs’ 2024/25 has thus far been partly defined by who’s been absent rather than who’s been fit. There haven’t been too many bright spots, but the performances of Dejan Kulusevski have become increasingly important to them.

Alexander Isak is the form player for Newcastle, having scored six goals in their recent four-game winning run, including a hat-trick at Ipswich and their opening goal at Old Trafford on Monday night. But the supply line is equally important; Jacob Murphy, Bruno Guimarães and Anthony Gordon have 14 assists between them so far this season.

Team News

Destiny Udogie is the latest name to be added to the Spurs injury list. He has a hamstring injury, while Ben Davies, Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Wilson Odobert, Richarlison and Guglielmo Vicario remain injured, and Rodrigo Bentancur is suspended.

For Newcastle, Fabian Schär is suspended after picking up another yellow card against Manchester United (Lloyd Kelly is likely to replace him), while Kieran Trippier was withdrawn and is doubtful. Sven Botman is understood to be close to returning, but Callum Wilson, Emil Krafth and Jamaal Lascelles all remain injured.

Prediction

Somewhat surprisingly, Spurs’ recent 6-3 defeat against Liverpool was the first time they’d lost a league match by more than a single goal this season. Couple that with them being the second-highest goalscorers in the Premier League and their position going into this match might not quite be as hopeless as it at first appears.

But in recent weeks Newcastle have found the much-cherished equilibrium of scoring a lot of goals while conceding very few, and considering the dark clouds that have settled over the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium of late and that history of big wins, a 3-0 Newcastle win would only turn the heat up further under Ange Postecoglou.

(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

If Trent Alexander-Arnold is leaving Liverpool, here’s how they can live without him

In a scenario few could envisage even a year ago, Liverpool now seem more likely than not to lose their world-class right-back at the end of the season as Real Madrid court Trent Alexander-Arnold.

By Jack Lusby, ThisIsAnfield.com

Alexander-Arnold‘s contract will expire in the summer and Real are accelerating their efforts to secure his services – which includes advances in the January transfer window.

While it seems unfeasible for Liverpool to part ways with their No. 66 mid-season, given his importance to the side and their genuine chances of winning both the Premier League and the Champions League, a departure as a free agent in July cannot be ruled out.

No matter of ‘all talk’ celebrations and his insistence than negotiations would not be played out in public can override the feeling that Real would not bid if they were not confident Alexander-Arnold wanted to join.

It is unfathomable for supporters who watched their academy graduate grow into the best in the world in his position, who himself watched Steven Gerrard train through the slats in the fences at Liverpool’s Melwood training ground with a dream to emulate him and captain the club.

But Liverpool’s new regime will now be considering the very real prospect they will head into Arne Slot‘s second season in charge without Alexander-Arnold.

An obvious solution could already be at the club, with Northern Ireland international Conor Bradley nearing No. 2 goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher‘s standard as ‘backup far too good to be a backup’.

Bradley, who will turn 22 soon after Alexander-Arnold’s current deal expires in July, has already played 40 times for Liverpool’s first team, including 24 starts, and has largely impressed.

It is not unremarkable that Bradley ended 2024 with more assists for the Reds than Alexander-Arnold himself, setting up seven goals in 32 appearances last year to his fellow right-back’s six assists in 36.

The young defender, signed from Dungannon Swifts in 2019, offers a relentless energy up and down the right flank, as a more orthodox full-back than the multitalented Alexander-Arnold, who spent much of 2024 playing in midfield owing to his creativity.

That could play into Liverpool’s hands if their plan is to enter the transfer market to replace Alexander-Arnold – even if their solution is to shift the creative onus to the left-hand side, where Andy Robertson‘s own future is in question.

With time appearing to catch up with Robertson, who has been at fault for a number of goals already this season, the club may also be identifying a successor to Alexander-Arnold’s partner-in-crime.

This would raise the prospect of bringing in a new creative hub from either right-back or left-back, or perhaps a more versatile defensive option, capable of providing steel out wide as well as shifting across as a third centre-back while Bradley pushed on.

Piero Hincapié of Bayer Leverkusen or Jorell Hato of Ajax are prime examples of the latter at left-back, with Slot familiar with the role having employed Dávid Hancko as a hybrid left-back while at Feyenoord, while Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez could adapt.

There is, however, already convincing evidence that Slot’s system is being adapted for life without Alexander-Arnold, with his unparalleled creativity more of a luxury than a fundamental, as it was under Júrgen Klopp.

While Klopp’s setup was at times entirely built around the unique threat of his right-back, Slot has changed the emphasis to the midfield, with a patient buildup involving a regular trio of Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and one of Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones.

Of course, much can be attributed to the superhuman output of Mohamed Salah in Slot’s first half-season, but the aim is clearly to shift gears through the midfield – including a deep-dropping No. 9 – while his wingers stay high and wide.

It has proved seriously effective and has seen the burden on Liverpool’s full-backs reduce.

While in the previous five seasons Alexander-Arnold averaged 98.6 touches of the ball per 90 minutes – including a career-high 105.7 per 90 in the title-winning 2019/20 campaign – that has now dropped to just 77.7 per 90 under Slot.

Last term, he was as involved as Klopp’s regular centre-backs Virgil van Dijk (91.6), Ibrahima Konaté (92.7) and Jarell Quansah (97.3) or more, averaging 96.1 touches per 90, but now he is considerably below Van Dijk (87.6) and even Robertson (83.3) this season.

That has not impacted his influence, and in fact, last season was the only campaign in his career that he has averaged more shot-creating actions from open play than he currently is (3.04 per 90), while Alexander-Arnold is leading the squad for chances created (36), expected assists (4.8) and xA per 90 (0.33) in this season’s Premier League.

But it at least demonstrates that Liverpool now rely on him less.

*Alexander-Arnold passing stats, Premier League 2024/25*

It is unlikely that is on the understanding that Slot would eventually lose Alexander-Arnold, more so that the Dutchman’s system includes a more traditional full-back – which could, again, work in Bradley’s favour as a possible successor.

There would be a warm feeling of serendipity if it were to be Liverpool’s No. 84 taking over as first-choice right-back.

After all, Bradley is another boyhood supporter, who first watched the Reds at Anfield in a 4-0 win over Everton during the unforgettable 2013/14 season, before going on to join the club and experience Alexander-Arnold’s rise firsthand.

Whether that is the plan for Slot and the club’s hierarchy remains to be seen – with the priority still being to agree a new long-term contract with Alexander-Arnold himself – but it certainly shows that Liverpool would not be entirely lost without him.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

To keep up to date with everything Liverpool, make sure you click follow on the team profile in the FotMob app. Download the free app here.

Jan

2025

Brenden Aaronson is making the most of his second chance at Leeds

Leeds United’s fans made clear their feelings on Brenden Aaronson in pre-season when they booed the USA international. In their eyes, Aaronson abandoned the Elland Road club following their relegation to the Championship, leaving on loan for Union Berlin when he might have stayed and helped the Whites push for promotion again.

By Graham Ruthven

He, along with USMNT teammate Weston McKennie, was one of the players blamed for relegation in the first place. Aaronson scored just one goal in 36 underwhelming Premier League appearances and was written off by many supporters who saw a player with a good work ethic, but not much else.

This season, though, Aaronson has grabbed a second chance to make a first impression. The 24-year-old has registered seven goals in the Championship with his latest strike an 89th minute winner against Derby County that Leeds manager Daniel Farke described as “poetry.” Aaronson is finally winning over his critics.

*Shot map for Aaronson goal vs. Derby, Dec 2024*

“He’s been excellent so far this season,” said Farke about Aaronson and the impact he has made for Leeds since returning from a loan spell in the Bundesliga. “It’s always good when a player has extra motivation or perhaps a bit of a bad conscience to improve. He was not happy with the last season he played in a Leeds shirt. It was difficult for him for several reasons, and he wanted to prove his worth.

“In our initial conversations, I was convinced by him as a player. there are still several things in his game that he can and has to improve. He’s still a young guy, but I like his work rate, his ability to work against the ball, his ability to make many runs with the ball, his ability to set up players with assists, and his ability to score goals. They are excellent for us so far this season.”

Aaronson’s promise has been clear since the moment he broke through as a teenager in Major League Soccer for the Philadelphia Union. When Red Bull Salzburg signed him for a reported $9m, they made Aaronson the most expensive homegrown player in MLS history. This illustrated how highly the young attacking midfielder was rated.

Only two years later, Leeds paid £25m for Aaronson in another transfer that said something about the American’s potential. He was signed to be a difference-maker at Premier League level and yet the fundamental flaws in Aaronson’s game were exposed during a difficult first season at the Yorkshire club.

For someone whose favoured position is the number 10 role, Aaronson is remarkably ineffective on the ball. He ranks only in the 45th percentile for passes into the penalty area per 90 minutes and the 54th percentile for progressive passes per 90 minutes. For progressive carries per 90 minutes, the American is also only in the 24th percentile.

This is what makes Aaronson such a confusing player. Technically, he can hold his own at the top level, but lacks the composure to make him a conventional number 10. At 24 years old, it’s unlikely Aaronson will be able to fundamentally change that part of his game. Playing ‘Red Bull football’ for so long might have done him some harm in terms of his all-round development.

Farke, however, seems to have a grasp on how to get the best out of Aaronson. He isn’t a creator, he’s an arriver – see the aforementioned goal against Derby and the way Aaronson made a late run into the box to finish off a chance that had been 20 passes in the making. The American’s role is to put the ball in the back of the net.

He is the box-crashing chaos merchant who gives Leeds United a different dimension. No team has averaged a higher share of possession per match in the Championship this season than the Whites, but Aaronson is the player who stops their approach with the ball from becoming predictable.

*Aaronson shooting stats, Championship 2024/25*

There has still been some criticism of Aaronson despite the impressive numbers he’s putting up. Indeed, the 24-year-old was targeted for his below par performance in the 1-1 draw against Preston before Christmas with some arguing that Dan James should be moved into the middle and Manor Solomon brought into the lineup.

In Farke, though, Aaronson has a manager who believes in him. Only four players have played more minutes for Leeds than the American this season while Mauricio Pochettino has started the attacking midfielder in the two USMNT matches he’s been available for since the appointment of the former Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham Hotspur boss.

Aaronson might never become the superstar many predicted he would be as a teenager in MLS, but he is making up for some lost time at Leeds this season. If the Whites win promotion back to the Premier League, the American will have played an important role. Those pre-season boos have faded.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game 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

Dani Olmo and the state of limbo at Barcelona

Dani Olmo doesn’t know where he will be playing in the second half of the season. Or if he’ll be playing at all. As things stand, Olmo won’t be registered to play in LaLiga in 2025 with Barcelona unable to meet the division’s wage cap. Not for the first time, the Catalan club is facing up to the reality of its own financial mismanagement.

By Graham Ruthven

Signed from RB Leipzig in August, Barca were able to register Olmo for the first half of the season due to long-term injuries suffered by a number of first team players. Ronald Araújo, Andreas Christensen and Marc-André ter Stegen’s misfortune essentially got Barcelona off the hook and Olmo could play.

Now, though, Araújo and Christensen are fit again and Barca can no longer use their injuries to register Olmo. It’s a genuine possibility that the Euro 2024 winner could be forced to watch the second half of the season from the sideline, although a number of potential suitors, including several in the Premier League, have been linked with a loan move.

All this highlights just how fragile Barcelona’s position remains. Their progress is far from guaranteed. While the club is undeniably in a better position, on and off the pitch, now than it was even 12 months ago, Barca are walking a tightrope to stay competitive at the top of Spanish and European football. They could fall off at any time.

Olmo has settled quickly into Hansi Flick’s team. Injury has prevented the 26-year-old from playing more than 628 league minutes this season, but Olmo has scored five times in just 11 appearances. He has proved himself as a good fit for one of the most exciting and dynamic attacks in the game right now.

Lamine Yamal is Barcelona’s creator in-chief with Robert Lewandowski the focal point and Pedri the Andrés Iniesta heir who ties everything together. Olmo, however, is the box-crashing auxiliary threat who gives Barca a different dimension. Opponents often have so many Barcelona attackers to mark and track that Olmo frequently finds space inside the box.

At their best, Barcelona are a force of nature, as they showed during a particularly impressive run in October that saw them score eight goals against Bayern Munich and Real Madrid in a single week. Flick’s high-intensity approach has energised a team that had grown stale under Xavi Hernández last season.

Barca, however, have drastically lost momentum in recent weeks, winning just one of their last seven league games. The 2-1 home defeat to Atlético Madrid before the winter break saw the Catalans lose top spot in the table with Flick’s side now third. The season could slip through Barcelona’s fingers if they don’t recover their form soon. Not having Olmo to pick from won’t help matters.

Recent reports claim Barcelona have a series of ideas to raise funds. They hope to generate over €100m through the sale of VIP box seats for the renovated Camp Nou when it reopens later this year. A new kit deal will help. A number of players including Araújo, Frenkie de Jong, Gavi and Pedri are also reportedly willing to sign new contracts on more favourable terms for the club.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid are lining up a move for Trent Alexander-Arnold after signing Kylian Mbappé in the summer. Atlético Madrid also spent close to €200m on transfers before the 2024/25 season and are reaping the rewards as Julián Alvarez, Conor Gallagher, Robin Le Normand and Alexander Sørloth continue to contribute.

La Masia is the thing Barcelona have that none of their rivals have and so the Catalans have made a point of once again re-establishing the pathway between the most prolific academy in world football and the first team – see Lamine Yamal, Pedri, Gavi, Marc Casadó, Alex Balde, Pau Cubarsí, Fermín López and others who have recently broken through.

And yet it is another big-money transfer that has landed Barcelona in trouble again. Olmo’s return to the club that gave him his footballing education as a youngster cost Barca €55m in the summer and it could cost them a whole lot more if they are forced to unregister him for the second half of the season when Flick could really use the attacker to catch Atleti and Real Madrid.

Not so long ago, Barca appeared to be back. Emphatically so. They were flying in the Champions League and LaLiga, were proceeding with the $1.6 billion renovation of Camp Nou and and looked to have recovered from the constant calamity of the last few years. Now, the landscape is rather different and Olmo could be forced out as a symbol of bungling Barcelona. Lionel Messi knows how he feels.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from LaLiga 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 20

Though Arsenal and Brentford played on New Year’s Day, Matchday 20 is the first of 2025 in the Premier League.

By Sam McGuire

The random fixture generator has treated us all to a bumper edition too with some must-not-miss clashes spread across Saturday, Sunday and Monday. What should you be keeping an eye on though? Here at FotMob, we’ve got you covered.

A problem for Postecoglou

Tottenham are closer to the relegation zone than they are the top four. Spurs find themselves just nine points clear of 18th-placed Ipswich Town but are 11 points behind Chelsea, the team currently sat in fourth place in the Premier League.

This was supposed to be the year Ange Postecoglou’s side kicked on after narrowly missing out on a top four finish last term. Spurs spent over £120million in the summer. They added Dominic Solanke to their ranks to finally replace Harry Kane with a centre-forward. They trimmed their squad too, getting rid of players who simply did not fit into the way the Australian tactician wanted to play. This was his squad with players he wanted.

Yet Spurs find themselves in 11th position having lost (nine) more games than they have won (seven).

They are winless in their last three in the Premier League. During this particular run, they have conceded nine goals. They conceded an equaliser against Wolves in the 87th minute in their last outing.

Postecoglou’s men are entertaining and have the fourth highest Expected Goals haul in the Premier League this season but only five teams have given up more Expected Goals Against. There’s no balance to the team.

On Saturday afternoon, they face one of the form teams in the league in Newcastle United.

The Magpies have surged up the table recently, with four successive wins in the English top-flight, and they’re scoring goals for fun having found the back of the net on 13 occasions in these matches. They have also kept four successive clean sheets.

In their possession is one of the best attackers in the Premier League this season – Alexander Isak. The Sweden international has eight goals and two assists in his last six appearances for the Magpies.

A win away in London could momentarily see Newcastle displace Chelsea in the final Champions League place. A loss could see Spurs finish the weekend as low as 14th if results don’t go their way.

Advantage Arsenal?

Arsenal make the trip to the Amex on Saturday evening looking to cut the gap at the top to just three points.

Mikel Arteta’s men play before Liverpool host Manchester United on Sunday afternoon and it gives them an opportunity to heap pressure onto the league leaders.

The Gunners have won three on the spin in the Premier League and seem to be handling the loss of Bukayo Saka fairly well. Gabriel Jesus has, from out of nowhere, become one of the team’s most important players. He scored again in the 3-1 win over Brentford on New Year’s Day to make it six goals in four appearances.

Arsenal showed great resolve on Wednesday evening to come from behind against the Bees. They’ll no doubt be confident heading into the game with Brighton this weekend.

Believe it or not, the Seagulls are without a win since November. That is a run of seven matches without a win. This has been made up of five draws and two losses but they have just one clean sheet in their last 12 outings and find themselves in 10th position.

They do retain the ability to cause problems though. They held Arsenal to a draw earlier in the season, had the lead against Liverpool at Anfield and beat Manchester City. They have the players to cause an upset. It just depends on whether or not they’re able to show up. If they are, it might be a tricky fixture to navigate for Arteta and his players. However, if the hosts aren’t on it, Arsenal are going to cut the gap at the summit, it is as simple as that.

The Reds versus the Red Devils

On paper, this should be an easy three points for Liverpool.

Manchester United lost five of their seven Premier League matches in December. They head to Anfield on a three-match losing streak in the English top-flight having been defeated by Bournemouth, Wolves and Newcastle United recently. Rúben Amorim’s side conceded seven goals without response in those fixtures.

The Red Devils are 14th in the Premier League, just seven points above the drop zone.

Liverpool, meanwhile, find themselves six points clear at the top of the table with a game in hand. Their only defeat of the campaign came in September and they’re currently on a three-match winning streak in the league. They have scored 14 goals in these three outings and Mohamed Salah is playing some of the best football of his career. He’s on 30 goal involvements in just 18 appearances.

A win for the Reds at Anfield should be a formality. However, we know that form goes out of the window in these clashes. Heading into the Anfield clash in 2023, a game Liverpool won 7-0, the visitors were the form side. Last season, Jürgen Klopp’s team were on song but failed to beat United in the league and were knocked out of the FA Cup by their old rivals.

Arne Slot can’t afford to be complacent here. His players need to be focused. If they pick up three points here, it’ll be a big statement in their push for the title.

A resurgent Wolves

Nottingham Forest have been the surprise package of the season.

We’re halfway through the campaign and Nuno Espírito Santo’s side sit third on 37 points. They’ve won as many matches as Arsenal (11) and are currently on five successive wins in the Premier League, their best run of form in the English top-flight since 1995.

On Monday night, they travel to Molineux to take on a Wolves side in the midst of a new manager bounce. Vítor Pereira’s appointment has seen his side win two matches and claim a 2-2 draw with Spurs in their third. They went from being a shoo-in for relegation in the eyes of many to being outside of the bottom three in the space of a few weeks.

They’re scoring goals and not giving up many chances. The hosts will be a real test for Nottingham Forest. If Nuno can get one over on his former employers, and bring Pereira’s unbeaten start to an end, they might be genuine contenders for a European finish.

(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

Preview: Carlos Corberan’s Valencia debut against Real Madrid

Real Madrid will be looking to return to top spot in LaLiga in their rescheduled fixture against Valencia, for whom the new year marks a new beginning with a new head coach.

By Neel Shelat

Valencia facing the threat of relegation again

Valencia are one of the most storied clubs in Spanish football. Founded over a century ago, they have lifted 15 top-flight league and cup titles besides a couple of continental trophies. Those heights seem worlds away at the moment, though, as the club’s fortunes have taken a sharp downward trajectory over the last decade or so.

They started work to create a Nou Mestalla to replace their now-century-old home ground all the way back in 2007, but funding issues have left that project in limbo for the last 15 years. Indeed, the club’s ownership situation is one of their biggest pain points as Peter Lim is overwhelmingly unpopular among fans but has no plans to sell the club.

His perceived lack of interest and investment are cited as the biggest factors in Valencia’s downfall, causing the club to constantly get sucked into relegation battles. After a promising top-half finish last season, for example, they only made three permanent summer signings and barely invested over €1 million on transfer fees.

Could Carlos Corberán be the man to rescue Los Che?

Rubén Baraja’s nearly two-year-long spell in charge of Valencia made him the club’s second-longest serving coach for nearly twenty years. They have long been stuck in a vicious cycle whereby they bring in a relatively bigger name but fail to back them and drop into a relegation battle, at which point they decide to bring in a firefighter who steadies the ship before the loop repeats.

Carlos Corberán might just be the man who breaks that cycle, though. A boyhood fan of the club, he also came through their academy as a goalkeeper but failed to establish a strong senior career and quickly switched to coaching. He initially did not enjoy a lot of success but seemed to turn a page after working with Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds United. Since then, he has led Huddersfield Town and West Bromwich Albion to promotion pushes in the English Championship.

Corberán will certainly fight tooth and nail to avoid Valencia’s second-ever relegation, and he also has the tactical nous to potentially kick on from there.

Another outing for Real Madrid’s first-choice front four

Real Madrid’s first-choice front four of Rodrygo, Jude Bellingham, Vinícius Júnior and Kylian Mbappé have only started six matches together so far this season as various injuries have kept them apart. They should all be ready to go for this match as Los Blancos’ injury list is now down to three defenders. Dani Carvajal and Éder Militão are out for the season, while David Alaba may return sooner.

The attacking quartet could have a field day against a Valencia side who are missing as many as seven players. The absences of goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, centre-back Mouctar Diakhaby and full backs José Gayà and Thierry Correia will surely have weakened their defence.

Prediction

Valencia could trouble Real Madrid with their new head coach bounce and potential for tactical surprises, but Los Blancos should have enough quality to come away with all three points.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Jan

2025

Noni Madueke: Fitting the mould of the modern day winger

Relative to preseason expectations, Chelsea have had a solid season and seem to be in good position to finish in the top four.

By Mohamed Mohamed

This is powered by their impressive attack, as they rank third in goals scored in the Premier League, third in terms of expected goals (xG), and third in big chances. Between having a deep rotation of wingers and potential No. 10s, one of the best attacking duos in Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson, and being clinical with their opportunities in transition, it’s helped Chelsea display some explosive performances over the course of the 2024/25 campaign.

An underrated contributor to Chelsea’s success has been Noni Madueke. Eight goals and assists in over 1000 PL minutes is a solid return, although it’s overshadowed to some extent by the numbers produced by Palmer and Jackson. The English winger has had an interesting career for someone who’s still 22. Despite being heralded as one of the biggest talents in the Eredivisie with PSV and getting a move to Chelsea a couple of years ago, injuries have meant that he’s yet to play more than 1500 league minutes in a single season for either club. This season is shaping up to be the first one where he cracks that threshold.

The appeal of Madueke is that he fits the mould of the modern-day touchline winger. He’s got an explosive first step which wide players need, as they often create from a standstill position, sometimes against a double team. This differentiates him from some of the previous wingers to have come in to the league from the Eredivisie. When isolated in 1v1s in the final third, he’ll try to blend stepovers and feints with his first step to catch defenders off guard, although the success in those attempts have decreased this season compared to previous ones. In deeper areas, he is aggressive at attacking space to put pressure on the opposition.

As a passer, Madueke shows some bright moments, but he’s more inconsistent in this area. He’s most comfortable with forward passes into the box or just outside of it for teammates making underlapping runs for potential cut-backs. That type of pass does carry some value as possible secondary assists, but on average they’re not as threatening compared to others. The touch on his crosses can be erratic, as evidenced from his success rate with crosses being in the 48^th percentile at 22%. Although he is willing to attempt crosses with his weaker right foot, and that in of itself is a positive, a similar story emerges. There are moments as well where you can perhaps question the decision making on eschewing potential high value passes near the box because of tunnel vision, whereas the best creators in the game have fewer and fewer instances of this.

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

What separates Madueke from other wingers who primarily operate near the touchline is that he shows promise with his forward movements. You’ll often see him try to work on the blindside of his fullback to catch them napping and find space in behind, whether it’s against a set defence or during transition opportunities. This can include quick in and outs where he pretends to move deeper and receive the ball before attempting to spring in behind into space. He’ll try to crash the far post in situations where the ball is on the opposite flank for a crossing opportunity. It’s not a coincidence that Madueke is averaging 9.14 touches in the penalty box, which is just under the 94^th percentile. Although it was later chaulked off for offside, the ‘goal’ he had versus Leicester was a good example of what Madueke could do off the ball, where he attacked the space around the penalty spot while his marker was caught flat footed.

In some ways, this off-ball work can be seen in Madueke’s shot chart this season. 43 of his 52 shots are from inside the box, which is a proportion you’d typically see from top off-ball technicians. That said, a good amount of those opportunities come from the wide right zone where it’s harder to generate goals. A lot of that is due to him constantly cutting inside and spamming low value shots. Something that helps accentuate his movement is he’s got some comfort with taking shots with his weaker right foot, which can lessen the time needed to get a shot off in the box. 18 of his 52 shots this season in the PL were taken with the right foot.

Madueke’s skill-set at this time is an interesting contrast of strengths and weaknesses. While he’s perhaps not an absolute elite dribbler, he’s a very good one when also accounting for his output in previous seasons, and is among the more aggressive progressive carriers in his position. He’s probably best off as a secondary or even tertiary playmaking option in the final third given his inconsistencies on crosses and blind spots during certain situations. Besides his dribbling, arguably the most interesting part of his game is his activity off the ball, both in attack and while aiding the press.

What Madueke brings to the table in terms of his hybrid on/off-ball game is a nice compliment to the other profiles among the Chelsea squad. Palmer is the creative engine of the team. Jadon Sancho helps with ball retention in the final third. Meanwhile, Jackson is the type of striker who is adept at making runs in behind versus high lines, while also providing some value with his ability to turn in deeper positions as an outlet. Those profiles together can lead to a cohesive unit, which has been on display at points throughout the first half of the season.

There is the rough outline of a future star level winger in Madueke. His directness both on and off the ball, along with decent passing instincts, assures that he’s got a high ceiling. The decision making in the final third needs improvement, but that could come with more minutes. Among the many transfer acquisitions Chelsea have made in recent years, Noni Madueke could turn out to be among the best in due time.

(Cover image 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

Analysis: Can Conceicao rescue Milan’s season after Fonseca’s sacking?

Italian giants Milan have made the final major coaching change of 2024, moving swiftly to replace Paulo Fonseca after their draw with Roma. The Rossoneri have had a very disappointing first half of the season, so Sérgio Conceição has a tough gig to handle in the new year.

By Neel Shelat

Currently languishing in eighth place with a 14-point deficit to the league leaders, Milan are on course for their lowest Serie A finish in a decade. While supporters were happy enough to see Stefano Pioli leave at the end of last season after feeling that the side stagnated under his management, they quickly realised that the threat of going backwards was just as real as the prospect of moving forward. The club looked set to appoint Julen Lopetegui as his successor, but they were forced to reconsider after vocal fan protests. Eventually, they settled on Paulo Fonseca.

In hindsight, neither of those picks looks great. Lopetegui has gone on to have a rocky time at West Ham United, while Fonseca was unable to build upon a precious few sparks of promise in the economic capital of Italy.

Fonseca’s failures in an uphill battle

As someone who evidently was not the board’s first choice, Fonseca had to prove himself from the get-go. However, he failed to win any of his first three competitive fixtures in charge of Milan. Worse yet, he already seemed to be having disagreements with star players such as Rafael Leão and Theo Hernández – an issue that would continue to undermine his spell at the club.

The bone of contention seemed to be their defensive work rate, which possibly forced the Portuguese coach’s hand in terms of his out-of-possession tactics. From the very beginning of his tenure, he did not set his side up to press but instead asked them to drop into a very compact mid block. However, their organisation was often suspect, giving opponents the opportunity to slice through them.

Given the fact that Pioli managed to fashion a decent press and solid block with pretty much the same squad, Fonseca cannot absolve himself of blame for Milan’s defensive issues. He has never been renowned for his out-of-possession tactics, though, so he could still have gotten away with this by excelling at what he does best.

However, the 51-year-old coach never seemed to get everything clicking in the way of attack either. He devised all sorts of systems and structures in possession, but his side often struggled to break down disciplined defensive blocks. Ultimately, they mostly ended up relying on the individual quality of their attacking stars to make the difference. Christian Pulisic’s stellar form was a huge boost early on in the season, but his drop-off significantly impacted the team’s output.

Piloli, for his part, had regularly relied on the dynamic left wing duo of Leão and Hernández to make a telling difference for Milan. As a result, he pretty much built the team around them, adjusting all other aspects to get the best out of the pair. Even though Leão still bailed the team out at times, Fonseca’s determination to impose his style on those players likely cost him further. The Portuguese tactician went as far as benching one of them in recent matches, but his attack only took a hit in those games as his replacement options were mostly teenagers such as Álex Jiménez, Francesco Camarda and Mattia Liberali.

With issues both in attack and defence as well as star players getting antagonised, the writing was quickly on the wall for Fonseca. His approach had many similarities with Pioli’s but he did a significantly worse job of putting everything together, so his position became untenable.

The job at hand for Conceição

After Fonseca’s failure, a change in approach appeared to be the only sensible option for Milan. The appointment of Sérgio Conceição suggests that is the direction they are taking.

The 50-year-old coach has been in the business for almost 15 years after the end of his playing career. He spent about half of that time in his most recent job at FC Porto, winning ten trophies including three league titles.

Throughout his seven seasons in charge of the Dragons, Conceição was almost exclusively wedded to the 4-4-2 formation or one of its variants. Defensive solidity was his top priority, as his side averaged less than one goal conceded per game in every single one of their league seasons under him and let in the fewest goals in all but two campaigns. Their approach in big games quite often involved defending with discipline and absorbing pressure, so he could well try to replicate that at Milan.

Although the Portuguese coach has never been renowned for his attacking tactics, he did get the best out of star forwards such as Mehdi Taremi and Luis Díaz at Porto. Leão and company should also have a good time under him as a more transitional and counterattacking approach will better suit them.

With the January transfer window now open, it will be interesting to see how much Milan invest to shape their squad according to Conceição’s liking. They could ideally do with additions in various departments, though a heavy mid-season investment is both unlikely and inadvisable. While the Rossoneri have options in central midfield, some more depth could be useful for what will likely be quite a demanding role. More quality at the heart of defence could also prove handy, as could reinforcement in the full back positoins.

Conceição’s contract reportedly includes a unilateral termination option for Milan at the end of the season, so he too will be expected to deliver results quickly. He is quite used to such pressure, so as long as he instils his trademark defensive solidity in this Milan side, they could yet spring a surprise in one of the cup competitions.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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