There’s seven matches on the slate in the Premier League, with Newcastle vs. Bournemouth kicking of an epic day of action. Early season pacesetters Man City and Hull City are involved, with Maresca’s Blues hosting Coventry, and the Tigers closing the day against winless Villa.
Schalke, now back in the big time, have the daunting task of facing champions Bayern in the Bundesliga, and Athletic Club vs. Atlético Madrid is the headliner in LaLiga.
In Italy, Donyell Malen (five goals in two games) will be on the hunt for more when Roma play Atalanta, a game that comes just after the clash between title favourites Inter and Napoli.
5️⃣🔥 Five goal start to the season and an average FotMob rating of 9.31 for Donyell Malen.
It’s been a record breaking start to the Erdevisie season with the most goals ever recorded in the history of the Dutch league, and today two of the big three clash as Ajax host PSV Eindhoven.
In Türkiye, two of Istanbul’s big three also meet, with Beşiktaş heading across town to Fenerbahçe. Both teams have won two and lost one of their opening three games this season.
And lastly, spare a thought for Sirius, the runaway success story in Sweden who went 16 games unbeaten but have seen their lead at the top of the table cut down to six points after three straight defeats. They play away at midtable Västerås.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Only three games into the season and the top of the table has a familiar look with Barcelona and Real Madrid tied on nine points apiece with both sides claiming maximum points so far.
While Barca opened the campaign amid questions about their forward line and their lack of an orthodox number nine, the defending champions have scored 12 goals in their first three games.
The last six meetings between Barcelona and Valencia have produced 32 goals, averaging over five per game. This bodes well for the neutral ahead of Sunday’s encounter at Mestalla.
Valencia won their last meeting with Barca at Mestalla in May, but have yet to register a victory in any of their opening three league fixtures this season. Carlos Corberán’s team are firm underdogs against the champions.
Barcelona have won 10 of their last 20 visits to Mestalla, drawing eight and losing twice. The venue is frequently one of LaLiga’s most formidable to visit, but the Catalans have good reason to believe they can leave with three points.
Key players
Umar Sadiq scored Valencia’s only goal in last week’s 3-1 defeat to Deportivo A Coruña and did enough to keep his place as one of the two starting forwards in Corberán’s 5-3-2 formation.
Javi Guerra started alongside Sadiq against Depor and will offer Valencia some threat behind Barcelona’s trademark high defensive line. The hosts will have no choice but to play on the break for the most part.
Mouctar Diakhaby will operate at the heart of Valencia’s backline which will be tasked with attempting to stop the most prolific forward line in LaLiga. The 29-year-old’s job will be a challenging one.
Raphinha has started the season in excellent form, scoring five times in just three outings. The Brazilian is operating in a central role after the summer exit of Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres and is so far thriving in the position.
Both Barcelona and Real Madrid’s attacking trios have been on fire this season…
Anthony Gordon has hit the ground running for his new team. Literally considering the Englishman’s role in leading the press from the front and offering Barcelona verticality through his speed.
Rodri could be in line to start his first match as a Barca player after coming off the bench in the recent wins over Athletic Club and Rayo Vallecano. Sunday’s match, however, is likely to come too soon for deadline day addition Gabriel Jesus.
Barcelona have their own injury troubles with Roony Bardghji, Frenkie de Jong, and Gavi all sidelined for the Spanish champions. Jesus and Rodri are also working their way up to full fitness after joining the club in the summer.
Otherwise, Hansi Flick has a fully fit and available squad to choose from for the visit to Mestalla.
Prediction
In keeping with recent seasons, we think there will be goals, and Barca will come away with the win: Valencia 1-3 Barcelona.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Chelsea are expected to be one of the main challengers to defending champions Arsenal’s throne. The two London rivals’ clash in the third round of the new season could already prove to be pivotal in the title race.
Arsenal’s long-awaited Premier League title victory was built on a rock-solid defence. They conceded just 27 league goals last season and kept clean sheets in half of their games. Challengers Manchester City let in 35 goals, while no one else managed 45 or fewer. The Gunners’ xG conceded tally of 28.3 was even more impressive.
Mikel Arteta’s side could well repeat the trick this term. They have kept clean sheets in all three of their matches so far, already setting themselves apart from everyone else in the league. Their xG conceded tally after two league games is a paltry 0.5, with David Raya only called on to make one save so far.
Chelsea already producing fireworks under Xabi Alonso
By contrast, Chelsea have been clinical at the sharp end in their very first fixtures under new head coach Xabi Alonso. They have a joint-highest tally of seven goals scored after two league games, in addition to the couple that they netted in the EFL Cup. On the flip side, though, their defence has been rather leaky, contributing to making their matches the most entertaining in terms of total goals.
The Blues will definitely need to shore up at the back if they are to end an 11-match winless streak against Arsenal and come away with something from the Emirates Stadium for the first time in five years.
The same cannot be said of Chelsea, who saw Moisés Caicedo limp off in their last game less than 15 minutes after coming on off the bench. Summer signing Marco Palestra is yet to make his debut due to an injury he picked up in training. Jordan Henderson is in a similar position due to his freak wrist injury at the World Cup.
Key players
Declan Rice has yet to complete a full 90 this season after a hectic first half of the year and intense summer, but he could dominate against a weakened Chelsea midfield. Part of his job will be to support Martin Ødegaard in dictating the tempo of the game. Among defenders, Riccardo Calafiori will have a dual responsibility of keeping Pedro Neto quiet while also getting forward and posing a threat himself.
New arrivals Maxence Lacroix and Emiliano Martínez will have a big job to do for Chelsea if they are to avoid defeat. Up front, club-record signing Morgan Rogers could be the hero if the Blues are to get a smash-and-grab victory.
Prediction
Chelsea’s 26% possession share in the 4-3 win over Brighton was the lowest figure ever registered by a Xabi Alonso team. They may look to try something similar here, but the Gunners might still have enough to edge out a win.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Two straight defeats have cast an early cloud over Spurs’ 2026/27 campaign, and they now go off in search of their first point of the new season at The City Ground against another club who’ve been in a bit of a state of flux, Nottingham Forest.
It’s been all change at Spurs this summer, but there hasn’t been much improvement on the pitch yet
It seems reasonable to say that Spurs had a busy summer transfer window. With ten players having arrived and seventeen having left, the first-team squad has been rebuilt at great expense with the wants of new-ish head coach Roberto De Zerbi squarely in mind.
But so far on the pitch, their league matches haven’t shown much of an improvement on last season. The performance against Newcastle was better than that against Brentford – it could scarcely have been worse – but they remain without a point or a goal after two matches.
Oliver Glasner has landed at Nottingham Forest, but their start to the season has also been mixed. Beaten at home by Leeds United on the opening weekend, they put in a considerably improved performance at Liverpool last weekend and came away from Anfield with a point from a 2-2 draw.
Forest have won their last four consecutive games against Spurs
Forest have won their last four Premier League fixtures against Spurs, including two 3-0 wins last season. Prior to that, they hadn’t beaten them in the league since 1997, though it should be added that this unbeaten run only amounted to six matches.
Perhaps the historical meeting between these two of the greatest long-term significance came in October 1983, when they met at White Hart Lane in the first league match to be shown live on the television in England since 1960. Spurs came from behind to win that one 2-1.
Without a clear number nine, Spurs need to look elsewhere for goals
Spurs didn’t get the number nine they need during the summer transfer window, so there may be pressure on Omar Marmoush to step up and plug that gap. Marmoush made his debut at Newcastle last weekend and showed flashes of promise, but with the team still looking very much like a work in progress, the pressure is already starting to build on the players, and those new signings are going to have to start reliably delivering soon if the atmosphere around The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium isn’t to turn mutinous again.
💰 Tottenham almost made an ENTIRE new lineup of players signed this summer, with 10 new transfers!
With “only” four new arrivals over the course of the summer, Forest had a far quieter summer than Spurs, and if we’re looking to one player as their most likely source of goals or assists this Saturday, Morgan Gibbs-White is the best place to start. He scored at Anfield last weekend and he was their top scorer last season, with 15. Given how close he came to joining Spurs just over a year ago, there would be an extra layer of irony were he to play a significant role in condemning them to another defeat this weekend.
Spurs injuries are slowly clearing up, while Forest may welcome a player who’s played with Oliver Glasner before
Arguably their most eyebrow-raising move of transfer deadline day was bringing in Mykhaylo Mudryk on loan from Chelsea. De Zerbi loves Mudryk, and it would not be a surprise to see him make an appearance, though it may be from the bench.
The arrival of Daniel Muñoz from Crystal Palace on deadline day reunites the Colombian international with his former manager, and he may be drafted straight in on their right, while Ibrahim Sangaré is expected to return, having missed the Liverpool match. Nicolo Savona will be out until October with a knee injury.
Forest are in a considerably more settled state than Spurs
The amount of money spent by Tottenham Hotspur has fundamentally altered expectations for this season, and while a squad so radically altered was always going to take time to gel, the longer things get dragged out before they do change only makes the feeling of huge dissatisfaction amongst supporters likely to increase again. There’s a pretty strong case for saying that this has already started.
Nottingham Forest have had a mixed start to the new season, but Oliver Glasner is a decent coach and their performance against Liverpool was a definite improvement over their opening weekend loss to Leeds. They brought in four new faces over the summer, and are clearly in a more settled state than their visitors.
Both teams need a bit of a kick-start to really get their seasons going, but Forest look in a better place to do so than Spurs. If a Spurs revival is to start, this still feels a little early, given that all indications have so far been that any improvement from them is going to be incremental rather than huge and sudden. So 1-0 Forest on this occasion is my prediction, with the feeling that nothing material has truly changed for Spurs on the pitch yet.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Enzo Maresca’s Manchester City welcome Coventry to the Etihad on Saturday afternoon as they look to make it three wins from three in the Premier League.
Maresca cut a frustrated figure after City’s 3-0 humbling at the hands of Arsenal in the Community Shield a few weeks ago.
Although a glorified friendly, the Cityzens looked a shadow of their former selves throughout the defeat, leading many to wonder if this might be a transitional campaign.
It’s funny how quick perceptions can change in football. A few weeks later, after taking six points from six in the Premier League, things appear rosy once again.
A nervy 2-1 win over Bournemouth, with City coming back from a goal down to net twice in the final six minutes, wasn’t the free-flowing start Maresca would have wanted. Nevertheless, a win is a win.
That changed at Selhurst Park last Friday. Two goals each from Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki gave City a comfortable 4-1 win.
A clash against the Sky Blues gives Maresca a great chance of making it three from three in the league. City have not lost their previous 30 matches in the top flight against promoted clubs.
Coventry still adapting to the Premier League
Two games, two defeats. Zero goals scored and four conceded across those games isn’t the start Frank Lampard hoped for, especially with a clash against City on the horizon.
The Englishman stated that there “are some serious lessons” to learn following the 1-0 loss to Hull last weekend, but things won’t get any easier.
These two clubs haven’t met since Coventry’s last season in the Premier League back in 2000/01. If Lampard is to take any encouragement into this tie, however, it will be the fact Coventry haven’t suffered defeat against their opponents across the previous eight top flight meetings dating back to August 1993.
Anything other than a defeat would be a great result for the Sky Blues, one that could give them plenty of confidence moving forward.
Team news
Jérémy Doku is City’s only definite absentee for Saturday, although Matheus Nunes remains a doubt for the match.
Enzo Fernández and Iliman Ndiaye could both make their full debut since joining in the final few days of the window.
Lampard will be missing Haji Wright, who is out for the long-term with a thigh issue. Frank Onyeka and Sidiki Cherif will need to be assessed before the match.
Prediction
City enter this clash buoyed by a perfect start to the Premier League season, while Coventry sit 17th after a poor start.
Everything points towards another three points for Maresca and his men, but the Italian must be wary of complacency. While City have an excellent record against promoted clubs, Maresca lost his last game against a newly promoted side when his Chelsea team lost to Leeds last year.
With plenty of strength in depth, City might make a few changes for this tie, especially considering a Champions League clash against Porto awaits them on Tuesday.
Regardless, we think the home side will seal a comfortable victory: Man City 3-0 Coventry City.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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After over 100 days since a ball was last kicked, the Barclays WSL returns on Friday night looking stronger than ever. With 14 teams and significant investment into playing squads over the summer, the 2026/27 season promises to be one of the most competitive yet.
The destination of the title is genuinely hard to call even though it feels like three teams possess a clear advantage over others in the race for Europe (the top two finishers qualify automatically, while third enters the Champions League qualification process).
Manchester City remain the benchmark. Andrée Jeglertz enjoyed a debut season to remember as he guided City to their first title in nearly a decade. With the incomparable Bunny Shaw leading the way, they outscored their opponents with 62 goals last time out (Arsenal were second with 53), registering 58.6 xG (to Arsenal’s 48.4) and creating 102 big chances. However, they have done less business than their opponents with just three new faces and concerns remain with Vivianne Miedema ruled out of the start with a knee injury.
How last season finished
Every year, there are questions over whether Arsenalcan finally make a charge. There is no doubt that they have the squad to do so. The arrival of Georgia Stanway,Géraldine Reuteler, and Ona Batlle add both experience and quality. In seasons gone by, they have been punished for a lack of ruthlessness and slow starts. Reneé Slegers’ team were defeated just once in the league last year but recorded six draws, something they need to cut out if they are to seriously compete.
Hurting from the disappointment of last year, Chelsea are going through a rebuild under Sonia Bompastor but still possess the pedigree to mount a significant challenge. Two of Chelsea’s three defeats last time out came against their title rivals. If they can swing that balance in their favour and become more clinical, they have a real opportunity.
The race for fourth: teams at a crossroads
While the conversation around fourth place is a bit of a construct – no one actually gets any rewards for it – it is a barometer for the team most capable of challenging the big three.
A lot of praise for this should be at Manchester United’s door. Despite only gaining promotion in 2019, they have consistently been in the top four mix, competing in the Champions League at the expense of Manchester City last season.
The club, however, have had a turbulent time away from the pitch with big questions emerging about the willingness of the owners to finance the women’s team. Marc Skinner, who had frequently called for more investment, departed by mutual consent over the summer. Eva Olid, a young Spanish manager, was named as his replacement with the club reportedly focusing on the development on their younger players. This has been reflected in their transfer dealings during this window.
Man United face a tough start
By contrast, London City Lionesses have been big spenders with some of the biggest stars in the game joining over the summer. The arrival of proven winners Alexia Putellas, Kadidiatou Diani, and Mapi León is a clear signal of Michele Kang’s intentions for her club.
Tottenham, meanwhile, have the opportunity to build on their impressive progress in Martin Ho’s first campaign to try and put themselves firmly in the mix. Brighton have similarly developed into an ambitious side, both on and off the pitch, but a late change in manager – Arturo Ruiz replaced the departing Dario Vidošić just a week before the start of the season – has raised questions around what can feasibly be expected.
Three new teams freshen things up
The expansion to 14 teams means the league has three new faces. Birmingham City and Crystal Palace both secured automatic promotion from WSL 2 while Charlton Athletic claimed the final place through a dramatic play-off.
The ask is a big one. As Crystal Palace found out just two seasons ago, the step up is significant and you cannot afford to be naive about it. Those lessons from that campaign should be a firm base for Jo Potter’s side going forward.
Birmingham City will feel that they are finally back where they belong, having spent the last four years in the second tier. The support has been there from the club’s owners allowing Amy Merricks to overhaul her squad and build one she feels is capable of competing at the top.
Charlton, another team with a deep history in the game, have perhaps had a slower summer in terms of spending with Karen Hills keeping faith in many of her established team. The foundations of last year’s success were a solid defence and they will be hoping that those principles will help them avoid heading straight back down.
With automatic relegation returning for the side who finishes last and the 13th-place finisher having to go through a promotion/relegation play-off, at least one of these new teams will survive their first year in the top flight.
New faces to look out for…
The summer transfer window has been one of the busiest on record with clubs using the quiet, major tournament-free summer to replenish, and regenerate their squads.
Alexia Putellas will no doubt go down as the most high-profile addition to the league. A global superstar, the Spanish midfielder arrived at London City from Barcelona a two-time Ballon d’Or winner with 10 Liga F trophies and on the back of her fourth Champions League win. That’s not to mention what she has achieved on the international stage. A prolific scorer and a natural leader, she could have a huge influence on London City’s ability to hit the ground running.
A very familiar face has returned to England. Georgia Stanway is back in the WSL after four successful years in the Frauen Bundesliga with Bayern Munich. The England star brings much needed quality to Arsenal’s midfield that has been low on depth in recent seasons. Her presence should help ease the pressure on Kim Little in the twilight of her career and allow Mariona Caldentey to be more creative.
Everton have secured the signature of 23-year-old Holly McNamara from Melbourne City. After several years of injury, the forward has shone in the A-League, securing the Golden Boot for the last two seasons running, and broken into the senior Australia setup. A natural goal scorer, she has all the potential to make a real impact to the Toffees’ front line.
Liverpool announced the signing of Vivien Endemann in April, that keen to get the German forward through the door. With her explosive speed, the 24-year-old is a huge threat on the transition and a strong addition to the squad Gareth Taylor is continuing to build.
Finally, Giulia Dragoni is one of the most high-profile young stars in the game. The 19-year-old signed for Chelsea from Barcelona to bolster their attacking presence. The Italian went to her first World Cup at the age of 16 and has impressed with her technical ability and composure in the midfield area.
(Images from IMAGO)
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José Mourinho‘s side have won all three of their LaLiga games so far, scoring ten goals along the way. As was the case last season, Madrid still sit behind Barcelona, who have a superior goal difference.
Betis enjoyed a strong start to the campaign, winning their opening two matches. They did crumble last time out, however, losing 5-2 against Levante.
At home against Madrid, Betis are unbeaten in the last four meetings.
Recent H2H meetings at Betis
Team news
Betis will be out a trio of stars heading into this game. Diego Conde, Aitor Ruibal and Giovani Lo Celso will all be unavailable. Dani Ceballos could be in the squad to face his former club, after signing towards the end of the window.
Real Betis fans will undoubtedly be incredibly disappointed with their result against Levante last time out. Conceding five goals is never a positive, but based on their performance, it should be an anomaly.
Betis managed more shots, had 60% possession, and 46 touches inside the opposition box. Manuel Pellegrini’s side just struggled to find the back of the net, and on another day they may have won that comfortably.
Real Madrid looking dangerous in attack
Mourinho is well known for having his sides well drilled defensively, but Madrid have looked deadly in the final third this season. The Spanish giants have averaged nine shots on target per game, more than any other side, while scoring ten goals in just three games.
Both Barcelona and Real Madrid’s attacking trios have been on fire this season…
It does feel like there is also room for Madrid to go to another level too. Mourinho’s side have created 12 big chances compared to Barcelona’s 20, so they’ll be looking to take it up another level if they want to catch the champions.
Start as you mean to go on
Kylian Mbappé was on another level for Real Madrid last season, scoring a phenomenal 43 goals in 47 games. Hitting those numbers again will certainly be a difficult task, but he’s already giving it a good go in the opening four matches.
The French striker has scored four times already this season, with none of those coming from the penalty spot. If Madrid are going to pip Barcelona to the title, they’ll need Mbappé to enjoy another phenomenal season.
Prediction
A trip to Betis hasn’t been easy for Madrid in recent years, but they look incredibly assured this season. We’re going for a narrow 2-1 victory to Mourinho’s side in this game.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Andoni Iraola takes his Liverpool side to newly promoted Ipswich, seeking a first competitive win at the third time of asking in the Premier League – and with a new £106m signing in tow.
Much has been made of the Reds’ transfer window, with a massive outlay on Bradley Barcola not being matched by investment in a couple of clear problem areas from the past 12 months or so.
Gaping holes and a problem position
Driving buses through the centre of Liverpool’s midfield has been a fun and relaxing pastime for many a Premier League opponent of late, as Iraola is finding out, as Arne Slot failed to halt, as even Jürgen Klopp experienced too. Chopping and changing personnel will remain the approach for now, and seeing who sticks to the task of noticing when their double pivot partner has made a run forward – ideally then not doing the same.
But it’s at right-back where most fans remain concerned, with an underperforming Jeremie Frimpong being targeted by rivals and the presumed captain-in-waiting Dominik Szoboszlai already pressed into action there just two matches into the season. Unless either the diminutive Dutchman improves or an alternative out-of-position option presents itself within the squad, Jérémy Jacquet will quickly find himself overburdened with work on a regular basis, just as his predecessor did as the Reds’ right-sided centre-half.
Not mission critical but opportunity arises
For Ipswich, it would be easy to dismiss facing Liverpool as the type of match which won’t determine their fate come the end of the season, and perhaps that’s even true. But it doesn’t mean the fixture is a write-off and Gary O’Neil will want to put on a show against a former employer, where he was Academy coach before joining Bournemouth.
A heavy defeat to Manchester United will have been instructional as to the vagaries of Premier League football as much as the demands of consistency and quality, and the aforementioned areas to target against the former champions can quite feasibly leave the Suffolk side believing a point is there for the taking – at least.
Recent form
A win and a defeat for the newly promoted hosts is a reasonable start, but they’ll know building home form is key even if they now face the Reds and then Arsenal (in the EFL Cup) in quick succession. Liverpool have drawn both matches so far, requiring four comeback goals already to at least remain unbeaten.
Team news
New signings Florentino Luis and Emersonn are doubts for the hosts, so a decision is needed at No. 9 at least – Zian Flemming could debut. For Liverpool, Barcola may have to wait on the bench, while both Joe Gomez and Fede Chiesa remain out.
Key player
Florian Wirtz showed more reasons why he could be a driving force for Liverpool this season in his most recent outing, and despite a disallowed goal he fashioned the two they did score. 18 line-breaking passes in two games and covered the most ground last time out too, at 12.1km.
Wirtz’s shotmap so far this season
Prediction
Liverpool to continue with some defensive struggles – but their firepower should be telling. Ipswich 1-2 Liverpool.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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There will be a Gaelic feel to El Gran Derbi, the Seville Derby in November, with Sevilla hosting Real Betis at the Ramon-Sanchez Pizjuan later this year as the two teams battle for local bragging rights.
Sevilla secured the services of Scottish striker Robbie Ure last month, the 22-year-old joining from Swedish side Sirius. Ure registered his first goal involvement in the recent 3-1 home defeat to Atlético Madrid.
Not to be outdone, Real Betis secured Troy Parrott’s services in mid-August. Parrott had been linked with a return to England, with Championship side West Ham United previously leading the race to land the Republic of Ireland international.
The 24-year-old, though, opted for a switch to Betis, and it’s easy to see why. The Heliopolitans enjoyed a memorable 2025/26 campaign in LaLiga as they ultimately finished fifth. They were among the division’s great entertainers as they bagged 59 goals, yet shipped 48.
Cucho Fernández was their top scorer with 11 goals to his name. Abde Ezzalzouli bagged 10 times. In all, a total of 17 players struck for Manuel Pellegrini’s side in Spain’s top tier last term. There was a fair spread of goals, which is hardly a surprise for a team that ranked behind just Barcelona and Real Madrid for both shots (14.2) and chances created per 90 (10.8).
Ahead of a first Champions League run in over 20 years, however, they needed a bagsman. A player to put the ball in the ball of the net with greater regularity. A striker who’d capitalise upon the chances put in front of him. Cucho, after all, was the first player to score more than 10 league goals in a single season for Betis since Borja Iglesias netted 15 times in 2022/23.
Parrott’s player traits compared to positional peers in comparable leagues
To match his goal-getting ability, Parrott brings tactical flexibility to Pellegrini’s frontline. The experienced Chilean favours a 4-2-3-1 setup, with the striker required to not only tuck away chances but essentially act as a false nine to link up the play on a fluid frontline. Pellegrini addressed Parrott’s versatility after putting pen to paper on a five-year contract.
“He is not only a number nine,” the Real Betis boss said. “He’s a good goalscorer, he knows how to find space, and is a good player. He has that instinct for the ball and I think he’s going to do well.”
Parrott’s off-the-ball intelligence should eventually see him slot in seamlessly. That’s because the supporting act – largely Antony, the mercurial Isco and Rodrigo Riquelme, while Nelson Deossa and Abde are also options – work best with a physical presence leading the line. The striker’s hold-up play and ability to hold off defenders will benefit the ball carriers at Pellegrini’s disposal. They’ll be able to maximise the space he opens up to put opponents to the sword.
Factor in the increase of game time owing to Champions League qualification, and the demands it will place on the squad, and Betis needed to strengthen their depth across a number of key positions. What’s key here, though, is that Parrott and Cucho are able to operate alongside one another should Pellegrini need to throw another forward into the mix.
Given Parrott’s willingness to drop deeper and Cuho’s explosive timing when playing off the shoulder of the last defender, the pair have the potential to forge an effective partnership if ever deployed together.
Parrott’s goal-laden two seasons at AZ Alkmaar
In time, Parrott should prove an ideal fit for the Seville powerhouse. The move to Betis continued his storied career across the continent. At one stage, Parrott was considered the heir to Harry Kane’s throne at Tottenham Hotspur. Loan spells across a number of EFL sides, including Millwall and Preston North End, eventually saw Parrott secure a season-long switch to Dutch outfit Excelsior.
And it was with the Rotterdam side that Parrott began to really realise his potential. Indeed, he scored 10 goals and provided four assists across 25 league outings for Excelsior before AZ Alkmaar came knocking.
In 2024, he departed Spurs permanently. Supporters were surprised to see the youth academy product depart for AZ for a reported €8m. In the current market, it represented a steal. The Irishman scored 30 league goals across his two seasons before last month’s high-profile switch to sunny Spain.
A return to England would have been an easy route back to the spotlight for Parrott. Having chanced his luck in one of Europe’s perceived lesser leagues, he’d have torn up the Championship in the Hammers’ quest to make an immediate return to England’s top tier.
However, the Seville switch marks something of a coming of age move for Parrott. Evidently, he’s not afraid to move outside of his comfort zone to further his career, and this mentality is to be praised. Of course, it hasn’t been an easy start for Parrott.
His first appearance was as a second-half substitute in a hard-fought 1-0 win at Valencia. Betis’ marquee summer signing endured an afternoon of mixed fortunes in his full debut against Levante. Parrott saw a goal disallowed before his withdrawal on the hour mark. He’ll hope to make amends in Friday’s welcome of Real Madrid as he gears up to make his debut at the Estadio Benito Villamarín.
It took Parrott a little while to bag his first goal for AZ following his 2024 switch. He drew a blank in his opening four league appearances before smashing four past Heerenveen in his fifth outing. Real Betis would love a repeat of his awesome foursome when Los Blancos make the trip south for Friday’s tantalising clash.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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João Pedro has so far proved himself to be an exception. The Brazilian scored 15 league goals in his debut season as a Chelsea player and looks to have taken another step forward over the summer. Xabi Alonso has placed his faith in Pedro and he is already repaying the Blues boss for that belief.
By scoring seven goals in back-to-back wins over Fulham and Brighton, Chelsea have started the season in electric attacking form and Pedro has more than played his part. The 24-year-old has registered four goal contributions (two goals and two assists) in a forward line that could be as threatening as any other in the Premier League right now.
Chelsea’s new star trio of Palmer, Rogers and Joao Pedro have been on FIRE so far this season…
Some of Chelsea’s attacking sequences against Fulham and Brighton were lightning quick. Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Pedro all appear to be on the same wavelength such is the trio’s natural understanding and ability to interchange and move around each other in the final third.
Alonso wants his teams to play at speed. Chelsea had just 26% of possession in the win over Brighton, something that Alonso will want to address over the course of the season. By conceding control of the ball, though, the Blues were able to attack open space on the break. Pedro is more than comfortable with this brief.
“He’s very hungry. João is really, really determined to have a great season,” said Alonso. “’He wants to – after a great last year, where he scored many goals – I think that he wants to keep scoring more and more. But we need to help him, as on his own it’s not possible. He will have the players around him and they need to have this hunger to score as well. It’s not just about the striker, but every time that we win and our striker scores, I am happy.”
Even as Chelsea evolve their playing style, Pedro’s all-round game will be a good fit for Alonso’s vision. The Brazilian can hold up the ball and bring others into the play. He can dribble past an opponent and has a creative streak, as illustrated by the five assists he notched in the Premier League last season.
Pedro’s player traits compared with positional peers in top five leagues
Pedro charted a higher Expected Goals (xG) than any other Chelsea last season. Only Palmer averaged more shots on target per 90 minutes than the Brazilian, highlighting his natural knack for taking up good positions in and around the penalty box. Alonso has clearly seen this and is using Pedro as a focal point.
When Pedro joined Chelsea in a £60m deal from Brighton a year ago, there was a debate about his best position. The Brazilian can operate as a second striker or a number 10. He is also comfortable in a wide position, but it is through the middle where Pedro is most effective.
Chelsea’s defensive vulnerability might prevent them from challenging for the Premier League title this season. While Alonso’s side have caught the eye as an attacking force, scoring seven times, they have also allowed five goals. They would have conceded more against Brighton had it not been for Emi Martínez who marked his debut with four saves.
The defensive situation might improve once Moisés Caicedo is available again. The Ecuadorian offers more protection for the back four while Reece James will give Chelsea greater control of possession once he is back from injury. Alonso is having to make do with a makeshift midfield for the time being.
In Pedro, though, Chelsea have a centre forward capable of leading the line for a title-challenging team. Erling Haaland might be the Premier League’s most ruthless penalty box finisher, but Pedro might be the centre forward in the division with the most complete skill set.
Carlo Ancelotti’s bizarre decision to leave Pedro out of his Brazil squad for the World Cup gave the 24-year-old time to rest up over the summer. Brazil’s loss has been Chelsea’s gain with Pedro fit and fresh for the start of the season. He is performing at the peak of his powers and there is still much more to come.
Alonso hasn’t been in the job at Stamford Bridge for long, but the former midfielder is already reshaping Chelsea in his own image. The Blues were busy in the summer transfer window finding players to fit the new manager’s system and approach. Pedro, however, was just waiting for someone like Alonso to find another level.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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