Preview

Apr

2025

Preview: Arsenal meet Palace in bid to delay the inevitable

Arsenal continue their increasingly forlorn looking title chase at home to mid-table inconsistency experts Crystal Palace.

By Ian King

Form

Arsenal have only lost once in the Premier League since the first weekend in November, but their lack of a number nine has hurt them in recent weeks, with four of their last seven matches having ended in draws. Their title race will be over should they lose this match. Palace’s goalless draw against Bournemouth at the weekend will have been a relief after having conceded five in two successive matches against Manchester City and Newcastle United. They are 12th in the Premier League, because Crystal Palace are always 12th in the Premier League.

*Palace also conceded five the last time they met Arsenal*

History

Arsenal have been victorious in the last six matches between these two sides in all competitions, with Palace’s last win in it coming at Selhurst Park in April 2022. Palace’s record against Arsenal doesn’t really improve with age. That win was one of just three against Arsenal in 31 meetings in all competitions in just over thirty years. Arsenal beat Palace 5-1 in the corresponding fixture at The Emirates Stadium just before Christmas.

Key Players

Bukayo Saka has had an eventful week, missing a penalty but then scoring as Arsenal knocked Real Madrid out of the Champions League and then getting booed by Leicester supporters as his team relegated them back to the Championship last weekend. He’s not the number nine who might have kept them closer to Liverpool in the title race, but his return from injury has given their attacking options an extra dimension again.

Palace haven’t even scored in their last two Premier League matches, so all eyes will be on Eberechi Eze to try and do something to reverse that. Eze remains one of the Premier League’s most sought-after players, with a tug-of-war between Manchester United and Aston Villa for his services currently being played out in the background to this match. This would be an appropriate venue to add a few pounds to his transfer value.

Team News

Myles Lewis-Skelly, Thomas Partey and Jurrien Timber should all return to the Arsenal team, but Jorginho, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Magalhães, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Riccardo Calafiori all remain injured. Mikel Arteta will have one eye on their upcoming Champions League semi-final against PSG next week. Chris Richards is suspended for Palace following his sending off against Bournemouth at the weekend. Nathaniel Clyne should deputise. Adam Wharton may be rested as he continues to return from injury.

Prediction

Arsenal could be forgiven for having their attention elsewhere this week. The Premier League title race is pretty much over, and their Champions League chase continues next week against PSG. But Palace aren’t in great form at the moment and they have a pretty terrible record against Arsenal going back decades. They also recently conceded five in two straight games. All signs point to a comfortable win for the home side and for Liverpool’s champagne to remain on ice until this weekend at the earliest. 3-0 to the Arsenal.

(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.

Apr

2025

Preview: Real Madrid visit Getafe with work to do in LaLiga

Real Madrid are down to the prospect of a domestic double after a desperately disappointing exit in the Champions League – and a make-or-break week for them starts at Getafe.

By Karl Matchett

Ancelotti rumours on the rise

Carlo Ancelotti won’t be adding to his tally of European Cup triumphs this year after Los Blancos were dumped out of the competition by Arsenal – and if the latest media rumours are to be believed, it might be his last attempt to do so for a while. Real Madrid are considering the likes of Xabi Alonso to be head coach next season, while Brazil may well make another tilt at convincing the legendary Italian boss to take on the Seleção instead.

If he’s to make another exit from the Santiago Bernabéu, he’ll want to go out with some silverware. The Copa del Rey final lies ahead at the weekend against Bareclona, but Real Madrid remain in battle with the same opponent to win LaLiga too – there’s seven points between them, Real chasing, with six left to play.

An obliging opponent

What could be better-timed, then, than an opponent who regularly roll over when Madrid come to town?

Getafe are neatly placed in 12th, not quite an irrelevance for the rest of the season given how tight-packed the bottom half of the table is, but surely good enough to claim the points they need for another season of survival. Meanwhile, they have lost the last six league meetings of these two teams, scoring precisely two goals in the process. In fact, it’s 13 matches between them and just the two goals – goalless draws in 2019 and 2021 boosts Getafe’s points tally from these encounters to five points in seven years.

Recent form

The hosts have lost three of their last four including against two teams lower in the table than them. At home, it’s one win in seven, dating back to before Christmas. Real lost in midweek and have now taken only two wins in six themselves across all competitions – but it’s still three wins in four away from home, the exception being the trip to Arsenal.

Team news

Diego Rico is back from suspension for Getafe, but Christantus Uche must serve one himself. Allan Nyom might miss out with a knock. For Real, Kylian Mbappé is also back from a ban but is an injury doubt, with Ferland Mendy hoping to recover to feature. Éder Militão and Dani Carvajal are the long-term absentees.

Key man

Some rotations might be on show for Real ahead of the final but Rodrygo may start due to absences – he’s five without a goal or assist so needs an upturn in form. Given across the past year he’s ranked higher than 74% of similar players for chances created and 78% for goals, he’s certainly due one or two.

Prediction

Nothing to deviate too far from the norm in this meeting, with Madrid staying in the title hunt as a result: Getafe 1 Real Madrid 3.

(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.

Apr

2025

Preview: Man City take on Aston Villa in key battle for the top five

Manchester City host Aston Villa in the Premier League at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday night as both sides battle to finish in the Champions League places. Two of the most in-form sides in the league, City and Villa, will be hoping to continue the momentum gathered over the last few weeks.

By Matt Smith

Unai Emery’s side will be hoping to complete a double over City after picking up an impressive 2-1 victory earlier in the season, with Jhon Durán and Morgan Rogers helping defeat Pep Guardiola’s men.

Team news

Phil Foden and Manuel Akanji both returned for City at the weekend, with Guardiola naming the duo on the bench against Everton. Rodri and Nathan Aké remain out, while goalkeeper Ederson was also unavailable at Goodison Park.

Emery has just one injury concern heading to the Etihad, with Pau Torres missing from the squad to face Newcastle on Saturday evening. Leon Bailey and Ross Barkley are both fit and available after their recent fitness troubles.

Man City almost back to their best

Man City are currently unbeaten in their previous six games, with five of those coming in the Premier League. It’s been a disastrous season by their own standards, but they are still in the battle to finish in the Champions League places.

Guardiola’s side have looked impressive going forward as usual, but defensively they’ve struggled this term. City have conceded 43.8 expected goals this campaign, more than the likes of Everton, Chelsea, and Nottingham Forest.

Aston Villa the in-form side in the Premier League

Villa have shown signs of inconsistency this season, perhaps due to their participation in the Champions League, but they’ve been unstoppable in recent weeks domestically. In their last five games in the Premier League, Emery’s side have secured maximum points, scoring 13 times while conceding just two. Champions League qualification looked out of reach for Villa just a few weeks ago, but they are now firmly in the fight to finish in the top five. A win against Man City will see them climb above Guardiola’s men, and they could climb as high as third if results go their way.

Rogers could haunt his former club

Man City may be living to regret offloading some of their stars who have come through the academy, with Cole Palmer an obvious example. Another will be Morgan Rogers, with the English attacker undoubtedly one of the best-performing players in the Premier League this season.

Rogers has provided 16 goals and assists combined in the league this term, an impressive contribution in just his second season of Premier League football. Creating 45 chances, Rogers has been a creative and goalscoring threat in attack for Villa and is a key cog in Emery’s system this campaign.

Prediction

City vs. Villa is a tricky game to call, with both sides in impressive form of late. It’s difficult to see either side failing to score, so we’re going for a 2-2 draw at the Etihad Stadium.

(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.

Apr

2025

Preview: Barcelona face midweek test against Mallorca

Barcelona can take another step towards the Spanish title just days after the sheer chaos of a 4-3 comeback win over Celta Vigo.

By Graham Ruthven

Catalan chaos

If ever there was a match to encapsulate the inherent chaos of Hansi Flick’s Barcelona, it came in the 4-3 win over Celta Vigo when the Catalans had to fight back from 3-1 down to claim three crucial points.

As many opponents have done this season, Celta exploited the space behind Barca’s extremely Hugh defensive line. This gives Mallorca hope that they could do the same, although Los Piratas have drawn a blank in two of their last four games.

However, Barca also demonstrated their unmatched attacking firepower by ultimately beating Celta Vigo 4-3 with Lamine Yamal and Dani Olmo impactful off the bench. They could start on Tuesday.

Barcelona can open up a seven-point advantage at the top of LaLiga before Real Madrid take on Getafe 24 hours later. This is another opportunity for the Catalans to pile the pressure on their fiercest rivals.

Key players

Flick has openly spoken about the fatigue being suffered by his Barcelona players who are facing their fifth match in just over two weeks. This could be a factor in his lineup decision for Tuesday’s match.

Lamine Yamal, however, will surely play some part against Mallorca. The teenager is Barca’s creator in-chief and has forged a strong understanding with Raphinha – no two players have combined for more goals (four) in LaLiga this season.

Ferran Torres is in line to lead the line for Barcelona after Robert Lewandowski suffered an injury at the weekend while Gavi may start alongside Pedri and Frenkie de Jong having come off the bench in the second leg on Saturday.

Cyle Larin has netted six league goals this season and will have the opportunity to add to this with Mallorca’s top scorer Vedat Muriqi out injured. Jagoba Arrasate will set up his team in a back three with Toni Lato and Mateu Morey providing the width.

The reality is that Dominik Greif will need to find top form to keep the Barcelona forward line at arm’s length. The Slovakian goalkeeper kept a clean sheet in his last outing against Leganés.

Team news

Lewandowski’s hamstring injury will keep him out for the next three weeks, meaning the Polish striker will miss Tuesday’s match against Mallorca as well as Saturday’s Copa del Rey final.

Marc-André Ter Stegen, Marc Casadó, Alex Balde and Marc Bernal remain sidelined for Barcelona. Balde’s absence means Gerard Martín will continue at left back after a difficult game against Celta Vigo. Mallorca could target the 23-year-old and the space around him.

*Martín’s player traits – comparison against similar players in top five leagues*

Muriqi is sidelined through injury and will be a big miss for Mallorca who are strongest when they have the Kosovan striker to play into and off. Manu Morlanes is also injured while Robert Navarro and Takuma Asano will late fitness tests before the match at Montjuïc.

Prediction

In keeping with Barca’s form since the turn of the year, we have to go with a home win. And by multiple goals: Barcelona 3-1 Mallorca.

(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.

Apr

2025

Preview: Inter and Bayern face season-defining second leg at San Siro

Simone Inzaghi’s Inter have one foot in the Champions League semi-finals after last week’s away win over Bayern Munich.

By Graham Ruthven

Halfway there

In their biggest game of the season so far, Inter executed their game plan to perfection. Away to a Bayern Munich team many expected to make the Champions League semi-finals, the Italian champions counter-attacked their way to a 2-1 victory.

It was a classic Inter performance. Simone Inzaghi set up his side to be resolute in defence and razor sharp in attack. While Bayern struggled to find a way through, the visitors had no such issues in the other direction.

Lautaro Martínez’s opener was one of the goals of the season as Inter went from one end of the pitch to the other in a matter of seconds. Davide Frattesi’s late winner was another instance of Inter’s quick transition threat.

No team has averaged more possession per 90 minutes in the Champions League this season than Bayern Munich. Vincent Kompany will want his team to control the ball at San Siro, but can the Bavarians translate this into chance creation? They failed to do so in the first leg.

Both Inter and Bayern Munich are in a strong position to win their respective domestic titles, but their season could be defined by what unfolds on Wednesday night in the Champions League.

Key players

Martínez and Marcus Thuram demonstrated their understanding in the attacking third by putting Bayern Munich to the sword in last week’s first leg at the Allianz Arena. They will be a threat once more in the second leg.

Nicolo Barella is key to the way Inter get forward in quick transition with the Italian international a valve in the centre of the pitch. Alessandro Bastoni is also an important figure for the Nerazzurri such is the quality of his distribution out from the back.

Only Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski, and Serhou Guirassy have scored more goals in the Champions League this season than Harry Kane who has netted 10 goals in 12 games. The English striker is still one of the best goalscorers of his generation.

However, Kane lacked service in the first leg against Inter. This is where the likes of Michael Olise, Thomas Müller and Leroy Sané must step up. With Jamal Musiala out injured, Bayern Munich have become too predictable as an attacking outfit in recent weeks.

Team news

Denzel Dumfries and Piotr Zieliński will miss Wednesday’s match against Bayern for Inter with Bastoni, Thuram and Henrikh Mkhitaryan expected to come back into the lineup after being rested for the win over Cagliari.

Musiala is still sidelined for Bayern Munich. The German international has been desperately missed in recent matches with Kompany using Müller and Raphaël Guerreiro as a number 10 in his absence. This is a choice he will face again.

Defensively, Bayern Munich are also depleted. Jonas Urbig will continue to fill in for Manuel Neuer with Alphonso Davies and Dayot Upamecano also missing for the Bundesliga table-toppers.

Prediction

After the goal-driven drama of Tuesday’s second legs, perhaps we’re due a calmer evening? We’re expecting Inter to do enough to pull through on aggregate: Inter 1-1 Bayern Munich

(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.

Apr

2025

Preview: Madrid looking for a second leg miracle as Arsenal visit the Bernabéu

Three goals down from the first leg, the reigning European champions have a whole lot of work to do if they are to continue their recent continental dominance – though their situation is not without precedence.

By Karl Matchett

Spanish sides know the feeling

Not that Real Madrid often want to take inspiration from the likes of their biggest rivals Barcelona, but they are one of the few teams to have been involved in this type of comeback before; from an even worse situation in fact, the famous remontada comeback, beating PSG 6-1 after losing 4-0 in the first leg. Real are only 3-0 down here by comparison, though Barcelona have experienced that scoreline too, in reverse: they lost 4-0 to Liverpool in 2019 are being three up from the first leg, and a year earlier gave up a 4-1 lead to go out on away goals at Roma. Plenty for Madrid to realise, then, that big leads can work both ways – and of course Los Blancos have their own history of comebacks to point to as evidence that the tie isn’t all over just yet.

All or nothing for Arsenal

The Gunners could scarcely have dreamed of being in a better position after the first leg, but it also reinforces the fact all their eggs for this season are in a Champions League-shaped basket. While Real have a Copa del Rey final and a LaLiga title battle to contend with, it’s just this competition for Mikel Arteta’s men. Another weekend draw leaves them 13 points off the pace in the Premier League – it’s European glory or another empty-handed year therefore. The path ahead is still tough, with PSG likely semi-final opponents, but there’s no use being concerned about one tough challenge when, too often, they’ve shown themselves capable of collapsing when the pressure is really on. With this three-goal cushion, they have to start to show they can shed that tag at last.

Recent form

Not stellar from either side in truth, but Arsenal are unbeaten in nine – five draws in that time – and haven’t lost a game by three or more all season long. That’s all they have to do, with the pressure very much on the hosts. Real won at the weekend despite a Kylian Mbappé red card, but that was their first win in four. At home this season they’ve won by three or more on eight occasions.

Team news

Eduardo Camavinga is suspended and the same names are out long term for Madrid – Dani Carvajal, Éder Militão and Ferland Mendy. For Arsenal, centre-back Gabriel is out for the season and Kai Havertz is out until at least May. Jurrien Timber might have to start right-back as Thomas Partey went off injured at the weekend and midfielder Jorginho is a doubt too.

Key player

David Raya has been largely impressive for the Gunners this season, not just with shot-stopping but also his concentration and ability to sweep through balls. His 82% save rate is third-highest in the Champions League, but 3.9 goals prevented is top. Arsenal may need that form.

*Not much to separate Raya and Courtois in the Champions League this season*

Prediction

Real to win the night, but Arsenal to win the tie. That third goal may prove all-important: Madrid 3-1 Arsenal

(Cover image from IMAGO)

Apr

2025

Preview: Barcelona travel to Dortmund for second leg formality

Barcelona have one foot in the Champions League semi-final after comprehensively beating Borussia Dortmund 4-0 in the first leg. There is little to play for other than the opportunity to make it respectable for the Germans.

By Alex Roberts

The atmosphere at the Signal Iduna Park will be as electric as ever, the Yellow Wall has had little to celebrate domestically this season, it’s just a shame it’s going to take a genuine footballing miracle for them to go through.

Hansi Flick’s side are on the other end of the spectrum. Sitting at the summit of LaLiga as well as being favourites to win the Champions League, it’s a good time to be a Barca fan.

Jamie Gittens has disappeared

Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho 2.0 has struggled of late, scoring just one goal in his last 19 games. That wouldn’t be so bad if he was creating but he’s also failed to register a single assist in that time.

It’s quite the drop off. Gittens registered 14 goal contributions in his previous 25 games, earning him links with some of the biggest clubs both back home and on the continent. Those links are still there, for now at least.

Niko Kovač’s side had little to no attacking threat in the first leg, Barca took control of the game from the first whistle. They’re going to need more than Gittens but when he’s in form he can certainly make a difference.

Aging like a fine wine

Veteran striker Robert Lewandowski has been getting all the headlines, and rightly so, bagging 40 goals in 46 games across all competitions, but he isn’t the only elder statesman ripping it up for Barca this season.

*Lewandowski’s best numbers since the 2021/22 season*

Iñigo Martínez may well be Barcelona’s best centre-back at the moment. He’s exactly what Flick wants, calm under pressure, able to play out from the back, and most importantly, hard to get past.

He won 100% of his tackles in the reverse fixture. He also won 50% of his duels and was dribbled past zero times. With young Pau Cubarsí beside him, Barca are set for the present and the future.

Finally finding his feet

A lot was expected from Maximilian Beier when he joined from Hoffenheim last summer. It’s taken a little while, but he’s starting to look like the player Dortmund thought they were getting.

Eight goal contributions in his last ten games across all competitions, including the opener in Der Klassiker on Saturday, makes him their chief attacking threat over the past couple of months.

Beier still has a little way to go if he’s going to be the next big thing at Dortmund. Football is a confidence game, an impressive performance against Barca would likely do wonders for him.

Alejandro Balde will be a big miss

The Catalan club’s hectic schedule has claimed its first victim. Balde will likely be out of action for the next few weeks after picking up a hamstring injury in their edgy 1-0 win over Leganés on Saturday.

Balde is Hansi Flick’s undisputed favourite in the left-back position, making 43 appearances across all competitions, scoring one goal, and providing eight assists. Fellow La Masia graduate Gerard Martín is currently their only other option in that position.

Barca will certainly be without a pretty potent attacking threat now that Balde is out but thankfully they have plenty of those at the moment.

Prediction

Barcelona should go through to the semi-finals without getting out of first gear thanks to their massive first-leg win. Having said that, we don’t predict them to take their eye off the ball. We’re going to go with a 2-0 win for Barca.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

Apr

2025

Preview: Aston Villa meet PSG for second leg of their Champions League quarterfinal

It remains difficult to see past this being the end of Aston Villa’s European adventure, as they entertain an awesome-looking PSG team.

By Ian King

PSG’s season-long good form

PSG looked as strong as they have all season in winning the first leg 3-1 last week. They’ve dropped just ten points all season and have already been crowned champions in Ligue 1, where they remain unbeaten, and have won their last nine league matches in a row. Their only shaky patch came in the League Phase of this competition, when they lost three games. Villa were patchy between January and February, but they’ve won their last four Premier League matches in a row and finished above PSG back in that gigantic group stage, winning five and losing two.

History recap

The first leg between these two sides was their first meeting in a competitive match. Villa have only played French opposition in Europe once before, drawing 0-0 in Bordeaux before winning the return match 1-0 in the 1997/98 UEFA Cup First Round. The last time Villa played in this competition came in 1982/83, when as holders they reached the quarter-finals before losing over two legs to Juventus, losing 2-1 at Villa Park 3-1 in Turin in the second leg.

Key Players

Morgan Rogers scored the Villa goal in Paris, and he has felt a little under the radar for much of this season. But his influence in attacking positions is huge, and while Ollie Watkins remains top scorer, Rogers has a broader remit as a player. That isn’t to understate his goal contribution, either; he’s scored 14 in all competitions so far this season, just one fewer than Watkins.

PSG have ended their Galacticos impersonation spell and in the process have built something far more resilient-looking. Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma is a fascinating example of their smarter transfer business policies. At 26 years old, he’s made 400 club appearances in all competitions, while he also already has 72 Italy caps. At the other end, Ousmane Dembélé has scored 32 in 41 matches, an incredible recovery from the wretched time he had in his later years at Barcelona.

Team News

Villa’s only absentee is Leon Bailey. He’s on the way back, but won’t be in time for this match. Changes from Saturday are certain. Ollie Watkins, John McGinn and Donyell Malen were rested but then called off the bench to score at Southampton. Ominously, PSG should be even stronger this time, with their captain Marquinhos returning after having missed the first leg through suspension. Lucas Beraldo will likely make way for him.

*PSG’s total domination in Ligue 1 this season*

Prediction

Aston Villa have been outstanding in this year’s Champions League. Beating Bayern Munich 1-0, as they had 43 years earlier, will live long in the memories of supporters. But being entirely pragmatic about things, it’s difficult to see past another PSG win. They’ve been doing things differently, and it’s really starting to bear fruit. An early Villa goal might shake things up – let’s see what they’re made of, and all that – but you still have to favour another PSG win. Perhaps 2-1, to completely mirror Villa’s 1983 European Cup exit.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

Apr

2025

Preview: Inter Miami head to the Windy City

Inter Miami return to MLS action fresh from a Messi-inspired win in the Champions Cup quarterfinals. They’ll be hoping for more of the same at the historic Soldier Field stadium in Chicago against the Fire on Sunday night.

By James Nalton

Messi leads the way

Lionel Messi’s season so far has been sporadic due to injury, but the last two games suggest he is back to full fitness and back in his groove.

There was a moment in the previous league game against Toronto where he beat a defender in a small space near the byline before getting a shot away that was reminiscent of the Barcelona Messi.

He netted Miami’s only goal in that game and scored a wonderful goal in the Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal on Wednesday to help his team back from two goals down on aggregate against Los Angeles FC. His penalty late in the game gave Miami a 3-2 win and a place in the semifinals.

Messi already tops FotMob’s MLS average rating chart for 2025 as well as leading the way on a per 90 basis for shots and shots on target, expected assists, xG plus xA, and successful dribbles.

Chicago reignited?

Chicago Fire have been in the doldrums for years, finishing outside the playoff places for 13 of the past 15 seasons.

During that time, they were handed the Wooden Spoon twice and last season finished 28th out of 29 teams.

The four-time US Open Cup winners will be hoping for a revival in 2025 under new head coach Gregg Berhalter.

The former United States men’s national team coach has taken on a dual role as head coach and sporting director, similar to that of an old-fashioned English-style manager who oversees both coaching and recruitment.

They have made a promising start to the season, and Inter Miami will have to watch out for the threat of striker Hugo Cuypers — who has the second-highest total xG in the league so far this season behind Christian Benteke — and fellow attackers Jonathan Bamba and Philip Zinckernagel.

Potential Miami slip-ups

Though they are the favourites to claim the MLS Supporters’ Shield trophy once again, Inter Miami won’t always look entirely convincing within games.

Even on their way to a record-breaking points haul in 2024, they lost four games and drew eight, and their expected goal difference last season placed them in the lower regions of mid-table.

There is always a sense that their defence can give up goals, and their wins are often decided by moments rather than sustained good play.

Anyone regularly predicting Inter Miami games (see below) might have expected the dropped points to come in recent games against Philadelphia, Atlanta, or Charlotte, but the fact that such a game and result played out against struggling Toronto FC shows the unpredictable nature of MLS.

Toronto could even have won that game, and Chicago Fire will take some heart from this going into this weekend.

Prediction

All of that said, you still have to go with an Inter Miami win in Chicago, though maybe more narrow than might normally have been predicted, given the Fire, like Miami, have scored at least one goal in each of their MLS games so far this season.

(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.

Apr

2025

Preview: Champions League chasing Newcastle take on midtable Man United

Newcastle can consolidate their position in the chase for a Champions League place against a still out-of-sorts Manchester United.

By Ian King

United on United

Newcastle had some good news this week without even kicking a ball, with Arsenal’s win against Real Madrid guaranteeing five English qualifiers into next year’s Champions League. They’ve also won four in a row since getting knocked out of the FA Cup by Brighton last month.

News of Manchester United’s revival may have been slightly over-exaggerated. They’ve only lost one of their last five, but it remains the case that, of the four League wins they’ve managed in the 15 games played since their 2-1 win at Manchester City in the middle of December, three of them have come against those occupying the relegation places.

Newcastle aiming for a historic double

Newcastle have won three of the last four meetings between these two, including a 2-0 win at Old Trafford in December. A Newcastle win would complete their first League double against Manchester United since 1930/31, when they won 7-4 at Old Trafford and 4-3 at St James’ Park.

Key players

Two Newcastle players will need to be on their best behaviour. Dan Burn and Joelinton must get through their next two Premier League games while avoiding yellow cards or face a two match suspension. The cut-off point for collecting 10 yellow cards and being served a two match ban falls after this match and their upcoming midweek game against Crystal Palace, next Wednesday.

From a Manchester United perspective, all eyes will be on goalkeeper André Onana following two pretty egregious goalkeeping mistakes which handed Lyon a 2-2 draw in their Europa League match. This sort of thing just keeps on happening, doesn’t it? On a more positive front, Leny Yoro scored his first goal for the club during this match; his performances in an otherwise struggling team have been one of the few standouts of their season so far.

Team News

Newcastle have two potential key absentees for this match. Joe Willock will definitely be out because of FA concussion protocols following a head injury towards the end of their recent match at Brentford, while it remains to be seen whether Anthony Gordon will be considered fit enough to play after picking up a groin injury on international duty for England. Sven Botman, Jamaal Lascelles and Lewis Hall will also be absent.

Manchester United’s injury problems are easing somewhat, with Kobbie Mainoo making a brief appearance against Lyon, though Matthijs de Ligt, Ayden Heaven and Toby Collyer will all be missing alongside Amad Diallo, who’s out for the rest of this season.

Prediction

It doesn’t take much to cast a dark cloud over Manchester United these days, and Onana’s antics in France on Thursday night have had precisely that effect. United’s mushiness in front of goal coupled with Newcastle’s fire power and need for points to maintain their Champions League chase indicates a comfortable home win. I’ll go for a 2-0 home win and no end to Manchester United’s 2024/25 purgatory of form.

(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.