The Pulse of Football

Dec

2025

Preview: Aston Villa test their winning run at Stamford Bridge

Fourth vs third makes this fixture feel closer than it actually is, when in reality Aston Villa head to Chelsea knowing a win would see them go ten points clear of the hosts as they continue to push Man City and Arsenal in the title race.

By Alex Roberts

It was a real Jekyll and Hyde performance from Chelsea in their 2-2 draw against Newcastle. The first half was abysmal, but a decent second half showing say them earn a draw. Still, it’s more dropped points from Enzo Maresca’s side in the race for a Champions League place.

Villa, on the other hand, at the Premier League’s in-form side at the moment. Seven consecutive league wins is a remarkable turn-around considering they didn’t even score a goal in the first month of the season.

Morgan Rogers is the man

Like his side, Rogers took a little while to get going this season, but now he looks unstoppable. Braces in two consecutive games, including a couple of absolute beauties in the win over Man United seemingly have him leading the race for England’s number ten shirt next summer.

It’s unlikely he’ll have as much joy against Chelsea’s defence as he did against United’s. Leny Yoro gave him the freedom of the pitch, refusing to close him down for the first goal in particular. Reece James, if he plays right-back, won’t be so forgiving.

Villa have a bona fide superstar on their hands with Rogers. Seven goals in his 17 Premier League games means he’s only one off his tally for the entirety of last season, they’ll just be hoping they can keep him beyond this one.

The most complete player in the league?

Enzo Maresca and Chelsea will be thanking Santa, Jesus, and whoever else they could possibly think of that James was there to save the day in the draw against Newcastle. It wasn’t the first time and it’s unlikely it’ll be the last too.

At one end of the pitch he was scoring a freekick, at the other he was making a last-ditch challenge to deny Harvey Barnes. It was a complete performance from a complete player. It’s genuinely hard to see any faults in his game at the moment.

Now we don’t know whether Maresca will have James at right-back or in central midfield for this one. It would probably make more sense to have him in his natural position to help nullify Rogers’ threat, but what do we know!

Team news

Chelsea have Liam Delap and Estêvão back and available for selection with the English striker coming back a lot sooner than many had initially expected. Now he just needs to start scoring some goals.

Levi Colwill (ACL), Roméo Lava (thigh), and Dário Essugo (thigh) are all still out, however, with little sign they’ll be returning at time soon.

Don’t expect to see much change from the side that beat Man United last time out for Villa. Harvey Elliott is out with an illness, while Ross Barkley (knee), Tyrone Mings (hamstring) and Pau Torres (calf) won’t feature at all.

Evann Guessand was called up by the Ivory Coast as a replacement for Sebastien Haller, so Villa will be without the forward for the next month.

Prediction

Maresca and Chelsea generally do pretty well in the bigger games, and this is certainly one of them, but everything that Villa touch right now is turning to gold, so we’re going with a 3-1 win for the visitors.

(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.

Dec

2025

Preview: Arteta will be looking for improvement as Arsenal host Brighton

Speak to Arsenal fans and there is a split right now between delight at their table-topping form, and concern that it has too often come as a result of late goals, penalties and opposition errors recently.

By Karl Matchett

Find a way to win?

Premier League champions, many will tell you, find the route to victory regardless of circumstances. You can’t play at peak level every game and ultimately three points are three points whether they come in a resounding thrashing or a last-gasp fluke. But having the consistency to win, game after game after game, usually comes when a team has a reliable method of chance creation and a handful of players near their best form.

Mikel Arteta won’t complain at the manner of victory, but even he must be wondering exactly who his go-to stars are right now. Arsenal are scrapping and set-piecing their way to the points, but the last time they were more than a single goal clear in a Premier League match by the time the clock hit 90 minutes was the North London Derby, over a month ago. They are currently on course for an 87-point season. While that’s obviously good, it’s certainly not great; take the average points for title-winners over the past eight years or so, since Man City started dominating, and it’s not enough to finish first. In 2023/24 the Gunners amassed 89 points and still didn’t win. They are top now, sure, but perhaps they still need to find another gear.

Unpredictability equals watchability

Perhaps it’s a good thing for Arsenal, then, that they now come up against one of the most erratic teams around. Brighton have previously been on a five-match unbeaten streak this season; right now they’re on a four-match winless one. They are certainly better on home soil than on the road though, where Fabian Hürzeler’s team haven’t managed to score enough goals. There’s a heap of talent there including some brilliant young signings and players linked with £60m-plus prospective moves…yet their biggest dangerman this term has been one who left Arsenal almost seven years ago. Danny Welbeck’s seven league goals this season, incidentally, is more than any single Arsenal player.

Recent form

The Gunners have won three of their last four, Brighton haven’t won in that run. Probably more pertinently, it’s Arsenal’s home form which is near-perfect: seven wins from eight in the league, though they drew last time out in the League Cup before winning on penalties. Brighton have won once in their last seven away games.

Team news

Fewer injuries now for both but Gabriel, Kai Havertz and Cristhian Mosquera remain missing for the hosts, while Carlos Baleba is at AFCON and Diego Gómez is back from suspension for the visitors.

Key players

Viktor Gyökeres could do with a run of form and impact. He netted against Everton in the last league game and has 0.44 goals per 90, though has also missed five big chances this term.

Prediction

This one could have a few goals in but Arsenal should have enough at home for the win. 2-1 to the hosts.

(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.

Dec

2025

Preview: Forest vs. City kicks off Saturday in the Premier League

Nottingham Forest will be looking to bounce back from defeat against Fulham as they welcome Manchester City to the City Ground.

By Ross Kilvington

Inconsistency is still an issue for Sean Dyche

There is no doubt Sean Dyche has done a wonderful job in steading the ship at Forest since taking over in October.

Seven wins from his opening 13 matches in all competitions was a start most supporters could only dream of. The likes of Porto, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur have all been victims of Dyche’s approach.

However, consistency has been an issue for the club. After the debut victory over Porto, Forest lost to Bournemouth a few days later.

Further losses have came against Brighton, Everton and Fulham in the top flight in recent weeks. While the club should have more than enough to survive under Dyche’s shrewd leadership, stringing three or four wins together in the New Year could be top of his wishlist.

Erling Haaland could fire City to glory this season

Many felt that Pep Guardiola and City had reached the end of an era after a trophyless 2024/25 campaign, but they are right in the mix for another Premier League title.

Erling Haaland fired 34 goals in all competitions last season, but it looks as though he is going to eclipse that this term.

Across his 23 matches so far, the Norwegian sensation has already bagged 25 goals, including 19 in the Premier League.

*Haaland’s shooting stats per 90 in the Premier League*

He ranks first in the top flight for shots on target per game (2.3) and for expected goals (16.1) this season as he continues to shatter records.

Across his six matches against Forest, Haaland has found the back of the net on five occasions.

You wouldn’t bet against him adding to that tally on Saturday afternoon as City aim to move to the top of the table with a victory.

Team news

Dyche will continue to be without the service of Willy Boly and Ibrahim Sangaré, who are representing Ivory Coast at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament over the festive period.

Elsewhere, Chris Wood, Ryan Yates and Ola Aina will all be out until early 2026 due to injuries.

Like Forest, City have two players on international duty. Omar Marmoush and Rayan Aït-Nouri are at AFCON with Egypt and Algeria respectively.

Oscar Bobb and Jérémy Doku are the latest injury victims of late, with both players expected back in a few weeks.

Mateo Kovačić, Rodri and John Stones will also miss the clash against Forest this Saturday.

Prediction

City head into this match on the back of a seven-game winning streak that dates back to the end of November.

After a stuttering start, it looks as though Guardiola and his men are peaking at precisely the right time and should secure all three points.

Dyche is no mug, however, and will set up his team to frustrate City. Unfortunately, this will be to no avail in the end: Nottingham Forest 1-3 Manchester City.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow all the games from the Premier League on FotMob in the 2025/26 season – with in-depth stat coverage, including xG, shot maps, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Dec

2025

Preview: Liverpool host luckless Wolves at Anfield

Winless Wolves travel to a resurgent Liverpool to face the Premier League champions at Anfield on Saturday afternoon. The Reds will be hoping to extend their unbeaten run to seven, with the pressure on Arne Slot now easing.

By Sam McGuire

The story so far

In the nicest way possible, Slot went from hero to zero at Anfield in what felt like a blink of an eye. The Reds had the perfect start to the season, winning all of their opening five fixtures in the Premier League. Then they lost six of the next seven as well as suffering defeats in the Champions League to Galatasaray and PSV as well as a loss to Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup.

Slot wasn’t able to get the best out of any of the new summer signings, benching Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz despite bright starts to life at Anfield while Milos Kerkez had a stint on the sideline and Jeremie Frimpong was ruled out with hamstring issues. He then made the bold decision to bench Mohamed Salah. And while results have picked up over recent weeks, the Reds are five unbeaten in the league, performances are still lacking.

Sooner or later, we’re going to see one of two things. The bubble will burst and this unbeaten run will turn into a winless streak or confidence grows and performance will match the results. Right now, it’s too early to say which one is more likely.

Wolves, meanwhile, have struggled all season. They even missed out on a new manager bounce following the dismissal of Vítor Pereira. Rob Edwards arrived from Middlesbrough and he’s suffered six defeats on the bounce.

His side are rooted to the bottom of the table with just two points. They are 16 points away from safety right now and relegation looks like a formality at this stage. They have, however, done enough in recent games to get something. For example, against Nottingham Forest and Brentford, the xG was equal but they lost both. Against Arsenal, they lost by a 94th minute own goal.

They’re due a bit of luck. Maybe they get it at Anfield?

Key Players

For Liverpool, it has to be Hugo Ekitike right now. Salah is away at the African Cup of Nations, Cody Gakpo is still a doubt, Dominik Szoboszlai is suspended while Alexander Isak is going to be missing for a while. The pressure is on Ekitike to keep firing and he’s the man in form right now with five goals in his last three for the Reds.

For Wolves, it has to be Jørgen Strand Larsen. The powerhouse forward missed a penalty against Brentford but he’s a handful and Liverpool’s defence has struggled with direct players this term. He’s not their kryptonite, but he’s got the physical traits to cause Ibrahima Konaté and Virgil van Dijk some problems.

Team News

The hosts can’t call upon Dominik Szoboszlai who is now suspended after picking up a fifth booking against Spurs. Alexander Isak is out for the foreseeable with an ankle injury and leg fracture in the process of scoring against Tottenham. Giovanni Leoni is missing with an ACL injury while Conor Bradley was replaced at half-time against Spurs and could be a doubt. Cody Gakpo could return, though Slot isn’t going to rush his compatriot back into the team with so many issues right now. Salah is away on international duty with Egypt.

Wolves have a host of names out. Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, Marshall Muntesi, Rodrigo Gomes and Hugo Bueno are expected to miss out with injuries while Emmanuel Agbadou and Tawanda Chirewa are away at the African Cup of Nations.

Prediction

We’re going to go with a narrow 2-1 home win. The Reds have enough quality to get the job done but don’t expect it to be a convincing performance.

(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.

Dec

2025

Daniel Farke’s formation change has relaunched Leeds in the Premier League

After intense speculation about his future, Daniel Farke has led Leeds United on a run of two wins and two draws in their last four outings.

By Graham Ruthven

The trip to face Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium roughly a month ago had the potential to end Daniel Farke’s time as Leeds United manager and plunge the club deeper into relegation trouble. That certainly appeared to be the case as the visitors trailed 2-0 after only 25 minutes. A heavy defeat, and Farke’s last stand, was in the offing.

And yet Leeds found something in the next 75 minutes of that game. They fought back to 2-2 and while Farke’s side ultimately lost 3-2 this was used as the catalyst for an unexpected run of form that has lifted Leeds out of the bottom three in the Premier League table. On their current trajectory, Farke is guiding his team to safety.

Last Saturday’s emphatic 4-1 win over Crystal Palace was the starkest illustration so far of Leeds’ dramatic improvement. Against an opponent sitting comfortably in the top half of the table, the Elland Road outfit were rampant. Far from being at risk of losing his job, Farke is now leading a team that has finally found its groove.

The match against Manchester City in late November was such a turning point because it saw Farke change his approach. With Leeds 2-0 down and with nothing to lose, the German coach shifted shape, moving his side to a 3-5-2 formation that saw Noah Okafor pushed up alongside Dominic Calvert-Lewin in a front two.

Farke has re-used this formation in wins over Chelsea and Crystal Palace as well as draws against Liverpool and Brentford. It’s a tactical set-up that suits Leeds and the players within their squad, giving them defensive strength while also getting bodies into the attacking third more quickly than before.

Calvert-Lewin has been the biggest beneficiary from this change. While the 28-year-old was previously isolated in matches and coming under scrutiny from his own supporters, Calvert-Lewin has now scored in each of his last five games, equalling his career-best run of form from his Everton days.

Okafor is combining with Calvert-Lewin in the final third, giving the English forward the sort of support he previously lacked. It’s not just Okafor getting closer to Calvert-Lewin – it’s the likes of Brenden Aaronson and Anton Stach who are now doing more to push forward from central midfield.

“I enjoy having bodies around me,” said Calvert-Lewin after bagging a brace in Saturday’s eye-catching win over Crystal Palace which took the striker’s tally to seven goals for the season. “It can be a lonely role up there on your own. With bodies around you, you can link play, and I think that’s why I’ve had success recently.”

Calvert-Lewin is back to his best, prompting some to question whether Thomas Tuchel should be paying attention. It’s been five years since Calvert-Lewin last played for England, but in his current form it’s not out of the question that he could earn himself a place at next summer’s World Cup.

*Calvert-Lewin’s unique looking shot map*

In the past, Farke has been accused of being too rigid. Supporters have complained about the German’s unwillingness to make changes from the bench early in matches. Recently, though, Farke has addressed both weaknesses, even tweaking his tactics and making substitutions at half time.

Stach has been empowered by the additional support around him in the centre of the pitch. The German midfielder now has Gabriel Gudmundsson on his left side as a wing back. He has Calvert-Lewin and Okafor ahead of him, ready to receive a pass or get on the end of a cross. He also has Ethan Ampadu and Aaronson alongside him.

Against Palace, Stach registered 10 crosses. He made five key passes, more than any other Leeds player on the pitch. Calvert-Lewin might be the one putting the ball in the back of the net right now, but Stach is the rhythm-builder and chance creator driving Leeds forward from deep.

Jaka Bijol, Joe Rodon and Pascal Struijk have quickly developed chemistry as a back three, giving Leeds more and better angles to play out from defence. On the right side, Jayden Bogle is being pushed so high that he is essentially operating as an out-and-out winger. From back to front, left to right, Leeds’ new approach and framework suits them.

There are some big challenges ahead. Farke will take his team to the North East to face Sunderland on Sunday before a trip to Anfield on New Year’s Day. Leeds have already taken points from Liverpool this season, but the defending Premier League champions have shown signs of staging their own recovery since then.

Nonetheless, Leeds’ recent resurgence has given them a chance of Premier League survival when many, perhaps even those in charge of the club who were reportedly considering Farke’s position, had written them off. The last month or so has shown Leeds the way to staying up against the odds.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every Leeds game on FotMob – with in-depth stat coverage, including xG, shot maps, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Dec

2025

Preview: United’s Manchester and Newcastle square up in Boxing Day clash

Two of the Premier League’s many inconsistent teams meet on Boxing Night, as Manchester United play Newcastle United at Old Trafford.

By Ian King

Would the real Manchester United and Newcastle United please stand up?

No-one seems able to have put together much consistency in the middle two-thirds of the Premier League this season, and both Manchester United and Newcastle United have shown tendencies towards Jekyll & Hydeism this season.

Manchester United have only won two of their last eight in the league, while Newcastle have followed up excellent performances against Manchester City and Everton at the end of November by winning once in four since. As with so many teams in this division this season, there’s little telling what they’re going to do from one week to the next, or sometimes from one half of a match to the next.

Manchester United’s recent record against Newcastle is surprisingly bad

Manchester United have won one and lost five of the six meetings between these two teams in all competitions, and Newcastle were one of six teams to do a home and away double over them in the league last season, their first in 94 years.

But in the spirit of Christmas, there is one omen that looks a little brighter for Manchester United. These two teams have met on Boxing Day five times before, and United have won four of those fixtures, with Newcastle’s only win against them on the 26th December coming in 1987.

Mason Mount is showing signs of becoming the player that Manchester United paid £55 million for two years ago

Mason Mount is clearly a player that Ruben Amorim likes. He’s made 14 league appearances already this season and has already scored more goals than he did in his previous two seasons combined at Old Trafford. It’s taken him a couple of years to get there, but he might just be turning into the player that United thought they’d spent £55 million on in 2023.

With an own goal for the ages to decide the Tyne-Wear Derby and two goals in the first quarter of their match against Chelsea, the last couple of weeks for Newcastle have essentially been The Nick Woltemade Show, so we should probably all stay tuned to see what happens next.

Both Uniteds have a lengthy list of absentees for this meeting

Both teams have a number of players missing. Manchester United have surrendered three – Bryan Mbuemo, Amad and Noussair Mazraoui – to AFCON, while Bruno Fernandes has a damaged thigh and will be out for a couple of weeks, joining Harry Maguire (thigh), Matthijs de Ligt (back), and Kobbie Mainoo (calf) on the treatment table. Casemiro returns after missing their 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa suspended for picking up five yellow cards.

Newcastle haven’t lost anyone to AFCON – they’re one of six in the Premier League to have done so – but Dan Burn, Tino Livramento, Kieran Trippier, Emil Krafth, Sven Botman, Jamaal Lascelles and William Osula are all confirmed absentees. Nick Pope is due back soon, but is unlikely to make it back in time for this one.

Amorim versus both Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde could well end up in a stalemate

At the end of a year of unpredictability, it feels appropriate to be signing off for 2025 with a match between two teams who still can’t seem to decide whether they’re any good or not.

Manchester United remain a curious side. Their attacking options are significantly upgraded, but their central midfield remains missing that big, solid presence – and will be all the more so for this match, with the absence of Bruno Fernandes – while their defence still seems sluggish at times.

Newcastle, though, have taken the concept of inconsistency to strange and interesting new places this season. They can blow hot for 45 minutes, as they did against Chelsea, or cold for 90, as they did against Sunderland.

Every week now seems to be accompanied by someone asking, “Has Eddie Howe taken Newcastle United as far as he can?”, only for that question to be replied to – sometimes no more than a few minutes later – by an answer of, “Oh wait no, perhaps not yet.”

When two such contradictory teams meet, the cowardly thing to do is to predict a draw, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do. But as an act of reckless Christmas bravery, I’ll go 2-2, and quite plausibly with one of them chucking away a two-goal lead.

(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.

Dec

2025

Yan Diomande could be the breakout star of the AFCON

The Africa Cup of Nations is back and it’s already looking like it’ll be a tournament to remember. Ayoub El Kaabi scored an absurd bicycle kick in Morocco’s opening game win, Mohamed Salah bagged an added time goal to spare some Egyptian blushes, and Senegal look really strong.

By Alex Roberts

Still, one of the best things about international tournaments for us nerds, is discovering that one breakout star. Remember James Rodríquez at the 2014 World Cup? That’s the type of player we’re talking about.

There are plenty of them about at AFCON, but none quite as complete as the Ivory Coast’s Yan Diomande. Currently ripping it up at RB Leipzig having joined from Spanish side Leganés in the summer, don’t expect him to be in with the German club for much longer.

Wingers used to be wingers, right? They’d take on a player, excite the crowd, and probably end up putting it in row Z, but it was the thought that mattered. We don’t mean to sound like one of those ‘football was better in my day’ luddites, but there has been a sharp downturn in wide players taking risks.

*Diomande’s traits comparison after just 26 games in Europe’s Big 5 leagues*

Diomande is a risk taker. For those that do get to watch him over the next month or so, don’t expect him to be the finished product, just enjoy it, and you never know, the 19-year-old might cure you of those winter blues.

You’d only need to stick a game on for five minutes to notice that dribbling is by far his best asset. Ridiculously two-footed, an attribute that will be spoken of a lot over the next couple of transfer windows, he’s already completed 42 successful dribbles at a success rate of 58.3% across his 14 Bundesliga games.

For context, that’s more than Luis Díaz (23) and Michael Olise (30), who are both widely regarded as the best current wingers in the Bundesliga. Although, please bear in mind that Bayern Munich tend to keep the ball more than any other side in the league.

*Diomande’s possession stats in the Bundesliga*

A combination of insane pace, balance, and surprising strength make him an absolute nightmare for opposition defenders to have to deal with, but as is so often then case, we wonder whether he has the end product to back it all up.

Diomande isn’t perfect, and he still has a lot to prove, but six goals from 13 shots on target, and 14 chances created in the German top flight is a good start. Two goals in just four international appearances is pretty impressive too.

In terms of real tangible weaknesses, there isn’t much to report on. Out of possession he’s solid if unremarkable, tracking his runner and pressing at a decent level, he’s managed to win possession in the final third six times in the Bundesliga this season.

A Premier League move will likely be spoken of in the not-so-distant future, and there will be a big question mark over whether his style will translate against sides playing a low-block.

His directness can be a huge asset on the counter, and Leipzig aren’t a side that care much about possession under Ole Werner. If he were to join a Liverpool, Man City, or even a Chelsea down the line, he’s not great at playing that line splitting pass needed to break down sides that are happy to have every man behind the ball.

He recently became the second youngest player in Bundesliga history to score a hattrick, tearing Eintracht Frankfurt apart in RB Leipzig’s 6-0 win, Walter Bechtold still holding the record set back in 1965, for those of us who remember.

Wearing a mask because he suffered a nasal bone fracture in the 2-0 win over Werder Breman, he might as well have donned a cape in the win over Frankfurt, that’s how good he was.

Diomande got his first goal in the 47^th minute, staying alert as Antonio Nusa fell to the ground and appealed for a penalty to smash a loose ball beyond Michael Zetterer and make it 3-0 for the home side.

He didn’t have long to wait for the opportunity to get his second. Christoph Baumgartner passed him the ball just outside the Frankfurt box, and for whatever reason, the defenders refused to close him down and gave Diomande about three minutes to pick out his spot, which he happily did.

The wingers third and Leipzig’s sixth goal offers us a better idea of what he’s all about. Diomande timed his run perfectly as he received the ball from Nicolas Seiwald, rounding the ‘keeper and slotting it into an empty net.

*Diomande’s shooting stats in the Bundesliga*

At international level, his rise has been nothing short of rapid. He was a relative unknown in his home country before making his debut, moving to the US as a child and coming up at the DME Academy before heading to Europe as a professional.

Diomande scored on his debut, scoring the Ivory Coast’s fifth in their 7-0 win over Seychelles in their penultimate World Cup qualifier before scoring in their next game, a 3-0 win over Kenya as they secure their spot at the 2026 World Cup.

“Hearing it like that is just crazy,” he’s said of his time with the national team. “But on the other hand, it’s honestly no coincidence. It’s all the result of the team’s hard work. I’m extremely happy and very proud. Playing for the national team was my biggest dream. Now I’m one of the players in my country who’s made it. Like my role model, Yaya Touré. That feels good.”

As the current reigning champions, the Ivory Coast are one of the favourites to win the trophy once again, although Morocco, Egypt, Senegal, and Nigeria (if they can get their act together), may have something to say about it.

Diomande undoubtedly has the ability to be a difference maker for his country on one of the biggest stages of all, and the player’s first international tournament.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Africa Cup of Nations on FotMob – with in-depth stat coverage, xG, and player ratings, where available. Download the free app here.

Dec

2025

Preview: Arsenal and Palace contest the last Carabao Cup quarterfinal

Arsenal are still winning, but an improvement is required on their last two victories over Everton and Wolves.

By Graham Ruthven

Running out of steam?

On results alone, Arsenal have little to worry about right now. Mikel Arteta’s team have won each of their last three matches in all competitions with their only defeat since August coming away to Aston Villa, the Premier League’s most in-form side.

And yet there is a familiar sense of foreboding beginning to grow around the Emirates Stadium. While the wins are still coming, Arsenal’s recent performances have been less-than-impressive.

Ground out victories against Everton and Wolves have kept the Gunners moving forward, but an improvement will be required against Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup quarter-final.

Oliver Glasner will similarly want to see an uptick in performance levels from his team with Palace currently on a winless run of three games. Saturday’s 4-1 loss to Leeds United was their heaviest defeat of the season so far.

On their day, the Eagles are capable of upsetting the strongest of opponents. However, those days have fewer and further between in recent weeks. Palace, however, have proven themselves as cup specialists under Glasner.

Key players

Viktor Gyökeres could be given another opportunity to lead the line after scoring the winner against Everton from the penalty spot on Saturday. The Swedish striker’s hold-up play and general finishing instincts could still do with some sharpening.

Only Leandro Trossard has contributed more goals and assists for Arsenal this season than Eberechi Eze who is in line to start against his former team on Tuesday. The England international will be a threat with his dribbling ability and eye for a goal from outside the box.

William Saliba could play due to the lack of defensive options available to Arteta right now while Kepa Arrizabalaga can expect to feature between the posts having started Arsenal’s two Carabao Cup matches to date this season.

Adam Wharton will be a key figure for Palace in the centre of the pitch on both sides of the ball. The midfielder has registered more assists than any of his teammates so far this season, also averaging 2.2 tackles per 90 minutes.

Marc Guéhi could be tested in central defence while Yeremy Pino will be a crucial out-ball for Crystal Palace in attacking transition. Their squad is being tested right now, but the Eagles still have quality throughout.

Team news

Arteta will surely rotate his Arsenal squad for Tuesday’s quarter-final with the Gunners set to play five matches over the next three weeks. This could see the likes of Noni Madueke, Gabriel Martinelli and Myles Lewis-Skelly promoted to the starting lineup.

Injuries remain a problem for the North London outfit with Gabriel Magalhães, Kai Havertz, Ben White, Cristhian Mosquera and Max Dowman all sidelined.

Crystal Palace will be without right Daniel Muñoz who is expected to miss the next two months through injury while Ismaïla Sarr is currently representing Senegal at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Daichi Kamada is another key figure set to miss Tuesday’s match at the Emirates Stadium while Cheick Doucouré and Chadi Riad remain out. Jean-Philippe Mateta is also a doubt.

*Arsenal and Palace’s meeting earlier this season*

Prediction

Fixture congestion plus the impact of injuries and absences on squad depth will all come in to question tonight, but we believe the hosts will have enough to win through, with London rivals Chelsea already lying in wait for them in the semifinals: Arsenal 2-0 Crystal Palace.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Carabao Cup (aka EFL Cup) with FotMob – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Dec

2025

Nigeria out to redeem themselves at the Africa Cup of Nations

Since Nigeria made their World Cup bow at the 1994 finals, the nation qualified for all but one of the subsequent six tournaments (2006), reaching the last 16 on two occasions.

By Ross Kilvington

A limp group stage exit in 2018 was their last showing at the World Cup, failing to qualify for back-to-back editions for the first time.

This came despite an increase to 48 participants for the 2026 World Cup and beyond.

Nigeria’s loss to DR Congo on penalties in the final of the CAF playoffs meant they won’t be making a return to North America, the site of their first World Cup 32 years ago.

The Super Eagles will be hoping to redeem themselves with a solid showing at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as they bid to win a fourth continental crown.

Nigeria’s last title at this event came back in 2013, while they finished runner-up to the Ivory Coast last time out.

Will a deep run at AFCON be enough to make up for yet another World Cup failure? Only time will tell.

Nigeria have an opportunity to go one better than 2024

There is no doubt missing out on the trophy last time will still be stinging the Nigerians. Taking on an Ivory Coast side who, despite sacking their manager in the group stage, reached the final thanks to an extraordinary run of results.

Nigeria were leading 1-0 heading into the final 30 minutes, before goals from Franck Kessie and Sebastien Haller saw the match turn on its head.

Placed in a group containing Tunisia, Uganda and Tanzania this time around, the Nigerians will be confident of reaching the knockout stages in Morocco with plenty to spare in the tank.

Should they win their group, a clash against the third place team from groups A/B/F awaits and this would see the nation in the bottom half of the knockout draw.

Finishing runner-up would see a clash against the nation finishing second in Group A. with host nation Morocco overwhelming favourites to win that group, that could mean a clash against either Mali, Zambia or Comoros.

Of course, AFCON always brings a few shocks to the table, but reaching the quarter-finals appears to be relatively straightforward task for the Super Eagles.

The question is, can a strong squad power them through the final three games in North Africa?

A midfield mixed with youth and experience

Fulham’s Alex Iwobi and Frank Onyeka of Brentford have won 128 caps between them and will be the cornerstones of a Nigerian midfield which blends experience with youth.

21-year-old attacking midfielder Ebenezer Akinsanmiro may have just a solitary cap to his name, but the youngster ranks in the top 5% among his peers in Serie A for successful dribbles (16) and in the top 7% for recoveries (67), suggesting he could offer plenty in the final third.

Wilfred Ndidi was announced as the new Super Eagles captain a few days ago and the former Leicester City midfielder could be the fulcrum for Eric Chelle‘s side in Morocco.

The 29-year-old has been excellent from a defensive point of view for Beşiktaş this season. Indeed, when compared to his positional peers in the Turkish SüperLig, Ndidi ranks in the top 10% for interceptions, recoveries, duels won and tackles this season.

As such, he comes into AFCON with the responsibility weighing heavily on his shoulders in leading this Nigeria squad to the latter stages of the tournament.

Given his superb form, however, his presence at the heart of the midfield will be a boost to those around him.

His ball winning abilities and tenacious nature will be a major benefit to those playing in front of him, especially considering the strength in depth of Nigeria’s attack heading to North Africa.

Victor Osimhen leads the charge for Nigeria

The Galatasaray frontman will be tasked with firing his nation to glory over the next few weeks. A move to Türkiye was a strange one, especially when the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea were sniffing around, but Osimhen has scored 49 goals in just 57 matches for the club since the summer of 2024.

Add in 31 goals across 47 national team appearances and it is evident just how dangerous the 26-year-old is.

This season, he has registered 2.2 shots on target per game while scoring 12 goals in 16 matches. Six of those have come in the Champions League.

Chelle isn’t stopping there. Also in the squad are Ademola Lookman, Cyriel Dessers, Samuel Chukwueze, Moses Simon, Akor Adams, Chidera Ejuke, Salim Fago Lawal and Paul Onuachu making up the nine-strong attacking contingent.

While Osimhen is the undoubted star, the other eight forwards have scored 35 international goals between them and will all be able to chip in if called upon by the manager.

The only concern is whether Chelle has gone too top heavy having named nine attackers. There is no doubt Nigeria will score goals, but they might be susceptible at the other end of the pitch.

Nevertheless, the Super Eagles head into AFCON among the favourites to contend for the trophy.

Failure to reach the World Cup certainly hasn’t been forgotten, but by claiming another continental title, Nigeria may just get the nation cheering again.

With a squad brimming full of talent, don’t be surprised to see the country holding the trophy aloft in January.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Africa Cup of Nations with FotMob this season – with in-depth stat coverage, including xG, shot maps, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Dec

2025

Preview: Barcelona visit Villarreal for final fixture of 2025

Third-placed Villarreal host league leaders Barcelona in the headline fixture of LaLiga’s final round of the year.

By Neel Shelat

Match not being played in Miami after all

This was set to be one of the most controversial fixtures of the season as UEFA approved LaLiga’s plan to make it their first-ever match on foreign soil a couple of months ago, with Miami selected as the host city. This idea was received extremely negatively by the vast majority of those associated with Spanish football, with the players going as far as to protest in the subsequent round of fixtures by refusing to play for the first 15 seconds of all matches.

Supporter groups of both clubs were also strongly opposed to the match being held abroad. Ultimately, it only took a couple of weeks before the league and promoters announced the cancellation of the match in Miami, citing the uncertainty that had arisen.

However, there is every chance that they will try again. Just this week, Serie A confirmed their intention to go ahead with the Como-Milan match in Australia, so LaLiga may well be tempted to follow suit sometime soon.

Villarreal looking to stay in touching distance of the table-toppers

Villarreal have lost their last two matches in other competitions and are eight points behind their opponents in the league. Even so, they could announce their arrival in the title race with a win here because they have two games in hand.

*How the table looked going in to the weekend*

Barcelona have won their last six matches in all competitions and are on a run of seven in La Liga, so they will be confident of going further clear at the top themselves.

Villarreal left light at the back

The visitors are only missing a couple of players for this fixture, but Villarreal are contending with a lot of absences for a couple of reasons. They are missing an entire back line in Juan Foyth, Logan Costa, Willy Kambwala, Santiago Mouriño and Sergi Cardona through injury. A couple of forwards including Gerard Moreno are out as well.

Furthermore, Thomas Partey’s injury coupled with Pape Gueye’s AFCON duty will weaken their midfield, while Ilias Akhomach is also off to Morocco and takes away an option on the wing.

Barcelona’s incredible record at La Cerámica

Barcelona should be glad that the match is going ahead in Villarreal because they are enjoying a great run of results at the Estadio de la Cerámica. The Blaugrana are unbeaten in this fixture since 2007, with a record of 13 wins and five draws since then. They have won in each of their last six visits, scoring a total of 19 goals across those games.

Prediction

Villarreal have some of the best defensive numbers in LaLiga, but their long injury list leaves them weakened at just the wrong time as they are set to face the best attack in the division. Marcelino’s side are quite good going forward as well, but Barcelona will be confident of comfortably outscoring their opponents.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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