Page 5 – The Pulse of Football

Sep

2025

Luka Modric’s Milan move is more than just a swan song

At 40 years old, Luka Modrić has turned back the clock and rediscovered his best form for AC Milan after joining from Real Madrid in the summer.

By Graham Ruthven

It would be easy to write off Serie A as the retirement home of European football. Kevin De Bruyne’s summer move to Napoli reaffirmed the league’s status as the home of the legendary senior citizen, as did AC Milan’s signing of Luka Modrić. Modrić, however, isn’t ready to retire, as his performances for the Rossoneri have proved.

De Bruyne has also made a good start to life in Italy, but Modric has been on another level so far. The Croatian has started all of AC Milan’s opening four league fixtures, quickly establishing himself as the beating heart of Max Allegri’s new-look midfield. At 40 years old, Modrić is back to his best.

This summer was the right time for Modrić to leave Real Madrid. While the Croatian played over 2,500 minutes in all competitions, the arrival of Xabi Alonso marked a shift in the landscape. Alonso favours a high-energy, high-intensity approach and at such a late stage of Modrić’s career it was suggested he would struggle.

Allegri-ball, however, doesn’t make the same demands of the 40-year-old. Instead, AC Milan are set up to stay compact and deep against the ball, the idea being that by inviting pressure there is more space to attack going the other way when they win possession back. Modrić is the supply line in the centre of the pitch.

Many believed Milan had simply lost too much talent over the summer to be truly competitive in Serie A this season. Tijjani Reijnders departed for Manchester City. Theo Hernández left for Al Hilal in the Saudi Pro League with Malick Thiaw joining Newcastle United. The trio were first team figures.

€160m was spent on replenishments. Christopher Nkunku, Ardon Jashari, Samuele Ricci, Koni De Winter, Pervis Estupiñán, Zachary Athekame, Adrien Rabiot and David Odogu all arrived at San Siro, some for significant fees. It’s a free agent, however, who has made the biggest impact to date.

Milan needed a new central creator after the loss of Reijnders and Modrić fit the bill. The Croatian can do everything – he can pick a pass, he can shoot from distance and he even has enough left in the tank to beat an opponent on the dribble from time to time. Modrić very much still plays like the best all-round midfielder of his generation.

*Modrić’s current player traits comparison against midfielders in top five leagues*

“Luka is an extraordinary player and it’s a pleasure to watch him, but he is also a humble guy, like a great champion,” said Allegri when asked to sum up the impression Modrić has made on him and his squad since joining in the summer transfer window. “He knows beforehand where the ball will go, and has such great technique.”

With the likes of Rafael Leão and Christian Pulisic in front of him, Modrić has had an outlet for his progressive passing and natural ability for driving the ball forward. It’s no coincidence that Pulisic has also started the season in excellent form, scoring five goals in six appearances (all competitions). The American is already benefiting from Modrić’s presence, as will Leão when he’s back from injury.

This weekend’s meeting with early pace-setters and defending champions Napoli will be the first real test of Allegri’s new-look AC Milan. While the Rossoneri have made an impressive start, and Modrić has been an eye-catching performer, they have enjoyed a favourable run of fixtures to open the campaign.

A win over Napoli would be a statement result. It would be a sign of how Milan have quickly remoulded after a hectic summer and the first indication that they could mount a genuine Scudetto challenge. Modrić certainly deserves to play for a team challenging for Italy’s biggest prizes.

Modrić is leading Milan for accurate passes per 90 minutes this season. Nobody has created more chances than the 40-year-old who is averaging more accurate long balls per 90 minutes than any of his teammates, hinting at how Allegri wants Modrić to play into the attack as quickly as possible. This is a key cornerstone of AC Milan’s approach.

*Modrić leads our ratings in the Milan squad*

Comparisons have been made to Andrea Pirlo, and yet this still doesn’t do justice to the role Modrić is performing. Pirlo never had the game-breaking ability that Modrić has on the edge of the box. The Croatian’s recent performances have evoked the memory of Pirlo, Kaka and Clarence Seedorf all at the same time.

Of course, there will be a drop-off at some point. Modrić can’t sustain this level forever. The Croatian’s mortality will one day show in his performances. Allegri must also do his best not to over-work the 40-year-old. Rotation will be required. So far, though, Modrić is giving AC Milan exactly what they need.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from Serie A on FotMob in the 2025/26 season – with in-depth stat coverage, including xG, shot maps, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Sep

2025

Preview: Barcelona visit newly-promoted Real Oviedo

Barcelona’s first midweek league match of the season sees them travel to Asturias to take on new boys Real Oviedo.

By Neel Shelat

Barcelona’s first visit to Oviedo in 24 years

Real Oviedo spent close to a quarter of a century outside the Spanish top-flight following their relegation from LaLiga in 2001, quite literally bouncing back from the brink of death before eventually winning the Segunda División promotion play-offs last term.

As a result, this will be the first time Oviedo host FC Barcelona in 24 years. A brace from Patrick Kluivert powered the Blaugrana to a 2-3 win on that occasion, but Oviedo were the winners in each of their previous three home head-to-heads.

Lamine Yamal likely to remain sidelined

Lamine Yamal must be raring to go again a couple of days after finishing second in the Ballon d’Or rankings and winning the Kopa trophy, but he missed the last training session prior to the match and is expected to remain unavailable. Fermín López and Gavi also suffered recent injury blows, while Alejandro Balde and Marc-André ter Stegen are still on the absence list as well.

Ferran Torres on fire

Robert Lewandowski is fit and firing for Barcelona again, but Ferran Torres has been the team’s top goal scorer in the early weeks of the season. The ex-Valencia forward doubled his tally with a brace against Getafe on the weekend, showing great scoring instincts both as a main or second striker.

*Torres shooting stats in LaLiga, 2025/26*

He also scored 14 goals across all club competitions in the second half of the 2024/25 season following the turn of the year, so he has really stepped up to the mantle in Barcelona’s hour of need.

Given Lewandowski’s age and recent return from injury, the 25-year-old Spaniard may well get another chance to lead the line this week.

Wing attacks the key for Real Oviedo

No team in the world can reasonably hope to completely shut out Barcelona even for 90 minutes, so all of their opponents have to come up with a counterattacking plan before taking them. Based on their work early on in the season, Real Oviedo will likely look to deal their damage down the wings.

Veljko Paunović’s side have focused less than a quarter of their attacks down the centre so far this season. Their main striker, 36-year-old Salomón Rondón, is not the most mobile of players, so he operates as more of a target forward. Out wide, the likes of Haissem Hassan and Ilyas Chaira pose more of a dribbling threat, so they will be tasked with getting the ball up the pitch. Against a somewhat depleted Barcelona back line, they might just find a bit of joy.

Prediction

Regardless of how much they rotate the side, Barcelona will surely be overwhelming favourites in this game. They should manage to come away with a comfortable win and take Real Oviedo’s record to five losses in six matches this season.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Sep

2025

Son Heung-min has hit the ground running in MLS

Less than two months after joining from Spurs, Son Heung-min is already making a profound impact for Los Angeles FC.

By Graham Ruthven

Son Heung-min wasn’t sure about joining Los Angeles FC. In the South Korean’s own words, they weren’t his “first choice” when it became apparent his Tottenham Hotspur career would come to an end this summer. LAFC general manager John Thorrington had to win Son over and the 33-year-old is surely glad that he did.

Just seven games into his Major League Soccer career, Son already has six goals to his name. He has netted five in his last three outings including a hat trick in a 4-1 win over Real Salt Lake last week. When LAFC repeated that scoreline a few days later, bizarrely against the same opponents, Son scored in that game too.

That goal wasn’t just any goal – it was a laser of a strike from outside the box off the inside of the post. It was a moment that showcased Son at his best, at a level some feared the South Korean would never reach again after a challenging final season at Spurs. The most famous smile in world football is back on the face of one of its most enjoyable players.

It was the right time for Son to depart North London. While he’d made himself a Tottenham icon over the course of a decade-long stint at the club, there were glaring signs last season that the South Korean had reached the end of a cycle. His return of just seven goals was the poorest return since Son’s debut Premier League campaign.

Son’s game has always been about blistering speed and an explosive desire to attack open space at every possible opportunity, so when he lost some of that natural pace in his 30s questions arose about his ability to impact games. This doubt was the backdrop of Son’s summer switch to LAFC.

LAFC went big to land Son. They paid £20m for the South Korean in the belief he would elevate their attacking level, making him the most expensive player in MLS history. Less than two months on, that £20m fee already looks to be money well spent even if Son wasn’t the attacker LAFC originally wanted.

Antoine Griezmann was a target for years. LAFC kept aside a Designated Player spot in preparation for his arrival only for the French forward to sign a new contract in June to tie him to Atlético Madrid until 2027. The Californian club were very much left at the transfer market altar.

Their marriage with Son, however, is a very happy one. Some questioned where he would play for LAFC. The South Korean has always been most comfortable off the left side, but Denis Bouanga already played there for Steve Cherundolo’s side. How would LAFC fit their best two players into the same attack? It was MLS’s very own Mbappé-Vinícius conundrum.

At least it was until Bouanga and Son actually started playing games together. Then it wasn’t a conundrum at all. The pair have dovetailed instinctively albeit, combining for two goals in LAFC’s last two games, with Son generally positioned more centrally. The fit has been good from their very first match together.

*Son and Bouanga’s partnership was in full flow in the two games against RSL*

After an indifferent first half of the season, LAFC have left it too late to be in Supporters’ Shield contention. With the playoffs just around the corner, though, Son and his new team might have gotten hot at exactly the right time. The South Korean’s first season in MLS could end in glory.

“Two very simple words – intensity and quality,” said Cherundolo when asked what qualities Son has brought to LAFC. “Those moments in a player, in any player, are what makes the difference. If you watch games at the highest level, every player in the field has intensity and quality together. That combination is lethal, and Sonny brings exactly that to our team and to our league.”

Son’s impact in Los Angeles has been just as profound off the pitch. At a time when Lionel Messi’s signing was meant to bring a generation of new fans to MLS, LAFC’s new forward has done almost as much to raise the league’s profile, selling more jerseys than LeBron James and Cristiano Ronaldo.

An estimated 320,000 Korean Americans live in Southern California and Son is an icon for them. Many of them have been drawn to BMO Field since the forward’s arrival in August. Tickets for LAFC home games since Son’s signing have been hard to come by. They will be at a premium in the playoffs too.

There are other MLS teams currently on a hot streak. The Vancouver Whitecaps have won four of their last six games. San Diego are going for the Shield in their expansion season and will be Cup contenders too. Then there’s Inter Miami and Messi. A team led by a revitalised Son, however, could be the biggest threat of all.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from MLS on FotMob in the 2025 season – with in-depth stat coverage, including xG, shot maps, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Sep

2025

Preview: NYCFC host Inter Miami in MLS

Inter Miami can confirm their place in the 2025 MLS Cup playoffs with a win or a draw against New York City FC on Wednesday night, but this team have much bigger ambitions and expectations than mere qualification.

By James Nalton

Having played at Yankee Stadium last season, this will be Lionel Messi’s first visit to New York City’s other baseball home at Citi Field, Queens, home of the New York Mets.

There should be plenty of buzz in the World’s Borough ahead of Messi’s appearance, as Inter Miami continue their quest to retain their Supporters’ Shield title.

Lionel Messi is back in MVP form

For much of this season, other players in Major League Soccer have had better cases than Messi to be named the league’s MVP at the end of the year.

Messi won the award in 2024 despite missing numerous games throughout the campaign, so good were his performances when he did play.

This season has been similarly impressive at times, but Miami as a team have often lacked momentum.

There was the run of fixtures where Messi was scoring twice in every game, and flashes of genius here and there, but there was always a strong case for someone like Anders Dreyer of San Diego, or Evander of Cincinnati, to claim the award.

In the past two games, Messi’s all-round play has been back at a level above everyone in MLS and, indeed, above most people playing the game regardless of the league in which they play.

He has scored three goals and assisted two more in those games, and more often than not, these goal contributions involve moments of brilliance.

Starting as a striker in place of the suspended Luis Suárez seems to have suited him.

Can Inter Miami still win the Supporters’ Shield?

Javier Mascherano’s side are whittling away at their games in hand, and after this midweek fixture, they will be only two behind the teams at the top of the table.

Going into this game, they still have three games in hand on Eastern Conference leaders Philadelphia Union, who also happen to be leading the overall Supporters’ Shield Standings.

Miami are eight points behind the Union, so three points from each of those three games would give them a one-point edge.

As Miami have shown in recent months, though, they are not a team that can put a run of wins together, and they have not won three games in a row since July.

However, they have the chance to do so in this game against NYC, and, from here on out, they only have to focus on MLS, which has not been the case for much of the season so far.

With Messi back in top form, they could make a late push to retain their Shield.

Opposition watch: New York City FC

NYCFC are on a run of three consecutive wins, which is part of a wider impressive spell of form which has seen them win seven of their last nine games in MLS.

Post Leagues Cup, they have won five of six and have already secured their place in the playoffs.

Though the focus will be on Miami’s Supporters’ Shield push, New York themselves are still in that race, too.

Pascal Jansen’s side are also the form team in the league, just ahead of Charlotte FC, whom they defeated 2-0 at the weekend thanks to two penalties from Costa Rican striker Alonso Martínez, who now has eight goals in his last seven league games.

Martínez is five off Messi at the top of the scoring charts, with 17 goals, and has the second-highest xG and xG per 90 in the league.

Prediction

This should be an entertaining game between two teams in good form. A score draw could be on the cards.

(Cover Image from IMAGO)

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

Sep

2025

Where are Bayern’s academy stars?

Bayern Munich, undisputedly Germany’s most successful club, have a proud history of producing some of the greatest talents the sport has ever seen. Franz Beckenbauer, Philipp Lahm, and Toni Kroos all rose through the ranks. In recent years, however, few academy prospects have managed to break through to the first team.

By Alex Roberts

It’s a long-standing criticism. Bayern’s dominance in Germany should allow more chances for their youngsters, yet players under 19 managed just 110 minutes across all competitions last season. By comparison, Liverpool gave 975 minutes to teenagers, PSG 966, and Real Madrid 570. Not a good look for the Bavarians.

Vincent Kompany took plenty of youngsters to the summer’s FIFA Club World Cup. Lennart Karl, Adam Aznou, Leon Klanac, Cassiano Kiala, Jonah Kusi-Asare, David Santos Daiber and Wisdom Mike all made the trip, yet they only featured for a collective 53 minutes.

One could argue that they wanted to take the tournament seriously, but they could have done so while still giving some of the younger players a chance to face Auckland FC. Instead, Serge Gnabry, Dayot Upamecano, and Jamal Musiala accounted for three of the five substitutions, with Karl and Aznou filling the remaining two.

Aznou, who had earned LaLiga experience while on loan at Real Valladolid for the second half of last season was particularly frustrated. The left-back could’ve played with the Moroccan national team but was deliberately left out so he could play for Bayern. A few weeks later, he was sold to Everton.

Following Aznou’s departure, Max Eberl, Bayern’s sporting director, said: “One can’t force a dog to hunt”, essentially laying blame on the youngster for being so impatient. But why should he be when there is very little evidence to suggest he would be given a shot?

By the time the Club World Cup had ended, Leroy Sané had gone, joining Galatasaray as a free agent. Mathys Tel, another player who spent time in Bayern’s academy, but should be considered a Rennes product, was also sold to Tottenham.

The biggest loss, however, was Thomas Müller. Arguably the last superstar to come out of Bayern’s academy was released after 756 matches played across seventeen seasons, in which he scored 250 goals and provided 223 assists.

Already in need of attacking reinforcements, Bayern’s entire transfer window was then defined by Musiala’s broken leg, picked up in the 2-0 quarter final defeat to PSG. There is a general expectation in Germany that what Bayern want, Bayern get, but that wasn’t the case this time around.

It was their most humiliating transfer window for quite some time. First, they were turned down by Florian Wirtz, who joined Liverpool for a then British record fee of £116 million, then Nico Williams, but perhaps the most telling saga of all was that of Nick Woltemade.

It’s widely known that the lanky forward wanted to join Bayern from Stuttgart, but the current Bundesliga champions were unwilling to meet the selling club’s asking price. Stuttgart, equally unwilling to budge, did something few German clubs have ever done, they stood up to Bayern.

Woltemade ultimately joined Newcastle for a reported club-record fee of £64.9 million, potentially rising to £90 million with add-ons. But that’s not just the story, it’s a sign that Bayern can no longer bully fellow Bundesliga sides into selling their best players.

They continued to scramble in the transfer market, blatantly overlooking the talent already at their disposal. Paul Wanner, an attacking midfielder, could have stepped in for Musiala, much as Musiala himself had done when he filled the void left by Philippe Coutinho after his loan from Barcelona ended in 2020–21.

Wanner was hailed as the next big thing, becoming the youngest-ever Bayern player to feature in a competitive match and the second-youngest player in Bundesliga history when he made his debut in January 2022 at just 15 years and 350 days old.

A lanky playmaker with a slight frame, Wanner relies on his remarkable close control and uncanny ability to glide across the pitch, working his way into positions where he can thread a pass or drag a defender out of position, not unlike Musiala.

Hermann Gerland, Bayern’s long-serving former academy coach, insisted that Wanner be given a chance, believing he had a ceiling comparable to Musiala’s. This was one of his final requests before leaving, but instead, Wanner was sent off to PSV.

Again, Eberl piped up, saying: “We want to believe in players and work with them who are keen to become Bayern Munich players. And that requires taking steps. And it also requires courage.” That’s hard to believe when Bayern had stripped Wanner of his number and given it to new signing Luis Díaz.

Wanner is the latest in a worrying trend for Bayern. Angelo Stiller, Joshua Zirkzee, Kenan Yıldız all spent time at Bayern’s academy before deciding to leave in pursuit of playing time, going on to play at the highest level.

It’s impossible to say whether Stiller and Yıldız in particular would have become first-team players at Bayern should they have stayed, but it goes to show what can happen when youngsters are given a chance. If Bayern wanted to sign them back now, it would likely cost them a combined fee of well over £100 million.

Kompany handed Lennart Karl his first Bundesliga start in the 4-1 win over Hoffenheim on Saturday (September 20) and the young winger provided the assist for Harry Kane’s opener just before half time with a low ball to the near post that found the Englishman expertly.

Now that other sides in Germany are starting to realise they can get more bang for their buck selling to Premier League sides rather than Bayern, the Bavarians risk being left behind by Europe’s elite if they don’t start embracing their academy more.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Bundesliga on FotMob in the 2025 season – with in-depth stat coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Sep

2025

Preview: Spurs entertain Doncaster Rovers in the Carabao

If Spurs are serious about building on their Europa League win in May, their League Cup match against Doncaster Rovers is the sort of match they need to win comfortably.

By Ian King

Spurs have been cutting things fine, while Doncaster have had a blip

Spurs have been cutting things a little fine of late, scrambling back from two down to salvage a point with a 2-2 draw against Brighton on Saturday and dependent on an own goal to get past Villarreal in the Champions League the previous Tuesday, though they do still remain an improvement on last season’s team.

After winning the League Two title last season, Doncaster had a very strong start to their League One season, only losing one of their first seven matches and beating Middlesbrough 4-0 away in the First Round of this competition. But they’ve had a blip of late, losing their last two, including a 2-1 home defeat to Wimbledon on Saturday.

It’s been almost 90 years since Doncaster last beat Spurs

When these two clubs met each other for the first time, on the 21st December 1935 in the old Second Division, Doncaster won 2-1 at Belle Vue. They’ve met eight times since. The teams drew in 1937 and 1948, but Spurs have won the other six. They’ve only met twice in the last half-century. In December 1975, they clashed in the quarter-finals of this competition and Spurs won 7-2. The last time they met was also in the League Cup, in August 2009, when Spurs won 5-1 at The Keepmoat Stadium.

Archie Gray has a chance to prove a point to Thomas Frank

Spurs will be expected to shuffle their pack for a fixture such as this, and someone like Archie Gray might well be a beneficiary of such rotation. He made 46 appearances in all competitions for Spurs last season, but he’s only appeared twice in the league so far this time sound and it seems clear that Thomas Frank prefers him as a squad player, so this is an opportunity for him to go out and prove a point.

With six goals in 11 matches from midfield so far this season, Owen Bailey is Doncaster’s top goalscorer. He’s already scored as many league goals this season – five – as he did throughout the whole of 2024-25, when he was an ever-present in their title-winning team. His statistics for this season are highly impressive, with an average rating of 7.44.

*Doncaster’s best rated players in League One this season*

Their best-known player is the now 39-year-old Billy Sharp, whose senior career started 21 years ago and who made 377 appearances for Sheffield United over three spells between 2004 and 2023. For a little context, Sharp made his League debut two years before Archie Gray was born!

Loanee set to miss out for Doncaster while Spurs set to shuffle their pack

Yves Bissouma, Kota Takai, Dejan Kulusevski, Radu Drăgușin and James Maddison are all out long-term and Dominic Solanke didn’t make the bench for Saturday’s draw at Brighton, though Ben Davies and Randal Kolo Muani, who both missed that match, could return. Spurs have loaned a lot of their talented youngsters out this summer, but this should still be a very different team to the one that started at The Amex.

One of those sent out on loan was Damola Ajayi, who went to Doncaster and is therefore ineligible for this game. But since Ajayi was only on the bench for the Wimbledon game, it shouldn’t make much difference to their plans. In a more serious disruption, midfielder Harry Clifton sustained a hamstring tear in their recent defeat against Wigan Athletic, and will be unlikely to return before the end of next month.

Doncaster could cause a scare, but Spurs should have enough to get through

Spurs have shown signs of a wobble in both of their recent Premier League performances and their opening match of their Champions League mega-group campaign. We all know that there should be a vast gulf between these two teams and that Spurs should win this one comfortably, but Doncaster are a decent team and, despite their recent blip in the league, they’re capable of making life uncomfortable for the Premier League club, so let’s go for a 3-1 home win and little bit more of a scare for the home fans than they may consider necessary.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Sep

2025

Preview: Man City visit League One Huddersfield

Manchester City will be expected to take the game to Huddersfield Town after Sunday’s back-to-the-walls job away to Arsenal.

By Graham Ruthven

Firm favourites

Pep Guardiola didn’t look much like Pep Guardiola on Sunday. At least, his Manchester City didn’t play like a team of his, defending with their backs to the wall for much of the 1-1 draw away to Arsenal.

The ends would have justified the means had it not been for Gabriel Martinelli’s stoppage time leveller, but City will be expected to take the game to Huddersfield Town in Wednesday’s Carabao Cup tie.

Having already knocked out Leicester City and Sunderland, Huddersfield are aiming to continue their giant-killing in this season’s Carabao Cup.

Lee Grant’s team have made a decent start to the season, winning five of their opening League One fixtures, although their current run of just one win from four games hints at a drop-off.

Guardiola could rotate his squad for the trip to the John Smith Stadium after two matches against Napoli and Arsenal in the last week, but City have such strength in depth that they remain firm favourites to make the next round.

Key players

Joe Taylor will likely start in attack for Huddersfield Town. While the 22-year-old hasn’t scored in his last two appearances, he has notched three goals in nine league outings this season.

Will Alves, Leo Castledine and Alfie May, who has a combined four goals and assists this season, could also be in line to start for the home team, giving Huddersfield creativity and attacking threat behind the central striker.

David Kasumu will partner Daniel Vost in the centre of the pitch, giving the pair arguably the toughest task of any two Huddersfield players. They will be key to ensuring the hosts aren’t overrun in midfield.

Guardiola could set up his Manchester City side in a number of different ways to make good use of his squad options. This makes it difficult to predict who could start for the visitors.

Savinho could use this as an opportunity to stake a claim for a more regular spot having been squeezed out of the team by Jérémy Doku and Phil Foden this season. Nico González might also get a chance from the start on Wednesday night.

Team news

Huddersfield are expected to be without Herbie Kane, Lynden Gooch and Jack Whatmough for the visit of Manchester City to the John Smith Stadium, although the trio could return from injury in the coming weeks.

Guardiola has a number of injuries to contend with. Rayan Aït-Nouri, Rayan Cherki, Mateo Kovačić and Omar Marmoush are all sidelined for City and will play no part in Wednesday’s Carabao Cup tie.

Erling Haaland could sit out after suffering a knock in the weekend draw against Arsenal while James Trafford could come back into the City lineup after recently losing his spot to Gianluigi Donnarumma.

The likes of Oscar Bobb, Gonzalez, Rico Lewis and Savinho could be among the rotation options given an opportunity to prove their worth from the start against the Terriers.

Prediction

Similarly to the other big Premier League teams that have entered the Carabao Cup at this stage, we’re expecting Pep Guardiola to make wholesale changes to his starting XI but we don’t see City slipping up here: Huddersfield Town 0-2 Man City.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Sep

2025

Preview: Arsenal visit League One side Port Vale

Arsenal fans seem split over a late weekend draw at home to Manchester City, but with a trophy high on the list of requirements perhaps Mikel Arteta can’t quite write off a midweek League Cup clash as a chance to simply rotate everybody.

By Karl Matchett

Mix and match for Arteta

The Gunners were again the biggest net spenders in the summer transfer window and the onus is on Arteta to now land significant silverware after spending a billion pounds on his rebuild. Sure, the north London side have come relatively close to prizes in position terms, but his cautiousness and pragmatism has ultimately blocked any legitimate title tilt so far. Right now, any trophy will do. As such, hosts Port Vale may not escape as easily as they might have done had the Gunners been five from five in the Premier League so far – though of course even a second-string XI would make for a tough evening for League One opponents.

The likes of Ethan Nwaneri, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Christian Nørgaard have had limited minutes so far – the latter precisely one minute in Europe – but in the interests of finding top gear, Arteta might be well-served by keeping a number of starters involved. William Saliba is just back from injury, while the season-starting right flank of Ben White and Bukayo Saka could get much-needed game time and would be far from considered a backup duo. Add in Gabriel Martinelli starting after back-to-back goals as sub plus the temptation to let striker Victor Gyökeres plunder a few goals – no natural No. 9 alternative is fit – and it could well be an unusually strong visiting side which starts at Vale Park.

League Cup oddity

A slightly strange stat from the history of the second cup competition concerns Arsenal. They have, of course, won the FA Cup more times than any other club – 14. Yet in the League Cup it’s another matter entirely: they are level with Norwich and Wolves, and behind Leicester and Spurs, with just two wins ever – the last of which was more than three decades ago. It’s time, surely?!

Recent form

After a poor start to the season Port Vale have won four of their last six, including away at Birmingham in the last round of this competition. Arsenal have won four of their six so far this term in all competitions, losing only to Liverpool.

Team news

Port Vale are likely to keep the back three setup but Darren Moore may make a few changes in personnel. Ronan Curtis will hope to start after scoring the winner off the bench at the weekend. As well as the above-named players, teenager Max Dowman and backup keeper Kepa will hope to feature for Arsenal. Noni Madueke picked up a weekend injury.

Key player

If he starts, then Bukayo Saka is obviously the best player on the pitch. But in 45 minutes against Man City, Eberechi Eze showed why he should be Arsenal’s master key this term. He tops the squad stats for xA per 90, big chances created, shots per 90 and actual assists. Play him!

Prediction

No chance Arsenal fall at the first hurdle surely: Port Vale 0-3 Arsenal.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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Sep

2025

Gravenberch is adapting to a leading role at Liverpool

Ryan Gravenberch has been a driving force for Liverpool this season in a way that evokes the memory of a former club captain.

By Graham Ruthven

The difference in Sunday’s Merseyside Derby scoreline was only a single goal. On the pitch, though, it was Ryan Gravenberch. Not only did the Dutchman open the scoring for Liverpool, he was a commanding presence throughout, lending a hand to all areas of the 2-1 win over Everton.

This was completely in line with the impressive start to the season made by Gravenberch. Even as Liverpool have struggled to find their best form, relying on a series of late winners to win games, the 23-year-old has been a standout performer. He might currently be the best player in the Premier League.

Gravenberch certainly has the makings of Liverpool’s best central midfielder since Steven Gerrard. The Dutchman drove the Anfield side forward from deep in the way Gerrard did for the best part of two decades, even finding the back of the net as the former Liverpool captain did 186 times over the course of his career in red.

Gerrard was Liverpool’s do-everything man for the big occasion and Gravenberch has earned himself a similar reputation over the last two seasons. No player embodies the still fledgling Slot era on Merseyside better than Gravenberch who has thrived under the former Feyenoord boss.

In an alternate universe, Gravenberch lost his place in Slot’s midfield to Martin Zubimendi last year. The Spanish international was close to joining Liverpool before performing a U-turn to remain at Real Sociedad for another season, leaving Slot without the natural number six many believed he required to make his possession-orientated approach work.

When the move for Zubimendi collapsed, Slot remoulded Gravenberch. Having been signed by Jürgen Klopp to perform an attack-minded role, the Dutch coach saw his compatriot for what he could offer Liverpool on both sides of the ball. Few could have envisaged the player Gravenberch would become.

*Gravenberch leads the average ratings for Liverpool*

Of the Liverpool players to have played more than 200 minutes in the Premier League this season, nobody has averaged more tackles per 90 minutes (2.0) than Gravenberch. No midfielder has averaged more accurate passes per 90 minutes (55.8) than the Dutchman who has also contributed three goals and assists in just four games.

No other midfielder in the Premier League has the skill set of Gravenberch who can carry the ball, pass it and shoot it. The 23-year-old likes to get in between the lines and surge forward into the opposition box, like he did for his goal against Everton, but also provides the back four with protection.

Liverpool’s midfield unit has been the subject of much discussion over the years, even going back to the Klopp days when many believed the likes of Jordan Henderson, Georginio Wijnaldum and James Milner were weak links relative to the strength of the rest of the lineup, particularly the forward line.

Now, Liverpool boast the most adaptable, adjustable Swiss Army knife of a midfield in the Premier League. It’s not just Gravenberch who can do everything, it’s Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai who all rotate and share responsibilities. The three players are all on the same wavelength.

The same can’t be said of every area of Liverpool’s team this season. Indeed, the Reds have been vulnerable in matches against Bournemouth, Newcastle United and Atlético Madrid with opponents having more joy against the Liverpool backline than might have been expected.

In Gravenberch, though, the defending Premier League champions have someone who can lead them to their next cycle as a team. “I think this is the evolution of a team,” said Slot, addressing Gravenberch’s changing role. “You constantly try to do different things. You try to keep what’s really good but other teams try to adjust to us as well, so we need to constantly evolve.

“And apart from that, we have different players now than we had last season, so sometimes you adjust a little bit also by the quality of the players you have now compared to the ones we had last season. I wouldn’t say [he has] freedom but he has the moments that he can help the attack – but that has a lot to do with the way the other team presses. He has a bit more freedom.”

Liverpool’s next cycle is still a work-in-progress. Florian Wirtz has yet to find his best form after joining from Bayer Leverkusen while Alexander Isak is still being introduced slowly fresh from a Premier League-record switch from Newcastle. Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez are also still acclimatising to their new surroundings.

Gravenberch’s role could change again as Liverpool evolve over the coming seasons, but for the time being he is setting the tone for another Premier League title challenge from midfield. There will be many more moments, and performances, like the one the Dutchman produced against Everton.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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Sep

2025

Can Jose Mourinho rekindle his magic one last time at Benfica?

September 23, 2000 – 25 years to the day – Benfica lost 1-0 to Boavista. The away side would go on to win a maiden Portuguese title that season, but that isn’t why this result is notable.

By Ross Kilvington

That game was José Mourinho’s first ever competitive match in the dugout after making strides at Porto and Barcelona, first as a translator and then assistant manager, under his mentor, Sir Bobby Robson.

At first glance, that explosive 11-game stint at the Eagles didn’t exactly herald the new messiah. Indeed, he won just five matches before stepping down in December 2000, believing that new president, Manuel Vilarinho, wanted another coach.

A quarter of a century on, Mourinho has a chance to right the wrongs after returning to manage Benfica, signing a two-year contract with his first club.

Is this his last chance to sprinkle that old Mourinho magic as he approaches the Indian summer of his career? Or will his second stint spell end as acrimoniously as his first?

With the ‘Special One’, you just never know what you are going to get.

Benfica need a winner in charge

Bruno Lage was sacked following Benfica’s failure to beat Qarabağ in the Champions League. They currently sit second in the top flight, already five points behind Porto, although the club do have a game in hand.

President Rui Costa stated in the aftermath of the decision that a “Benfica coach’s profile must be that of a winner”.

Enter Mourinho. Appointed last Thursday, he had just two days to prepare for a clash against AVS Futebol SAD and everything went to plan in what turned out to be a straightforward 3-0 victory.

Goals from Vangelis Pavlidis, Georgiy Sudakov and Franjo Ivanović – three of Benfica’s attacking quartet – ensured it was a positive homecoming for the 62-year-old.

This win also meant Mourinho extended his run of winning his first competitive game in charge of a new side. You have to go back to 2010, when his Real Madrid side drew 0-0 against Mallorca for the last time he failed to secure victory.

With six league titles, two Champions League trophies and a plethora of domestic cup successes, Mourino undoubtedly has the profile of a “winner” that Costa dearly wanted.

Now, he must build on his first victory by steering Benfica to their first domestic title since the 2022/23 campaign.

Why Mourinho and Benfica could be a perfect match

Mourinho’s league win ratio in his last role at Fenerbahce was 71.1%, which was the third-highest of his career to date. It proved that he still had the nous to coach at the highest level, despite the fact he hasn’t won a league title since 2015.

*Mourinho’s recent career history expressed as win percentages (includes all competitions)*

Of course, there have been a few trophies since. With Manchester United, Mourinho won the EFL Cup and Europa League. in 2022, he guided AS Roma to the inaugural edition of the Conference League, becoming the first manger to win Champions League, UEFA Cup/Europa League and European Conference League trophies.

Porto, who he managed between 2002-2004, currently lead the way in the Liga Portugal after six games, but there is no doubt that Benfica have a squad that can challenge for the title.

Against AVS, Mourinho lined up with a 4-2-3-1 system which worked extremely well. Pavlidis led the line superbly, notching his fourth goal of the season, while the likes of Ivanović, Sudakov and Fredrik Aursnes offered plenty of support.

While this system certainly appeared aggressive and attacking against the bottom side in the top flight, Mourinho’s traditional pragmatism will likely come into play over the next few weeks.

At the heart of his defence, veteran Nicolás Otamendi and young sensation Antonio Silva have the basis to form a magnificent partnership for the 62-year-old.

Indeed, the duo weren’t dribbled past against AVS, while also combining for 16 clearances, nine recoveries and three tackles throughout the match.

Add in midfielders such as Enzo Barrenechea, Richard Rios, Manu Silva and Leandro Barreiro – all aged 25 or younger – and it is clear that this could be a team who simply need the right manager to guide them towards trophies.

Next up for Mourinho is a home clash against Rio Ave on Tuesday evening, marking his first ever match at the Estadio da Luz, which wasn’t even built during his maiden spell with the club.

All eyes, however, will be on the blockbuster clash against Chelsea in the Champions League next week, now even more seismic considering who is in the dugout. Mourinho’s ascent towards greatness began at Porto, but it was at Stamford Bridge where his legacy was cemented.

Three Premier League titles, three League Cups and an FA Cup were won across two spells with the Blues.

Don’t be surprised if there is a little emotion in the air next Tuesday as the two clubs meet in London.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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