Preview

Nov

2024

Preview: Ranieri’s new Roma side face Postecoglu’s Spurs in the Europa League

Tottenham Hotspur excelled in their 4-0 win over Manchester City at the weekend and as part of their ongoing search for consistency, they take on Roma in the Europa League on Thursday.

By Kaustubh Pandey

Postecoglou vs. Ranieri

Spurs obliterated City on Saturday and could have easily scored more goals. Dejan Kulusevski sparkled, as Ange Postecoglou‘s side executed their plan to perfection, pressing City high up the pitch and playing through their press at will.

In contrast, their Europa League opponents for the week are the crisis team in Serie A this season. We’ve yet to reach the mid-way point and Roma are already on to their third manager of the campaign, with Claudio Ranieri coming out of retirement and returning to the dugout in time to oversee their dull 1-0 loss at Napoli over the weekend.

Ivan Jurić was sacked before the international break and there is now expected to be a stylistic change in how the Giallorossi play, as Jurić’s brand of football revolved around high-pressing and man marking. Ranieri is more pragmatic and it was seen in the defeat to the Partenopei.

Roma look for renewed hope

The Giallorossi have won only once in their last five games in all competitions and frustratingly have dropped points in three of their Europa League games so far – drawing with Union St Gilloise and Athletic Club, and beaten by Swedish side Elfsborg.

They do have a win over Dynamo Kiev on the books but that performance was indicative of the Roman club’s struggle for a new identity this season. It also defines their struggles under the Friedkins, who’s ownership group have been protested against by the club’s supporters every second day.

Perhaps, an identity is what Ranieri can actually add to a side quickly. Jurić could have too, if he was given time but patience ran low and the expectation from the club would be to play a low-block in a back three under Ranieri.

New signing Matías Soulé hasn’t quite settled in yet but it is new striker Artem Dovbyk who appears to be gaining in confidence after a slow start.

Top scorer in LaLiga last season, Dovbyk has four league goals in Serie A so far and his presence upfront attracts defenders, as the Ukrainian thrives on quality link-up with those around him and can be a crucial weapon on the break, especially if Paulo Dybala starts alongside him.

Spurs want attack to thrive

A case can be made of the fact that Spurs could have scored more goals against Galatasaray, but Postecoglou has this incredible insistence on putting his attacking strengths on show, even if it puts the defensive worries on the backseat. It is risky but when it works, it works brilliantly.

They have an unpredictable side to them, but Spurs have scored the most goals per game in the Premier League this season, while also conceding the third lowest number of goals per game.

It clearly shows how entertaining a side they are and considering the raw numbers, they could well turn out to be pretty good at the end of the season.

Having said that, both Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero remain out – as they were against City. Rodrigo Bentancur remains suspended and this will lead to Postecoglou having to adapt the line-up for the clash against Roma.

Dybala boost for Roma

Reports in Italy have suggested that Dybala is fit and he could start the game. He has been put in a couple of good performances against Tottenham in the past and Roma will rely on him.

Mats Hummels, who has suffered so far in Rome, could also start and so could Mario Hermoso. Soule and Lorenzo Pellegrini are also in contention to start.

As far as Spurs are concerned, Guglielmo Vicario is out for the next few weeks. Fraser Forster will start in goal and Lucas Bergvall is also expected to feature again. And after being benched against City, both Timo Werner and Brennan Johnson are likely to start.

Prediction

This will depend entirely on how well Ranieri has drilled his new side in the few short days he’s been at the club, and whether they can stop Postecoglou’s in-form attackers. But with Spurs riding the wave of that display against City, we can’t see beyond a home win for the London side.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Nov

2024

Preview: Amorim set for Old Trafford debut in the Europa League

Bodø/Glimt, the reigning Norwegian champions face the Red Devils before a vital weekend back in the Eliteserien that will decide this season’s title race in Norway’s top tier.

By Filip Mishov

Recent form and context

Not only did Ed Sheeran infamously crashed Rúben Amorim‘s post-match interview with Sky Sports, but his Tractor Boys halted the Red Devils’ attempt to extend their winning streak with a brave performance at Portman Road. It is fair to say that the Portuguese’s debut did not go as planned with Ipswich dominating for most part of the match, while Manchester United‘s misfiring attack continues to underperform as they recorded a low xG (0.90), which is one of Amorim’s many tasks to solve.

Now, a home debut awaits Amorim under the Old Trafford lights in the Europa League and the possibility to secure his maiden win at the helm arises in front of the Red Army, which will surely welcome the so-called ‘Smiling One’ with open arms. Bodø/Glimt are coming to the Theatre of Dreams in the first-ever competitive match between Manchester United and a Norwegian club in UEFA’s club competitions, which seems quite astonishing given the club’s recent trips to Norway during their pre-season summer tours.

The Bodø-based club are coming to Manchester on the back of a win (0-2) in the penultimate round in Eliteserien, and ahead of a season-defining clash in Norway’s top-tier on Sunday as the Kjetil Knutsen-led squad host Lillestrøm, while second-placed Brann play third-placed Viking in the final round too. With only a point separating the reigning Norwegian champions from Brann and only three points ahead of Viking, it is fair to say that Glimt may have one eye on the weekend.

Team news

It was not all doom and gloom for Amorim at Portman Road as Luke Shaw made his comeback after spending 280 days on the sidelines, and additionally, Tyrell Malacia made the matchday squad, which is a huge boost for the Red Devils ahead of the hectic Christmas period. However, the wonderkid – Leny Yoro was not part of the squad, despite the Frenchman taking part in full training and the match against Glimt might be the perfect opportunity for him to finally make his debut. Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof and Lisandro Martinez remain on the sidelines, with the latter the closest to making a comeback in a couple of weeks. As for the Scandinavian visitors, it will be interesting to see whether the coach, Knutsen will rest some of his key players given the club’s title defence is on the line and the fact that Glimt have had a superior start to the Europa League’s campaign than United, sitting in 12th place with a point ahead of the hosts who found themselves in 15th place.

Key Player

Jens Petter Hauge made the step to Europe’s top 5 leagues too soon with his move to AC Milan a few years ago, but the 25-year-old’s talent and ability are undeniable as the playmaking winger continues to impress in the yellow of Glimt. With seven goals and five assists in Norway’s top-tier and a couple of goals and one assists in the Europa League, the Red Devils’ defence must be aware of his threat coming in from the left. Also, given the fact that Amorim favoured Amad Diallo at right wing-back over a natural defender against Ipswich, that might be where Glimt can look to exploit the hosts vulnerabilities.

Prediction

The Red Devils are on an unbeaten five-match run in all competitions under Ruud van Nistelrooy and Amorim, respectively, and the expectation will be that this is a good chance for their new charismatic coach to pick up a maiden win. However, Bodø/Glimt are a quality side, and they have already defeated FC Porto this season, which Manchester United failed to do, and Jens Petter Hauge & co. are especially dangerous on the counter.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Nov

2024

Preview: Chelsea face European newcomers Heidenheim

It’s another David vs. Goliath matchup for Chelsea in the European Conference League on Thursday as they travel to Germany to face FC Heidenheim in what is the biggest game in the Bundesliga club’s continental history.

By Alex Roberts

While likely to be less biblical than the 8-0 win over FC Noah in their previous fixture, Enzo Maresca will no doubt feel confident his side can keep their 100% record from their opening three games intact.

They shouldn’t underestimate Heidenheim, however, with the Germans also winning all three of their games so far, beating Scottish side Hearts 2-0 in their most recent game against a British side.

Enzo Maresca’s free-scoring blues

The Premier League side have shown exactly why they’re considered heavy favourites to win the tournament outright come the end of the season, scoring 16 goals and conceding three in three games.

Striker/winger Christopher Nkunku and playmaker João Félix have been on fire, both sitting as joint top goal scorers with four apiece. The Frenchman may be unhappy with his current role at the club, but he’s still doing the business on the pitch.

With Félix playing a starring role in Chelsea’s recent 2-1 Premier League win over Leicester, it’s unlikely he’ll feature in Germany, giving Tyrique George a real chance of starting.

Marvin Pieringer a major doubt

Heidenheim are likely to be without top goal scorer Marvin Pieringer for the game, after the striker picked up an achilles tendon injury on their 5-2 defeat to Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday.

Everything was peachy for Frank Schmidt’s side in his 539^th game at the club before they were forced to replace the big man up top. Leading 2-0, Heidenheim looked good value for a bit upset.

Unfortunately, without Pieringer, it all fell apart, a fate they will be hoping to avoid as they take on Chelsea.

The rebirth of Mykhaylo Mudryk

The Ukrainian winger has struggled to live up to the £88.5 million price tag that brought him to Chelsea from Shakhtar in 2022, but he has found some solace in the Conference League.

Away from the spotlight, Mudryk has arguably been Chelsea’s best player of the tournament so far, bagging two goals and three assists, he’s only four goal contributions off his total for the entirety of last season.

Starts outside of Chelsea’s cup fixtures are few and far between, however, with the 23-year-old coming on as a substitute in six of his seven Premier League appearances.

Prediction

It’s hard to look beyond Chelsea for this one, but ongoing defensive frailties and Heidenheim’s physicality could cause Maresca’s side some serious headaches. We’re going to go with 2-1 to Chelsea.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Nov

2024

Preview: Liverpool and Real Madrid poised for another meeting in the Champions League

Liverpool are looking to extend their 100% record in the Champions League on Wednesday as they welcome reigning European champions Real Madrid to Anfield.

By Sam McGuire

Arne Slot will be looking to achieve something Jürgen Klopp failed to do while in charge of the Reds, he’ll be looking to defeat the Spanish giants. The German tactician never managed to beat Los Blancos during his time on Merseyside.

The season so far in Europe

Liverpool have been perfect this term. The Reds have played four and won four in Europe. They’re the only team in the Champions League to have a 100% record. Slot has guided his side to victories against AC Milan, Bologna, RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen. The Reds humbled the Bundesliga champions 4–0 in their last outing to send a message to the rest of Europe.

Only Inter and Atalanta (both on zero) have conceded fewer goals than the Premier League leaders (one) while Barcelona (15) and Borussia Dortmund (13) can better Liverpool’s haul of 10 Champions League goals this term.

They are the top-rated FotMob team with an average rating of 7.34. By comparison, Real Madrid are ranked ninth with a FotMob rating of 7.1.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side have struggled in Europe this term, winning two and losing two of their opening four matches. Ahead of the Matchday 5 games on Tuesday evening (the time of writing), they find themselves in 18th position in the new-look Champions League format. Real Madrid have conceded seven goals in their opening four matches and are yet to keep a clean sheet. VfB Stuttgart, Lille, Dortmund and Milan have all found a way past the reigning champions.

Los Blancos have been giving up chances too. Their Expected Goals against total for the season in Europe is 7.2. They’re a threat going forward and rank second for xG this term with 11, but defensively they have been a shambles.

Liverpool, meanwhile, have been dominant at both ends of the pitch. They rank third for xG (10.4) and have the third lowest xG Against (2.8). The key difference between the two teams is what is going on in the defensive third.

Previous encounters

The Reds have a horrific record against Real Madrid. Their last win over the LaLiga team arrived in 2009. Since then, there have been eight matches between the two sides and Liverpool’s best result was a 0-0 draw in the second leg of a game. And that was a match they needed to win after losing the first leg 3-1.

Madrid have kept a clean sheet in three of the last four meetings between the two sides.

Across Klopp’s time with Liverpool, the two teams faced off on six occasions. The Spanish team scored 13 goals and conceded just four times. It was a very one-sided match-up.

A win for the Reds here won’t exorcise the demons of 2018, 2021, 2022 or 2023, but it’d be a big statement in the grand scheme of things for Slot and his squad.

Current form

Liverpool eked out a 3-2 win over Southampton on Sunday to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table to eight points. The Reds have won their last five across all competitions and are unbeaten in 14. During this run, they have won 13 games.

They have been relentless and ruthless this season under the former Feyenoord boss. Even injuries to Alisson Becker, Diogo Jota and Trent Alexander-Arnold haven’t derailed them.

Mohamed Salah is in the form of his life too having adapted to the new tactics at Anfield. His double against Southampton took his tally to 10 goals and six assists in the Premier League. And he leads the way for assists in the Champions League with four.

Madrid are just four points off the summit in Spain with a game in hand. They bounced back from their 4-0 humbling in El Clásico to pick up maximum points from their last two matches in LaLiga.

Against Leganés, Kylian Mbappé scored his first goal in a month while Jude Bellingham found the back of the net for just the second time this season. Maybe they’ve timed their resurgence to perfection.

The Injury situation

Thibaut Courtois is back for Real Madrid. He started the game against Leganes and kept a clean sheet. However, Vinícius Júnior suffered an injury that will rule him out. He joined the likes of Dani Carvajal, Aurélien Tchouaméni, David Alaba, Éder Militão and Rodrygo in a fairly busy treatment room in the Spanish capital.

Liverpool are possibly without Alexander-Arnold and Alisson Becker while Diogo Jota and Federico Chiesa are both still out. Kostas Tsimikas should be fit enough for a place on the bench having missed the game against Southampton with a knock.

One thing is for sure, this won’t be Liverpool’s best XI versus Real Madrid’s best XI.

Prediction

Liverpool should be able to finally defeat Real Madrid. If they do, they can use it as a springboard for their upcoming game in the Premier League against Manchester City. The Reds are in form and have a healthier looking squad. But you can never write off Los Blancos, especially not in the Champions League.

(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.

Nov

2024

Preview: Sporting host Arsenal in what is their first European game post-Amorim

Sporting host Arsenal at the Estádio José Alvalade as second take on twelfth in the Champions League. This will be Sporting’s first game in the competition without Rúben Amorim in the dugout, and they will be hoping to climb to the top of the table with a victory.

By Matt Smith

These two sides met just last year, with Sporting coming out on top following a penalty shootout in the Europa League Round of 16.

Diomande back in full training

Sporting have received a huge boost as central defender Ousmane Diomande is back in full training after missing their game against Amarante in the cup on Friday night. Zeno Debast and Eduardo Quaresma are doubts for the clash in Portugal, while Nuno Santos and Pedro Gonçalves are long-term absentees.

They can’t stop the Swede

It’s no secret that Viktor Gyökeres has been Sporting’s main threat this season, scoring 24 goals in 19 appearances in all competitions, with five of those coming in the Champions League. One of the deadliest strikers in Europe, Arsenal will have to be at their best to keep him out.

*Gyökeres shot map, from just 11 appearances in the Liga Portugal, 2024/25*

It’s difficult to know how Sporting are going to setup with Amorim recently replaced by João Pereira, but the Portuguese outfit have been creating chances at will in the Champions League. In the competition so far, only Liverpool, Inter, Real Madrid, and Manchester City have created more big chances than Sporting.

Arteta could rotate

Mikel Arteta saw the likes of Bukayo Saka, Riccardo Calafiori, Declan Rice, and Leandro Trossard all shake off recent injury concerns to make the squad against Nottingham Forest in the Premier League at the weekend.

The Gunners are already nine points behind Liverpool in the race for the Premier League title, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Arteta rest some of his key stars in Europe, especially those who have been struggling for fitness of late.

Arsenal struggling to create

Creating chances has been a difficulty for the Gunners in the Champions League this term, producing just 5.1 expected goals (xG), ranking them 22^nd in the competition. Arteta’s men have remained resolute at the back, conceding just 0.3 goals per game, but finding the back of the net has been a problem.

Only Kai Havertz and Saka have struck for the Gunners so far in Europe, with own goals being their joint-top goal scorer. Gabriel Martinelli has been Arsenal’s most creative player in the Champions League this season, producing 0.51 expected assists per 90, but he’s yet to set up a goal for one of his team-mates.

Prediction

It’s difficult to predict how Sporting are going to perform on the continent without Amorim in charge, but considering Arsenal’s defensive record, we’re not expecting many goals. Gyökeres has been almost unstoppable this season, but we’re predicting a narrow 1-0 win for Arsenal with the Gunners keeping the Swedish international quiet in Portugal.

(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.

Nov

2024

Preview: Man City look to end losing streak against Feyenoord

Perhaps it was always supposed to be this way. Having battled for years and largely won against Jürgen Klopp, the man Pep Guardiola called the greatest rival of his career, it will instead be against the past and present of Klopp’s successor, Arne Slot, that the very worst time of the Spanish boss’ managerial reign will be tested.

By Karl Matchett

Man City have swept all before them for years, yet enter an important, if far from decisive, Champions League match badly needing a result to end five straight defeats in all competitions. The week ahead brings Feyenoord and then Liverpool, and results in both are required to stave off talk that the team has reached the end of its era…as well as capacity to win trophies this very season.

The worst form of Guardiola’s career

Well, five losses in a row – bad for anyone, unheard of for Man City. That said, their five matches beforehand were all victories; this might be the worst run of all time as far as Guardiola is concerned, but they have not suddenly lost every footballer of any ability. In another world, even as recently as this past weekend, Erling Haaland buries one of his two early chances and the match against Tottenham goes a completely different way. Conceding chances is the bigger issue for the Premier League team, with the midfield lacking structure and the defensive line looking weak, reactive and lacking in mobility of late.

For Feyenoord, they’ve won two and lost two in Europe this term; perhaps more notably, they have won three in a row domestically but lost their last big test, a home meeting with Ajax. Too many draws hampered their title aspirations last season under Slot and so far the same is true under Brian Priske.

Team news

Rodri remains the big absentee for City and Mateo Kovačić has proven a similarly massive loss, with City lacking any natural sitting option with the positional know-how and discipline to protect a creaky back line. Oscar Bobb, Jérémy Doku and Rúben Dias are also out.

Feyenoord are missing a host of their own players too though, including star striker Santiago Giménez, left-back Hugo Bueno, goalkeeper Justin Bijlow, Dutch U21 starlet Quilindschy Hartman and forward Ayase Ueda. Chris-Kevin Nadje is also suspended and midfielder Quinten Timber is a doubt.

Potential heroes

Matheus Nunes isn’t entrusted with much domestic action but he has played three of four in the Champions League and has a goal and two assists. He might be restored to central midfield rather than the attacking support line, but on a per-90 basis in Europe this term he’s in the 95th percentile of players for successful dribbles, 92nd for chances created…and top of all for touches in the box. City could do with a few of those being made with composure and accuracy to get back to winning ways.

*Nunes possession stats, Champions League 2024/25*

Feyenoord’s Timon Wellenreuther is making three saves per 90 on average in this competitions, but preventing goals (or not) at a rate of -0.6 against the xG of shots against him. Must do better.

Prediction

Surely, surely there’s no prospect of a sixth without a win. Man City 3-1 Feyenoord.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Nov

2024

Preview: Barcelona host Stade Brestois in a top six clash in the Champions League

Brest travel to Catalonia, for Matchday Five in the Champions League, bang out of form in Ligue 1 but bang in form in when it comes to Europe’s premier club competition.

By Ian King

Non-History

There is no previous between these two teams. This is, to give them their full name, Stade Brestois 29’s first ever season of European football. They’ve never got past the quarter-final of the Coupe de France and their only league title came in Ligue 2 back in 1981. Barcelona, by comparison, have 27 Spanish league titles and five Champions League titles under their belt, though it is now a decade since they last won Europe’s most coveted trophy.

Contrasting fortunes of late

Brest go into this match in 12th place in Ligue 1 with four wins and seven defeats from their first twelve games, and they’ve lost their last three in a row in the league, too. But in the Champions League, they’ve shone. Three wins and a draw from their opening four matches have left them in fourth place in the sprawling 36-team ‘league’, actually two places on one point above Barcelona for now.

Barcelona had a bit of a nasty surprise at the weekend, when two goals in the last six minutes of their match away to Celta Vigo pegged them back to a 2-2 draw, although they do still lead LaLiga by four points. They’re in sixth place in the Champions League table, with three wins and a defeat from their opening four.

Key players

The main man for Barcelona so far this season has been Robert Lewandowski, with 15 goals in 14 in La Liga and 20 in 18 in all competitions. There were some raised eyebrows when the 36-year old went to Camp Nou in 2022, but his form this season has demonstrated that there’s life in the old dog yet.

There are few such celebrities in the Brest squad – their summer spending in preparation for the new season amounted to only just over €10m – though followers of the Premier League may be interested to know that there are two players in their squad currently on loan from clubs from England’s top division; Romain Faivre (Bournemouth) and Abdallah Sima (Brighton).

Team News

Barcelona have well documented injury problems. Ronald Araújo, Ansu Fati, Andreas Christensen, Marc-André ter Stegen and Marc Bernal are all unavailable, while Lamine Yamal, Eric García and Ferran Torres are also unlikely to play.

Such matters aren’t much better for Brest. Massadio Haïdara, Faivre and Soumaïla Coulibaly are all likely to miss out, while Bradley Locko is out for the long-term with Achilles tendon damage. And there was a fresh headache in their 3-2 loss at Monaco last weekend with an injury to Pierre Lees-Malou. The aforementioned Sima faces a fitness test.

Prediction

Barcelona’s injury situation isn’t great and there are questions to be asked over the sloppy way in which they turned a 2-0 lead into a 2-2 draw at Celta Vigo last time out. But Brest have their injuries too and have had a moderate start to their league season. Their Champions League wins have come against reasonably modest opposition – Sturm Graz, Salzburg and Sparta Prague – and it’s difficult to see past a comfortable home win on this occasion. So Barcelona by three.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Nov

2024

Preview: Real Madrid head out to the suburbs for a clash at Leganes

After entering the November international break with three wins in four matches, Leganés will be looking to build on their momentum with a win against the reigning Spanish and European champions.

By Zach Lowy

Goals Galore in Butarque

Whilst the other two promoted sides Espanyol and Real Valladolid occupy the relegation zone, Leganés currently sit 14th (at the time of writing) – four points clear of the drop – despite their -3 goal differential. Four of the Pepineros’ last five matches have featured at least 2.5 goals, but as for their opponents, Real Madrid are scoring just over two goals per game, and there’s reason to believe they will be able to put the pedal to the metal and wreak havoc against a Leganés defence that has conceded three goals to Atlético Madrid, four to Girona, and two to Athletic Club this season.

Real Madrid and Leganés haven’t faced off since 2019/20, when Los Blancos won 5-0 at home before drawing 2-2 at the Estadio Municipal Butarque. Carlo Ancelotti’s side have also shown a recent tendency for high-scoring matches: after closing out October with a win at Celta Vigo, a 5-2 win vs. Dortmund, and a 4-0 defeat to Barcelona, Real fell to a second-straight home defeat, losing 3-1 to Milan, before bouncing back with a 4-0 victory against Osasuna. We’re backing this to be a high-scoring affair in Leganés.

Vinícius to Produce the Goods

At 24 years old, Vinícius Júnior continues to demonstrate why he is one of the best players in world football, and we’re expecting him to slice open the Cucumbers’ defense and continue his red-hot scoring form. Vinícius has grabbed a goal contribution in seven of his last eight league matches, and with the exception of the Clásico defeat, he’s scored in every single match for Real Madrid since the start of October – nine goals, precisely. Only Robert Lewandowski (14) has more goals in LaLiga, whilst only Lewandowski (16) and Raphinha (13) have more goal contributions.

Since missing out on the Ballon d’Or to Rodri, Vinícius has responded with a vengeance, scoring a penalty vs. Milan before bagging a hat-trick in their demolition of Osasuna. Whilst he was kept quiet in both of Brazil’s recent 1-1 draws, there’s reason to believe that he’ll revert to the norm on Sunday vs. Leganés.

Can Real Take Care of Business?

Real Madrid have already lost more matches since the start of October (3) than they did in the entirety of last season (2), but they’re still just six points behind league leaders Barcelona with a game in hand. And whilst they’ll be keeping one eye on their midweek trip to Anfield, there’s no doubt that Los Blancos will be going out all guns blazing as they look to keep the pressure on the Blaugranas.

Prediction

Despite missing various key figures in defence like Éder Militão, Dani Carvajal and David Alaba, the champions should be capable of holding firm against a Leganés side who have the second-lowest Expected goals (9.5) in LaLiga after bottom-dwellers Valencia (7.9) – we’re backing Real to come away with what should be a fairly high-scoring victory in the Butarque.

(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.

Nov

2024

Preview: All eyes on Portman Road for Amorim’s first game as United boss

Two students of José Mourinho go head-to-head as the Tractor Boys and the Red Devils meet in England’s top-tier for the first time in 22 years.

By Filip Mishov

New beginnings and a meeting of minds

A new era begins at Manchester United as the Premier League‘s match against the Tractor Boys will mark Rúben Amorim‘s debut as new head coach of the 20-time champions of England. The ambitious Portuguese coach joined the Red Devils from Sporting during the international break and the 39-year-old will become United’s youngest man to take charge of the first team since Wilf McGuinness (31) back in 1969. With that being said, the world football’s eyes will definitely be on Amorim & co. over the next few weeks at least, and on how his young coaching staff will fare with Old Trafford’s dressing room egos.

Another promising head coach sits in the home dugout as Kieran McKenna secured Ipswich Town‘s first win (1-2 vs. Tottenham Hotspur) in England’s top-tier since 2002 ahead of the international break, which was also the Northern Irish coach’s first-ever Premier League win. The studious McKenna (38) is only a year younger than Amorim and they have much in common, as the former was promoted to Manchester United’s first-team coach during José Mourinho‘s reign at the Theatre of Dreams, while the latter does not only share the same nationality with the Special One, but Rúben spent a week-long internship at Carrington under him back in 2018. Furthermore, McKenna and Amorim’s paths have crossed once again over the summer, when they both found themselves on the shortlist of Erik ten Hag‘s potential replacements before the INEOS-led hierarchy ultimately decided to stick with the Dutchman.

Team news

The Blues will welcome a few players back in to the squad with Kalvin Phillips spearheading the list following his return from suspension, while Jacob Greaves, Jack Taylor, Wes Burns and Nathan Broadhead are allnearing a return on the pitch.

The international break was a turning point for the Red Devils’ injury headaches as Amorim will enjoy having not one, but two fit left backs as both Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia are back in full training, with the Dutchman even playing 45 minutes for the U21s in the EFL Trophy. Additionally, Leny Yoro is finally ready to make his debut after recovering from the metatarsal injury which kept him out since August. Harry Maguire remains the only absentee.

*Possible United XI built with the FotMob Lineup Builder – available at FotMob.com*

A familiar key player

With Amorim destined to switch to his favoured 3-4-3 formation, it is more than certain that something has got to give and the squad is readying for a few changes, but the undisputed captain – Bruno Fernandes should continue to play a vital role in the starting XI going forward. His compatriot on the sidelines favours having a couple of no. 10s behind the main striker and Fernandes is set to occupy one of those spots. Also, Bruno’s form has been on the rise since Ten Hag was shown the door and everything points to United’s No. 8 continuing his good form. Needless to say, Fernandes is the team’s most creative player and whether Amorim will be a success or not, Bruno’s performances will have a big say in that.

Prediction

Undoubtedly, the pressure will be on Amorim & co. to deliver and continue Manchester United’s two-match winning streak, but Kieran McKenna has a point to prove and his players are surely readying themselves to spoil the Portuguese’s debut at Portman Road. The Red Devils sit in 13th place ahead of the away trip, while Ipswich are further down in 17th and with the hectic Christmas schedule coming up, each point becomes vital. An away win for United should be expected, but one can never be too sure with this crop of players, and Liam Delap & co. are not to be underestimated, just ask Spurs.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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Nov

2024

Preview: Top vs. Bottom as Liverpool travel to Southampton

Southampton host Liverpool at the St Mary’s Stadium in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon in a game that pits the side bottom of the table against the leaders. The Saints have won just once all season, while the Reds sit on 28 points having dropped points in just two games.

By Matt Smith

Saints will be missing key star

Goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale will be missing for Southampton against Liverpool after picking up an injury in the last couple of weeks. The England international has undoubtedly been one of the Saints’ key players this season despite their struggles in keeping the ball out of the net.

Jan Bednarek also picked up an injury during the international break while playing for Poland, and the towering centre-back will also miss the Liverpool clash. It’s two huge blows for Russell Martin’s side heading into one of the toughest games of the campaign.

Possession isn’t leading to points

Surprisingly for a side battling towards the bottom of the table, Martin’s men have the fourth-highest average possession in the Premier League, keeping 56.9% of the ball (just behind Liverpool’s 57.4%). Their major issue has been failing to turn possession into clear-cut opportunities, creating just 21 big chances, ranking them 18^th in the table for that metric.

The Saints are also giving up a host of chances, with only Ipswich conceding more expected goals (xG) than the South Coast outfit. With Ramsdale missing, who averages four saves per 90 minutes, ranking him third in the league, Southampton’s defence is going to have to be water tight.

Alisson returns to training

Arne Slot received a huge boost heading into this game, with goalkeeper Alisson Becker returned to training after a recent hamstring injury. It will be interesting to see whether Slot brings him straight back into the side, with backup goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher impressing.

Trent Alexander-Arnold pulled out of the latest England squad due to injury, so Liverpool supporters will be waiting nervously to see if the talented right-back is passed fit for this one.

Liverpool deserving of first place

Creating more big chances than any other sides while conceding fewer goals per game than the rest of the Premier League is a recipe for sitting at the top of the table. Slot’s men have been free flowing in attack, creating 20.5 xG, while conceding just 9.5.

Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah is showing no signs of slowing down, and is arguably in the form of his life heading into this game. Salah has provided 14 goals and assists combined in the Premier League so far, more than any other player.

Prediction

Last time the two sides met in the Premier League, we saw eight goals as they played out a 4-4 draw at St Mary’s. Neutrals will be desperate for a similar outcome in the Sunday lunch-time kick-off but we’re predicting a comfortable 3-0 victory to Liverpool this time around and considering the form they are in at the moment.

(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.