Page 7 – The Pulse of Football

Jan

2026

Preview: Liverpool host Barnsley in FA Cup tie with some unwelcome history

Liverpool will be hoping to avoid a repeat of the 2008 clash as they welcome Barnsley to Anfield in the FA Cup.

By Sam McGuire

The two sides faced off 18 years ago in the fifth round, with Rafael Benitez at the helm, and his weakened starting XI exited the cup thanks to a stoppage time winner for the Tykes.

With pressure still on Arne Slot, he’ll not want a similar result here.

The story so far

It has been a real Jekyll and Hyde campaign for Liverpool so far. They went from winning every single match across every single competition to losing nine of 12 and plummeting to mid-table. They’re currently on a 10-match unbeaten run and find themselves in fourth position in the Premier League, but performances have been underwhelming and the manager is being scrutinised.

Barnsley have also blown hot and cold this season.

Conor Hourihane’s men are 17th in League One having won eight, lost eight and drawn five this term. They’ve scored 33 across their 21 matches this term and conceded the same number. They have one win in their last seven league outings but have looked decent in the FA Cup, beating York City and Peterborough to reach this stage of the competition.

Key Players

We don’t yet know how Liverpool intend to line-up for this clash. With so many injuries to contend with, it is unlikely that Slot will go with a strong XI for this game. However, the Dutchman isn’t really in a position to name a weakened team and risk being knocked out of the cup, at home, in the third round. Perhaps Rio Ngumoha will find himself in the starting XI. If he does, it’s a chance for him to impress and potentially earn a few more minutes in the Premier League.

For Barnsley, the main man this season has been Davis Keillor-Dunn. The 28-year-old has 11 goals and an assist in League One. He has a goals per 90 average of 0.55 in the league and tops the Barnsley charts for Expected Goals this season with 7.7. He’s the primary threat for the Tykes.

Team News

Liverpool are without a host of names right now due to injuries. Giovanni Leoni is set to miss the entire campaign following an ACL injury he sustained in the Carabao Cup clash against Southampton. Alexander Isak has a broken leg and is set to be out for a couple of months still. Wataru Endo is only just on his way back from a stint on the sidelines so might not be risked. Stefan Bajčetić isn’t expected to return to the first-team fold until the end of the month and Hugo Ekitike might be rested following a fitness issue. Mohamed Salah is set to miss the match due to his involvement with Egypt at AFCON.

Barnsley are set to be without captain Luca Connell following his red card against Wigan Athletic in their last outing.

Prediction

The Reds simply cannot afford a loss here, so we’re going with a narrow win. It’ll be 1-0 or 2-1.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Jan

2026

Preview: Barcelona face Real Madrid in Clásico showdown for Supercopa in Saudi Arabia

For the fourth time in as many years, Barcelona are taking on Real Madrid in Saudi Arabia for the Spanish Super Cup.

By Neel Shelat

Small margins in Supercopa head-to-head

This is the 12th season in which Barcelona are facing Real Madrid in the Supercopa de España. The old format of the competition used to have a two-legged final, so this will be their 19th meeting in the competition.

Los Blancos have the upper hand in terms of head-to-head results in the Supercopa with 10 wins and a couple of draws, but Barcelona are the most successful side in the competition’s history with 15 titles — two more than their rivals. They have been alternating wins in recent years, so Hansi Flick’s side will have to break the trend if they are to extend their overall lead.

A crucial fixture for under-pressure Xabi Alonso

Xabi Alonso’s position as Real Madrid head coach has been particularly precarious over the last month or so, with almost weekly reports emphasising that his future depends on the outcome of the subsequent match. So, while Super Cups aren’t often seen as too big a deal by such successful sides, this is set to be a critical match for the 44-year-old head coach.

Real Madrid have won their last five matches across all competitions, but their performances haven’t been overly convincing. For instance, they needed a fairly late winner to get the better of Alavés, while third-tier CF Talavera gave them a real scare in the cup. They also only just managed to hold on to the win in the Super Cup semi-final to advance to this match.

Team news

The big news ahead of this match is that Kylian Mbappé — who has yet to make an appearance in 2026 — has travelled to Saudi Arabia and will be available for selection. That means Real Madrid’s only confirmed absences are Éder Militão and Brahim Díaz, who is spearheading Morocco’s home AFCON campaign. However, Antonio Rüdiger, Raúl Asencio and Rodrygo all experienced some discomfort in the semi-final, so their statuses are uncertain.

Barcelona’s defensive depth remains depleted owing to the unavailability of Andreas Christensen and Ronald Araújo. Marc-André ter Stegen was a part of their Super Cup squad but suffered an injury scare in training, while Gavi has a good few weeks of rehab left before he can make his return.

Team News

Lamine Yamal was benched for the semi-final, but he will surely get the opportunity to add to his tally of three goals and two assists against Real Madrid from the off, while Fermín López will be keen to add to his tally of five goal involvements in 2026. Joan García’s goal-saving contributions could well be a decisive factor in this match.

With the fitness of his fellow forwards uncertain, this is a great opportunity for Vinícius Júnior to step up and deliver, especially as uncertainty about his future grows. Aurélien Tchouaméni will need to bring his A game to support a potentially depleted defence, while Thibaut Courtois may need to produce a few big saves too.

Prediction

Barcelona took their winning-streak to nine games with a 5-0 semi-final victory, so they should be backed to come away with the trophy.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Jan

2026

Preview: Fletcher’s United take on Brighton in all-Premier League clash

It’s a repeat of the 1983 final and the 2023 semi-final at Old Trafford on Sunday as Manchester United take on Brighton & Hove Albion in the FA Cup Third Round.

By Ian King

Manchester United’s history has already been repeating itself in 2026

If the definition of insanity truly is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results, then Manchester United have tumbled head-first into one of their periodic insane spells again. With Ruben Amorim having gone, Darren Fletcher in temporary charge of the team, and rumours that Ole Gunnar Solskjær could be putting on his driving gloves to assume control of the wheel again until the end of the season, this all feels like a story that we’ve heard several times before.

Successive draws against the teams currently placed 16th, 19th and 20th in the Premier League hasn’t been the fresh start since Christmas that United fans will have been hoping for. Brighton, meanwhile, continue to disappoint, but only slightly. They’ve been draw specialists of late too, having tied four of their last seven Premier League matches.

Brighton are still looking for appropriate revenge for 1983

There is, of course, FA Cup history between these two. Three years ago, they drew 0-0 in the semi-final before United won 7-6 on penalty kicks. But the big one came 43 years ago. In 1983, Brighton made it all the way to their first – and still only – FA Cup final despite getting relegated from the First Division, and would probably have won it had Gordon Smith not missed a one-on-one with the United goalkeeper Gary Bailey in the last minute. Suitably chastened, United won the replay 4-0.

Brighton’s recent record against United is a bit better. They’ve won six of their last nine, including a Premier League double against them last season. However, when the two teams last met in October, two Bryan Mbeumo goals helped United to a 4-2 win at Old Trafford.

Benjamin Šeško and Danny Welbeck may go into this match with somewhat different points to prove

It took him a while to get there, but one of the few highlights for Manchester United fans from their team’s 2-2 draw at Burnley in the week was Benjamin Šeško getting involved by scoring twice, doubling his tally of Premier League goals for the season. It would be a bit soon to say that this makes his £74 million transfer a success, but it’s a start.

Brighton’s last six Premier League goals have all been scored by six different players, which goes to show that they may remain a threat, even if Fabian Hürzeler decides to rest a few for this particular match. Brighton have also picked up 18 yellow cards in their last four league matches, so changes could be essential.

But Danny Welbeck might be expected to start against his former club, having gone as far as leading to calls for an England recall with his form over the last few months of 2025. That form has tailed off a little again of late – he’s only scored one in his last eight – but who better an opponent to get back on track against than the hometown team who let you go more than a decade ago?

Both teams have AFCON absentees, but Brighton have a longer injury list

Bryan Mbeumo may have been the difference between Manchester United and Brighton in October, but he won’t be playing in this match. He’s still at AFCON, along with Amad and Noussair Mazraoui. Otherwise, the only United absentee for this match will be Matthijs de Ligt, who’s still recovering from a back injury and won’t be ready for this one.

Brighton only have Carlos Baleba on AFCON duties, but they do still have their fair share of injuries. Stefanos Tzimas, Adam Webster, Solly March and Mats Wieffer all be out injured, and there are also question marks hanging over the availability of Joel Weltman, Charalampos Kostoulas and Yankuba Minteh.

These two draw-loving clubs could be heading for a penalty shootout again

Brighton & Hove Albion will have looked on with envious eyes at their bitter rivals Crystal Palace winning their first ever major trophy by winning this very competition last May. But the problem Brighton have had this season is that they’ve been consistent, but in an inconsistent way. This is, as we’ve already seen this year, a team that can be held at home by Wolves and then go to Manchester City a week later and get an identical result.

Manchester United, meanwhile, broadly continue to defy rational analysis. Their latest plunge into the crisis pool came about as a result of infrastructural disputes rather than recent results, though the club’s institutional muddle-headedness is reflected that they’ve ended up in this sort of condition despite only having lost only one of their last nine Premier League matches.

But they’ve drawn five of those nine, and the combined record of these two teams makes another draw a fairly likely result. With United having only kept one clean sheet since the start of October and Brighton difficult to predict, this one could go all the way to a penalty shootout.

I’ll be a little rakish and go for a 3-3 draw, Brighton to win on penalties, and for there to be some extremely funny compilation videos of Manchester United YouTubers available for our delectation first thing on Monday morning.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Jan

2026

Preview: Arsenal travel to Pompey in FA Cup Third Round

It doesn’t get much tougher for Portsmouth as they reach the third round of the FA Cup, hosting Arsenal, the highest-ranked side in the whole of English football.

By Matt Smith

It’s the beginning of the Gunners’ FA Cup campaign, and they are searching for their 15th trophy in this competition, already winning it more than any other team.

Portsmouth and Arsenal met not too long ago in the FA Cup, going head-to-head back in 2020. Arsenal secured a 2-0 victory at Fratton Park that day, with a certain Bukayo Saka deployed at left-back.

*A throwback to the last time Arsenal played at Fratton Park*

Team news

Portsmouth have injuries. Coach John Mousinho recently confirmed that Mark Kosznovszky is set to be out for between nine and 12 months after suffering a serious knee injury. Hayden Matthews is also set for an extended period on the treatment table, joining Josh Murphy, Florian Bianchini, Callum Lang, Josh Knight, Connor Ogilvie, and Thomas Waddingham.

Mikel Arteta is set to be without defensive duo Riccardo Calafiori and Cristhian Mosquera, while Max Dowman remains on the sidelines. Piero Hincapié suffered an injury last time out against Liverpool, so he’s a doubt for this one.

Portsmouth struggling in the final third

Mousinho’s side find themselves sitting just outside of the Championship relegation zone, one point above 22nd-place Norwich City. Although they’ve picked up some form of late, they still need to show improvements in the final third.

Only Sheffield Wednesday have scored fewer goals in the league this season, and it’s been even more tricky in recent weeks without one of their star players. Murphy is currently on the sidelines due to injury, and he’ll be a huge miss this weekend, creating six assists this season, four more than any other Portsmouth player.

Rotation won’t matter for Arsenal

Arsenal’s squad depth this season has been taken to another level, and the Gunners are likely to rotate for this cup clash against a side in the division below. The drop-off in quality isn’t likely to impact them too much, as despite a few injuries, their depth is among the best in the league.

Against Liverpool last time out, Arteta brought on the likes of Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus, and Eberechi Eze, even leaving Ben White and Mikel Merino on the bench. We could see a large amount of rotation from Arteta, but they should still field a side too strong for Portsmouth.

Eze’s time to shine

Eze has found game time hard to come by this season, struggling to make an impact after his summer move from Crystal Palace. A hat-trick against north London rivals Tottenham wasn’t enough for Arteta to make him a guaranteed starter, and he’ll be chomping at the bit to make an impact this weekend.

Everyone knows what Eze is capable of on his day, but he’s barely featured for the Gunners in recent weeks. Arteta is likely to hand him a start, and it’s up to him to show what he’s made of.

Prediction

A comfortable Arsenal win is expected here, and it’s difficult to see Portsmouth scoring with their struggles in front of goal. 3-0 Arsenal.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Jan

2026

Preview: Liam Rosenior takes Chelsea to Charlton for FA Cup tie in first test

It’s another brave new era for Chelsea, the third they’ve had since the current ownership took over in 2022, as Liam Rosenior takes charge of his first game as the new manager for their trip to Championship Charlton in the FA Cup.

By Alex Roberts

Winless in their last five games across all competition, Chelsea’s season is feeling like a write off already. Rosenior has a lot of things to address as the new manager, namely their ill-discipline, but a good FA Cup run and a trophy at the end of it will help win fans over.

Charlton’s form is only slightly better, without a win in their previous four games. The reality is that Chelsea are vulnerable at the moment, and Nathan Jones’ side have nothing to lose. We’ve seen this movie before…

A change in formation?

Over the past year or so, Enzo Maresca became a lot more tactically flexible than many thought he was. Despite that, he stuck with a 4-2-3-1 formation throughout his time at the club, and it was largely successful.

Rosenior comes into the club as a ‘head coach’ that isn’t afraid to try new things, during his time at Strasbourg, they lined up in a back three with the two wingbacks providing the width and two wingers/wide tens supporting a lone striker.

Coming in mid-season and going full Ruben Amorim with a side that aren’t really built to play a back three may not be the move, but until we see those sides line-up on the day, we can’t say for certain it won’t happen.

Never fall in love with a loan player

It’s unfortunately something that happens far too often at Championship sides. Someone comes in looking for more minutes, tears it up, but when the time comes, they leave and the whole cycle starts again.

That’s what’s happening with James Bree at Charlton. It’s not been a great season for the South London side, but after coming up to the Championship from League 1 last summer to now be in 19^th, it’s to be expected.

James Bree, on loan from Southampton, has helped elevate the squad since joining. A very solid Championship player, he’s already bagged two goals and got three assists in the league and can certainly do some damage to Chelsea.

Team news

Expect Rosenior to want to get a good look at all the players he has at his disposal. There will be rotation, mass substitutions, this is honestly the perfect game for him to come in and get a feel for things before taking charge in the Premier League.

Roméo Lavia (thigh) and Dário Essugo (thigh) are close to returning from their lengthy injuries, but this game is still likely a little too soon for either of them to see any action. Marc Cucurella will serve his one-game ban for his red card in the defeat to Fulham.

Malo Gusto (physical discomfort) and Andrey Santos (knock) are both doubts for this one too, with Levi Colwill (ACL) still nowhere close to returning. It would be a genuine miracle if we saw him in the squad today.

Charlton duo Kayne Ramsay and Onel Hernández are both ruled out with hamstring injuries, while Josh Edwards (ankle) and Matty Godden (knee) are also out.

Prediction

We’re not expecting fireworks for Rosenior’s first game, he’ll probably play it somewhat safe. So we’re going with a 2-1 win for the Premier League side.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Jan

2026

Preview: Spurs meet Villa in all-Premier League FA Cup tie

Storm clouds may be gathering over The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday evening when Spurs take on Aston Villa in the FA Cup Third Round.

By Ian King

Time is definitely running out for Thomas Frank at Spurs

The performance was better in places, but the result still ended up the same. Spurs’ 3-2 defeat at Bournemouth on Wednesday night may have only been decided by a stoppage-time winner scored by The Narrative’s Antoine Semenyo, but losing again has only pushed head coach Thomas Frank’s feet a little closer to the fire at The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

All of this makes it feel like a bad time for his team to be taking on Aston Villa, a team who remain on the fringes of the Premier League title race, despite having dropped five points in their last three matches following their goalless draw against Crystal Palace at the same time as Spurs were chucking a point away on the Dorset coast. Villa may have wobbled a little since the start of 2026, but there are no pitchforks currently being sharpened around Villa Park.

Aston Villa beat Spurs three times in 2025

We’ve all been here before, of course. These two teams met at Villa Park on the 9th February last year in the Fourth Round of this very competition, with Villa winning 2-1, the first of three consecutive wins they managed over Spurs during 2025.

Spurs fans looking for a positive omen might wish to console themselves with the fact that their team have beaten Aston Villa on their way to winning the FA Cup no fewer than four times, having done so in 1921, 1961, 1962 and 1982.

Cristian Romero’s leadership has been one of Spurs’ few strengths over the last couple of months

Few Spurs players have emerged from the last couple of months with much credit in the bank, but one of those who has is captain Cristian Romero, whose strong performances – although undermined a little by yet another sending-off, this time against Liverpool – has been the nearest thing that the team have had to leadership this season.

Prior to their goalless draw against Palace, Aston Villa’s man in form had been Ollie Watkins, with four goals in his previous three matches, a figure all the more impressive considering that two of those matches came against Chelsea and Arsenal. If Watkins can maintain this sort of form, his passage into the England squad for this summer’s World Cup starts to look considerably smoother.

Expect changes from both Frank and Emery from their midweek Premier League XIs

There are no fresh injury concerns for Spurs ahead of this match, although there are no players due to return, either. James Maddison, Dominic Solanke, Mohammed Kudus and Dejan Kulusevski all remain injured, while Destiny Udogie and Pape Sarr remain on AFCON duty. Brennan Johnson, meanwhile, has left the building for Crystal Palace.

Ross Barkley and Amadou Onana are both confirmed as sidelined for Aston Villa, while Evan Guessand is AFCON duty. Villa could welcome back Pau Torres and Tyrone Mings from injury, though they’ll be subject to fitness tests.

Of course, with this being an FA Cup match, there’s a strong possibility that both Thomas Frank and Unai Emery will make substantial changes from the teams that played in their midweek Premier League matches.

Thomas Frank might be about to find out how much the FA Cup means to Spurs fans

This is a match which should mean something to both clubs. The 1996 League Cup remains Aston Villa’s last major trophy, and for all the progress they’ve made under Emery, winning some actual silverware would be the club’s next step up in terms of their growth.

Villa have a proud history in the FA Cup, having won it seven times. But the last of those wins came almost 70 years ago, in 1957. Winning it this year would also be a tangible milestone of their recent revival.

Thomas Frank would do well to pay close attention to how much winning the Europa League meant to Spurs fans last year. With eight wins, the FA Cup means a lot to this club too, and with unhappiness growing at his team’s shortcomings, he’d be fooling himself if he considers this a free swing and nothing else. A groundswell against him is growing, and he’s rapidly running out of runway.

But none of this really impacts upon what’s likely to happen on the pitch. The simple fact is that Aston Villa have a better team than Spurs at the moment and that, even allowing for a marginally improved performance at Bournemouth and the likelihood of substantial team changes from both managers, it’s difficult to see Spurs turning up for this match with their deficiencies resolved and ready to take on and beat a stronger team.

So I’m going for a 2-0 Aston Villa win, and for there to be little let-up of the current levels of grumpiness currently circling around N17.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Jan

2026

Preview: Man City aim to avoid FA Cup shock against Exeter City

Manchester City welcome League One side Exeter City to the Etihad in the FA Cup on Saturday afternoon.

By Ross Kilvington

The third round of the oldest national football competition in the world used to be one of the best weekends in the footballing calendar. Sadly, the magic of the cup has dwindled over the years.

Nevertheless, Exeter will be dreaming of taking a massive scalp as Pep Guardiola’s men look to claim their first victory of 2026.

Man City have hit a roadblock

The final few weeks of 2025 saw City at their imperious best, winning eight successive matches in all competitions.

This year, however, the club have drawn all three matches they have played, failing to beat Sunderland, Chelsea or Brighton in the Premier League.

*For more graphics like this, follow @fotmobapp on Instagram*

Despite all of his success in Manchester, Guardiola has lifted the FA Cup on just two occasions and will be eyeing the famous old trophy once again.

City have lost just once to lower league opposition in this competition under the Spaniard and that came in his second season. Since that 1-0 loss to League One side Wigan in 2017/18, the club have reached at least the semi-finals in every edition.

While that was a shock, a defeat against Exeter this weekend would surely go down as the biggest surprise of his reign at the club.

Can Exeter City pull off a major surprise?

The simple answer would appear to be no. This is the FA Cup, however, a competition which is famed for the heroics of lower league clubs against top flight opposition.

The Grecians have won just four games since October 23 and currently sit 14^th in League One, although they defeated Halifax Town and Wycombe Wanderers without conceding a goal to reach this stage.

Jayden Wareham is their top scorer with 11 goals in all competitions so far this season and if Exeter are to pull off an almighty shock at the Etihad, they will be relying heavily on the 22-year-old striker.

Team news

Guardiola will be missing several of his first team players for the tie. Indeed, John Stones, Mateo Kovačić, Oscar Bobb, Savinho, Rúben Dias and Joško Gvardiol are all absent due to injury issues.

Elsewhere, Rayan Aït-Nouri and Omar Marmoush are still on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Morocco.

Johnly Yfeko, Josh Magennis, Ryan Rydel and Danny Andrew will be missing for the away side for the trip to Manchester.

Both Pierce Sweeney and Jake Doyle-Hayes will be looking to return to the starting XI after they both dropped to the bench last time out.

Prediction

Remarkably, City have won their last 19 FA Cup matches against clubs outside of the Premier League, scoring 72 goals in the process.

While the club may have hit a stumbling block recently, a big win against Exeter will surely bolster their confidence heading into the next few weeks.

As such, expect the home side to dominate proceedings and stroll through to the next round with ease: Manchester City 4-0 Exeter City.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow all the games from the FA Cup on FotMob in the 2025/26 season – with in-depth stat coverage, including xG, shot maps, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Jan

2026

John McGinn is the life and soul of Villa success story

Aston Villa are exceeding all expectations this season and John McGinn is a driving force for Unai Emery’s team in the centre of the pitch.

By Graham Ruthven

John McGinn still had a lot of work to do as Nottingham Forest goalkeeper John Victor rushed off his line, but the Scottish midfielder is known for his hard work. Not far into the opposition half, McGinn bent a long-range finish into the back of the net to secure an important win for Aston Villa. He’s known for impacting games too.

Villa’s sensational form has caught the imagination this season. While Unai Emery’s team were brought back to earth with a 4-1 loss to Arsenal after winning 11 matches in a row and will probably fall short of winning the Premier League title, their resurgence has been remarkable and McGinn has been a key part of it.

The 31-year-old is the beating heart of Aston Villa. Always among the hardest workers on the pitch, McGinn sets the tone for everyone around him. He leads by example and wears the captain’s armband as proof of his natural leadership ability. And yet McGinn somehow still doesn’t get the credit he deserves.

*McGinn’s defensive numbers in the Premier League this season*

McGinn’s game is about much more than hard running and tough tackling. As his recent performance against Nottingham Forest showed, the Scotland international is capable of taking grip of a game through his technicality and eye for goal. Aston Villa are lucky to have him.

Part of why McGinn is widely underrated might be due to the position he plays for Villa. Indeed, the role Emery asks his captain to perform doesn’t exist on most other teams with McGinn used in a hybrid right wing-central midfield role. In this position, McGinn has the freedom to get forward while also keeping him as part of the central unit.

No Aston Villa player has created more chances this season than McGinn. Only Morgan Rogers and Youri Tielemans are ranked ahead of the Scottish midfielder for Expected Assists (xA). McGinn is also Villa’s most effective presser, winning possession in the final third more often than any of his teammates.

There are more eye-catching players in the Villa squad. Rogers can decide a game at any moment having scored seven league games this season. The England international is playing at such a high level right now that he might start ahead of Phil Foden and Cole Palmer for England at the 2026 World Cup.

Tielemans has grown in influence over the course of the campaign after being pushed into a more advanced role. Behind the Belgian, Boubacar Kamara and Amadou Onana have given Aston Villa a solid midfield base to build from while Ollie Watkins has rediscovered his scoring again recently, netting in three of his last four games.

McGinn, though, is an all-rounder who embodies everything that has made Emery’s Villa such a special team over the last few seasons. If the Villa Park side are to finish near the top of the Premier League table, as is very much on the cards, their captain will have played an important part.

Last summer was a challenging one for Aston Villa and McGinn could have left. The 31-year-old was linked with a number of potential suitors as the Villa Park outfit faced something of a crossroads. Cashing in on McGinn might have helped them navigate the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).

“I had no thoughts really about leaving,” said McGinn. “It was a little bit of a confidence booster for me, at my age, that teams would be interested, but I think most clubs around the country were aware that we had to be in a selling position this summer, so no one was safe from that.”

Ultimately, McGinn stayed and Aston Villa are surely grateful for that considering his recent impact. He still has so much more to offer and will have a platform to show it at the highest level of the international game for Scotland at the World Cup this summer. McGinn is just as important to his country as he is to his club.

McGinn’s unusual running style and stocky build might explain why so many overlook him as one of the best, most effective midfielders in the Premier League. There is nobody better at shielding a ball or backing into an opponent to win a foul. His backside might be the most powerful in European football.

Maybe it’s McGinn’s reputation as a joker that means some don’t take him as seriously as they should. Whenever there’s a joke to be made in the Aston Villa dressing room, McGinn is usually the one cracking it. He’s also reliable as a match-winner and a difference-maker. He’s the full package and it’s about time that was more widely acknowledged.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Jan

2026

Can Taty Castellanos and Pablo Felipe save West Ham’s season?

Six years ago, West Ham United found themselves on the brink of disaster. Having lost seven of their previous 10 matches, the Hammers had descended into the Premier League’s relegation zone. Desperate for a solution, they completed two signings in January’s final days, with Jarrod Bowen and Tomáš Souček arriving for a combined £41 million.

By Zach Lowy

The rest, as they say, is history: Souček helped shore up their porous midfield, Bowen delivered a consistent source of goals, and together, the duo transformed West Ham’s fortunes for the better. After narrowly avoiding the drop, they achieved back-to-back European qualifications before reaching the promised land with the 2022/23 UEFA Europa Conference League title, their first major trophy in 43 years.

Since that miraculous night in Prague, West Ham’s magical carriage has dilapidated into a pumpkin, finishing ninth in 2023/24 and 14th in 2024/25. Having parted ways with David Moyes in 2024, the East London side have since gone through Julen Lopetegui (22 games in charge), Graham Potter (25), and now, Nuno Espírito Santo (16). Santo’s position is becoming increasingly tenuous after a dreadful run that has seen West Ham lose five of its last six, the nadir coming in a 3-0 demolition at previously winless Wolves. Once again, West Ham find themselves in danger of going down, and once again, they’ve splurged on two January arrivals in order to ameliorate their fortunes. They’ve acquired Taty Castellanos from Lazio for an initial £26m, whilst they’ve also added Pablo Felipe from Gil Vicente for an initial £21.8m. Together, they’ll be looking to revitalize a West Ham attack that has failed to get the job done this season.

Born in Braga to former Porto player Pena, Pablo moved to his father’s homeland of Brazil and underwent an unsuccessful trial at Fluminense before returning to Portugal and ascending through the Famalicão academy. He registered four goals in 38 appearances before dropping to the Portuguese second tier, scoring once in 15 for Paços de Ferreira, followed by another loan to top-flight outfit Gil Vicente. Despite scoring just five times in 23 matches (three coming vs. Boavista), he convinced Gil to sign him on a permanent deal after going from their third-choice striker to their starter. Their intuition was proven correct; Pablo skyrocketed to the upper echelon of Liga Portugal’s strikers, racking up 10 goals in 14 appearances and spearheading the Roosters to the league’s top four, before making the move to England.

“Pablo must be the Gil Vicente player with the fastest and most remarkable evolution that I’ve ever witnessed,” stated @GilVicenteInfo. “He fit perfectly into César Peixoto’s system, assisting the team defensively with his pressing, whilst offensively, he enjoyed a massive improvement, especially in his shooting. Pablo has converted almost every opportunity he’s had, whether with his right foot, left foot, or head, and he’s stood out for his physical power and ability to play with his back to goal. He’s strong in associative play, often dropping deep or wide to create passing options, and his short strides and quick dribbles enable him to get past defenders and score goals.

He’s one of the best strikers to have ever played in Barcelos, even though he’s only had half a season with amazing numbers, and if he can continue developing, he can establish himself in the Premier League. However, I doubt that will happen now, because he needs time and patience to adapt, and at West Ham, and he won’t have the time, much less the patience, to develop – they need him to deliver immediately. It seems like a panic buy.”

*Pablo’s shot map in the Liga Portugal this season*

Whilst Pablo (22) has spent the entirety of his professional career in Portugal, Castellanos (27) grew up in Argentina and commenced his career in Chile and Uruguay before heading north and becoming New York City FC’s attacking talisman. Castellanos won the 2021 MLS Golden Boot with 19 goals and 8 assists, leading NYCFC to their maiden MLS Cup, before taking his talents to Spain and racking up 14 goals in 37 appearances for Girona (four of those goals coming vs. Real Madrid). This earned him a transfer to Lazio, where he showed plenty of promise but ultimately failed to cement himself as the heir to Ciro Immobile’s throne, scoring 22 goals and 16 assists in 98 matches in Italy.

*Caetellanos’ career summary since his breakout season at NYCFC*

“Taty Castellanos struggled mightily as a winger before becoming the default striker after our main No. 9 injured his knee,” stated NYCFC play-by-play announcer Glen Crooks. “Castellanos learned to be a striker, and he’s a success story as to how NYCFC morphed into the initiative of signing U22 players, developing them, selling them, and then building again. However, Castellanos needs a supporting cast around him…he’s not a guy who will entirely carry a team by himself. Back in 2021, nine of his 19 goals were assisted by Maximiliano Moralez. He can elevate his teammates in terms of what they’re capable of doing in front of goal, but there needs to be things happening around him. He’s not a one-man band, but his work ethic and what he does on the defensive side of the ball are almost as vital as what he does in the attacking framework.”

Whereas Castellanos was immediately thrust into the starting line-up on Tuesday, Pablo replaced Lucas Paquetá for the final half-hour and was shoehorned into an unnatural second striker role in their 2-1 defeat vs. Nottingham Forest. And whilst Pablo is enjoying an impeccable start to the campaign, Castellanos has scored in just two of his last 18 matches. Both are risky gambles for West Ham, who sit seven points away from safety, and who have not won a single match since November 8. If they fail to beat QPR in Sunday’s FA Cup fixture, then Santo could very well be West Ham’s fourth managerial casualty in 20 months.

Can Pablo Felipe buck the recent trend of strikers who have struggled to adapt from Liga Portugal to the Premier League? Can Taty Castellanos shake off his recent woes in front of goal? West Ham will be certainly hoping so as they look to mastermind yet another escape from relegation and avoid dropping down to the Championship for the first time in 15 years.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Can Taty Castellanos and Pablo Felipe Save West Ham’s Season

Jan

2026

The curious case of Harvey Elliott, a player in limbo

During the summer transfer window, Harvey Elliott was a player in demand. The creative forward had claimed the Player of the Tournament award at the 2025 U21 Euros having helped England retain their crown.

By Sam McGuire

Elliott netted in the quarter-final win over Spain, was the match-winner against the Netherlands in the semi-final and scored the opener against Germany in the final.

Having struggled to convince Arne Slot that he was an option for Liverpool during their title success last term, a move away from Anfield appeared to be a formality. Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, RB Leipzig and Fulham were all linked with the 22-year-old. On deadline day, though, a move to Aston Villa materialised out of nowhere. It was an initial loan move with an obligation to buy for £35million if the versatile midfielder appeared in a set number of matches, reported to be 10.

At a glance, it seemed like a bargain buy for Unai Emery’s side. Elliott, despite his tender years, was closing in on 100 Premier League appearances for Liverpool. He had experience in the Champions League and could play a variety of positions. For context, Nick Woltemade finished as the top scorer at the U21 Euros and he moved to Newcastle for an initial £65million.

Villa had the opportunity to sign the best player at the tournament for half the price.

Yet here we are in January and Elliott finds himself in purgatory.

He’s featured in just four Premier League matches for Villa this term and has a grand total of 97 minutes to his name since the switch to Villa Park. Emery has made it clear. He doesn’t intend to make Elliott’s move a permanent one meaning he can’t play the England Under-21 international so as to avoid paying the £35million fee.

The Villa boss acknowledged this at the start of the year.

“The problem we have with Harvey is that this year he is on loan, and in case he plays matches we must buy him,” said Emery. “We decided two months ago that we are not convinced to sign him, spending the money we would need to sign him.

“This is the only issue. He is training every day, always every day with very good behaviour and to help us in training sessions. This is not something good for him and good for us, but this is football and sometimes we must take some decisions which are not good for everyone.”

According to reports, Villa can’t cut short the loan without having to pay a fee to Liverpool. To further complicate matters, having already played for two clubs this season, Elliott can’t move to another European club this month. He can, however, move to MLS, with Charlotte FC allegedly keen on the left-footer. Elliott, though, isn’t wanting to move to the States at this stage of his career.

At a glance, his options are limited. When asked about Elliott ahead of the Arsenal match, Slot distanced himself from the player, saying: “He’s an Aston Villa player. So if you want to ask things about an Aston Villa player, you should ask Unai Emery.”

Villa don’t want him. Liverpool, seemingly, don’t want him back.

But the reigning champions could do with him right now. The Reds are struggling despite currently being on an eight-match unbeaten run in the Premier League. However, this has been made up of four wins and four draws. Slot’s side have dropped points against Leeds (twice), Sunderland and Fulham while narrowly beating the likes of Spurs, West Ham, Brighton and Wolves during this period.

Liverpool need a spark in attack, despite spending near £300million on attackers during the summer. Alexander Isak moved for £125million, Florian Wirtz cost £100million and Hugo Ekitike cost an initial £69million. Isak is out with a broken leg, Wirtz has just two league goals to his name and Ekitike is now struggling for fitness having played a lot of football due to the absence of the No. 9. Cody Gakpo has just returned from injury while Mohamed Salah is away at AFCON and there are still question marks over his future with the club following his blockbuster interview following the draw with Leeds.

At the time of writing, the Reds rank eighth for Expected Goals in the English top-flight. We’re 20 games into the season and Slot’s side have a goal difference of plus four. Whatever the reason for it, the Reds are struggling in the final third. The bench looks deprived of attacking talent and Elliott could well play a key role in getting this team into the Champions League next term.

Last season, in limited minutes, he had an xG per 90 average of 0.44 and an Expected Assists average of 0.16. He was creating 2.5 chances per 90 too in the Premier League. Liverpool are struggling against low blocks, why not look to give Elliott, someone who is brilliant technically and has the vision to spot a pass, the opportunity to pull some strings for the new signings?

A return to Liverpool suits everyone right now. Elliott gets more opportunities to play football ahead of a permanent move away in the summer. Villa free up a space in their squad and avoid having to sign a player they don’t want. And the Reds add depth to their team.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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