Preview

Jan

2025

Preview: Man City go to Ipswich in Sunday’s late game

Pep Guardiola’s confusing Man City side host Ipswich town on Sunday as they seek to right the wrongs from their frustrating 2-2 draw with Brentford in their previous Premier League fixture.

By Alex Roberts

City looked well on their way to a fourth consecutive win against Brentford, 2-1 up going into added time. As has happened a few too many times this season, they let it slip, and Christian Norgaard snatched a point from the jaws of defeat.

It’s a similar kind of story for Ipswich, although a little more dire. Two fantastic results against Chelsea and Fulham saw them edge towards potentially leaving the relegation zone, but a 2-0 defeat to Brighton on Thursday undid all their good work.

City’s defensive frailties

Both of Brentford’s goals in the 2-2 draw were preventable. Missed interceptions from both Joško Gvardiol and Nathan Aké ensured the ball ended up right on Yoane Wissa’s toe, allowing him to slot past Stefan Ortega from close range.

Ortega has to take responsibility for the second one. Norgaard’s header was only slightly to his left, he got hands to it but was unable to prevent it from crossing the line, leading Guardiola to berate him in front of all the TV cameras after the game.

Ipswich don’t have Wissa and Bryan Mbuemo up top, but a certain former Man City academy graduate could certainly do some damage.

Liam Delap wants revenge

Speak of the devil, Delap, the lad City sold to Ipswich in the summer, has proven to be a shrewd piece of business for the Tractor boys. A starring role in the 2-0 win over Chelsea prove he can do it against the big boys.

He’s far and away their top goal scorer sitting on eight from his 20 Premier League games, four above Sammie Szmodics in second, an impressive tally for any side contending with relegation.

City won the reverse fixture 4-1, but that was before everything went down. There is a nervousness within the current champions now, something Delap could take advantage of.

Nine-and-a-half-years is a very long time Erling

City confirmed the big Norwegian has committed his long, long-term future to the club on Friday, tying him down for the best part of a decade. It seems optimistic, considering all the things that are happening in the background.

The 115 charges cast a shadow over the Etihad, somehow bigger than the one Haaland does. Does he know something we don’t?! Will the current champions be completely absolved of their sins!? Did they even exist in the first place!?

No one knows for sure, but one thing is certain, Haaland will want to celebrate his comically long contract with a bang. Expect goals from the robotic forward.

Spending their way out of trouble

Coping mechanisms come in many forms. Some make jokes, others turn to the bottle. Ipswich, it seems, have decided spending is their best option as they continue the fight for Premier League survival.

Jaden Philogene ripped it up in the Championship last season, earning a Puskás nomination for his ridiculous goal against Rotherham. Ipswich were interested in the summer, but the winger decided to return to Aston Villa instead.

Chances at Villa were sporadic at best, and Ipswich have finally signed their £20million man. The game against City may come too soon for the youngster, but he could certainly be an asset.

Prediction

City have had more shock defeats in the last six months than they had in the previous six years. That been said, they have too much for Ipswich. We’re going to go with 3-1 to Man City.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Jan

2025

Preview: Man United tackle draw specialists Brighton

Are Manchester United and Brighton back in form or not? It’s difficult to tell, ahead of their meeting at Old Trafford on Sunday.

By Ian King

Positive midweek results

Manchester United ended a run of five defeats in six matches by beating Southampton 3-1 on Thursday night, but they made hard work of it, requiring a late Amad Diallo hat-trick to wrest all three points from the bottom club. Brighton, meanwhile, won 2-0 at Ipswich, which ended their run of eight league games without a win. They’ve only lost four in the Premier League so far this season – only Liverpool and Arsenal have lost fewer – but their ten draws so far confirm what pretty much everybody already knows, that their Achilles heel this season has been killing games off.

History

Fun fact: between them, Brighton and Manchester United won three of the first four Charity Shields, held between 1908 and 1911. Brighton qualified for this match as winners of the Southern League in 1910, and beat Aston Villa in the final.

More recently, Albion have a decent record against United since returning to the Premier League in 2017, having beaten them seven times in the league since then. Earlier this season, they beat them 2-1 at The Amex.

Key players

To get past Southampton, Manchester United were heavily dependent on Amad Diallo, whose late twelve-minute hat-trick hauled them out of a very sticky situation indeed. Diallo has now scored five of United’s last seven Premier League goals; they’re becoming increasingly important to Rúben Amorim as the season progresses.

Brighton’s record of not killing games off coupled with their decent record in this fixture means that their attacking players are also of critical importance. João Pedro is their joint second-highest scorer behind United alumni Danny Welbeck with five goals, the last two of those have come in their last two matches.

Team News

Pedro had been doubtful for the Ipswich game, and his appearance and goal were certainly welcome after a disappointing recent run of form. Brighton also have Danny Welbeck back fit again but Igor Julio is out for the season. He joins Evan Ferguson, Ferdi Kadıoğlu and James Milner on the sidelines while Mats Wieffer, Jack Hinshelwood and Diego Gomez are doubtful. Manchester United’s injury concerns have eased over the last couple of weeks, with Mason Mount, Victor Lindelof and Luke Shaw their only absentees.

Prediction

Have Manchester United or Brighton turned a corner? United have always been able to put in a shift against the likes of City, Arsenal and Liverpool, but it’s been the more bread and butter fixtures in which they’ve so often fallen short in recent years, further evidence of which could be seen in their largely listless performance against Southampton on Thursday.

Brighton’s poor run ended at Ipswich and they have a good record against Manchester United. Given that the home side have a forward coming into excellent form but still apparently can’t defend set-pieces there should be goals, and a 2-2 draw would certainly fit Brighton’s record this season.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Jan

2025

Preview: Moyes looking for first win as Everton host Spurs

Everton will host Tottenham in the Premier League on Sunday as David Moyes takes charge of his second game for the Toffees upon his return to Goodison Park. Ange Postecoglou could be under pressure as their inconsistent performances continue, but Everton themselves have struggled this term.

By Matt Smith

Earlier in the season when the two sides last met, Tottenham produced an emphatic 4-0 victory at home while Sean Dyche was still in charge of the Toffees. In this fixture last season, Jarrad Branthwaite rescued a late point in a 2-2 draw thanks to a 94^th minute equaliser.

Moyes receives Garner boost

Speaking to the media ahead of the game against Spurs, Everton manager Moyes confirmed that James Garner has now returned to training after a lengthy spell on the treatment table due to a back injury.

Unfortunately for the Toffees, Youssef Chermiti, Armando Broja, Seamus Coleman, Dwight McNeil, and Tim Iroegbunam remain out for the Merseyside club.

Calvert-Lewin could be the difference

It’s been a tricky season for Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and Everton’s survival hopes could rest on him finding some form. The English striker has scored just twice in the Premier League, but the Toffees have been creating chances for him.

*Calvert-Lewin shot map, Premier League 2024/25*

Calvert-Lewin has had 40 shots in England’s top flight this term with an xG of 5.22, and he missed a gilt-edged opportunity against Aston Villa to equalise in the midweek defeat at Goodison. Moyes will be desperate to get the best out of him heading into the business end of the season.

Tottenham duo added to injury list

Postecoglou has been forced to contend with a lengthy injury list over the last few months, which has undoubtedly had a major impact on their performances. Spurs have received a boost ahead of the trip to Merseyside however, with defender Ben Davies back and available for the game against Everton.

The Australian manager has hinted that Brennan Johnson and Yves Bissouma could be doubts after picking up knocks in their midweek fixture – the North London Derby defeat at Arsenal. Guglielmo Vicario, Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Destiny Udogie, Rodrigo Bentancur, Wilson Odobert and Timo Werner all remain out.

Everton will need to contain Solanke

The major difference between Everton and Aston Villa during the week was the latter having a clinical striker in Ollie Watkins to tuck away a winner. With both Everton and Tottenham struggling, it could be a matter of one player taking their chance to settle the game.

Solanke, despite Spurs’ poor form, has struck seven times in the Premier League this season, providing three assists along the way. With the likes of Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison as creative options behind him, Solanke could be the difference-maker for Tottenham.

Prediction

Spurs have won just three times on the road this season, but Everton themselves are struggling to find the back of the net. The Toffees have conceded just 11 times at Goodison Park this campaign, so we’re expecting a tight affair. We’re going for a 1-1 draw at Goodison Park on Sunday.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Jan

2025

Preview: Arsenal face Aston Villa in a key game at the Emirates

Arsenal must back up their mid-week North London Derby win against Aston Villa in Saturday’s late kick-off to put pressure on Liverpool at the top of the table.

By Graham Ruthven

Momentum builder

Wednesday’s win over Tottenham Hotspur must be a catalyst for Arsenal to build momentum again. The Gunners can’t allow the four-point gap between themselves and Liverpool to grow any further otherwise the title race could be over sooner rather than later.

Some believe Liverpool already have the title wrapped up. However, Arne Slot’s side face a tricky test away to Brentford on Saturday, meaning Arsenal might have the opportunity to apply pressure on the table-toppers by the time they face Aston Villa a few hours later.

Villa enter Saturday’s match at the Emirates Stadium on the back of a three-game winning run. Unai Emery’s team have recovered from a difficult period which saw them go eight matches without a win in November to once again climb the Premier League table.

Last season, Aston Villa claimed all three points away to Arsenal in a match that all but ended the Gunners hopes of winning the Premier League. It might be much earlier in the campaign this time, but Arsenal’s title chances are once again on the line.

Key players

Saturday’s match in North London could be decided in midfield where both teams will set up to have control. Arsenal will have Declan Rice, Thomas Partey and Martin Ødegaard while Aston Villa boast Boubacar Kamara, Amadou Onana and Youri Tielemens. The midfield battle will be worth watching.

Gabriel Magalhães and William Saliba’s partnership in central defence is frequently the foundation from which Arsenal build on. The former also poses a goal threat, as he demonstrated by forcing a goal from a corner kick against Spurs.

In attack, Arsenal are currently depleted through a number of injuries to key players. Kai Havertz is expected to start up front despite facing criticism for his finishing in recent defeats to Newcastle United and Manchester United.

Morgan Rogers will be a threat for Villa having registered five goal contributions in his last five games while Ollie Watkins has rediscovered his scoring touch recently, netting twice in four outings.

Donyell Malen – named as a FotMob Transfer of the Week – could make his Premier League debut after joining Aston Villa from Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday, although the Dutchman is most likely to start on the bench.

Team news

Arsenal’s injury troubles have worsened recently with Gabriel Jesus joining Bukayo Saka, Ethan Nwaneri, Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu on the sidelines after coming off against Manchester United in the FA Cup last weekend.

Riccardo Calafiori hasn’t played since early January due to a muscle injury, but could feature against Aston Villa. Myles Lewis-Skelley is, however, expected to keep his place at left back with Jurrien Timber on the right side of the defence.

John McGinn and Ross Barkley will both miss out through injury with Diego Carlos and Pau Torres also currently sidelined. Otherwise, Emery has a full squad to pick from for the trip to North London.

Prediction

This could be a cagy affair where both sides cancel each other out – Villa are in form but the Gunners don’t draw a blank that often, so we’ll go with a 1-1 draw.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Jan

2025

Preview: Bordalás’ Getafe prepared to square up against Barcelona

Barcelona are back in LaLiga action close to a month after their dramatic defeat to Atlético Madrid. Their first league game of 2025 will see them visit the Community of Madrid to face Getafe.

By Neel Shelat

Barcelona’s free-flowing attack

Barcelona certainly kept their fans entertained despite a lack of LaLiga action over the last four weeks. Their short winter break was dominated by squad registration drama surrounding Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor – who will be available for now at least – after which they won all four matches played in resounding fashion.

The victories over Barbastro in the cup and Athletic Club in the Supercopa semifinal were routine enough, but their attack found yet another gear in the last two games. They put five past eternal rivals Real Madrid in Saudi Arabia on Sunday before doing the same to Real Betis back on Spanish soil in a midweek Copa del Rey tie.

Barça alerady were the best attacking team by quite a large margin in the first half of the La Liga season, so the possibility of them getting even better will send shivers down the spines of defenders around the division.

A clash of polar opposite styles

While Barcelona traditionally like to keep a lot of the ball and put together slick attacking moves, José Bordalás’ Getafe side are quite the opposite. Perhaps nothing encapsulates the team better than their most recent result – a single goal win over fourth-tier Pontevedra in the Copa del Rey. This game had all the hallmarks of peak Bordalás-ball: a comically low possession figure, an incredibly resolute defensive display and of course, a red card for violent conduct.

While Getafe’s stats are not quite so eye-catching in every singly match, they do have one of LaLiga’s lowest possession averages this season at 43.6% as well as the second-lowest attacking return of just 13 goals.

Entertainment limited at the Coliseum

Getafe’s attacking numbers have not been much better in any of their recent seasons, so the only reason thay have been able to stay up is their incredibly tight defence. They are on course to repeat the trick having let in just 16 goals in 19 league fixtures so far.

Unsurprisingly, then, Getafe’s games have seen the fewest goals scored. They are particularly stingy at home as just 13 goals have been scored at both ends combined in the 10 league matches they have hosted. Clearly, fans looking for goals should not expect to be too entertained at the Estadio Coliseum.

Getafe’s impressive home record against Barcelona

Barcelona have surely not enjoyed any of their recent visits to Getafe. In fact, they have failed to score in their last four matches at the Coliseum, drawing the last three and losing to a single goal in 2020. So, their last scorers at the venue are Luis Suárez and Junior Firpo.

A full-strength attack led by the irresistible front three of Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha will be keen to change that tonight.

Prediction

Barcelona have the momentum and attacking firepower to break down Getafe’s staunch defence and put an end to their three-match winless streak in LaLiga.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Jan

2025

Preview: Brentford prepare to face leaders Liverpool at the GTech

For a little while this game looked like being billed as the Premier League’s best home team against the division’s best team overall; recent events, though, have shown perhaps only one of those is accurate.

By Karl Matchett

Familiar faces at the Gtech

For Sepp van den Berg, this fixture might be a bit of self justification. The Dutch defender departed Anfield the in summer after feeling he wouldn’t get much of a look-in; he joined the Bees and has started 16 times in the top flight. Immediately alongside him once more was Fabio Carvalho; the attacker similarly thought that game time would be at a premium under Arne Slot, but so far it hasn’t been quite as frequent as he’d like under Thomas Frank either – of 16 games for him, 13 have come from the bench.

The two can be seen as examples of Brentford’s own progression and desire to push higher up the league table, signing talents from those above; alternatively they can be seen to hint that Liverpool, who only signed Federico Chiesa in summer for under half the amount received for Carvalho, have kept their powder dry. No moves have been made by the league leaders yet this month, but it could still change quickly.

Fluctuating form

Rewind only a month and Brentford sat top of the table themselves – at least when it came to home form. After battering Newcastle, they sat pretty with seven wins from eight at the Gtech Community Stadium, a fantastic start in front of their own fans which made them top-half contenders, at least on the face of things.

But the truth was slightly skewed and recently has been unveiled somewhat. At the same point of the campaign, Brentford had also lost almost every away game and hadn’t won any. They have since done so – but only at the bottom club, Southampton. And, meanwhile, they’ve lost twice and drawn one at home as well – plus were beaten by Plymouth in the FA Cup. The wheels have come off where they were working for Frank’s injury-hit side.

Liverpool, meanwhile, remain top of the league. A recent blip could only be described that way for the team who were previously near-faultless: their current league form reads “drawn twice”. It’s not quite into the dramatic territory some would have you believe. Worse still for Brentford, Liverpool have yet to lose once away in the league this term.

Team news

Liverpool have Darwin Núñez back from suspension and Joe Gomez is out injured – Slot has very nearly a full squad. Frank has far more issues, with seven still out, the main ones of which are Ethan Pinnock, Kristoffer Ajer, Aaron Hickey and Igor Thiago.

Key player

With Mohamed Salah looking off-key of late – against his very high standards – we’ll go for Alexis Mac Allister to pull some strings. Brentford’s midfield is physical but he can mix it too – and still find the pass at the end. He’s 93rd percentile for xA, 90th for possession won in the final third and is vital to the Reds’ tactical plan.

Prediction

Brentford’s home form showed they can beat the sides below them, but they are still a way off those above. Three points for the visitors: Brentford 1 Liverpool 3.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Jan

2025

Preview: Manchester United look to create momentum against Southampton

Manchester United host Southampton at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Thursday in a game that sees two sides who are struggling for form of late.

By Matt Smith

In the last five games, United and the Saints have won just once between them in England’s top flight.

When the two teams met earlier in the season, United came away with a 3-0 victory under Erik ten Hag, a game that saw Tyler Dibling make his first Premier League start and Matthijs de Ligt score his first goal for the Red Devils.

Amorim praises Collyer impact

In his press conference ahead of the game against United, Rúben Amorim spoke to the media about the challenges his side will face against the Saints. Amorim was quick to point out the progress that young midfielder Toby Collyer has been making, suggesting that he is ‘training really well’.

The Portuguese manager confirmed that Collyer is ‘one more option’ for his squad now after making an impact off the bench against Arsenal.

Bruno Fernandes is stepping up to the task

Although United’s form has been inconsistent in recent weeks, the Manchester club have picked up two impressive results on the road consecutively, beating Arsenal in the FA Cup last time out while securing a point at Anfield in the Premier League seven days before.

Portuguese midfielder Bruno Fernandes has stepped up to the plate in big moments for his side, providing an assist against Liverpool and a crucial opening goal against Arsenal. Although the former Sporting man is far from having his best season for the club, he’s still been a standout star for the Red Devils this campaign, particularly in the final third.

Saints receive major Downes boost

Ivan Jurić confirmed to the media this week that Flynn Downes has returned to training and should be available to face United. The Southampton boss wasn’t able to ensure supporters that he will play from the start, but his return is a major boost nonetheless.

Dibling finding goalscoring form

Dibling has been a revelation for the Saints this term and a shining light in what has been a disappointing campaign. At the age of just 18, the English attacker has shown signs of huge potential, and he’s starting to contribute in front of goal for Southampton.

In the last three games in all competitions, Dibling has found the back of the net on three occasions including a brace last time out in the FA Cup. Jurić will need the young star to be at his best if they want to get a result at Old Trafford. The teenager has shown flashes of brilliance, but contributing with goals and assists regularly in the final third will help propel him to the next level.

Prediction

Although both sides have shown plenty of inconsistency this campaign, the Saints have picked up just two points on the road. It’s difficult to see United not winning this one, especially after two impressive results on the bounce. We’re going for a comfortable 3-0 victory for the Red Devils.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Jan

2025

Preview: Real Madrid looking to recover against Celta Vigo

After suffering a serious thrashing at the hands of Barcelona in the Supercopa, Real Madrid will look to get back on track in their Copa del Rey tie against Celta Vigo.

By Neel Shelat

Defence rejig is in order for Real Madrid

On the back of last weekend’s El Clásico humiliation, Carlo Ancelotti will quite likely try to change something in his Real Madrid side. Their depleted defence should get the most attention as it was badly exposed by some relatively simple quick attacking play. It was particularly weak on the right, where Aurélien Tchouaméni was at centre-back and Lucas Vázquez in the full back position.

There were a host of issues in Los Blancos’ defensive block which Ancelotti acknowledged, but they were hardly new developments. Real Madrid had similar weaknesses last season, but their superior player quality masked that in most matches. This term, the season-ending ACL injuries to Dani Carvajal and Éder Militão have simply exacerbated what was always an underlying problem.

Unless the Spanish champions make any signings in the January window, Ancelotti will have to fashion a long-term solution from the limited options he has. 21-year-old Raúl Asencio will be keen to get some more regular game time, while David Alaba could soon become an option having returned from an ACL injury himself.

Star striker Aspas a big miss for Celta

Iago Aspas is still going strong for Celta Vigo at the ripe old age of 37. He is their top scorer in LaLiga with six goals and has three assists to boot, making him the team’s most valuable attacking contributor.

*Celta goals and assists, LaLiga 2024/25*

However, the former Liverpool forward suffered a calf injury in Celta’s first match of 2025 – their previous Copa del Rey tie against Racing Santander. He is expected to be out until early February, so Los Celestes will have to find a different source of goals for the next couple of weeks at least.

Celta keen to give Real Madrid’s defence another test

Despite Aspas’ absence, Celta Vigo will back themselves to create some chances against Real Madrid. Although Claudio Giráldez’s men ended up on the losing side when the two teams met earlier in the season, they managed to outshine the defending champions both in terms of the quality and quantity of chances created.

Indeed, Celta have sustained a pretty impressive level of attacking output so far this season. They are sixth in the league in terms of goals as well as xG and also have the fifth-highest possession average. Although they will most likely not do as well as Barcelona, they certainly have the potential to put some slick moves together.

Real Madrid’s spotless head-to-head record

Real Madrid have won each of their last nine fixtures against Celta Vigo in a run that predates Carlo Ancelotti’s appointment. Their head-to-head unbeaten run stretches back almost eight years, though their last defeat did come in a Copa del Rey tie at the Santiago Bernabéu. One Iago Aspas was the star of the show that day with a goal and assist.

Prediction

As is so often the case, Real Madrid’s superior player quality should just about get them over the line.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Jan

2025

Preview: Arsenal host Spurs in the North London Derby

The key question ahead of Wednesday’s North London Derby is whether the timing is worse for Arsenal or whether it’s worse for Spurs.

By Ian King

Hangovers from a troublesome weekend?

The Third Round of the FA Cup turned out to be a difficult weekend for both clubs. Arsenal had plenty of opportunities to kill Manchester United off at The Emirates but failed to take them and were eventually beaten on penalties. Spurs got through, but were held for more than 100 minutes by non-league Tamworth. But in the League, there is a distinct contrast. Arsenal are unbeaten in their last ten Premier League games, while Spurs have only won one of their last eight.

History

There is, of course, a lot of history to be had here and recently it has been in Arsenal’s favour. They’ve won six and drawn one of the last eight meetings between the two, and they’ve already won 1-0 at The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this season. But Spurs supporters looking for a little encouragement don’t need to look back too much further than this. Arsenal won only two out of twelve meetings between the two clubs between November 2015 and December 2020.

Key players

Arsenal need goals, and with Gabriel Jesus now injured, attention will fall upon Raheem Sterling, Kai Havertz, and Leandro Trossard to provide them. Sterling and Trossard were both anonymous against Manchester United. Havertz may well wish that he had been.

That Angeball high press may mean chances for the hosts, and as such the question may well be whether new Spurs goalkeeper Antonín Kinský can maintain his record of having kept clean sheets in his first two appearances for the club.

Team News

The latest player to appear on the Arsenal treatment table is the aforementioned Gabriel Jesus, who could be out for the rest of the season after suffering an ACL injury against Manchester United. He’ll join Ethan Nwaneri, Bukayo Saka, Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu on the wounded list, while Riccardo Calafiori missed the Manchester United match with injury and is likely to be absent again.

There isn’t much that Arsenal can teach Spurs about injuries, of course, though at least they came through their trip to Tamworth without any new ones. Destiny Udogie, Ben Davies, Richarlison, Micky van de Ven, Guglielmo Vicario, Wilson Odobert , Cristian Romero and Rodrigo Bentancur will all likely be missing, and although Fraser Forster may be available, whether he can dislodge Kinský is a different matter.

Prediction

Sunday might have highlighted a recent issue over Arsenal and goalscoring, but how much of this is hyperbole? After all, they’ve only failed to score in three of their Premier League matches this season, so far. And while Spurs have occasionally impressed against the bigger clubs this season, they’ve pointedly failed to do so when it’s been a local derby, with both Arsenal and Chelsea having already returned from N17 this season with all three points. Local derbies can be unpredictable, but Arsenal need the points and a 2-1 home win feels about right.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Jan

2025

Preview: Barcelona face Betis in first test since Supercopa triumph

Barcelona host Real Betis in the Copa del Rey just days after thumping Real Madrid in the Spanish Supercopa final in Saudi Arabia.

By Graham Ruthven

Ground to make up

Sunday saw Barcelona produce arguably their best display of the season as they put five goals past Real Madrid in a Clásico thumping in the final of the Spanish Supercopa. It was a performance to savour for Hansi Flick and his players.

However, Barca return to Spain to play in another cup competition this week with Real Betis hoping to be the latest team to expose the Catalans at Montjuïc following recent wins for Atlético Madrid, Las Palmas and Leganés at Barca’s temporary home.

These defeats raised concerns that opposition teams were starting to figure out Barcelona’s high defensive line. Hansi Flick’s high-risk approach might be entertaining, but it doesn’t always result in the most controlled performances by his side.

In LaLiga, Barcelona finished up for the winter break on a run of just one win in seven games. Since then, though, they have dispatched Barbastro in the Copa del Rey round of 32 and handily defeated Athletic Club and Real Madrid in the Supercopa. The rest has revived them.

Real Betis, on the other hand, suffered a 1-0 loss to Real Valladolid on Saturday to bring a seven-match unbeaten run to an end. The flip side of that record is that Los Verdiblancos have won just one of their last eight league outings.

Manuel Pellegrini’s side have already taken points from Barcelona this season, drawing 2-2 with them at the start of December, and could once again be a thorn in the side of the Catalans.

Key players

Lamine Yamal put on a show in Sunday’s Spanish Supercopa final, scoring a stunning equaliser and generally posing a threat in the final third for Barcelona. Real Madrid had no way to handle him.

Flick has suggested he could manage the 17-year-old’s minutes as he continues his recovery from injury, but Barca will want to keep up their run going in the cup competitions. They need their best creator player on the pitch.

Vitor Roque could return to the Real Betis starting lineup against his parent club while Isco is expected to start having only recently returned from injury.

A lot of pressure will be on Real Betis central destroyer and USMNT international Johnny Cardoso to break up Barcelona attacks in the middle of the pitch with Sergi Altimira alongside him.

Team news

Iñigo Martínez sustained a hamstring injury in the 5-2 win over Real Madrid in Sunday’s Spanish Supercopa final and is expected to miss the next month of action, only adding to Barca’s number of defensive absentees.

However, Ronald Araújo could start his first league match of the season after making his long-awaited return from injury off the bench against Real Madrid. The Uruguayan will be a straight replacement for Martínez in central defence.

Giovani Lo Celso will miss the match at Montjuic after picking up a muscle injury in the defeat to Real Valladolid while Héctor Bellerín, Chimy Avila and William Carvalho are long-term absentees.

Prediction

Momentum is with Hansi Flick’s side, so we’ll go with Barcelona 3-1 Real Betis.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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