What a mid-week round of fixtures that was then. The FotMob Team of the Week is once again dominated by a surprise club in Fulham after Marco Silva’s side ran riot against Nottingham Forest in a 5-0 win. The Cottagers have four players in the XI, but who else made the cut?
Leno made just one save in Fulham’s 5-0 win over Forest but his overall performance is what catapulted him into the Team of the Week. The German shot-stopper completed 93% of his passes and acted as a sweeper on three occasions to halt attacks. His positioning and style allowed Fulham to be as aggressive as they were on the night.
Right-Back: Trent Alexander-Arnold
Alexander-Arnold had Sheffield United’s pants down on Wednesday night. The Liverpool full-back was back to his creative best, finishing the match having created seven chances, three of which were classed as big chances. He also assisted the opener for Virgil Van Dijk. He now has two goals and an assist in his last three outings for the Reds. He’s finding form at the right time.
Centre-Back: Cristian Romero
The World Cup winner didn’t deserve to be on the losing side. Romero scored the opener for Spurs in their 2-1 loss to West Ham United. He attempted 108 passes on Thursday night and completed 94% of those. He won 100% his tackles and aerial duels while also winning two of three ground duels. Romero recovered the ball on 10 occasions too and yet all of this wasn’t enough to help Spurs to victory.
Centre-Back: Virgil Van Dijk
Van Dijk found the back of the net for the first time as Liverpool skipper in the 2-0 win over Sheffield United. Even without the goal, he was brilliant. He completed 93% of his passes, found a teammate with 67% of his attempted long passes, won all of his tackles and 80% of his aerial duels. The Dutchman was a key reason the Reds managed to keep a clean sheet.
Left-Back: Pascal Gross
Roberto De Zerbi got a little creative with his starting XI on Wednesday evening. He put Pascal Gross at left-back and the experienced midfielder put in a Player of the Match performance. The 32-year-old was given a FotMob rating of 8.5 after chipping in with a goal and an assist. He also completed 88% of his passes and won 50% of all of his duels.
Midfield: Alex Iwobi
Iwobi got on the scoresheet twice to record a FotMob rating of 8.9. The 27-year-old added real value to his efforts, turning an Expected Goals total of 0.61 into an Expected Goals on Target total of 1.19. He also created a chance for the Cottagers in what was a dominant final phase performance from the former Everton man.
Midfield: Scott McTominay
McTominay was once again the match-winner for Manchester United. The 27-year-old was barely involved, attempting just 22 passes against Chelsea, but he chipped in with two goals and finished the game with a pass success rate of 95%. He had a total of seven shots and racked up an Expected Goals on Target haul of 1.9. The Scotland international missed three big chances but United won’t care, will they? When it mattered, he put the ball into the back of the net.
Midfield: Andreas Pereira
The 27-year-old Brazilian ran the show at Craven Cottage without getting on the scoresheet. Pereira created the most chances of any player in the match (four) and finished with two assists. He also completed 88% of his 69 attempted passes. The midfield maestro also completed 100% of his dribbles, won 80% of his duels, and 100% of his tackles.
Attack: Bukayo Saka
Arsenal scored four but Saka didn’t manage to add to his goals tally for the campaign. He didn’t need a goal to make it into the Team of the Week though. The 22-year-old did create two chances in the 4-3 win over Luton and he did claim an assist. He was at his mesmerising best and attempted six dribbles. Defensively, he put in a shift. He recovered the ball seven times and was only dribbled past on one occasion.
Attack: Gabriel Jesus
When Jesus is at his best, Arsenal seem to be at their best too. The Brazil international scored and assisted in the win over Luton. He was generally involved in everything the Gunners did in the final third, racking up three shots while creating five chances. Jesus completed two of his three dribbles and involved himself in a remarkable 14 duels.
Attack: Raul Jiménez
Jimenez looked back to his brilliant best in Fulham’s victory. He found the back of the net on two occasions with one of those being a nonchalant backheel following a slaloming run past the goalkeeper. In total, the Mexico forward had six shots and finished with an Expected Goals haul of 1.46. He won 100% of his aerial duels and was the most fouled player in the match (three).
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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The Premier League really is like no other. A mid-week round of fixtures could see heavily rotated teams play out drab affairs, but not in the English top-flight. In fact, matchday 15 was just as goal-filled as matchday 14. Some of these results will have long-lasting consequences. So, with that in mind, a look at the biggest talking points.
Arsenal made hard work of it against Luton Town on Tuesday evening but managed to secure all three points in stoppage time to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table.
Mikel Arteta’s side twice took the lead in the first half with Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus finding the back of the net. However, Gabriel Osho levelled things up just three minutes after the opener before Elijah Adebayo, in for top-scorer Clayton Morris, scored just two minutes after the break to make it 2-2.
Ross Barkley then fired the hosts into a shock lead. David Raya failed to cover himself in much glory for the second time on the night. Arteta might soon have a big decision to make with the former Brentford shot-stopper having several questionable moments over recent weeks.
Kai Havertz made it three goals in four outings on the hour mark when he restored parity for the title hopefuls. It was all Arsenal for the final 30 minutes but it appeared as though Rob Edwards’ men were going to survive the barrage. But in the 97th minute, the pressure paid off, with Declan Rice rising highest to direct a header into the far corner.
In truth, it was a deserved victory for the Gunners. They now travel to Villa Park on Saturday evening.
Fulham feast at Craven Cottage
People would’ve forgiven Fulham if they were a little sluggish against Nottingham Forest after what had happened during their loss to Liverpool on Sunday afternoon.
Marco Silva’s men took a 3-2 lead in the 80th minute but found themselves 4-3 down in the 87th. All of their good work throughout the game was undone during a two-minute spell. Bouncing back from that is difficult.
Yet on Wednesday night, they looked organised, focused and well-rested as they ran out 5-0 winners over Forest. It was about as one-sided as a match can be with Fulham creating more big chances (five) than the away side had shots (four).
The hosts created chances with an Expected Goals haul of 2.52, though some smart finishing increased the value of these efforts to 3.4 Expected Goals on Target.
Alex Iwobi and Raul Jiménez both netted doubles with Tom Cairney adding a fifth. Andreas Pereira impressed despite not getting on the scoresheet having chipped in with two assists and creating four chances.
Forest have now lost four matches on the spin and find themselves in 16th position with manager Steve Cooper under pressure.
Chelsea taken apart at Old Trafford
Manchester United needed a reaction following their 1-0 loss to Newcastle United on Saturday evening. The Reds Devils had a negative goal difference in the Premier League, their Champions League journey was hanging by a thread and dressing room leaks seemed to suggest Erik Ten Hag had lost the players.
They welcomed an inconsistent Chelsea to Old Trafford on Wednesday night. A loss wouldn’t have sealed Ten Hag’s fate but it would’ve no doubt complicated things. And the Dutchman must’ve feared the worst when Bruno Fernandes’ penalty was saved early on.
However, the former Ajax man had his trump card in the starting XI in the form of Scott McTominay. The Scotland international netted both goals in the 2-1 win to take his Premier League tally to five.
On another day, United hit the Blues for five or six. They finished the game having taken 28 shots and creating chances worth 4.17 Expected Goals. They carved out five big chances, the same number as Chelsa, but almost triple the xG accrued by Mauricio Pochettino’s side.
A concerning pattern is emerging for Chelsea. They seem to follow up an impressive showing with a lacklustre one and this is why they find themselves in 10th position in the Premier League this term.
Fortress Villa Park doesn’t fall
Aston Villa extended their 100% record in the Premier League with a win over champions Manchester City on Wednesday night. Unai Emery’s side have won all seven of their home fixtures, scoring 24 goals in the process. They have only conceded on five occasions.
The win over City, courtesy of a Leon Bailey goal, lifted Villa into third position in the table and they are just four points off the top. Whisper it quietly, but they are genuine top-four candidates right now. If they manage to beat Arsenal at Villa Park on Saturday, some might even consider them to be title contenders.
To put it bluntly, the Villans battered City and the 1-0 win didn’t tell the whole story. The hosts had 22 shots to the away side’s two while creating chances worth 2.38 Expected Goals. The visitors had to settle for an Expected Goals haul of 0.65 having struggled to get Erling Haaland into the game.
Spurs struggle
Tottenham Hotspur once again took the lead. They once again failed to hold onto that lead and suffered defeat, this time at home to West Ham United.
Cristian Romero gave the hosts an early advantage but Jarrod Bowen, as is the norm now, found the back of the net on his travels.
James Ward-Prowse was the winner, capitalising on a defensive mix-up to fire home into an empty goal after his initial effort had struck the post.
The first half was all Spurs, with Ange Postecoglou’s side creating chances worth 1.14 Expected Goals. After the break, however, West Ham dominated, racking up an xG of 1.73 in the second half on their way to a deserved victory.
The Hammers are now just three points off of Spurs and six off of a place in the top four.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Jürgen Klopp already feared the worst, but the scans went on to prove it: Joel Matip ruptured his ACL in a routine challenge during Liverpool’s 4-3 win over Fulham, with surgery ruling him out for the rest of the season.
It is a major blow to player and club, with the centre-back starting 14 games for the Reds this season and clocking the eighth-most minutes of any player prior to his injury. With Ibrahima Konate’s fitness being managed amid ongoing hamstring issues and Joe Gomez needed at full-back, Matip stepped up as a key presence.
But beyond the impact on the current campaign, there is an added poignancy to this long-term layoff, as with his contract due to expire in the summer, there is now every chance Matip has already played his final game for the club.
“I feel very sorry for him and his family, It hurts for all of us,” was captain Virgil van Dijk’s response to the news. “Joel is a fantastic player and has been for so many years. As a friend, it’s difficult to see. Knowing what he will go through now, the next weeks, months, it’s tough.”
Matip’s time at Anfield predates the transformative signing of Van Dijk from Southampton, with the long-serving No. 32 at the opposite end of the scale when it comes to outlays – but, though his impact has been less heralded, he has been similarly important.
A free transfer from Schalke in 2016, the deal to bring Matip to Merseyside was in the works from the first weeks of Klopp’s reign. The Bochum-born defender had been at Schalke for 16 years, rising through their academy – and scoring on his Bundesliga debut against Bayern Munich – to become a stalwart of not only the Gelsenkirchen side, but of German top-flight football.
Securing his services on a pre-contract agreement was widely viewed as a coup for Liverpool, with Kolo Toure on his way out and Martin Skrtel to follow, but few could have predicted him to develop into one of the biggest bargain signings in the club’s entire history.
Having lifted the DFB-Pokal and DFL-Supercup with Schalke – the German equivalent of the FA Cup and Community Shield – Matip has gone on to win everything there is to win with Liverpool: the Premier League, the Champions League, the FA Cup, the League Cup and the UEFA Super Cup. Though he missed out due to injury, the Club World Cup can still be considered among his honours.
Up to the point of his injury, Matip was one of only 19 players throughout Klopp’s managerial career – with Mainz, Dortmund and Liverpool – to play 200 or more times for the legendary coach. Only 11 players have made more appearances for Klopp’s Liverpool. Van Dijk (21,095) is the only centre-back to clock more minutes than Matip (16,225), with Gomez (12,835) a distance behind as next-closest.
Though Van Dijk’s pairings with Konate and Gomez may have been more popular, Matip has arguably been the Dutchman’s most consistent and effective partner. His style may be unorthodox, his spindly frame a stark contrast to the muscular builds of his fellow centre-backs, but Matip has been central to Klopp’s system at Liverpool. His dominance in the air is matched by his composure with the ball at his feet, while his dribbles out from the back – often, including as he scored an iconic goal against Leeds, spanning one penalty area to the other – have given Klopp a unique threat to employ.
Even in his eighth and what had long been expected to be final season on Merseyside, Matip defied suggestions that his lack of physicality would be a flaw in Liverpool’s new system to resume duties as first-choice starter.
But Matip, his manager, his team-mates and his employers are now left to ponder what comes next.
Firstly, the focus will be on a successful surgery to get the player in the right position to recover fully, as both Van Dijk and Gomez have in the past. While he will be given the full support of experts at the AXA Training Centre, Matip is likely to undergo the first months of his rehabilitation away from the club, with warm-weather recovery often preferred.
On the pitch, Klopp still has a clutch of top-level centre-backs and one elite prospect to call upon in the 32-year-old’s absence. Konate will be required to start regularly alongside Van Dijk, with Gomez offering rotational cover along with the upcoming Jarell Quansah. The return to fitness of Conor Bradley, who will be given increasing exposure as Trent Alexander-Arnold’s deputy at right-back, should free Gomez up to return to his natural role – as will the eventual return of Andy Robertson at left-back, following a long-term shoulder injury.
The rapidly approaching January transfer window may lead to calls for another centre-back to be brought in, but the likelihood is that Liverpool will not make a knee-jerk reaction, with Nat Phillips appearing a more feasible emergency fifth choice upon the end of his half-season loan at Celtic.
But there will long have been plans in place for the Reds to recruit another defender given Matip’s contract situation, and targets will be continually assessed.
A tough decision could also be presented to those within the club’s hierarchy of whether to, in fact, grant Matip an extension beyond the deal that currently expires on July 1. It would not be the first time Liverpool have done so for a player sidelined by long-term injury, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain signing a new contract in 2019 to effectively make up for time lost due to a serious knee injury.
Whether that is the right decision from a playing perspective is up for debate – and the signs were that Liverpool were already preparing for life without him – but sense may make way for sentiment in this case, to allow Matip to spend a year finding his feet again and rebuilding a career which, though largely underrated, would be the envy of any player.
(Images from IMAGO)
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There’s no time for players or supporters to recover from the madness that was December 3rd in the Premier League. Matchday 15 sees games to be played on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Here’s your preview for what could be a decisive mid-week round of matches.
Luton host league leaders Arsenal on Tuesday evening. On paper, a win should be a formality for the Gunners. They are two points clear at the top of the Premier League table and are currently on a five-game winning streak across all competitions.
Mikel Arteta’s side have conceded just two goals in this particular run and have found the back of the net on 14 occasions. They are in ominous form and will fancy their chances of extending this winning run on Tuesday.
The Gunners have the best defensive record in the Premier League having conceded just 11 goals across their 14 matches in the English top-flight. By comparison, Luton rank 19th for goals scored on a per 90 basis (0.9) while they are, on average, conceding 1.9 goals per 90. The Hatters rank 18th for Expected Goals (14.2) and 19th for Expected Goals Conceded (30.3).
Everything points to an Arsenal win, but Luton did cause Liverpool problems at Kenilworth Road earlier in the season.
The blunt Blades
At the time of writing, reports suggest Paul Heckingbottom will be replaced by former manager Chris Wilder following the 5-0 defeat to Burnley on Saturday. The Blades are bottom of the table following the loss at Turf Moor.
They host Liverpool on Wednesday with the Reds looking to keep pace at the top of the table. The Reds are unbeaten in the Premier League since the controversial defeat to Spurs in September. The Merseyside club are in the middle of a bit of an injury crisis with Thiago, Stefan Bajčetić, Alisson Becker, Joel Matip and Andrew Robertson all ruled out.
Jürgen Klopp’s side defeated Fulham 4-3 over the weekend in one of the matches of the season. They rank third for goals, first for Expected Goals this term and joint-first for big chances created (37).
By comparison, Sheffield United have conceded the highest number of goals (39) this season and have scored just 11 goals. They average just 38% possession and have just one win at home all season.
Again, this should be a Liverpool win but you never know what might happen, especially with the potential for the new manager bounce.
Old Trafford woes for Manchester United
Manchester United lost to Newcastle United on Saturday evening and now find themselves in seventh position in the Premier League. The Red Devils host Chelsea on Wednesday and the Blues are going to head to Manchester expecting to take something from this game.
United are ninth in the table when looking at home results this season. The Red Devils have 12 points from seven matches and have actually conceded (10) more than they have scored (eight) at Old Trafford this term.
Chelsea, who beat Brighton at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, have lost just two of their six matches away from home this term. They aren’t the best defensively, having conceded 22 goals, but they have scored 25 – nine more than their hosts on matchday 15.
Fortress Villa Park
Aston Villa have a 100% record at home this season in the Premier League. They have been utterly rampant in front of their home fans, scoring 23 goals in just six matches – an average of 3.83. Defensively, they have been resilient too, allowing just five goals at Villa Park.
They welcome reigning champions Manchester City on Wednesday. Pep Guardiola’s side are winless in three Premier League games following the 4-4 draw with Chelsea, the 1-1 draw with Liverpool and the 3-3 draw with Spurs.
The 2022/23 treble winners are now three points off the top and their away form hasn’t been great. They have taken 13 points from a possible 21 and have suffered two losses in their seven matches. They also have conceded nine goals away from the Etihad.
There is a chance City’s winless run in the English top-flight extends to four.
Gordon’s return to Goodison Park
Anthony Gordon heads back to Goodison Park this week in fairly decent form. The Newcastle United No. 10 has scored against Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United and he’s having his most productive season to date. He will be looking to add to his tally on Thursday as Newcastle travel to Everton.
The Magpies are just three points off of the top four but their away form, rather surprisingly, isn’t great. Eddie Howe’s men have taken just five points from six matches away from St James’ Park. In fact, they have won just one match away from home.
Everton have struggled at Goodison Park this season, picking up just four points from a possible 21. With the 10-point deduction, they need to start picking up points at home. Maybe they start on Thursday.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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The 21-year-old shot-stopper made three saves for Burnley during their 5-0 win over Sheffield United at Turf Moor.
The former Manchester City youngster also found a teammate with 40 of of his 48 passes and was accurate with almost half of his long balls. He wasn’t overly busy but he did everything he needed to do.
Right-Back: Keiran Trippier
Trippier is a regular in the FotMob Team of the Week. He’s been incredible for Newcastle this season and created the match-winning goal for the Magpies against Manchester United on Saturday evening.
The England international crested six chances and one big chance at St James’ Park to earn himself a 9.1 rating. He was also fairly dominant defensively too, winning 100% of his tackles and 50% of his ground duels.
Centre-Back: Dara O’Shea
The Republic of Ireland international completed the most passes (60) of any player in the match. The Burnley centre-back was instrumental in the 5-0 victory on Saturday afternoon.
He completed 81% of his passes and won the most duels (nine). The 24-year-old was dominant in the air, winning 88% of his aerial battles.
O’Shea also claimed an assist on his way to an 8.2 rating.
Centre-Back: Ben Mee
Mee rolled back the years in Brentford’s 3-1 win over Luton. The 34-year-old claimed a FotMob rating of 8.5 after scoring in the victory for the Bees. He also created two chances, had three shots and completed 86% of the 91 passes he attempted.
The Brentford centre-back made 10 ball recoveries and won four duels on the day.
Left-Back: Antonee Robinson
Fulham conceded four goals but Robinson still managed to impress. The 26-year-old had two shots, claimed an assist and made the most tackles (three) of any player in the match.
Robinson also made 13 clearances, 13 interceptions and was dribbled past just once. He won 70% of his ground duels and 100% of his aerial duels. He really didn’t deserve to lose at Anfield on Sunday.
Midfield: Martin Ødegaard
The Arsenal skipper ran the show in the 2-1 win over Wolves.
Ødegaard scored the second for the Gunners and it turned out to be the winner. He caught the eye creatively, carving out six opportunities for teammates, three of which were classed as big chances. In truth, it was a creative clinic, while also completing the most passes of any player (78).
He finished with an Expected Assists total of 0.78 and a FotMob rating of 8.6.
Midfield: Enzo Fernández
Fernández was the match-winner for Chelsea against Brighton. He scored twice – the first being a header from close range and the second via the penalty spot. The World Cup winner put in a shift following the red card to Conor Gallagher too, winning 60% of his duels at Stamford Bridge.
He completed 70% of his passes and 50% of his dribbles to keep things moving for the Blues.
Midfield: Joelinton
The Brazilian was dominant in the middle third for the Magpies against the Red Devils. The former striker completed 86% of his passes, created three chances, completed two of his three dribbles, won all of his tackles and was successful in 15 of his 20 duels – the most of any player.
Joelinton was also fouled on five occasions, again, the most of any player. He recovered the ball on 10 occasions to cap off an all-round showing.
Forward: Bukayo Saka
Saka is finding his form. The Arsenal No. 7 scored the opener for the league leaders against Wolves, his fifth of the Premier League season.
He created four chances, attempted seven dribbles and had three shots in what was a dominant attacking showing. The 22-year-old also won the most duels (eight) of any player.
Forward: Zeki Amdouni
Amdouni put in a complete performance for Burnley, scoring and assisting in the 5-0 triumph at Turf Moor.
The 22-year-old had two shots and created two chances in a showing that earned him a FotMob rating of 8.7.
Sheffield United struggled to deal with the powerful forward. He won over half of his duels and was fouled on three occasions, the most of anyone on the pitch.
Forward: Anthony Gordon
Another match-winning goal for Gordon. It is becoming a bit of a habit for the former Everton winger. It is also another big game in which the Newcastle No10 has scored in. He’s now found the back of the net against Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United.
Gordon also carved out two chances for teammates and finished with an Expected Goal involvement of 0.87. He’s now on six goals and three assists for the season.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Well, that was certainly a weekend of Premier League football, wasn’t it? Saturday warmed all of us up nicely for a goal filled Sunday. Dissecting all of this won’t be easy, but that is what we’re here for. With that in mind, here’s a review of the biggest talking points from matchday 14.
It wasn’t necessarily pretty but it didn’t have to be. Arsenal claimed a 2-1 win over Wolves on Saturday afternoon to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table.
The Gunners went 2-0 up inside of 15 minutes against Wolves with Bukayo Saka and Martin Ødegaard adding to their tallies for the season. It did appear as though another blowout could be on the cards following the 6-0 win over Lens in mid-week.
However, the visitors managed to wrestle back some control of the game. Wolves had 47% possession after the break. Gary O’Neil’s side claimed a consolation goal late on with Matheus Cunha scoring his fourth of the season.
The pressure was on Mikel Arteta and his players. They more than held their own. They look the real deal.
A statement victory for Burnley
Burnley moved off the bottom of the table with an emphatic victory over fellow strugglers Sheffield United.
Jay Rodriguez fired the hosts into an early lead, scoring after just one minute, before Jacob Bruun Larsen doubled the lead before the break.
Vincent Kompany’s side then scored three goals in a seven minute blitz in the second half. It was a deserved win but the scoreline flattered Burnley. They created four big chances with an Expected Goals total of just 1.81.
Sheffield United are now bottom of the table and have the worst defensive record in the Premier League.
Another Anthony Gordon masterclass
Another home win for Newcastle United, another match-winning goal scored by Anthony Gordon.
It is becoming the norm now, isn’t it? He did it against Arsenal a few weeks back and he did it against Manchester United. The former Everton forward also scored against Liverpool earlier in the season and Chelsea last weekend.
He is quickly becoming the man for the big occasion at St James’ Park.
In truth, Eddie Howe’s men battered the visitors. They had 22 shots to eight, four big chances to zero and finished with an Expected Goals total of 2.50. The Red Devils carved out opportunities worth just 0.48 Expected Goals.
Newcastle leapfrogged Man United into sixth position and are now just three points off of a top four spot.
No clean sheet for Brighton
The Seagulls travelled to Stamford Bridge without a clean sheet in the Premier League since May. They are now 18 games without a clean sheet following a 3-2 loss to Chelsea.
The Blues took an early lead with Enzo Fernández nodding home. It was a bit of a surprise seeing the 5ft10 midfielder rise highest to flick the ball into the net. It was also a surprise to see Levi Colwill climbing highest at the back post to double the lead. It was his first goal for the club and it arrived against the team he spent last season with.
Facundo Buonanotte halved the scoreline before the break before Conor Gallagher was sent off.
Fernández added his second from the penalty spot and though Brighton scored late on through João Pedro to make it 3-2, Roberto De Zerbi’s men suffered another loss in the Premier League.
The Seagulls dominated the ball (68%) but struggled to create anything. It is becoming the story of the season for Brighton.
Chaos at Anfield
It was a remarkable game between Liverpool and Fulham.
The Reds scored four goal of the season contenders in the 4-3 win over Marco Silva’s side. At one stage, it appeared as though they would lose their incredible Anfield record. Bobby De Cordova-Reid caught Kostas Tsimikas sleeping at the back post to give the visitors a 3-2 lead with 80 minutes on the clock.
Harry Wilson and Kenny Tete had earlier cancelled out a Trent Alexander-Arnold free-kick and an Alexis Mac Allister worldie.
Wataru Endo scored an equaliser from the edge of the box with 86 minutes on the clock before Alexander-Arnold fired home what turned out to be winner 60 seconds later.
Liverpool weren’t great, and they missed all four of their big chances, but did enough to deserve all three points. They’re now up to second.
Spurs stun Manchester City
Tottenham scored first and last in a pulsating 3-3 draw with Manchester City at the Etihad.
Heung-Min Son scored early on to give Spurs the lead. Which was good timing, after we published a special FotMob feature on his finishing, on Sunday morning. The Tottenham skipper then equalised for City. Which was less good.
Phil Foden restored the lead for the champions before Gio Lo Celso scored for the second successive week. Jack Grealish thought he’d won the game in the 81st minute but there was drama in stoppage time. Dejan Kulusevski scored with his only shot of the game to claim a point of Ange Postecoglou’s men.
It was a real smash and grab for Spurs. They carved out chances with an xG of just 0.49. They managed to score three of their four shots on target. By comparison, City had four big chances and an xG of 2.5.
The reigning champions have now dropped points in successive points at home.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Let me expand on what I mean by that. Most of the time, the reliable goalscorers across Europe often rely on volume. For example, on a per 90 basis, Harry Kane was averaging four shots for Spurs, Erling Haaland is having four efforts since his switch to Manchester City, Lionel Messi regularly averaged over five shots for Barcelona, Robert Lewandowski was at around 4.5 during his time with Bayern Munich, Cristiano Ronaldo averaged over six efforts for Real Madrid and Juventus while Mohamed Salah averages between 3.5 and 4.5 attempts for Liverpool since his move to Merseyside.
By comparison, since the start of the 2020/21 campaign, Son has averaged just 2.45 shots per 90. During that time though, he has 58 Premier League goals to his name as well as a Golden Boot.
The 31-year-old has 111 goals in 281 games in the English top flight and 153 goals in 386 matches across all competitions since he moved to Spurs in 2015. He is just the sixth player in the club’s history to score 150 goals.
The Spurs No. 7 was made club skipper in the summer and has replaced Harry Kane as the talisman of the team. Ange Postecoglou has used him in more of a central role this term and he’s responded with eight goals in just 13 appearances.
Postecoglou is famed for his innovative tactics and his positive approach but his shrewdest decision this season might be turning Son into a full-time centre-forward. Why is that? As mentioned at the top of this piece, the South Korea international is elite as a finisher. Getting him into more dangerous areas on a regular basis is only going to be a positive for Spurs. His performances as the main man in attack earned him the September Player of the Month award.
What makes Son such a ruthless finisher though? And what differentiates him from other attackers plying their trade today?
His 58 goals since 2020/21 have come from an Expected Goals total of just 41.08. That is a significant overperformance. For other players, you would say this just wasn’t sustainable, but Son has proven over the years that he is capable of this, time and time again.
Simply put, the one-time Bayer Leverkusen man is clinical and we get a perfect picture of this when looking at FotMob’s new season shot maps.
Son hits the corners. It sounds fairly straightforward but you would be amazed at how often attackers, those considered to be reliable goalscorers, just look to get their efforts on target. Hitting the corner is a bonus, their primary objective is to ensure they work the goalkeeper. For Son, however, that just isn’t the case.
He aims for the corners. Top and bottom. It means he is adding value to his efforts and this is evident when looking at his Expected Goals on Target numbers. For the 2020/21 campaign, his xG total was 9.84 but his xG on Target total was 13.72. While there is still an overperformance, it drops massively from the 7.26 it was to just 3.28.
The same thing happened during his Golden Boot-winning campaign. Initially, there is an overperformance of 6.61 but when xG on Target is factored in, this drops to 4.43. Again, you can see that the Spurs No. 7 avoids the centre of the goal and instead looks to hit the corners with his attempts. There’s real thought going into his placement.
Last year was a little different. Son finished with just 10 Premier League goals and he was par with his xG. However, when looking at xG on Target, you see he was actually unlucky.
The 31-year-old had an xG on Target total of 11.57, meaning he was adding value to his efforts with his placement but these attempts just weren’t going in. The shot map backs up this theory too, showing a lot of shots hitting the corners.
Things are looking a little more back to normal this term. He’s on eight for the season from an xG of 4.74 with an xG on Target total of 6.71. He’s hitting the corners and he’s back amongst the goals.
Son’s shot placement has seen him reduce an overperformance of 17 over the past three and a bit seasons to just 7.43. And this is what makes him unique. He makes the most of the limited chances he has, and he’s been doing it for years.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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The world of football moves fast and with fifteen million active monthly users, we’re in the perfect position to see where the eyes of global fans have been drawn in November.
A couple of Premier League classics, a Spanish supernova and the completion of a hat-trick of hat-tricks have all played their part. Here’s our rundown of FotMob’s most viewed players, clubs and matches over the last 30 days.
Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen are the most red hot team in Europe, right now. 17 wins in 18 games, in all competitions. A huge part of that is the sparkling form of their two swashbuckling wing backs: Jeremie Frimpong and Alex Grimaldo. The Spaniard has 9 goals and 5 assists, with 4 goals in just 3 starts in November and a return to the national side, where he also assisted in a 3-1 win over Cyprus.
9. Serhou Guirassy (VFB Stuttgart)
FotMob users have been flocking to view Guirassy’s page, since the start of the season, as the man from Guinea just could not stop scoring. The goals have slowed down a little, but it was hard not to after 13 goals in his first 7 games. His one strike in November was the match winner against Dortmund and he’s still keeping Harry Kane honest, at the top of the Bundesliga scoring charts.
8. Endrick (Palmeiras)
Real Madrid are our most followed club on the app, and their fans came in their droves to find out who the 17-year-old wonderkid is that’s lighting up the Campeonato Brasileiro. Signed by Los Blancos this time last year, for £52m, the teenage sensation has to wait until the summer to grace The Bernabeu, but November saw another dream realised – a debut for Brazil against Colombia.
7. Erling Haaland (Man City)
From a left-footed striker starting to make his mark to one who has cemented his place as the world’s most formidable front man. November, like every month, saw lots of goals from Erling Haaland. 6 in 5 games. That’s 71 in 73 games for City. 261 goals in 266 games for club and country, since he left Molde as a teenager. And a treble-winner for good measure. And he’s only 7th, because it’s all just so inevitable.
6. Jérémy Doku (Man City)
Jérémy Doku has been a breath of fresh air. Outside of Ligue 1 fans, not many would have seen his ability to glide past full backs, in full flight. Canny Fantasy League managers were rewarded with the performance of the season, as Doku cut Bournemouth to ribbons, registering 4 assists and a goal, in early November. He backed it up with 2 more assists for Belgium and a fantastic display against Liverpool. The world is taking notice.
5. Mo Salah (Liverpool)
Just when you start to think Mo Salah’s star is fading, he comes back better and more deadly than ever. Still rapid, still lethal, still clocking up goals and still the Premier League and the world’s most dangerous right winger. Fresh off a Merseyside Derby double in late October, he put 2 more past Brentford, flew to Cairo and hit 4 against Djibouti, 4 days later. 13 goals and 5 assists, this season, spearheading Liverpool’s revival.
4. Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)
October’s most viewed player on FotMob and Real Madrid, England and the world’s golden boy. Jude Bellingham’s quite incredible start for Real, has been hampered by injury in November. An El Clasico double in late October launched him into a new realm of superstardom for a 20 year-old midfielder. He returned on Sunday, and scored. Midweek, he scored again against Napoli. That’s 15 goals in 16 games. Brand Bellingham will be back in the top three, soon enough.
3. Cole Palmer (Chelsea)
Well, well, well. Football does throw up some surprises. In November, Chelsea featured in two of the most enjoyable and talked about Premier League games for years. A goal and assist for Cole Palmer in a 4-1 win against a maverick nine-men Spurs, before he took centre stage in a pulsating 4-4 draw against Man City, both in terms of his performance and the narrative. A sparkling, fearless display and an emphatic last-minute penalty against his former side that left FotMob users worldwide asking “Who is this Cole Palmer?”
2. Ronaldo (Al Nassr)
He may have traded in a career among the elite clubs of Europe for the up and coming Saudi Pro League, but Ronaldo’s 20+ years of era-defining brilliance and relentless goalscoring will always put him in a world of his own. Well, almost his own. In the land of the mega stars, the US, Ronaldo remains the most viewed player, by quite some distance. 4 goals in November, 24 goals in 27 for the season and 863 in a glittering career.
1. Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)
It’s fair to say that England’s captain and record goalscorer has taken to the Bundesliga. With 22 goals and 7 assists in his first 18 games, his move to Bayern Munich has catapulted Kane to new levels of appreciation of just how good he really is. A consummate professional and teammate, a lethal finisher with either foot and with his head. Link up play better than anyone in the world, a humble work ethic and an array of dynamic attacking midfielders and wingers to hit with that impeccable passing range. Harry Kane left Spurs to win things. He’s just won FotMob’s Most Viewed Player in November. Will he get his hands on the Bundesliga? The Champions League? The Euros? With him in the team, there’s always a chance.
Most Viewed Clubs
1. Manchester City
2. Manchester Utd
3. Arsenal
4. GIRONA
5. Real Madrid
6. Barcelona
7. Liverpool
8. Tottenham Hotspur
9. Chelsea
10. Al Nassr
Football’s megabrands dominate the top ten most viewed clubs on FotMob, but within that there’s a couple of very notable mentions.
Ronaldo’s global army of superfans have made Al Nassr and their 25,000 capacity stadium the tenth most viewed club in the world, on FotMob. Placing the Saudi club higher than giants of the game, in Bayern Munich, the Milan clubs, and Juventus.
Beyond that, there’s a story that contains no stars at all. Catalan club Girona have shocked the football world by daring to mix it with LaLiga royalty. Having amassed 35 points from their first 14 games, they sit level at the top of the table with Real Madrid. Everyone loves an underdog story and FotMob users are converging on their club page with curiosity to discover more.
Led by Michel and featuring a truly global team including Ukrainians Artem Dovbyk and Viktor Tsigankov, Brazilian teenager Savio, Dutch veteran Daley Blind, Venezuelan midfielder Yangel Herrera and the hugely impressive Alex Garcia, they are defying the odds and mixing it with the big boys. Long may it continue.
Most Viewed Match
12 million views of a perfect storm of a football game. Spurs v Chelsea in the Premier League saw 5 goals, 5 chalked off by VAR, 2 red cards, 25 shots, 8 yellow cards and a hat-trick. Throw in some of the most admirable but bewildering tactics ever seen in the Premier League, from Ange Postecoglou, and you’ve got a London derby for the ages.
It was also the perfect storm to drive views. A huge amount of notifications to accompany a game packed with incident, sent out to global fans of our 8th and 9th most followed clubs. And with the game played out on a Monday night, in the UK, fans in the US could follow during the working day, and fans in Asia could awake on a Tuesday morning, open FotMob and try their very best to make sense of it all.
In this weekend preview we summarise the best five games to follow on your match feed. And make a couple of suggestions for matches that you may otherwise miss.
Arsenal recaptured top spot in the Premier League last weekend, thanks to Kai Havertz last-gasp winner at Brentford, and Manchester City’s draw with Liverpool. And by virtue of playing first this weekend, the Gunners have the chance to extend their current one point lead in the standings when they welcome Wolves to the Emirates on Saturday.
Arsenal were in full flow during the week, sailing in to the Champions League knockout stages thanks to a 6-0 win over French club Lens, with the goals coming from six different goal scorers. As one friend of ours on Twitter pointed out, everybody ate!
Wolves will have spent the week resting up after a number of VAR decisions went against them in Monday night’s 3-2 defeat at Fulham. Gary O’Neil’s side will therefore return to London with fresh impetus, and perhaps a sense of injustice, as they look to secure what would be their third away win of the season. The club currently sit twelve in the table and can already boast impressive victories over big six clubs Man City and Spurs.
For a full preview of the Premier League weekend, including more insight on this game – click here.
One week after their involvement in the Derby d’Italia – a 1-1 draw with Juventus – Serie A leaders Inter face another daunting away trip. This Sunday, they travel south to take on defending league champions Napoli.
In midweek, the Nerazzurri were in Lisbon for a Champions League clash with Benfica, where they took their current unbeaten run to 11 games. Something that didn’t look like happening when Benfica’s João Mário scored a first-half hat-trick! But goals from Arnautović, Frattesi, and Alexis Sánchez saw them fight back to claim a 3-3 draw, ensuring they still have the chance to top their group, to go along with the place in the Round of 16 that’s already been secured.
Napoli were also involved in a high scoring game in Europe’s elite competition. But despite taking the lead as early as the fourth minute, away at Real Madrid, they were eventually beaten 4-2, and therefore still need something from their final group game later in the month. That was returning coach, Walter Mazzarri’s second competitive game, since he signed on to replace Rudi Garcia, who himself had only been in post since the start of the season.
Anywhere else, that would suggest turmoil, but in Napoli’s case – their title defence hasn’t actually gone that badly. They start the weekend in fourth, eight points down on Inter, and have only lost three of their 13 league games. Mazzarri’s second stint begun with a 2-1 win at Atalanta last weekend, a game in which the ever-reliable Giovanni Di Lorenzo and star winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, in particular, performed well.
On a day full of top level games, Sunday sees reigning LaLiga champions Barcelona host Atlético Madrid at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys. These two Spanish giants are locked together on 31 points, four points down on current leaders Real Madrid, and surprise package Girona.
The two were also both involved in Champions League action during the week – Barça coming from behind to secure their Round of 16 spot with a 2-1 win against Porto, and Atlético doing the same with a more convincing 3-1 victory at Dutch champions Feyenoord.
The similarities between their respective seasons are also manifest in the individual star players at both – former-Barcelona player Antoine Griezmann has been on fire for Atlético, scoring 13 goals in all competitions, and João Félix, on loan from Atlético, has begun to find some form for Barcelona, scoring in the week, and averaging a FotMob rating of 7.32 in the league so far.
In recent times, Barcelona have had the upper hand in this fixture, winning the last three meetings with an aggregate scoreline of six goals to two.
Also on Sunday, there’s a big-name clash in Germany’s top flight. Here, Bayer Leverkusen face Champions League heroes Borussia Dortmund, in a game between first and fourth, as things stand.
Bayern play struggling Union Berlin – on Saturday, meaning Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen side might need a result to reclaim that top spot by the end of round 13. But they’ll be up against it – Dortmund looked inspired in the week, when they went to Milan, claimed a 3-1 win and sealed their place in the knockout stages of the Champions League. They were also 4-2 winners last weekend, taking the imaginary title of the best Borussia, having beaten Mönchengladbach in that game.
Dortmund have lost only twice in the league this season but they sit 10 points down on the unbeaten Leverkusen. In a notoriously high scoring league, Dortmund are averaging 2.1 goals per game, and they’re being spread around the side too, with Donyell Malen, Julian Brandt, and Niclas Füllkrug tied on four goals each.
Only Bayern have outgunned Leverkusen’s 37 goals in 12 games but it appears that, in his first full season, Xabi Alonso’s coaching philosophy is coming to the fore. No one passes the the ball more than Leverkusen, who average over 600 passes per match. And that is something that has resulted in 45 big chances being created, and some headline grabbing performances from a pair of marauding wing-backs – Alex Grimaldo is the club’s joint top scorer with seven goals and four assists, while his right sided counter part, Jeremie Frimpong, has four goals and five assists.
Going back in time, Saturday night’s headliner in Ligue 1 is worthy of inclusion here, seeing as unbeaten Nice have the opportunity to move above PSG at the top of the table – should they win away at Nantes.
The INEOS side have been inspired under 34-year-old Italian coach Francesco Farioli, who took over ahead of this, his first season with a club in one of Europe’s top leagues. Farioli’s team have been compact, and highly efficient, picking up eight wins from their 13 matches, and scoring 14 goals from a xG figure of 17.9.
But here comes the really interesting stat: Nice have conceded just FOUR times all season. That’s one every 300 minutes played, give or take, and presuming most games under current guidelines edge closer to 100 minutes in duration, rather than the old school 90. Needless to say, but that is the best record of anyone in the big five leagues, and all the more impressive when you consider one of their centre-backs is Dante, the 40-year-old former Brazil international.
Nantes, for their part, currently sit in mid-table having recorded four wins thus far, and just one in their last five. They are, however, scoring at a better rate than their opponents going in to this match up – at a rate of 1.3 goals per game to Nice’s 1.1. That has just not translated in to results.
Plus two hidden gems from a little deeper in your match feed…
Football rivalries don’t come much fiercer than the Hamburg Derby, the battle between St. Pauli and Hamburg, set to take place on Friday evening. Two sides from juxtaposing sides of the city divided, traditionally, by everything from politics to football. And this particular derby falls at a time when both are fighting to get out of Germany’s second tier and sat first and second in the league.
St. Pauli are the home side on this occasion and having not played at the top level since 2011, they appear to be extra motivated to get out of this division. After consecutive fifth placed finishes that saw them miss out on even a play-off spot, they have started the season with a 14-game unbeaten run. In fact, in all competitions, and going back to the previous campaign, they’re unbeaten in 21 matches.
They’re not the most prolific scorers, and they’ve drawn nearly as many games as they’ve won in that run, but they are built on a solid foundation. They’ve conceded just 11 goals this season. That’s the best record in the division by far.
But you’ve guessed it, St. Pauli’s last defeat, and the last time they did ship a few goals came in the last derby – with Hamburg claiming a dramatic 4-3 win at the tail end of last season. Hamburg went on to suffer a cruel defeat in the promotion/relegation play-off having also missed out on the title on the final day of the regular season. So they too, have reasons to want to claim promotion this season, and they’ve gone about that with a very solid start to the campaign. Their recent defeat to third placed Holstein Kiel was their only loss in their last eight, so they come in to the derby in good nick.
This one should come with a *SPOILER ALERT*, as Sunday’s FA Cup clash between world famous Wrexham and Yeovil Town might just make the next series of the Welsh club’s popular documentary series. This is Round 2 of the World’s oldest national cup competition, so the round before the big boys of the Premier League and Championship enter, and therefore an opportunity for one of these sides to slice out a piece of history for themselves.
Wrexham, as most people know, went all the way to the fourth round last season, where they took Sheffield United to a fiery replay. That was before their promotion back to the English Football League, a privilege that means they’ve only had to play one game to reach this stage of the competition this season.
And anyone with decent knowledge of the FA Cup will know that Yeovil Town are the non-league side who’ve claimed the most knockout wins against EFL sides in the long history of the competition. And the Somerset side will also be out for revenge. When the sides last met, the 3-0 win for Wrexham was the result that sealed their long awaited promotion. But it was also the result that relegated Yeovil, back to regional football for the first time since the 1990s, a club that had been as high as the Championship as recently as 2014.
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We’re now in December. The festive season is upon us. You know what that means? Mince pies galore and Premier League football on TV almost every single day. This period can make or break a campaign. So here’s a look at the key fixtures from matchday 14.
The Gunners are a point clear at the top of the Premier League and they are one of three 3pm kick-offs on Saturday as they host Wolves at the Emirates. A win for Mikel Arteta’s side guarantees them first place heading into the mid-week round of matches, regardless of what happens elsewhere.
On paper, this should be a routine win for the league leaders. Arsenal are unbeaten at home and have taken 17 points from a possible 21. Gary O’Neil’s side aren’t great on the road and have scored just nine times on their travels this term. And yet, Wolves have beaten Spurs and Manchester City this season. They took the lead against Liverpool and were unfortunate not to get something from a trip to Old Trafford.
They may be mid-table right now but had a few questionable VAR decisions gone their way, they would be in the mix for a Europa League place. Interestingly, they have conceded five penalties this season, the most of any team in the Premier League. Arsenal have been awarded the most penalties (6) in the English top flight. Would you really be surprised if these tallies were added to this weekend?
A sticky situation for Everton
Whereas in previous campaigns, Everton’s home form has kept them in the Premier League, their away form has been key this time around. The Toffees are five points off safety right now following their 10-point deduction but of the 14 points they have won this season, 10 have come away from Goodison Park.
In fact, Sean Dyche’s side have won more points on their travels (10) than their hosts, Nottingham Forest have won at home (nine).
Forest aren’t in the best of form either having won just one of their last five Premier League outings. They have conceded a minimum of two goals in four of these matches and they have lost their last two games 3-2.
This should be a game filled with goals. A win for the Toffees could be monumental for their season after the points deduction. A loss would heap all kinda of pressure on the team.
Saturday night at St James’ Park
Newcastle United host Manchester United in the late kick-off on Saturday evening. A win for the Magpies would see them leapfrog the Red Devils in the Premier League table with just a single point separating them right now.
Either team could finish the weekend in fifth spot if results go their way.
Erik Ten Hag’s side are going a little under the radar, probably because of their European performances. They have won four of their last five in the English top flight. In fact, over the last six games, they are the form team in the league having taken the most points. They are also one of the best teams in the league on their travels having taken 12 points from six matches away from Old Trafford. Only Tottenham, Manchester City and Arsenal have picked up more.
On home turf, Newcastle have won six from seven this season. So this should be an interesting match-up. They are also one of the most potent teams in the Premier League, averaging 2.4 goals per 90. An average that only Man City (2.5) can better.
This match pits two of the best creative players in the league against one another. Kieran Trippier has registered six assists this term, a figure only Pedro Neto (seven) can better while Bruno Fernandes leads the way for Expected Assists with 4.2. Second on that list is Trippier with 4.1.
Jekyll and Hyde Chelsea
Chelsea impress one week and things appear to be clicking for them under Mauricio Pochettino before a humbling defeat arrives in their next outing. That seems to be the pattern for the Blues this term. A 4-1 loss against Newcastle United last weekend brought them back down to earth with a real bump following the 4-4 draw with Man City.
Now they entertain Brighton at Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon.
The Seagulls have been just as erratic this term. Their win over Nottingham Forest last weekend was their first since September and, as detailed in a recent feature, they are yet to keep a clean sheet in the Premier League.
Again, everything seems to point towards there being goals in this gam, so expect a drab 0-0.
A win for Brighton could lift them as high as sixth while all three points for the hosts could see them cut the gap to Roberto De Zebri’s men to just three.
A tough test for Tottenham
Spurs don’t have a bad record against Man City over recent seasons. They have won five of their last 10 against the reigning champions and have lost on just four occasions. Considering how dominant Pep Guardiola’s side are, this is an unbelievable record.
However, Spurs head to the Etihad this weekend in freefall having lost their last three Premier League outings. Heading into their match against Chelsea, they were unbeaten and looked like genuine title challengers. Now though, they have lost three on the bounce, conceding eight goals and scoring just three.
They’re coming up against an in-form City side who came from behind in the Champions League to defeat RB Leipzig. Depending on how other teams get on this weekend, a win on Sunday afternoon could be enough to take them back to the summit.
This is Ange Postecoglou’s toughest test as Spurs boss. He’s taking his depleted side to the champions. If he gets something, it will be their best result of the season, all things considered.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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