Page 6 – The Pulse of Football

Mar

2025

Premier League Preview, Matchday 29

The Carabao Cup final deprives us of a full round of fixtures this weekend. Liverpool and Newcastle United face off at Wembley to determine who is going to claim the first piece of silverware of the season. Despite the Premier League leaders not being in action, there’s still a lot at stake. So, let’s take a look at some of the potential talking points across matchday 29.

By Sam McGuire

Breathing space for Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest travel to Portman Road on Saturday afternoon knowing a win over Ipswich Town could potentially give them a seven point lead over fifth placed Manchester City.

It wouldn’t put them in complete control but it would make them strong contenders to claim an unlikely top four finish. Who would’ve thought that at the start of the season?

Forest have been in sketchy form as of late. They were hammered 5-0 by Bournemouth, taken to penalties by Exeter City and Ipswich in the FA Cup and lost to Fulham (2-1) and Newcastle (4-3) before a 1-0 win over Manchester City last weekend seemed to steady the ship.

The Tractor Boys took Forest to penalties earlier this month, narrowly losing 5-4 after a 1-1 draw in normal time. Keiran McKenna’s side are winless in the Premier League since December but showed in the cup they can cause problems. They’re fighting for survival and have a home crowd behind them.

If they’re going to mount an unlikely escape from the dropzone, it needs to start now.

The pressure is on Pep Guardiola

It would’ve sounded unimaginable at the start of the season but there’s a very real possibility that Manchester City miss out on the Champions League.

The reigning champions are currently in fifth position following last weekend’s defeat to Nottingham Forest. That result, coupled with Chelsea’s win over Leicester City, saw the Blues leapfrog the Citizens into fourth position.

City are level on points with sixth-placed Newcastle United and just three ahead of ninth-placed Bournemouth.

They need a win this weekend. They might not get a win, though.

Pep Guardiola’s side welcome Brighton to the Etihad on Saturday.

A win for Brighton would see them move ahead of their hosts. The Seagulls are in fine form too having won their last six matches on the spin across all competitions.

A loss for Man City doesn’t end their hopes of a top four finish but it would be a monumental blow.

Can Arsenal mount a comeback?

The Gunners can still win the Premier League title, but a lot needs to happen for Mikel Arteta to get his hands on the trophy.

Following a blip in form, Arsenal find themselves 15 points behind leaders Liverpool with a game in hand. The game they’re playing this weekend. It just so happens it is a fairly tricky game against a resurgent Chelsea team hoping to claim a top four finish this term.

The Blues beat Leicester on Sunday to regain a place in the Champions League spots, displacing Manchester City in fourth spot.

A win for Arsenal would make it 12 points with nine games to play. It prolongs their title hopes. Especially since they could cut the gap to nine points before Liverpool play again. So there’s pressure on the Gunners to make this a title challenge.

They haven’t been great lately. There was an unconvincing win over Leicester followed by a loss to West Ham and draws against Nottingham Forest and Manchester United. Outside of the Champions League, the goals haven’t been flowing. Understandably so, given their injuries.

It has to be now or never for Arsenal to make their move though. They need to put Liverpool under pressure, just to see how they’ll react. After all, a Carabao Cup final loss could derail their season.

Dead and buried?

Leicester City face an out of sorts Manchester United this weekend. A loss probably all but ensures they’ll be playing Championship football next season. A win gives them a glimmer of hope.

The Foxes have been struggling since the appointment of former Manchester United assistant coach Ruud Van Nistelrooy. They have lost six on the bounce and have won just one of their last 10 in the Premier League. In fact, they have two wins in 2025 – one was in the FA Cup against QPR, the other was a 2-1 victory over Spurs.

United, meanwhile, are safe from the drop. Well, it would take something special for Rúben Amorim’s side to be relegated now given they’re 17 clear with 10 games left. It is possible though, isn’t it? They’ll want to create a larger gap between themselves and the drop zone this weekend and this is the perfect match for them to do just that. If they picked up three points at the King Power, it’d be just their second win in their last six Premier League outings.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Mar

2025

FIFA’s $1 Billion Club World Cup Prize

FIFA has always known how to make the headlines. This time, it’s the staggering $1 billion in prize money for the expanded 32-team Club World Cup set to take place in the United States this summer.

By David Skilling

The amount dwarfs previous Club World Cup rewards and signals an era of unprecedented financial muscle in club football. But beyond the surface excitement, there are crucial questions: Where does this money come from? Who truly benefits? And what does this mean for football’s financial ecosystem?

A billion dollars is a seismic sum, even in the cash-soaked world of modern football. FIFA claims this prize pool is backed by the $2 billion in expected revenue from the tournament, ensuring their reserves remain untouched. The promise that “FIFA will not keep a single dollar” may sound noble, but the reality is more layered.

Revenue streams largely stem from broadcasting rights, sponsorships, and ticket sales, revenue models that have been fine-tuned for major international competitions like the World Cup. The organisation received a major financial boost from the exclusive $1 billion global media rights deal with streaming platform DAZN, a critical partnership that helps bring this tournament to life. However, FIFA had previously struggled to secure a broadcaster, raising concerns about long-term commercial viability.

Are these investments a sustainable financial commitment or a one-off spectacle designed to justify future monetisation strategies? After all, FIFA’s history is one of expanding tournaments, then commercialising them aggressively. This Club World Cup is also a strategic play to establish a stronger foothold in the U.S. market ahead of the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.

On paper, this injection of funds benefits the clubs. But not all clubs are created equal.

For European giants like Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, and Paris Saint-Germain, this tournament is a lucrative bonus, an extra revenue stream rather than a financial necessity. European clubs will receive the lion’s share of prize money, reinforcing the financial divide in world football. Meanwhile, South American teams like Flamengo and River Plate stand to gain significantly, though they are still playing catch-up with European powerhouses.

Yet, a $1 billion prize pool could also further entrench football’s financial hierarchy. Smaller clubs, those outside the elite circles, will still struggle to compete with the superclubs, who now have yet another high-revenue tournament to solidify their dominance. Although FIFA has pledged an additional $250 million as “solidarity payments” to non-participating clubs, whether that amount is enough to make a meaningful impact remains to be seen.

This is more than just a tournament, it’s a branding move, a political play, and a commercial experiment all rolled into one.

For FIFA, the expanded Club World Cup is a calculated move to reduce UEFA’s influence in the global football economy. The Champions League is, without question, the premier club competition worldwide, with UEFA enjoying unrivaled financial control. By creating a blockbuster tournament of their own, FIFA not only secures a piece of the club football economy but also strengthens their leverage against UEFA’s monopoly.

At the same time, the United States is a crucial strategic battleground. With the 2026 World Cup approaching, FIFA is keen to build football’s profile in North America. The Club World Cup is a major step toward capturing American audiences who are still warming up to club football outside of the World Cup cycle.

This move isn’t happening in isolation. The football world is changing. We’ve seen Saudi Arabia pour billions into its domestic league, luring high-profile players away from Europe. We’ve seen clubs like Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain backed by nation-states, altering the financial playing field. The introduction of a tournament with such a large prize pool fits into a broader trend: football is becoming more commercialised, and its biggest stakeholders are looking for ways to extract even greater value from the global game.

But what does that mean for fans? While some will enjoy the prospect of seeing the world’s best clubs face off in a new format, others might see this as another step towards football being dictated by financial interests rather than sporting merit. The influx of money doesn’t necessarily mean a better product, it means more matches, more commercialisation, and, inevitably, more financial barriers for clubs outside the elite.

This $1 billion prize pool is undeniably a game-changer. But whether it’s a positive one, as always, depends on your perspective.

For clubs, it’s an opportunity to earn unprecedented rewards, for FIFA, it’s a power move to control more of club football’s financial ecosystem. And for football itself? It’s another reminder that the sport’s future is increasingly shaped by money, marketing, and geopolitical maneuvering.

The real test will be what happens after 2025. If this tournament proves to be an American success story, expect FIFA to double down on its club competition ambitions. If it stumbles, however, it might just serve as a cautionary tale in football’s relentless pursuit of profit.

(Images from IMAGO)

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

Mar

2025

FPL tips from the reigning champ: GW29

Get ahead of the Group Chat thanks to our new regular column from FPL expert Jonas Sand Låbakk.

By Graham Ruthven, in conversation with Jonas Sand Låbakk

Introducing our expert

Jonas is a 21 year old student who, like FotMob, hails from Norway. He was Fantasy Premier League champion for the 2023/24 season, finishing ahead of 11 million other managers. So who better to provide expert advice?

Read his expert advice every week.

*Don’t forget the FPL deadline for this round – make your transfers and get your team sorted before 13:30 GMT on Saturday 15 March*

The Eye Test vs. The Stats

Towards the end of last season, Joško Gvardiol (5.9m) was in the form of his life.

The Croatian was a key figure for a Manchester City team that won a fourth successive Premier League title and was widely seen as one of the best in the world.

This season has been more challenging for Gvardiol – and City in general – but he has still demonstrated his threat from left back, scoring five goals – more than any other defender.

City’s struggles continued with a 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest last weekend, but Pep Guardiola’s team could still build some momentum between now and the end of the season, making Gvardiol a viable pick.

Gvardiol’s attacking numbers make for good reading. The 23-year-old is averaging 0.25 Expected Goal Involvements (xGI) per 90 minutes this season with 0.16 of that coming from his Expected Goals (xG).

*Gvardiol’s attacking numbers – ranking is a comparison against similar players in the Premier League*

It’s worth noting, however, that Gvardiol has registered 0 xG in his last four appearances. This is largely due to Matheus Nunes playing at right back with Guardiola keen to keep one of his full backs as part of the defensive structure. This has pinned Gvardiol back at times.

Nonetheless, Gvardiol still carries an attacking threat. With City facing Brighton and Leicester City in their next two fixtures, there is potential for him to rack up clean sheet points and attacking returns.

Anyone looking for a replacement for the injured Trent Alexander-Arnold (7.4m) or Lewis Hall (4.9m) should have Gvardiol on their radar.

Bournemouth have been one of the biggest success stories of this season in the Premier League and Justin Kluivert (6.1m) has been one of their best players.

Kluivert’s 18 goal involvements rank him eighth in the Premier League for that metric. He is also ranked eighth for total points earned in FPL this season. This comes from a solid xGI per 90 minutes of 0.6.

The Dutchman was lively against Tottenham Hotspur in Gameweek 28. Indeed, he registered an assist, also having a goal disallowed and hitting the post. On another day, he could have had a hat trick.

*Kluivert is still outdoing his xG despite scoring six penalties this season*

With Bournemouth chasing European football, their next two fixtures could prove fruitful from an attacking perspective. Indeed, the Cherries face Brentford in Gameweek 29 before Ipswich Town in Gameweek 30, with both matches at home.

Not only is Kluivert an attacking livewire for Andoni Iraola’s team, he is their designated penalty taker. He could be in line for another haul of points.

Long shot

This season has been a struggle for Wolves with the Molineux outfit just one place above the relegation zone.

However, Rayan Aït-Nouri (4.8m) and the suspended Matheus Cunha (7.0m) have been reliable performances from a FPL point of view. The former could be an option with so many FPL managers facing up to a blank gameweek for Liverpool and Newcastle United due to their participation in the Carabao Cup final.

Wolves have a game against bottom-of-the-table Southampton this weekend and so Aït-Nouri might be a solid pick for your FPL team this weekend. The Algerian has three goals and five assists to his name this season and is averaging 0.14 xGI per 90 minutes.

Upcoming games to follow

Only eight fixtures are on the docket for gameweek 29 due to this weekend’s Carabao Cup final.

The meeting between Bournemouth and Brentford promises to be an interesting one. Both teams are attack-minded, meaning there could be goals. Kluivert, Antoine Semenyo (5.7m), Evanilson (5.6m) and Milos Kerkez (5m) are the standout picks from Bournemouth while Bryan Mbeumo (8.1) and Yoane Wissa (6.5) are good options from Brentford.

Manchester City’s home fixture against Brighton is another match to monitor.

Many managers might be tempted to sell Mohamed Salah for this weekend in order to buy Erling Haaland (14.7m) with Liverpool not playing in the league. Other City players to track are Gvardiol and Phil Foden (9.2m). João Pedro (5.5m) is my favourite pick from Brighton.

Finally, the match between Leicester and Manchester United is worth your attention.

While United have struggled for firepower this season, Bruno Fernandes (8.3m) is my pick for this weekend with Diogo Dalot (5.0m) another good option against the relegation-threatened Foxes.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

Did you know that you can track live Fantasy points with FotMob? Simply select any Premier League game, swipe to the Lineup tab, and press the big ‘Fantasy’ button! Download the free app here.

Mar

2025

Wednesday vs. United: The weekend’s big game in the Championship

The Steel City Derby plots the course of history of our game, from 1890 to present day. It splits workplaces, families, and the city in two. A Premier League dream could await the winner.

By Sanny Rudravajhala

‘Alright, bin-dipper?!!’ Many years ago, I lived in Sheffield and spent a year working in a gym. As with every workplace in the Steel City, there was a split. You were either a Blade or an Owl, plus that one token Rotherham fan for good measure. Two of the duty supervisors had a years-long battle of back-biting banter. It centred around whether one had once fished a still-sealed sandwich out of a bin for their lunch. No-one knew the truth anymore, but a nickname was born. What powered its continual use, however, was that one of these middle-managers supported Sheffield United and the other, Sheffield Wednesday. A continually bubbling squabble, ready to boil over. It’s the Steel City Derby in a nutshell.

We live in polarising times. No doubt Sunday’s game will be billed as tribal warfare. The picture of an Orwellian Hate Week painted for the rest of the world to work themselves into a frenzy. It’s much simpler than that. This is a huge rivalry and indeed it takes over the city. This time around, it is high stakes for two-upwardly mobile sides. By Monday it will manifest in relentless ribbing from building site to Microsoft Teams meeting. It’s Chris Wilder, standing on a pub table changing the Wednesday chant for Danny Röhl, to ‘Sausage Roll’. And for the victor, sore heads will be quickly cured by looking at the league table and seeing how close they will be to the Premier League.

The table doesn’t lie – or does it?

Looking at the current table, Leeds United cruised to victory against Millwall to go back to the top of the Championship in midweek. After beating Preston last weekend, Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder said that it “does his nut in” that the standings do not include the club’s two point deduction. That was for defaulting on payments to other clubs in 2022-23. After dropping another two points by conceding an equaliser deep in to injury time against Bristol City on Tuesday his mood would have darkened further.

“Lethargic, leggy, and no energy really.” That’s how the Blades boss described their performance in their 1-1 draw. The boyhood Sheffield United fan is disarmingly honest in his interviews, and I’m sure his players will know what’s expected this weekend.

Wonderful week for Wednesday

As for Danny Röhl and Sheffield Wednesday, a chastening 4-0 defeat to Burnley in February was followed up by defeat at home to Sunderland two weekends ago. At that point, it looked like the season was done. Having saved them from relegation last season, the ex-German national team assistant could ride off into the sunset, with supporters serenading him with Bony M’s Daddy Cool, as he moved to pastures new. All that’s on pause now, thanks to a plundering at Plymouth and a Carrow Road comeback. Results that have seen them move back to within five points of the play-offs.

2-0 down at half-time in Norwich, the 35-year-old switched things up, telling his team to press higher and added a presence up front in Michael Smith. Smith is a bit of a strange one. A big man, who’s better with the ball at his feet than lumped up to him, but he’s able to draw defenders towards him and create space elsewhere, as capitalised upon by Djeidi Gassama and Josh Windass.

*Gassama’s defensive numbers, EFL Championship 2024/25*

Gassama is having a breakout season going forward but digging deeper, the left-winger’s work rate across the pitch has been a huge boost for Wednesday. He excels at recovering the ball and has bulked up this season. The ex-PSG youngster is a handful on the ball and even if you get your hands on him, he’s got the strength to hold you off. He demonstrated that perfectly with his finish in their 3-0 victory at Argyle and was in the right place to tap home the winner from Windass’ cross at Norwich. The calls for a new contract for the 21-year-old are getting louder.

It’s the time of the season when everyone is exhausted, so I should also give a special mention to Callum Patterson. So often he’s been a utility-man, given a bit part despite being ready to start. His greying mop may shout tired dad, but the 30-year-old has entered the fray full of energy. Two goals in his last three games has propelled him to top the Championship charts for goals per 90 minutes. It looks like he’s getting a run of games, after revealing that the struggle of being on the fringes of the team had been affecting his mental health.

Shea Charles not getting booked against Norwich is another huge boost. Whilst we can read into why Chris Wilder didn’t start star defender Anel Ahmedhodzic in the week, Danny Röhl kept his midfielder in the XI. Both were one yellow from a two-match ban. That EFL rule of ten by match-day 37 is now cleared and for Wednesday, their midfield all-rounder has the chance to shine.

Campbell all souped up

I’ll be at Hillsborough on Sunday and call me cancelled but I have a feeling Wednesday will win this. Coming into the game off the back of those morale-boosting away trips, with the crowd onside and a team on the up, it may be enough to sway proceedings in their favour.

Having said all that, United will arrive with that midweek tiredness out of their system and when you look at just how jubilant Chris Wilder was at full time in the reverse fixture, you know they will be ready and have the quality to tear into Wednesday.

Tyrese Campbell got the well-taken winner back in November and like his forward runs, he’s timed his form to perfection; three goals in three games and it’s a perfect showreel for the 25-year-old. A swivel, set and drive from outside the box turned out to be the winner against QPR. That was followed up by a diving header full of desire against Preston, matched with perfect poise into the box against Bristol City.

He too has had a difficult season. Losing his father, the great Kevin Campbell last June, his contract was not renewed by Stoke City and he joined Blades with a point to prove. He emphatically did that scoring against his old club in October but only now are we seeing the best of him.

It’s at the back though where this Sheffield United team is truly built. They’ve missed the combative Vini de Souza in midfield and the loss of the talented Ollie Arblaster has been a blow but in Michael Cooper, they have a goalkeeper who gives the entire team confidence.

Once you remove the statistical freak that is Burnley’s James Trafford, Cooper tops the charts for save percentages and has the third most clean sheets (18) in the division, behind Trafford and Leeds’ Illan Meslier. Those numbers are more impressive given he’s made the 12^th most saves in the division, Trafford and Meslier have made the least, which tells you United give teams more of a chance than either of their promotion rivals.

We could go through each player and no doubt that conversation is going on right now, across workplaces in South Yorkshire. It’s a fixture that runs through the history of our game and by Sunday evening, the pubs will be packed as the bleary-eyed belt out anthems and rattle cages. Let’s just hope that by the time we get to close of play on Monday, there’s been no calls to HR!

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Mar

2025

Heaven and Obi signings an indication of future planning at Manchester United

Manchester United’s inability to spend big in the transfer market this summer could help them build a new young core for the future.

By Graham Ruthven

The circumstances could hardly have been any more challenging for Ayden Heaven. Thrown on at half time for his Premier League debut against the team he left just over a month ago, the 18-year-old could have folded. Instead, Manchester United’s latest young prospect showed why so many have tipped him for the top.

Physically, Heaven handled himself well against Arsenal, making two ball recoveries, three clearances and doing his part to keep the Gunners’ attack at arm’s length. Technically, the teenager was also impressive, helping United play out from the back when they had more joy in quick transition in the second half.

It was a performance that justified Manchester United’s decision to fast-track Heaven after luring him from Arsenal in January. While the 18-year-old was a developmental player at the Emirates Stadium, Heaven was immediately added to Rúben Amorim’s senior squad and is now receiving game time.

Chido Obi is another Arsenal academy graduate now getting a first team opportunity at Manchester United. The young forward made the move to Old Trafford last summer after catching the eye for the Gunners’ young teams and has continued to score prolifically for United’s Under-18 side. Now, he is being integrated into Amorim’s first team.

United need greater attacking quality. Rasmus Højlund has scored just two goals in 23 league appearances this season while Joshua Zirkzee is more of a second striker than a number nine to lead the line. Marcus Rashford, of course, is out on loan at Aston Villa and so the door is open for Obi to make an impact. He might already be a better finisher than anyone else in the United squad.

*Man United’s top scorers in the Premier League, 2024/25*

Heaven and Obi’s emergence comes at a time when Manchester United are facing up to a new financial reality. Sir Jim Ratcliffe gave an interview on Monday in which he revealed the club was set to go bankrupt by the end of the year without budget cuts and also spoke about the £89m in transfer debt United have to pay this summer.

In the past, Manchester United have spent big on big-name players to get themselves out of trouble (or at least try), but Amorim might not have the same luxury. Instead, the Old Trafford club will have to take a longer view of their rebuild and that could mean leaning into the strategy that led to the signing of Obi and Heaven.

This is where Manchester United’s weakness could be a strength. The club’s pitch to other young talents is a good one in that Amorim is more likely to fast-track an unproven proven into his first team with United in such a state of flux right now. Other clubs of a similar stature might not be so willing to do that. They have better players to choose from.

Manchester United’s signing of Patrick Dorgu was another indication that the club is targeting young players to rebuild their squad over the coming years. The 20-year-old had only been at Lecce for two seasons, but United saw enough in Dorgu to suggest he could be their left wing back of the future. The Dane has already started five matches.

In the immediate term, Heaven is the youngster who could make the most profound impact between now and the end of the season. Leny Yoro’s injury could sideline him for a period of time and Heaven’s performance in the second half of the 1-1 draw against Arsenal proved he is capable of stepping into the back three. He looked the part.

“Ayden’s so relaxed. He seems so relaxed that sometimes he’s too relaxed,” said Amorim after Heaven made his Premier League debut against the Gunners on Sunday. “But I think we have a player there, so now we have to control and to tell him that was just the game, et cetera, et cetera.”

In the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, Manchester United have thrown numerous youngsters in at the deep end too early in their development. Adnan Januzaj, Axel Tuanzebe, Teden Mengi, Tahith Chong, James Garner, Timothy Fosu-Mensah, James Wilson, Cameron Borthwick-Jackson and others are proof of this.

Old Trafford hasn’t been a healthy environment for young players in a long time. Amorim must be careful not to rush Heaven and Obi when they still have their formative footballing years ahead of them. Nonetheless, there is an opportunity for Manchester United to become a finishing school for some of the best academy products from across the country. Heaven and Obi might only be the start.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Mar

2025

Preview: Amorim’s United battle Real Sociedad for a place in the last eight of the Europa League

No prizes for guessing there’s expectation on the home side to win this second leg and progress in the Europa League, but Manchester United’s form at Old Trafford – apparently soon to be the subject of a big rebuild – is spotty in the extreme, giving visitors Real Sociedad at least some reason for optimism.

By Karl Matchett

First leg repeat?

The Spanish outfit will perhaps still be feeling they should have given themselves a lead on home soil to head to Manchester with, following a 90 minutes of more possession, more big chances, a higher xG and generally a more replicable performance. Even so, they netted only from the penalty spot in a 1-1 draw and are up against it as a result, with a poor away record of their own and with the team stuttering badly heading into the season run-in.

Rúben Amorim needs a launchpad of his own all the same. The still-new Man United boss is seeking consistency, not just in results but in performance levels in different parts of the team. There seem to be a few partnerships now developing and individuals establishing themselves as first-choice picks, but it remains about getting a tune from them on the night. The route looks reasonable if United get past this challenge: Lyon (sixth in Ligue 1), Roma (seventh in Serie A) and Rangers shouldn’t really hold too many fears. United, though, remain lower than each (14th).

Recent form

One win in six games for United across all competitions, highlighting the struggles they continue to face. At home, they’ve also won four of the last 11, dating back to early December. So a win is far from a foregone conclusion – but at least that’s better than what La Real can offer away from home. They’ve lost five of the last six on the road and haven’t won in four at all anywhere.

Team news

Much of the same as far as United are concerned. The likes of Mason Mount, Lisandro Martínez, Luke Shaw and Amad Diallo are all sidelined, while there are doubts surrounding Harry Maguire, Leny Yoro and Manuel Ugarte. Joshua Zirkzee scored in the first leg and will hope to lead the line here. For Sociedad, Jon Aramburu and Álvaro Odriozola are notable injury doubts and Jon Pacheco is definitely out.

Key player

With Maguire and Yoro absent, it might fall on Matthijs de Ligt to produce a long-overdue dominant display to keep United in the clear. The Dutch defender has won just 57% of his tackles, 63% of his aerial challenges and made four recoveries per 90 minutes in the competition this term in Europe – none of those rank as anything more than about the 50th percentile for centre-backs in the competition. He needs to improve significantly and rediscover his old imperious self, and fast.

*de Ligt’s defensive numbers in the Europa League, 2024/25*

Prediction

A tie to go the distance if United aren’t clinical – and then it’s a coin toss when it comes to penalties: Man United 1 Real Sociedad 1 (2-2 agg).

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Mar

2025

Preview: Chelsea out to overcome first major hurdle en route to the Conference League title

Chelsea are the overwhelming favourites to win the UEFA Conference League title this season. Just three knockout rounds will stand between them and the trophy should they manage to defend an aggregate lead at home against FC København.

By Neel Shelat

Chelsea’s spotless record against Danish clubs

Thursday’s match at Stamford Bridge will be Chelsea’s 10th meeting with a Danish club, and they are yet to taste defeat against such opponents. The Blues got the better of Stævnet and FC Nordsjælland in each of their encounters, while this is the third time they have been drawn against Denmark’s most successful team in a continental Round of 16 tie.

Their previous meetings were, of course, in different competitions. Brian Laudrup scored the decisive goal in their Cup Winners’ Cup tie in 1998, while Nicolas Anelka’s brace separated the two teams in the 2010/11 UEFA Champions League season.

A clear route to the final for Chelsea

Having been eliminated from both domestic cup competitions, the UEFA Conference League is the only competition Chelsea can realistically hope to win this season. They should certainly be disappointed if they fail to do so, as most models give them significantly more than a one in two chance of lifting the trophy.

A big reason behind those high odds has to be their relatively clear route to the final. Of course, it would be unwise to take any opponent for granted in a European knockout, but all of Chelsea’s potential opponents until the final are not quite at the same level as them. Should they reach the quarter-finals, the Blues will face either Molde or Legia Warszawa. Thereafter, their potential semi-final opponents are Cypriot side Pafos, Swedish outfit Djurgården, Bosnian champions Borac Banja Luka and Rapid Wien of Austria. Meanwhile, stronger sides like Fiorentina, Real Betis and Vitória are on the other side of the bracket.

Will FC København switch formations again?

FC København switched to a three-centre-back system for just the second time this season in the first leg of this tie. Despite it being a home match for them, they kept their lowest share of possession in a match without red cards this term. Evidently, their plan was to try and contain Chelsea as far as possible, and it did work to a decent extent as they kept a clean sheet in the first half and only came away with a one-goal deficit in the end.

They now need to win to stay in the competition, so they may well have to stick to their trusted back four formation and risk a more open game in search of a goal or two.

Noteworthy absences for both sides

Both teams will be without some key players in this match. Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke are big misses in Chelsea’s attack, while Reece James and Malo Gusto are doubtful to start. The visitors will be without attacking starlet Roony Bardghji as well as Indonesian international Kevin Diks. Thomas Delaney, Andreas Cornelius and Lukas Lerager are some noteworthy doubts.

Prediction

It is quite tough to see Chelsea throwing away an aggregate lead at home, so they should be expected to see out the tie with relative comfort. They will take a 1-0.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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Mar

2025

Preview: Spurs looking for a second leg comeback against AZ

It’s D-Day for Ange Postecoglou, with Tottenham’s season hanging in the balance ahead of their Europa League Round of 16 return match against AZ Alkmaar.

By Ian King

Since the first leg

A mis-hit cross and a penalty caused by a rush of blood to the head of an opposing goalkeeper was enough to salvage a point for Spurs against Bournemouth on Sunday, but there was little else positive to take from the match beyond having somehow scrambled from 2-0 down to get a draw.

AZ haven’t played since the first leg of this fixture, but they already have a better chance of picking up some silverware and qualifying for Europe than Spurs this season having booked their place in the KNVB Cup final against Go Ahead Eagles. They’re the bookmakers favourites to win that Cup final, which is set to be played in Rotterdam in April.

A third meeting of the season

These two hadn’t met prior to this season’s Europa League, with Spurs beating AZ back in the league phase, but then losing that first leg in the Netherlands, with both games ending 1-0.

Generally, Spurs fair well against Dutch opposition and have only lost five of 23 previous meetings. Arguably the greatest recent night in their history came in Amsterdam in 2019, when Lucas Moura was the unlikely hero of an incredible Champions League semi-final second leg which they won 3-2 to sneak through on goal difference. AZ’s only previous appearance in a European final was against English opposition; Ipswich Town in 1981. They lost a two-legged final 5-4 on aggregate. They’ve lost all nine of their previous trips to England.

Key players

One small bright spot from the Bournemouth match for Spurs was the return of Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero following lengthy injuries. The Spurs defence has missed van de Ven’s pace and Romero’s bite very much indeed, these last few weeks. For AZ, there is that one connection to Spurs. Troy Parrott came through the youth system at Spurs but only made two appearances from them before eventually being sold to AZ last summer. He’s scored 17 goals in all competitions for them this season, more than anyone has managed for Spurs.

Team News

Rodrigo Bentancur is suspended for Spurs following a yellow card in the first leg. Archie Gray or Lucas Bergvall should deputise. Dejan Kulusevski and Richarlison are also injured. For AZ, Mayckel Lahdo and Denso Kasius both had to be withdrawn from the first leg and will be missing this time around, while Sven Mijnan, Ruben van Bommel, Jayden Addai and Mexx Meerdink are also injured.

Prediction

There is something deliciously Spurs-esque about dedicating your season to the cups and then getting knocked out of both domestic ones in the space of four days, and the upshot of this is that this match has taken on a distended importance to their season. Getting past Spurs would be a major scalp for AZ and they’ve already demonstrated themselves as a decent cup team this season. Spurs going 1-0 up, chasing a second goal, and getting caught on the hop by an equaliser and eliminated by a 1-1 draw.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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Mar

2025

Giorgi Mamardashvili and the impossible task of replacing Alisson at Liverpool

How do you replace the best goalkeeper in the world? It’s highly unlikely your answer will be ‘the second-worst goalkeeper in Spain’.

By Jack Lusby, ThisIsAnfield.com

That may be hyperbole, but it sums up the far-from-ideal warmup to his move to Liverpool that Giorgi Mamardashvili is experiencing this season at Valencia.

Real Valladolid’s Karl Hein (2.3) is the only goalkeeper to concede more goals per 90 in LaLiga than Mamardashvili (1.7), with the Arsenal loanee also the only stopper with a worse rate of goals prevented with -8.9 to the Georgian’s -6.1.

Mamardashvili and Hein have the joint-worst save percentage in Spain’s top flight, both with 58.1 percent, with Mamardashvili facing slightly more shots on target per save with 1.73 to Hein’s 1.71.

It isn’t all downcast, with the incoming Liverpool goalkeeper recording the league’s 11th-highest clean sheet percentage, with five shutouts in 23 games (21.7%), but that is considerably lower than Alisson‘s record in the Premier League (38.1%) – which would place the Brazilian third in the less demanding LaLiga.

After two outstanding performances from Alisson in the eventual defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League’s last 16, the prospect of Liverpool changing their No. 1 next season seems baffling.

Alisson will turn 33 in October and is unquestionably prone to injury, but a record-breaking night in the first leg in Paris saw Arne Slot himself describe him as “the best goalkeeper in the world.”

You would be hard pressed to find anyone on the red half of Merseyside who disagrees with that opinion, not least those within Slot’s squad, with captain Virgil van Dijk and boyhood supporter Harvey Elliott both echoing that stance after those heroics at the Parc des Princes.

Few would argue with Jürgen Klopp’s belief that Caoimhin Kelleher is “the best No. 2 goalie in the world as well” either, and that only adds to the uncomfortable situation facing Liverpool in the summer.

Mamardashvili is, no doubt, far better than the current campaign has depicted him to be. Having remained with Valencia for a final season, he was dealt a rough hand with a club carrying major financial issues and in crisis under Rubén Baraja.

Despite finishing ninth in the previous campaign, Baraja was sacked in December after guiding Valencia to just two wins in their first 17 league games, with Mamardashvili playing 14 of those and conceding 22 goals in that time.

There has been an upturn following the appointment of Carlos Corberán, with four wins, three draws and only three losses in his 10 league games in charge so far, but Valencia still find themselves mired in a relegation battle.

*Mamardashvili shots faced, LaLiga 2024/25*

The confidence of their goalkeeper has clearly been affected, with 17 goals conceded in nine games under Corberán including a 7-1 thrashing at the hands of Barcelona and an error leading to a goal in the 2-1 win over Real Valladolid last time out.

“I know I’m not in my best moment now,” Mamardashvili wrote on Instagram after that game, with the Spanish press left debating whether the Georgian Player of the Season for 2023/24 – voted above Khvicha Kvaratskhelia – should be dropped for backup Stole Dimitrievski.

*Mamardashvili goalkeeping stats per 90, LaLiga 2024/25*

Liverpool’s hands were tied when it came to leaving their £29 million signing at the Mestalla for another season, with Mamardashvili reluctant to join immediately due to the presence of Alisson and a loan elsewhere blocked by Premier League rules.

But his preparation for the move to Anfield could not have gone much worse – and the microscope will be on the 24-year-old from his first day at the AXA Training Centre.

Put simply, supporters are unlikely to take kindly to Alisson being usurped as No. 1 and many would argue that Kelleher should be kept in place as the Brazilian’s long-term successor.

“The club made the decision to get another goalkeeper,” was Kelleher’s reaction to the Mamardashvili deal, when speaking in September. “From the outside looking in, it looks like they have made a decision to go in another direction.”

The optics aren’t encouraging and regardless of Mamardashvili’s talent – those within the club’s recruitment staff were convinced a deal was worth pushing through despite any upheaval – he faces an uphill battle to convince those watching on that he is worth the risk of unsettling the best goalkeeper in the world for.

Liverpool’s hierarchy will view the signing as another example of long-term planning and if it comes off it should be applauded as such, with Alisson’s contract set to expire in 2026 and clubs in Saudi Arabia interested.

That is particularly the case given the summer ahead, with Van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold all into the final months of their deals and, if they are to leave, would all need to be replaced in a single transfer window.

Nevertheless it represents a huge roll of the dice for the club in backing Mamardashvili, and we can only hope this will prove his annus horribilis in Valencia before reclaiming world-class form in the elite surroundings of Liverpool.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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Mar

2025

What has happened to Cole Palmer in the second half of the season?

Cole Palmer is now ice cold in front of goal for all of the wrong reasons.

By Sam McGuire

Having been lauded for his calm and composed nature last season, the Cold Palmer nickname is now tied to his barren run.

Having had a penalty saved by Leicester keeper Mads Hermansen in his last outing, Chelsea’s No.20 is now nine games without a goal. He’s scored just three times in his last 15 appearances for the Blues in all competitions.

The goalscoring bubble has well and truly burst for the 22-year-old. Last season, he could do no wrong. He finished his debut campaign with the Blues having scored 22 Premier League goals while also chipping in with 11 assists. He was the main man for Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea side and a lot of people seemed to be keen on the idea of him being the main man for England at the Euros.

They wanted to take advantage of his confidence, and rightly so.

*Season summary showing games, goals, assists, and average FotMob rating*

Now, he’s lacking confidence. The failed penalty attempt against the Foxes was the first time he’s missed from the spot since the move to Stamford Bridge.

Enzo Maresca looked to protect the England international. Speaking after the 1-0 win over his former side, Maresca said: “Cole yesterday didn’t train. During the night, he didn’t feel well and he didn’t train yesterday because he didn’t feel well.

“But this morning he woke up and asked me to be on the pitch because he wants to help this club play in the Champions League ‘But in the last two days, he was completely out; he didn’t train because of fever and this bad feeling. But this morning he asked to play the game and it shows how these players want to bring the club to where this club belongs.”

Palmer hasn’t gone missing during this vital run for the Blues. He’s just struggled to perform and the optics aren’t great. They dropped out of the title race and then crashed out of the FA Cup with defeat to Brighton.

They’re now back in control of their fate and sit in fourth position following the 1-0 win on Sunday coupled with Manchester City’s loss to Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

The thing with finishing is that it can be fickle.

Last season, everything Palmer did seemed to result in a goal involvement. In fact, no player in the Premier League finished with more goals and assists (33). This season, the England international has just 20 goal involvements with 10 games to play. He could still match his return of last term if things turn around for him in the penalty area.

Right now, though, he ranks fifth behind Chris Wood (21), Erling Haaland (23), Alexander Isak (24) and Mohamed Salah (44).

The Chelsea attacker has a FotMob rating of 7.71, a total only Bukayo Saka (7.76) and Salah (8.29) can better. The Liverpool man is having an all-timer of a season and this needs to be taken into account when analysing everyone else.

Remove him from the conversation and only Saka can boast a higher Fotmob rating and Palmer would be just four goal involvements off the top. It isn’t as bad as it might seem, is it?

*FotMob’s best rated players in the Premier League, 2024/25*

The big issue with Palmer is that four of his goals arrived in one match against Brighton while three of his six assists were in a win over Wolves. Remove those two games from his campaign and he’s on 10 goals and three assists. He’s not been anywhere near as consistent or reliable as he was last season. In fact, he’s only scored or assisted in 12 games across all comps this term. That is a lot of blanks.

What hasn’t helped his cause is the penalty situation. He’s scored three and missed one. Last season, he scored nine in the Premier League. Remove them and he finishes the season with 13 goals in the English top-flight. Still impressive, just not as impressive.

*Palmer shot map, Premier League 2023/24*

Palmer has suffered because he’s not had as many penalties to boost those numbers of his. That isn’t a dig, it’s fact. Last season, 41% of his goals were via the spot. This season, just 21%.

What is interesting though is how his numbers this season are almost identical to those he posted during the 2023/24 campaign. For example, he had a FotMob average rating of 7.8. He averaged 3.75 shots per 90, had a Non-Penalty xG90 of 0.38 and had an Expected Assists per 90 average of 0.3.

This season so far, he’s averaged 3.75 shots, had a Non-Penalty xG90 of 0.44 and an Expected Assists per 90 average of 0.27, giving him a Non-Penalty Expected Goals Involvement average of 0.71, just 0.03 up on last term.

*Palmer shot map, Premier League 2024/25*

If anything, his underlying numbers are better this season. The difference is while he was scoring last season, he isn’t managing to put the ball into the back of the net as frequently this time around. He’s judged on output and the output, right now, is lacking.

However, that doesn’t mean he won’t rediscover his confidence again soon. Ice cold Cole Palmer will return for Chelsea and he has the perfect opportunity to remind everyone of his ability this weekend at the Emirates against title-chasing Arsenal.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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