Preview

Feb

2025

Preview: Inter Miami face NYCFC in season opener

MLS is back, and so are Lionel Messi and Inter Miami. They kick off their 2025 league campaign at home to New York City on Saturday night on the back of a midweek Champions Cup matchup played in freezing conditions. Can they warm up in time for the new season?

By James Nalton

Is Messi still magic?

Many thought the 2022 would be Lionel Messi’s last World Cup, signing out with a long-awaited triumph with Argentina.

Having moved to one of the 2026 co-host countries to play his club football, and having been the standout player in MLS last season despite limited game time, he might be eyeing 2026.

But first, 2025. There are signs already that Messi is still magic after he scored the only goal in Wednesday night’s Concacaf Champions Cup meeting with Sporting Kansas City.

If he can log more minutes than the 1,756 he managed in MLS last season, he could break league records and come back for more in 2026 for both club and country.

Luis Suárez is back too

Having originally only signed a deal with Inter Miami until the end of 2024, Luis Suárez signed on for another year.

He retired from international football last season but feels his aching 38-year-old knees still have another MLS season in them.

While the physical speed isn’t there, the mental quickness and clever movement are, meaning he should still be among the goals in 2025.

The benefit of a warm-up match?

Inter Miami enter this game on the back of that 1-0 win in Kansas City, but despite a chance at pre-season competitive action, the conditions were far from ideal.

The temperature at kick-off was -14°C and such extreme weather as well as the travel involved might affect the players.

The competitive action might have been useful though, and the test for Miami this season will be on Javier Mascherano’s coaching and how the rest of their roster performs alongside Messi, Suárez, Jordi Alba, and Sergio Busquets.

Do they have the quality depth and game plan to deal with the rigours of MLS and Concacaf? It doesn’t get much more rigorous than their midweek experience.

Improving on last season

Having topped the overall table with an MLS-record points haul in 2024, Inter Miami have one aim this time around — winning the MLS Cup.

Though the league leaders are celebrated and get to lift the Supporters’ Shield, the true champion in MLS is considered to be the post-season playoff winner.

Last season, that was LA Galaxy, as Inter Miami suffered a shock playoff exit at the hands of Atlanta United.

There is now only one aim for this team and that campaign won’t begin until October, but they will likely be in the running for the Supporters’ Shield again regardless.

Prediction

If pre-season is anything to go by, New York City will be without their best player, Santi Rodríguez, who has been linked to a move to Botafogo. Though Inter Miami might still be thawing out from the freezing temperatures of Kansas City, another narrow 1-0 win for Messi and co. might be on the cards.

(Cover Image from IMAGO)

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

Feb

2025

Preview: Barcelona visit Las Palmas in the Canary Islands

Table-toppers against relegation strugglers. Unbeaten in 12 against winless in seven. There’s simply no way that this one is an upset, right?

By Karl Matchett

Opposites and familiarities

Barcelona have found their groove again. They stumbled and stuttered before Christmas, but Hansi Flick has his side back on cruise control in some matches, finding quality to find a way in others. Unquestionably there was an element of fortune last time out against Rayo Vallecano, but the end result is Barcelona on top of the table in LaLiga, toe to toe with the two Madrid clubs and – with only 14 matches left to play now – slightly ahead in the title race.

It’s all very different for Las Palmas, goal difference again a decisive factor but this time keeping them not top of the table, but outside the relegation zone. The problem they face is that even over the last five matches, Valencia have managed a nine-point swing on them one spot lower, while Leganés have earned four points more and sit one spot higher.

In form terms it simply doesn’t look as though anything can stop Barcelona taking another three points and Las Palmas losing another match; football moves in odd ways at odd times though and a couple of old Camp Nou faces might be looking at this fixture as a statement one. At either end of the pitch, Jasper Cillessen and Sandro Ramírez are keys for the islanders, and will want another chance to show their old supporters that they still have the talent they once displayed in Catalunya.

In the red and in the green

Six defeats and one draw in the last seven doesn’t offer too much hope for the hosts. A more winnable run of games lies beyond this one, but they haven’t kept a clean sheet this side of Christmas and three wins at home all season is far from ideal. On the other hand, four wins on the bounce for Barca in league play shows they are in fine fettle, rattling in 13 goals in that time.

Team news

Scott McKenna is suspended for the home team, who will also be missing Adnan Januzaj, Fábio Silva and Marc Cardona from their attack, plus midfielder Kirian Rodríguez. Long-term absentees Andreas Christensen, Marc-André ter Stegen and Marc Bernal are the Barcelona players who remain MIA, but Marc Casadó and Dani Olmo are available again.

Key player

Without going to the super-obvious pick of Robert Lewandowski, the top scorer, it’s Raphinha’s all-round impact this year which has kept Barcelona competitive. He’s first in the squad for xA/90, chances and big chances created and penalties won, plus has 19 goals or assists to his name. He ranks 96th percentile for chances created across Europe, 97th for shots and 98th for goals in his position – it’s been a scintillating return to form for him in 2024/25 and he remains the biggest all-over threat.

Prediction

No shocks or surprises, an away win and with a few goals scored along the way: Las Palmas 1 Barcelona 4.

(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.

Feb

2025

Preview: Aston Villa meet Chelsea in battle of European contenders

Aston Villa are winless in five Premier League games, Chelsea have just three in their last ten. Both sides meet at Vill Park on Saturday, knowing a win would appease either sets of fans… for a little while at least.

By Alex Roberts

Unai Emery’s side were unlucky not to come away with all three points after the 2-2 draw with Liverpool in their previous fixture, but a point against the league leaders isn’t the end of the world.

Chelsea, on the other hand, were thoroughly battered by Brighton, it wasn’t even a contest. The Enzo Maresca love-in is officially over; Todd Boehly and co have proven to be just as trigger happy as the previous regime, defeat to Villa may well be the beginning of the end.

Move over Cole Palmer

Palmer isn’t the only Man City academy graduate balling out this season, his mate Morgan Rogers is in the form of his life. With 11 goals and six assists in his 35 games across all competitions, the versatile forward has become a key man for Emery.

The time last year, he was slogging it out at Middlesbrough, now he’s made his England debut and scoring hattricks in the Champions League. Confidence is flowing through his veins, and Chelsea will need to keep their eye on him.

*Palmer vs. Rogers, EPL stats comparison*

Both Palmer and Rogers have remained friends since their academy days, but that changes when they step out on the pitch. The Chelsea man had the last laugh in the reverse fixture, but a lot has changed since then.

Academy lads can be scrutinised too

Look, every fan loves to see one of their own climbing up the ranks and becoming a first-team regular, but that doesn’t make them exempt from criticism. Levi Colwill has a bag full of potential, and he will doubtless have a fantastic career, but, right now, he’s struggling.

He was particularly poor against Brighton. His positioning was poor, he didn’t seem to communicate with Filip Jörgensen in goal particularly well, and he was arguably at fault for the second goal, although he has a pretty solid case for being fouled in the build-up.

It’s all stuff that comes with being 21, and as he grows both mentally and physically, he will only improve. Right now, he does seem a little flustered, and Maresca needs to put his arm around him.

Marcus Rashford is due a goal contribution

It’s still weird to see Rashford in anything other than a Man United shirt, but he seems like a new man at Villa, so far anyway. His freekick and subsequent Ollie Watkins goal helped salvage a point against Ipswich, but it didn’t count as an assist.

Rashford is without a goal/assist since the start of defender, although that’s mostly because Rúben Amorim didn’t fancy him. Ironically, he scored the first goal of his United tenure. Things change quickly in football, ey?

He has a decent record against Chelsea, scoring six goals and providing two assists in his 20 games against the West Londoners. We don’t know about you, but it feels like he might add to that here.

Where will the goals come from!?

Nicolas Jackson is injured for the foreseeable future, Palmer is having a bit of a drought, and Christopher Nkunku’s heart doesn’t appear to be in it. Chelsea are lacking fire power, and everyone knows it.

None of their other forward have ever been prolific. Pedro Neto and Noni Madueke have it in them, but the Portugal international is patchy at best, and the Englishman is a major doubt for this one.

Maresca will likely field the same attacking line-up he didn’t against Brighton, he doesn’t really have any other options. Let’s see if they click or are just as invisible as they were last time out.

Prediction

Both sides are struggling, in the league at least, but a decent draw against Liverpool should give Villa the mental edge. We’re going to go with a 2-0 win for the home side.

(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.

Feb

2025

Preview: Arsenal take on West Ham looking to breath new life in to the title race

Arsenal can put more pressure on Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table with a home win over West Ham.

By Graham Ruthven

Opportunity knocks

New life has been breathed into this season’s Premier League title race. Not so long ago, it appeared Liverpool were running away at the top of the table. Their draw against Aston Villa on Wednesday, however, has altered the picture.

All of a sudden, Arne Slot’s team have suffered a dip. The draw against Villa was the second time in three games that Liverpool have dropped points in the league, opening the door for Arsenal to mount a fightback.

A win for the Gunners against West Ham on Saturday afternoon would close the gap at the top of the table to just five points with Liverpool away to Manchester City 24 hours later. City might not be the force of old, but a trip to the Etihad Stadium is always a challenge.

This weekend has the potential to be a turning point in the Premier League title race and Arsenal must make sure they do everything possible to pile the pressure on Liverpool by claiming three points on Saturday.

West Ham, meanwhile, are struggling for traction under new manager Graham Potter. The Hammers are likely safe from the threat of relegation, but a positive result this weekend would help them feel more secure.

Key players

Declan Rice will face his former team as the controlling figure in the centre of the Arsenal midfield. The 26-year-old is at the peak of his powers and might have to offer even more as a creative force as the Gunners struggle with injuries.

Martin Ødegaard is another midfielder who will have to step up to compensate for the goals and assists that have been lost through the absence of Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus.

Ethan Nwaneri could keep his place in the Arsenal lineup after impressing in the recent win over Leicester City. The teenager has been a livewire for the Gunners since breaking through and has quickly become an important player due to injuries.

Evan Ferguson made his West Ham debut off the bench in last week’s defeat to Brentford and the Irish striker could be fast-tracked into the lineup such is Potter’s need for an attacking focal point.

Jarrod Bowen will give West Ham threat attacking open space while Mohamed Kudus could find space in between the lines of Arsenal’s midfield and defence. At the back, the likes of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Max Kilman and Alphonse Areola will have stay solid too.

Team news

Mikel Arteta’s biggest decision for Saturday’s match against West Ham concerns his forward line. Will Mikel Merino start as an emergency centre forward after his goal-scoring cameo off the bench against Leicester? Or will Leandro Trossard keep his spot?

Injuries to Havertz, Saka, Martinelli and Jesus have left the Gunners terribly depleted in the attacking third. Raheem Sterling could be in line for another start, but Arsenal need him to produce more.

Michail Antonio and Niclas Füllkrug are long-term absentees for West Ham while Jean-Clair Todibo and Crysencio Summerville are also sidelined. Ferguson’s fitness might not permit him to start, but he will surely feature at some point.

Prediction

Arsenal 1-0 West Ham. It could be tight, but the Gunners should edge it, just to continue the narrative that the title race is back on.

(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.

Feb

2025

Preview: Manchester United go to David Moyes’ Everton

Everton and Manchester United go head-to-head at Goodison Park as David Moyes manages against his former club once again. Rúben Amorim will be hoping to relieve some pressure after a difficult start to his tenure, but the Toffees are in fine form under Moyes.

By Matt Smith

The Red Devils have a strong record when facing Everton, winning the previous meeting earlier in the season 4-0, with Marcus Rashford and Joshua Zirkzee both grabbing a brace. The last time United came to Goodison Park, the Manchester club secured a 3-0 victory, with Alejandro Garnacho scoring his famous overhead kick.

Everton welcome back Doucouré

Abdoulaye Doucouré was sent off after the final whistle in the Merseyside derby last week, meaning he missed Everton’s trip to Crystal Palace. The energetic midfielder will be available for selection after serving his suspension, which will be a huge boost for Moyes considering their injury situation.

It’s looking unlikely that the Toffees will see any of their current injured players return, with the likes of Armando Broja, Youssef Chermiti, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Iliman Ndiaye failing to take part in training this week. The injuries haven’t hit them too hard, winning four of their last five Premier League games.

Beto unstoppable under Moyes

Beto has struggled for game time since arriving at Everton from Udinese, but Scottish manager Moyes is starting to get a tune out of him – as we discussed here during the week. Moyes has perhaps been forced to utilise Beto due to injuries in attack, but his increased minutes are bringing the best out of him.

The Lisbon-born striker has averaged 0.79 goals per 90 minutes in the Premier League this season, only bettered by four players. In his last three league appearances, Beto has struck on four occasions and will be hoping to continue his fine form against United.

United down to the bare bones

Against Tottenham last week, Amorim’s bench was flooded with academy stars due to a host of injury troubles in the camp. Key players such as Lisandro Martínez, Amad Diallo, and Kobbie Mainoo are still on the treatment table, while the likes of Luke Shaw, Jonny Evans, and Mason Mount are all unavailable.

Leny Yoro and Christian Eriksen only missed the Spurs clash due to illness, so they could return at Goodison Park.

Amorim needs more from attacking trio

Due to a lack of options in their front line, we’re likely to see an attacking trio of Alejandro Garnacho, Rasmus Højlund, and Joshua Zirkzee. The young stars have struggled in a United shirt this season, and Amorim will be desperate to see them gather some momentum against Everton.

Finding the back of the net on just eight occasions in the league between them, it’s difficult to see where United’s goals are going to come from. The trio are going to have to start delivering, with Amorim having no option but to select them at the moment.

Prediction

Despite United’s strong record against Everton, we’re going with the form table for this one. The home side has picked up more points in their last five games, so we’re predicting a 2-0 Everton win.

(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.

Feb

2025

Preview: Villa take on Liverpool in midweek Premier League action

Aston Villa host Premier League leaders Liverpool on Wednesday evening looking to give their hopes of finishing in the top four a kickstart. The Reds, meanwhile, are eager to extend their lead at the summit in the midst of a difficult run of fixtures. There’s plenty up for grabs during this rearranged clash at Villa Park.

By Sam McGuire

Why now?

This match was originally scheduled for the weekend of March 15/16, but Liverpool’s participation in the Carabao Cup final on March 16 meant the game against Villa had to be rearranged.

The hosts had requested for this game to be pushed back and played later on in the campaign but this, much to their frustration, was refused.

It means, when factoring in the FA Cup fixtures, Villa will end up playing a total of seven matches during February, while the club is set to play just one Premier League match during March.

Liverpool, meanwhile, will go from having a game in hand just one week ago to having played a game more than their title rivals.

Aston Villa’s stuttering form

Aston Villa claimed a fourth place finish last term and had been tipped for a similar sort of season this time around. However, Unai Emery’s men now find themselves in ninth position after a stop-start season.

They have won just two of their last seven across all competitions and these victories came against Celtic in the Champions League and Spurs in the FA Cup. They have lost against relegation threatened Wolves during this run while also only managing to pick up draws against Ipswich Town and West Ham United.

Against the Tractor Boys, they were up against 10-men for an entire half but couldn’t overcome the visitors. They did deserve to win the game though, racking up 25 shots to four, six big chances to zero and finishing with an xG of 2.42.

If they are to get anything from this game against the Premier League leaders, they’ll need to be at their best. Something they’ve struggled to do this term.

*A reminder of this season’s earlier meeting between these two*

Are the Reds running out of steam?

Liverpool have been fortunate to have a number of key player remain fit this season. But this is a blessing and a curse. Why? Because these key players have now racked up a lot of football and appear to be feeling it in their legs.

Against Wolves on Sunday, the Reds looked brilliant in the first half but then appeared to be completely out of gas after the break. They didn’t manage a single shot, at home, in the second 45 minutes. Wolves, meanwhile, dominated things. The away side had more possession and out-shot their hosts 10-0. Had they managed to score an equaliser, few in red could’ve complained.

Against Everton on Wednesday, Liverpool conceded a 98th minute equaliser having allowed their hosts to come back into the game during the final moments of the match. It felt like deja vu against Wolves. They were fortunate not to suffer a similar fate.

A repeat of that performance this time around, at Villa Park, could end in defeat. Unai Emery’s side have the players to hurt Liverpool, even with their many, many injuries.

The Mo Salah farewell tour continues

It is feast or famine for Salah at Villa Park.

The Liverpool attacker scored twice in the 7-2 loss during the 2020/21 campaign and then scored and assisted in the 3-1 win over the Villans during the 2022/23 season. Outside of that, though, he’s blanked in three away games.

The Premier League leaders will be hoping the three-time Golden Boot winner is once again feasting at Villa Park this week. He heads into the game in fine form too. He currently has seven in his last six across all competitions and has at least one goal involvement in each of his last six matches for the Reds.

Prediction

Villa are without a host of names, with Emery unable to call upon the likes of Amadou Onana and Boubacar Kamara, while the Reds are expected to be without Cody Gakpo and Joe Gomez. However, Liverpool’s squad depth should be enough to see them, once again, get over the line. We’re going with a narrow 2-1 win.

(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.

Feb

2025

Preview: Real Madrid host Manchester City in playoff second leg

Manchester City have to win at the Bernabéu if they’re to stay in the Champions League. Orders don’t come much taller than this.

By Ian King

Form…or the lack of it

Manchester City travel to Madrid having so far fallen some distance short of having set this year’s Champions League alight. They’ve won just four of the nine games that they’ve played, and their first leg defeat to Real Madrid has left them needing a win just to force the tie into extra-time. They’ll need at least a two-goal win to avoid a penalty shootout.

Real Madrid haven’t had a particularly happy February yet, except for last week’s win in Manchester. It’s not often they go three games without a win in LaLiga – the last time this happened was November 2020 – but since the start of the month they’ve been held by Atlético and Osasuna, and beaten by Espanyol. They also lost three of their eight Megagroup games (League phase!), to Lille, Milan and Liverpool, and on Monday night they were knocked off the top of LaLiga by Barcelona, albeit only on goal difference.

The last two Champions League winners meet again

Over thirteen previous meetings stretching back thirteen years, there’s often been little to choose between these two. Way back in 2012 when they met for the first time, Real won 3-2. A 1-1 draw in the return match wasn’t enough to spare City third place and demotion into the Europa League. City’s first win against them came in February 2020. Their last win against Real came in May 2023, with Real winning on penalties in last season’s semifinals following two draws.

*Shotmap and xG from last week’s first leg*

Key players

Omar Marmoush’s hat-trick in 14 minutes against Newcastle United may have given Carlo Ancelotti something to think about ahead of this return match. If Marmoush can match the promise of his performance on Saturday, his arrival gives them an extra attacking dimension. In that case, does Ancelotti try to protect what he has or exploit the gaps in City’s back line?

Jude Bellingham could be facing a lengthy ban in LaLiga after getting sent off on Sunday, but this doesn’t affect him in the Champions League and if City do have to commit forward in pursuit of that win, he could profit from the space left behind.

Team News

Jack Grealish, Rúben Dias and Nathan Aké were left out for the Newcastle game but have a chance of returning for this match. But Manuel Akanji’s absence has been confirmed as weeks rather than days, while Rodri and Oscar Bobb remain absent for the long-term. For Real Madrid, Antonio Rüdiger and David Alaba both missed the first leg but could be back for this one. Lucas Vázquez, Éder Militão and Dani Carvajal all remain longer-term absentees.

Prediction

Over their thirteen previous meetings, City have won four, Real have won five and there have been five draws, and this unpredictability has been further accentuated by the two teams’ recent patchy form. But you just can’t go against Real Madrid at home in this competition, so I’ll go for a 2-2 draw, possibly after extra-time.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Feb

2025

Preview: Bayern head in to second leg against Celtic defending a lead

Bayern Munich have one foot in the last 16 of the Champions League after a first leg win over Celtic in Glasgow.

By Graham Ruthven

A Bayern formality?

Celtic put up a fight, but Bayern Munich were simply too strong for the Scottish champions in the first leg of their Champions League last 24 tie. Indeed, a 2-1 win saw the Bavarians take a big step towards the next round.

Harry Kane and Michael Olise both found the back of the net for Bayern at Celtic Park last week before Daizen Maeda pulled one back for the hosts. The German giants can hurt opponents in so many different ways such is their attacking talent.

Brendan Rodgers set up his Celtic team to be compact at the back and hit out on the counter-attack. However, it was only once the Hoops pushed higher up the pitch that they were able to cause Bayern Munich problems.

The risk of doing this at the Allianz Arena, though, is that Bayern have the technical ability to pick off Celtic by playing through their press. Rodgers will have to strike a delicate balance with his approach for Celtic to stand any chance of a positive result.

Key players

Olise was outstanding in the first leg at Celtic Park, firing a finish high into the roof of the net after cutting inside off the left side. The French international has scored five times in the Champions League this season and could add to his tally on Wednesday night.

Kane, of course, is one of the most prolific goalscorers of his generation and will lead the line for Bayern Munich. Jamal Musiala will also be a significant three across the attacking line, finding space wherever it opens up.

*Best rated performances in the first leg*

Joshua Kimmich will be the main pace-setter in the centre of the pitch. Vincent Kompany wants his Bayern Munich to control possession. Celtic will have to stay patient as they chase the ball.

Maeda caused Bayern Munich problems in the first leg, converting from close range with an opportunistic header to pull Celtic back into the tie. The Japanese forward is a pressing machine and gives the Hoops an outlet with his pace.

Adam Idah will lead the line for Celtic with Rodgers expected to favour a midfield trio of Callum McGregor, Reo Hatate and Arne Engels. They will have a difficult time against a possession-hungry Bayern Munich outfit.

At the back, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Kasper Schmeichel will have to find their best form to stop the Bayern attack from inflicting any further damage.

Team news

Alphonso Davies is still carrying a knock and so Raphaël Guerreiro is expected to keep his starting spot at left back for the match against Celtic. Meanwhile, Kane missed training on Tuesday, suggesting he is currently carrying something

Paulo Bernardo and James Forrest are still sidelined for Celtic through injury. Otherwise, Rodgers has a fully fit and available squad to choose from for the visit to the Allianz Arena.

Prediction

On home ground, and after drawing a blank over the weekend, the usually high-scoring Bayern should get back to winning ways: Bayern Munich 3-0 Celtic.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

Feb

2025

Preview: Liverpool looking for return to winning ways vs. Wolves

Liverpool host Wolves on Sunday afternoon as the Reds look to get back on track after throwing away a late lead against Merseyside rivals Everton last time out.

By Matt Smith

Vítor Pereira’s side have been on a difficult run of form, but they picked up an impressive win against fellow Midlands outfit Aston Villa in their previous game.

When the two sides met earlier in the season, Liverpool secured a 2-1 victory at Molineux, with Mohamed Salah scoring the winner from the penalty spot. Wolves haven’t won at Anfield in the Premier League since 2010 – Stephen Ward scored the winner that day.

Curtis Jones picks up suspension

After the final whistle against Everton, Curtis Jones received a second yellow card and was subsequently sent off for his involvement in a scuffle with Abdoulaye Doucouré. As a result, the English midfielder will be unavailable due to suspension.

Arne Slot didn’t give much away in terms of team news in his pre-game press conference, but Joseph Gomez is likely to be out after picking up an injury against Plymouth.

Salah remains inevitable for Liverpool

By Mohamed Salah’s lofty standards, the Egyptian forward was fairly quiet against the Toffees, with David Moyes’ side producing an impressive defensive display. Despite that, Salah still came away with an assist and a goal to his name, showing his inevitability even when the Reds aren’t at their best.

The two contributions takes Salah to a whopping 36 goals and assists combined in the Premier League this season. Considering he’s only played 24 times, the former Chelsea man is showing no signs of slowing down as he continues his deadly run of form.

Vítor Pereira keeps his cards close to his chest

In his pre-match press conference, Pereira failed to provide an injury update for his side, perhaps keeping his cards close to his chest on this occasion.

Jørgen Strand Larsen recently returned to training, so it will be interesting to see whether he’s back and available for the Wanderers. Hwang Hee-chan came off injured in the FA Cup last time out and was set to be assessed this week.

Cunha can’t be stopped

Matheus Cunha has been the obvious threat for Wolves so far this season, and his ability to score goals from anywhere has saved Pereira’s side on multiple occasions. The Brazilian attacker has struck 11 times in the Premier League, with four goals from outside the box.

*Cunha shot map, Premier League 2024/25*

Cunha has the ability to score goals from nothing, even finding the back of the net with a corner. Wolves are likely to have minimal possession at Anfield, so they will be relying on Cunha to produce his magic once again on Sunday.

Prediction

Liverpool will be expecting to bounce back after their draw in the week, and considering they have lost just once at home this campaign, you’d expect them to secure the three points. Wolves have won just twice on their travels, conceding 28 goals during that time.

We’re going for a comfortable 3-0 victory to Liverpool.

(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.

Feb

2025

Preview: Barca and Rayo will close the latest round in LaLiga

Last weekend Barcelona took full advantage of the 1-1 draw between the two Madrid sides, beating Sevilla 4-1 and cutting the gap between themselves and the top of LaLiga to just two points (at the time of writing). They host high-flying Rayo Vallecano next.

By Alex Roberts

Rayo have won their last three consecutive league games, but they haven’t been pretty. Álvaro García’s 71^st minute goal was the decider in their previous fixture against Real Valladolid, earning them a four-point gap between themselves in sixth and Real Sociedad in seventh – as things stood heading in to the weekend.

Barca can’t seem to stop scoring goals under Hansi Flick, and now they’ve closed the gap on Real Madrid at the top, there will be an almost insatiable desire to make a real statement.

A wealth of attacking options

It doesn’t matter who Barca play in their front three right now, they’re almost guaranteed to score a real bagful of goals. Ferran Torres and Lamine Yamal were the main protagonists in the 5-0 Copa del Rey over Valencia, while Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha were the main men in the win over Sevilla.

Flick’s side are unbeaten across their first 11 games of 2025 across all competitions, scoring a remarkable 41 goals – the most the club has ever recorded at this stage of a new calendar year since 1943.

Barca have scored five goals OR MORE on five separate occasions since the start of the year. There are worse jobs that been a Rayo Vallecano defender, but it’ll probably be pretty dire on Monday night.

The blue haired bandit

It takes a brave man to dye his hair blue, and an even braver one to do it when they’re in the public eye. Romanian right-back Andrei Rațiu has backed his hair style with some impressive performance for Rayo, earning the reported interested of none other than, you guessed it, Barcelona.

Rațiu has been almost ever present for Rayo so far this season, starting 20 of his 21 LaLiga games, scoring once, and providing two assists, playing a key role in their charge for European football.

He didn’t make it off Rayo’s bench in the reverse fixture, which Barca won 2-1 thanks to goals from Pedri and Dani Olmo, so he’ll be wanting to prove a point in a potential audition.

Ronald Araújo can’t catch a break

The centre-back had just signed a new deal, keeping him at the Camp Nou until the summer of 2031 amid serious interest from Italian side Juventus, but now, he’s picked up another injury.

Araújo was brought off after just 22 minutes in the 4-1 win over Sevilla, replaced by youngster Pau Cubarsí, with that appeared to be, a thankfully not so serious ankle injury, keeping him out of action until the end of the month at least.

He had only started featuring regularly in the new year having picked up a hamstring injury while playing in the 2024 Copa America, forcing him to miss the first half of the season.

Just as things were looking up the Uruguay international suffered yet another setback.

Prediction

Barcelona have been seriously impressive so far this year. While Rayo are punching about their weight, this one doesn’t seem like a bout they can win. We’re going to go with 3-0 to Barca.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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