Preview

Oct

2024

Preview: Madrid travel to Celta Vigo, one of LaLiga’s great entertainers this season

After two weeks off thanks to the international break, LaLiga champions Real Madrid are back in action. Their tenth league match of the season will see them visit Balaídos to take on the eye-catching Celta Vigo.

By Neel Shelat

Celta promise goals galore

Celta Vigo are unquestionably among the most exciting teams in LaLiga this season. Led by Claudio Giráldez in his first full season in charge of a professional club, they are third in the division in terms of total goals (scored and conceded) per game.

They have a dynamic attack led by Borja Iglesias and Iago Aspas, although the latter is suspended for this game after being sent off in the win over Las Palmas. Celta Vigo kept their only clean sheet of the season in that match, despite playing with nine men for over half an hour!

The most intriguing part of this Celta side has to be Óscar Mingueza, the former Barcelona defender. He was a sturdy centre-back or at most a defensive full-back for Xavi’s side, but Giráldez has refashioned him into a flying right wing-back. He has been doing his best Trent Alexander-Arnold impression in Vigo, already breaking his personal seasonal record for goal involvements with six in just eight games. Real Madrid will have to keep a close eye on him.

Will a refreshed Real Madrid attack click?

The two-week break and a favourable fixture against a frail Celta Vigo defence might just be what the doctor ordered for Real Madrid’s misfiring attack. Although they have the second-most goals and the second-highest xG tally in the league, they haven’t been able to create chances at anywhere near the same consistency as their main title rivals, Barcelona.

Thanks to the world-class quality of their players, their clinical finishing has helped them get over the line in most cases, but Carlo Ancelotti will surely be a lot happier if he can get his star forwards to click. Both Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior did not travel with their national teams in this break so they should be well-rested and refreshed, though they were also nursing slight injury issues. Should either of them fail to feature, the likes of Rodrygo, Endrick, Arda Güler and Brahim Díaz will be keen to make the most of the opportunity they get.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Oct

2024

Preview: Arsenal head to Dorset looking to extend their winning streak against the Cherries

With seven games of the Premier League season now played Arsenal have still dropped just four points, and at a glance it looks as though a Saturday afternoon trip to the south coast should be one of their easier away trips of the season.

By Ian King

Arsenal scored nine goals in their last three games before the international break, which hints at the scale of the job ahead for Bournemouth.

The historical record certainly seems to back that assessment. In the nine years since the Cherries found their way into the top flight they’ve only taken five points off Arsenal in fourteen attempts; a 2-1 win in January 2018 and 3-3 and 1-1 draws in January 2017 and December 2019. Arsenal have won each of their other eleven League meetings, including the last seven in a row.

Arsenal have one or two minor injury worries ahead of this match. Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli are both at risk of absence following knocks picked up during the international break for England and Brazil respectively. Both will be assessed before the match on Friday tea-time. Martin Ødegaard is also still likely to be absent, though it seems fair to say that Mikel Arteta has coped pretty well without his usual captain.

For Bournemouth, the most significant question is whether Tyler Adams, who’s been out since the summer following back surgery, is fit to return to the team. This is the game that had been targeted for his return, but it’s unconfirmed that he will, and if he does return in this match, it may turn out to be from the substitutes bench. Bournemouth’s recent form has been inconsistent of late, with 2 wins and 3 defeats in their last 5 matches.

If there is a potential weakness to be exploited, it could be Arsenal’s defence. They only conceded 29 in 38 games last season but they’ve conceded five in their last three games since last keeping a clean sheet in the League against Spurs four weeks ago, three of which came against somewhat modest opposition, in the form of the newly-promoted Leicester City and Southampton.

It’s not much, but it is at least a glimmer of hope for Bournemouth, and considering both Arsenal’s recent form and Bournemouth’s record against them in recent years, it’s difficult to see past the Gunners continuing to keep pressurising both Liverpool and Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table.

(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.

Oct

2024

Preview: Man United aim to change the narrative at home to Brentford

It’s over a month since Manchester United last won a Premier League game, over two months since they last won one at Old Trafford and, quite incredibly, more than ten months since they won back-to-back home league matches in the same season.

By Karl Matchett

Quite how Erik ten Hag has lasted long enough to keep sight of that particularly niche anniversary remains a mystery, but for United to even have a chance at ending the run soon, they need to first put an end to successive 3-0 home league defeats.

Solace for the beleaguered boss comes in the fact that their next opponents, Brentford, remain without a single away league win themselves this term. While their home form puts United’s to shame – four wins from five in all competitions in 2024/25 – Thomas Frank has been unable to translate that to being on the road, with the Bees’ last top-flight victory outside of their own ground coming in May.

And yet despite that, there won’t be too many away fans who think a result is impossible in the north west on Saturday. Brentford are 11th, United 14th. Brentford have two points more and a goal difference which is superior by three. And if they have plenty of players missing through injury in attack, limiting the options for Frank to shuffle the pack, that might still be preferable to United’s absent bodies being scattered throughout the porous defence and soft centre which has been so brittle again this year.

As an example, Bryan Mbeumo – top ten in the league for goals, big chances created and expected assists, while United have nobody at all on any of those lists – remains available, and is in prime form. United have no player, attacker or otherwise, who has more than a single goal or a single assist in the Premier League this term. While individuality isn’t everything, it certainly helps to have a reliable source of chances.

*Bryan Mbeumo shot map, Premier League 2024/25*

And as a team? Well, Brentford have a better xG than United, have created more big chances and win the ball in the attacking third more times per game. United do, it should be noted, have the edge in xG conceded; however, given that the only half-dozen teams below them in that category are the relegation battlers, newly promoted teams and Brentford themselves, it’s dubious if Ten Hag would realistically highlight that as a positive. Then again, given league results over the past 300-odd days at Old Trafford, it’s hard to know any more exactly where they draw the line on something being negative either.

(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.

Oct

2024

Preview: Spurs and West Ham kick off the Premier League weekend

Tottenham Hotspur host West Ham United in the lunchtime kick-off in the Premier League on Saturday. It’s two sides who may be slightly disappointed with how their season has started, and we could be set for an exciting encounter in the capital.

By Matt Smith

Spurs have shown plenty of inconsistency so far this campaign, producing some exceptional performances and results while also unnecessarily throwing away comfortable leads and dropping points. Sitting in ninth with three wins, three losses, and a draw, Ange Postecoglou’s side haven’t quite kicked into gear just yet.

Despite their disappointing performances, Spurs might consider themselves unfortunate not to have picked up more points. The north London outfit have created 15 expected goals, more than any other Premier League side.

Dejan Kulusevski has been tasked with a central, deeper role in midfield of late, and he’s beginning to flourish under Postecoglou. Although providing just two goals and assists combined, the Swedish star has been a creative threat in the middle of the park, given the freedom to drift into wide areas from a central position.

After throwing away a two-goal lead against Brighton, losing the game 3-2, Postecoglou’s men will be desperate to bounce back in a London derby against the Hammers.

It’s been an inconsistent start to the campaign for Julen Lopetegui’s side who currently find themselves sitting in 12^th position in the table. An emphatic 4-1 victory against Ipswich last time out has allowed them to create a bit of breathing room from the relegation zone.

Disappointingly, West Ham have conceded 11 goals this term, but Lopetegui has taken some time to bring in the likes of Jean-Clair Todibo after joining in the summer. Niclas Füllkrug, who also joined in the transfer window, is yet to get going after picking up regular injuries.

Jarrod Bowen has undoubtedly been a standout for the Hammers this year. The England international is a consistent performer and provider in the final third, producing four goals and assists combined this season. Despite West Ham bringing in a host of new midfielders in the summer, Tomáš Souček is continuing to prove his worth, scoring twice in just five games.

In this fixture last season, West Ham came away with a 2-1 victory at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium, so Lopetegui’s side will be hoping for a repeat performance as they make the short trip to north London.

(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.

Oct

2024

Preview: Germany vs. Netherlands, two of Europe’s oldest rivals meet in Munich

One of international football’s more enduring grudge matches turns another chapter on Monday evening when Germany face the Netherlands in the Nations League.

By Ian King

The match will also mark the passing of a Dutch football legend; Johan Neeskens, the midfielder who starred in their team in the World Cup final in both 1974 and 1978, died earlier last week at 73 years of age.

The two sides met just a month ago at the Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam and played out an entertaining if inconclusive 2-2 draw. With three games now played Germany lead the group following Friday’s Deniz Undav-inspired win in Bosnia, while the Netherlands sit second after securing a late draw against Hungary following the sending off of captain Virgil van Dijk.

Germany remain in something of a state of flux. Toni Kroos, Manuel Neuer, Ilkay Gündogan and Thomas Müller all retired following their quarter-final Euros loss to Spain in the summer. These four players had 451 caps between them, and that’s a lot of experience to lose. The upside to this is that it’s the sort of environment in which head coach Julian Nagelsmann has thrived before.

Furthermore, injuries to further key players including Jamal Musiala, Kai Havertz and Niclas Füllkrug, leave their squad looking a little threadbare. The upshot of all of this is that 21 year-old Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Florian Wirtz is their fifth most-experienced current player, and he has just 25 caps. Of their entire midfield and attack, only Wirtz, Serge Gnabry, Robert Andrich and Pascal Groß have more than ten, and only two have more than twenty.

A combination of van Dijk’s suspension for this match, and the enforced absence of Manchester City defender Nathan Aké, who was carried off with a hamstring injury during the corresponding match last month, will be the main pre-match concern in the Dutch camp. Memphis Depay is left out of the squad by Ronald Koeman again, following his transfer to the Brazilian club Corinthians last month. Frenkie de Jong is, as ever, still recovering from his latest injury and will not be risked for the national team just yet.

Although it won’t be the first match for either side since his passing, the memory of Johann Neeskens will hang heavy over the evening. Half a century ago this year, he was in the Netherlands team that took West Germany all the way in the 1974 World Cup final. This rivalry will surely be set aside to commemorate the passing of such an important and influential player. It is to be hoped that the players can come up with an appropriate tribute to him on the pitch, as well.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Oct

2024

Preview: England look to bounce back in Helsinki

After Thursday’s shock defeat to Greece at Wembley, it’s fair to say that the honeymoon period has ended for Lee Carsley, and although a first loss as interim England manager does not end his tenure, it may cast doubts on whether the former-Everton midfielder earns the role on a permanent basis.

By Dan Tracey

Carsley‘s tactical gamble was certainly a bold decision ahead of Thursday’s encounter, and with the question of who should play as England’s No. 10 being a hot topic over the summer, Carsley’s answer was to crowbar all of the potential candidates into the starting eleven against Greece.

It was a gamble that spectacularly backfired at Wembley and something that is unlikely to be repeated on Sunday when the Three Lions move on to Helsinki to face Finland – a team that that has already beaten by England in this current Nations League cycle.

That was the night where Harry Kane celebrated his 100^th international cap by scoring a second-half brace and after not being risked on Thursday, the Bayern Munich talisman will be itching to help his country return to winning ways.

Especially as only top spot in this four team mini-league secures automatic promotion to League A and following defeat in midweek, England find themselves three points off the pace now set by the 2004 European Champions.

A scenario that suggests that nothing less than a win will do in Finland and especially against a side that is yet to open their current Nations League account.

Things did look promising against Ireland on Thursday when Joel Pohjanpalo put Markku Kanerva’s men ahead in the first half. However Liam Scales would restore parity after the break and Robbie Brady would secure Ireland’s first win under new manager Heimir Hallgrimsson with just seconds of the game remaining.

A poor finish by the Finnish but with England’s lions currently wounded, Sunday’s hosts will now look to cause further anguish and it will be interesting to see if manager Kanerva unlocks the shackles that were on display at Wembley last month.

*Key stats, England vs. Finland, Sep 2024 (England represented by the lighter blue)*

Before Kane found his shooting boots after the interval, Finland’s resolve was rather robust in the first 45 minutes and if they can create the same levels of early frustration with a home support behind them, it may offer further impetus to attack their superstar opponents.

There’s no doubt that England will go into the game as favourites, but they had the same status against Greece a few days prior and if they fail to end the week on the high, the FA may have to re-think their plans as they continue the search for Gareth Southgate’s permanent successor.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Oct

2024

Preview: Lee Carsley looks to continue his 100% start as England take on Greece

Lee Carsley will be aiming to make it three wins from three games as interim boss of England, boosting his own credentials to perhaps take the job on full time.

By Karl Matchett

In truth, Nations League results perhaps won’t be the barometer by which the FA decide who their permanent successor to Gareth Southgate is, but certainly Carsley can’t be doing his chances any harm if he clocks up further wins and clean sheets.

A first squad which saw several surprise names called up has been replicated this time around, so chances for the likes of Rico Lewis, Angel Gomes and Noni Madueke could again be on the table after strong starts to their respective domestic campaigns. While another big talking point is the return of striker Dominic Solanke to the fold, seven years after his sole cap to-date, it will likely be the familiar faces who determine England’s fate against the Greeks – themselves top of Group B2 with six points as well, but a superior goal difference to the Three Lions.

Despite scoring one fewer, the numbers from fixtures against Ireland and Finland back England in this case: seven big chances, 4.3 xG across two games and 8.5 shots on target per game are top across the board in Nations League B groups…as might be expected, given they were relegated from the top tier in the previous edition.

The same questions remain for Carsley as would have been in place for anyone else after Euro 2024, with a couple of games never likely to yield the sole possible answers: where should Trent Alexander-Arnold play? What is the best midfield combination possible? And how many of Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, Phil Foden and Cole Palmer should get in the starting lineup?

Quite aside from where they’ve performed this year, Carsley’s suggestion that at least two of that quartet can play from left-back is likely to be one experiment which is left aside, for now at least.

While there’s familiarity with some of the names in the Greek squad from playing in the Premier League, the truth is that there are too few elite-end performers in the Hellenic side to pose serious questions to England’s finest across 90 minutes. But in some respects, the best way to ensure focus and performance levels is to play those not assured of their place, thereby potentially levelling the quality level somewhat – and letting the Nations League remain a learning curve for squad and interim boss alike.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Oct

2024

Preview: Man United face Sunday showdown at Villa Park

Following last weekend’s debacle against Tottenham Hotspur and their comedy of errors on Porto on Thursday night, Manchester United travel to the West Midlands for another testing match, this time away to in-form Aston Villa.

By Ian King

Manager Erik Ten Hag was clinging on to his job by his fingernails following United’s 3-0 home reversal last Sunday and their scrambled draw in Portugal. Those nails are looking increasingly shredded.

There are few more challenging places that he could be visiting this weekend than Villa Park. Aston Villa have only been beaten once in six Premier League games so far this season, and that was at home against Arsenal in August. They’ve also kick-started their return to the Champions League after an absence of 42 years with two wins, 3-0 in Bern against Young Boys, and 1-0 against Bayern Munich on Wednesday night, a match won by a late goal scored by this season’s wunderkind Jhón Duran, who’s also scored four goals in their six Premier League matches so far.

If there is a glimmer of light for United fans to focus upon, it’s probably Villa’s defensive record. Their two Champions League clean sheets are the only ones they’ve kept all season. They’ve conceded in each of their League matches so far, as well as in a 2-1 win at Wycombe Wanderers in the EFL Cup. Last weekend at Ipswich, a second half Liam Delap goal cost them two points which would have put them second in the table and level on points with leaders Liverpool. Instead, they go into this weekend in fifth.

The head-to-head form book favours United. Since Villa’s return to the Premier League in 2019, they’ve only beaten them twice, and United have won each of the last four meetings between the two clubs. But Villa will surely arrive for this game riding the crest of a wave following their Bayern win, so how on earth does the United manager turn around a team whose performances last week were as bad as anything they’ve managed previously under him?

But Aston Villa will arrive at this match fresh off the back of their best European result in more than 40 years, while Manchester United will arrive their usual bag of melodramatic nerves. The Manchester United manager may need a win to keep his job, but needing one isn’t enough on its own, and Thursday night offered little consolation to fans.

(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.

Oct

2024

Preview: Barcelona look to put last weekend behind them as they travel to Alaves

Life under Hansi Flick continues to go from strength to strength for Barcelona after an emphatic 5-0 victory over BSC Young Boys in midweek UEFA Champions League action made it seven wins from their opening ten competitive outings to start their 2024-25 season.

By Nathan Evans

That latest result also did a lot to limit the damage from a 4-2 defeat to Osasuna the weekend prior, a loss that ended Barca’s winning start in the league on matchday seven, though they still sit top of the pile and three points ahead of fierce rivals Real Madrid (Madrid can close that gap when they play Saturday evening).

The German manager will be absolutely desperate to go again in the league as a result of that setback and as they travel to face Alavés in the Basque Country, history will be on their side.

There’s plenty of reasons to suggest that anyway, not least the fact that Barca are unbeaten across their last seven league visits to the city of Vitoria-Gasteiz. With six of those coming as wins, the mood will be buoyant in the away changing room and that’s before you mention the fact that the Catalan giants have additionally lost just two of their last 21 league clashes with Alavés home and away.

What’s crucial to mention is that much of Barcelona’s success so far this campaign has been due to their rich vein of goalscoring, netting 25 times across their seven league fixtures combined, the most of any side across Europe’s top five leagues to this point. That return also represents the club’s best start in terms of goalscoring in LaLiga since 2016/17, a fantastic feat given the likes of Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta, Luis Suárez, and Neymar who formed the basis of that team.

But whatever that team could do, this new Barca side will look to replicate, headlined by 17-year-old Lamine Yamal who seemingly continues his stunning form each matchday. Through eight appearances in LaLiga in 2024/25, he’s returned four goals and five assists and given that opponents Alavés have conceded 12 goals across their first eight games, it’d take a brave person to bet against him adding to that tally even more here.

In fairness, maybe the Basque hosts will give their opposition a much tougher go of it this time around, owing to their return of ten points to date which is representative of their best Spanish top-flight start to a campaign for a number of years. But as they’ve lost three of their last four league outings, Luis García’s outfit could find it very tough to cause any kind of upset this weekend.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Oct

2024

Preview: Chelsea look to extend their winning run against resilient Forest

Chelsea will host Nottingham Forest on Sunday at Stamford Bridge as they look to continue their impressive start, against a side who have shown they are difficult to beat this season.

By Matt Smith

Enzo Maresca has somewhat transformed this Chelsea team so far and helped them become an attacking force in the Premier League. The Blues are currently averaging 2.5 goals per game, more than any other side in the division.

Chelsea find themselves sitting in fourth place in the table, just two points off Liverpool in first. Maresca’s men are unbeaten in their last five fixtures after losing on the opening day to Manchester City.

Nicolas Jackson and Cole Palmer’s productivity in the final third has been a key factor in their early success this campaign. The Chelsea duo have provided a combined 17 goals and assists between them, with Maresca’s possession-based style helping them create plenty of opportunities.

The improved form of Moises Caicedo, who initially struggled to adapt at Stamford Bridge when signing from Brighton, has helped from a defensive and ball progression perspective. Winning 7.7 duels per 90 minutes and keeping them ticking over in the middle of the park, the Ecuadorian international has been a revelation under Maresca.

*Caicedo defensive stats per 90, Premier League 2024/25*

Nuno Espírito Santo’s side have also enjoyed a strong start to the campaign after battling near the bottom of the Premier League table last season. Forest currently sit in tenth position and have only lost once so far this term.

Conceding just 0.8 goals per game, with only Liverpool managing less, Forest have become a defensive force and have made themselves incredibly difficult to beat. The defensive partnership of Murillo and Nikola Milenković has been one the best in the division, making 10 clearances per 90 between them.

Only Manchester City and Liverpool have conceded fewer expected goals in the league this season. Although Nuno will be hoping to see more from his team in an attacking sense, Forest have shown vast improvement defensively and are setting up to sit deep and hit teams in transition.

(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.