Page 18 – The Pulse of Football

May

2026

Preview: LaLiga champions Barcelona host Real Betis

Celebrations from both teams are likely to have been the case even before LaLiga has played out, with Barcelona claiming the title and Real Betis sealing a return to the Champions League.

By Karl Matchett

Hansi Flick’s side secured one of the more memorable El Clásico victories last weekend, beating Real Madrid to ensure back-to-back league championships at the same time – though perhaps a midweek defeat at Alavés was a bit of a comedown. Regardless, they have two major objectives left in the remaining games this season.

Camp Nou perfection

With the final round of matches seeing Barca head to Valencia, this is their last on home soil for the season – and they’ve a chance to claim maximum points in the process. Not just on the day, but for the entirety of 2025/26 in the Camp Nou…well, and the Estadi Johan Cruyff and Olimpic Lluis Companys, as they played at “home” in both of those grounds too, only moving into their rebuilt ground in late November.

*Barca’s home and away points breakdown this season*

Regardless of location, the outcome at home has been the same so far: 18 league games, 18 league wins. One more makes a perfect campaign – they managed 18 wins and one draw back in 12/13 and 09/10, but no Spanish side have had a 100% home record since Real Madrid a full 40 years ago, in an 18-team league so with two home matches fewer.

As an additional side note, winning both their last two games will give a season tally of 97 points, putting this Barca side third on the all-time list of single-season hauls. Barca have previously managed 99 (09/10) and 100 (12/13), with Real Madrid also the joint-record holders on 100 (11/12).

Kings of consistency

Real Betis have quietly become one of LaLiga’s most impressively consistent teams over the last few years, having already guaranteed they’ll finish fifth this term – and with that comes a Champions League place for the first time in 20 years. Back in 05/06, though, they finished third in their group and exited to the Uefa Cup, disappointingly losing then to Steaua Bucharest. This time it’s straight into the main 30-team league for at least eight fixtures among the elite.

Betis have finished 5th, 6th or 7th in each of the last six campaigns now, which may give rise to questions of LaLiga’s glass ceiling, despite the club’s undeniable progress.

Recent form

Six straight wins before losing last time for Barcelona. Only one defeat in nine for Betis – and three wins. They love a draw.

Team news

Lamine Yamal’s season is done, but everyone else is available.

Betis are without suspended pair Diego Llorente and Cucho Hernández, plus injured former Barca centre-back Marc Bartra.

Key player

Robert Lewandowski faces his final home game for Barcelona, so he’ll probably score. The 37-year-old ranks top for non-penalty xG per 90 in LaLiga this term, with 47% of his shots on target. Surely he goes out with a celebration.

*Lewandowski’s season-by-season record at Barcelona*

Prediction

Barcelona to end the season on a positive note and a perfect home record for the league campaign: Barcelona 3-1 Real Betis.

(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.

Add FotMob as a preferred news source on Google by clicking – here.

May

2026

Preview: Stuttering Chelsea take on title-chasing Manchester City in the FA Cup final

While Manchester City can still dream of a domestic treble, Chelsea can only hope to salvage an otherwise disappointing season in the FA Cup final.

By Neel Shelat

Coaching change unable to turn Chelsea’s form around

A run of seven straight losses against top-flight opposition ended Liam Rosenior’s short-lived tenure as Chelsea head coach. With just a month to go to the end of the season by the time he was dismissed, the Blues decided to ask Calum McFarlane to reprise his interim role. He managed to lead them to the FA Cup final by grinding out a one-goal win against Leeds United, but the subsequent loss to relegation-battling Nottingham Forest and draw against a subpar Liverpool have not done anything to alleviate concerns about the team’s performances.

Over the last three months, Chelsea’s only wins have come against Aston Villa, Wrexham, Port Vale and Leeds United. In the meantime, they have lost nine matches, over half of which were by three-goal margins.

Manchester City’s dominant recent record against the Blues

Further stacking the odds against Chelsea is the fact that they have failed to beat Manchester City in almost five years. Their last win over Pep Guardiola’s side came on the biggest occasion possible in the 2021 Champions League final, but they have drawn just three and lost 10 since then.

McFarlane did oversee a draw against his former employers in Manchester thanks to Enzo Fernández’s last-gasp winner during his initial interim stint earlier this season, but City have won all four of their other meetings over the last couple of seasons.

*Recent H2H results in the Premier League*

The 10-time English champions are generally in imperious form, having won eight and drawn the outlier in the last four weeks. They will also set a record of becoming the first team to appear in four consecutive men’s FA Cup finals when they take to the pitch at Wembley.

Team news

Robert Sánchez, Alejandro Garnacho and Pedro Neto have all returned to training for Chelsea after missing recent matches due to minor injuries. That leaves Estêvão and Jamie Gittens as their only major absentees.

Manchester City have a near-fully fit squad to take into this match, with Rodri being the only doubt due to his recent groin injury. Guardiola rested some of his stars in the midweek league game against Crystal Palace, so fatigue won’t be too big a concern either.

Key players

Reece James returned from his latest hamstring injury last weekend to make his first appearance since March. He will be in contention to start here, and could have a big defensive role to play against Jérémy Doku. João Pedro will be keen to cap off his best-ever goal-scoring season with a flourish on the biggest day, while Cole Palmer could produce a moment of magic against the side he made his senior debut for.

Nico O’Reilly has been a surprise big-game contributor for Manchester City this season, and could well repeat his heroics from the EFL Cup final. Rayan Cherki produced two memorable assists when these two sides met last month, Erling Haaland didn’t get on the scoresheet then, so he’ll be raring to score in his first cup outing against Chelsea.

Prediction

Chelsea will be eager to share their record of three-consecutive FA Cup final losses with Manchester City, but it is hard to see them getting the win here in order to do that.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Add FotMob as a preferred news source on Google by clicking – here.

May

2026

FotMob Profile: Senne Lammens is already among the best goalkeepers in the Premier League

Manchester United’s goalkeeper has been a key part of the Old Trafford side’s upswing under interim manager Michael Carrick.

By Graham Ruthven

Before Senne Lammens, the position of Manchester United goalkeeper was made to look almost impossible. Altay Bayındır and André Onana both floundered to the point that the club was forced into a desperate late move for a new number one in last summer’s transfer window. That’s when they found Senne Lammens.

*Lammens’ first season in the Premier League*

Lammens was a relative unknown when he arrived at Old Trafford from Royal Antwerp. A bargain at €21m, many doubted Manchester United had unearthed a goalkeeper capable of making an immediate impact, but Lammens settled more quickly than was ever envisaged.

Since making his United debut with a clean sheet in a win over Sunderland, Lammens has been a calming presence between the posts. At first, it was simply enough that he was an improvement on Bayındır and Onana. Now, though, it’s fair to place the 23-year-old among the best goalkeepers in the Premier League.

As a shot-stopper, Lammens has demonstrated his ability in the Premier League. The Belgian has made a number of eye-catching saves, including in last Saturday’s 0-0 draw away to Sunderland when Manchester United had their goalkeeper to thank for preserving a point.

*Lammens’ shot map in the Premier League*

From corner kicks and set pieces, Lammens is a formidable presence and much more comfortable at claiming crosses into the penalty area than either Bayındır or Onana ever were. The way the Premier League has been this season, this is a particularly important quality for a goalkeeper to have.

On the ball, Lammens’ one big mistake as a Manchester United player came when trying to play out from the back against Liverpool. He isn’t as comfortable in possession as some other modern goalkeepers, but Carrick’s approach doesn’t require Lammens to be in the mould of someone like Ederson or Joan Garcia.

A large part of Lammens’ strength, however, is in his demeanour. Comparisons have been made to Edwin van der Sar who, like Lammens, was formidable in a physical sense, but was composed as a character behind the Manchester United defence. Lammens has brought down the anxiety levels in the United backline.

*Lammens’ passing stats rated against other Premier League goalkeepers*

Michael Carrick has also done that as interim manager at Old Trafford. While the former midfielder’s future beyond the end of the season is yet to be resolved, Manchester United’s dramatic upswing since Ruben Amorim’s departure can be attributed to Carrick’s common sense revolution.

“I’ve got to be honest, there’s not many special things he did,” said Lammens when asked about Carrick’s impact. “It’s just sticking to the basics. We have players with the quality that can make a difference, but you just have to do the basics right; to make sure technically we’re standing right, defending well together and just [playing] as a team. He made it really clear what he wants from us and what he expects from us.”

Amorim’s back three was ditched as soon as Carrick took over with Lammens now afforded more protection by a defensive line clearly more comfortable in a conventional shape. Carrick has pushed Casemiro and Kobbie Mainoo closer together as central midfielders with Bruno Fernandes now playing with freedom as a number 10.

Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Šeško have all improved since the managerial change. This is certainly true of Šeško who has found his scoring touch under Carrick whose man-management skills have come to the fore. As a collective and as individuals, Manchester United have made great strides.

A lot more squad depth to handle the rigours of Champions League football will be needed next season. They are desperately short in a number of key positions including central midfield and centre forward. There aren’t many wingers left in the Old Trafford dressing room after Amorim pushed them all out the exit door.

*Lammens’ has prevented more goals than all but two Premier League goalkeepers*

In Lammens, though, United have a goalkeeper they can count on to be their number one for several seasons to come. They were fortunate to have David de Gea as one of the best goalkeepers in the world for such a long period, even as the team struggled for consistent success in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson age.

From Peter Schmeichel to van der Sar and De Gea, Manchester United have boasted some generational goalkeepers over the decades and Lammens has the makings of another world class number one. He is also the model example of the value United must continue to find in the transfer market.

€21m for a goalkeeper of Lammens’ quality might be the best business conducted by Manchester United for years. If Carrick is to keep improving his team beyond the end of the season, assuming he lands the manager’s job permanently, the goalkeeper’s arrival nearly a year ago could be looked back on as a catalyst for better times.

(Images from IMAGO)

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

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May

2026

New York Cosmos are back for another crack at US Soccer

Soccer is heading to the USA in the biggest possible way this summer. They’ve always had a weird relationship with it, never fully embracing the beautiful game, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a history, though.

By Alex Roberts

Back in the 70s, they went all in, really threw money at it with clubs across the country signing the game’s biggest names. Johann Cryuff found himself in LA for a short time, while Pelé and Franz Bekenbauer headed to New York. It was all very… USA USA USA.

Playing for New York ‘The Cosmos’ Cosmos the latter two stars were at the centre of American soccer’s universe. But then the money dried up, and all those played lured in by those riches left. Fans stopped turning up, and the project was dead.

The original New York Cosmos folded in 1985 following the collapse of the North American Soccer League (NASL). They tried to stick it out, transitioning into indoor soccer, but simply put, no one cared.

Both the club and the NASL were revived in the 2010s, keeping up with tradition, they made a couple of superstar signings, Real Madrid legend Raúl and the most underrated member of Spain’s 2010 World Cup winning squad, Marcos Senna.

Again, it all went up in stardust. The NASL lost its second-division status in 2018, which sparked an antitrust lawsuit by the league, and the club ceased operations. A federal jury dismissed the NASL’s antitrust suit against U.S. Soccer and MLS in 2025.

The United Soccer League (USL) has since taken over as America’s alternative to MLS. It’s like MLS, but the clubs have better names and their badges are cooler. There are three divisions, and most importantly, there will be promotion and relegation from the 2027/28 season.

Now there’s a new New York Cosmos in town, it’s just not the Big Apple. The club now call the newly restored Hinchliffe Stadium in Paterson, New Jersey their home, nestled above the Great Falls of the Passaic River. It’s a lovely part of the world.

Despite all the false dawns and stuttering starts, The Cosmos have something very few American football clubs do; legacy. They’re still a global brand, thanks to the likes of Pelé and Beckenbauer, they wouldn’t be out of place with the big boys in MLS.

But this latest version is different, they’ve started out in USL Division One, the third and lowest tier in US professional soccer. Some of that was by choice, but mostly necessity. It’s not easy, and it costs a LOT of money to become an MLS franchise. Not everyone has a David Beckham or a Lionel Messi knocking about.

Being in the USL has its advantages, though. It’s proper grassroots football, which makes it so much easier to build communities. The likes of Vermont Green, New Mexico United, and Sacramento Republic FC have established and incredibly dedicated fanbases despite not being relatively new clubs.

Now that Cosmos have a proper home, they can find their community, and they’ve got big plans. In the long run, they want a professional women’s side, as well as spaces for other sports, like the South American and European clubs of old.

“This is the perfect community for it,” CEO Erik Stover told the Guardian. “It’s so diverse, with people from all over the world and diverse interests, so it makes perfect sense here.

“Proper clubs have multiple sports. People from the community are volunteering, helping with the cricket club, the track club, the tennis club, whatever it is.

“For us, professional soccer will be at the top of the pyramid. But what really matters is that grassroots foundation.”

First though, they need to make sure they get things right on the pitch. That starts with the staff, and it wouldn’t be Cosmos without at least one familiar face. Former Man United striker Giuseppe Rossi is their Vice Chairman and Head of Soccer. This is how I found out he was born in New Jersey.

Italian Davide Corti is the man tasked with leading Cosmos’ new team. He came through AC Milan’s academy as a youngster, and although he never made an appearance, had the chance to train under Fabio Capello and the great Arrigo Sacchi, so there is certainly some pedigree there.

Considering Corti’s country of origin, it should come as no surprise that Cosmos play with a back three, often deploying a 3-4-3 or a 3-5-2. They’re happy to sit back and give up possession of the ball, averaging 46.5%.

They play very direct, averaging 293.1 passes per 90 minutes, with 140 touches in the opposition box across their seven USL League One games so far this season. In all honesty, it’s an antiquated way of playing football, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Cosmos score, 12 to be exact, at an average of 1.7 goals per match, which is the fifth highest in the league. Their issue is they’re conceding sloppy goals, there is a clear lack of communication between defenders, and then the goalkeeper.

Looking at their most recent game, a 3-1 defeat to the brilliantly named Portland Hearts of Pine, Cosmos were carved open far too easily. The first goal they conceded was a wonderful effort from Jay Tee Kamara; there was nothing they could do about it.

The second though? Cosmos defender William Noecker was completely lost at sea, a simple through ball caught him off guard, he missed the chance to clear it, instead taking Ollie Wright out, only for the Portland man to get back up, and lob the ‘keeper, who was inexplicably about 10 yards off his line.

For context, USL League One is perhaps at a similar level to the National League in the UK, so these mistakes happen, and considering this is technically Cosmos’ first year in existence, we’ll let them off the hook. You can’t blame a baby for crying.

Whatever happens this season, or the next, or the one after that, the Cosmos are back. It’s a little different, they’re not filled with super stars, but maybe that’s a good thing. Now, they can build organically.

(Images from IMAGO)

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

Add FotMob as a preferred news source on Google by clicking – here.

May

2026

Does renewing Curtis Jones’ contract make sense for Liverpool?

It looks set to be another summer of upheaval at Anfield with Liverpool expected, once again, to make wholesale changes to their squad.

By Sam McGuire

Mohamed Salah and Andrew Robertson have already confirmed they will be leaving at the end of the season. Recent quotes from Joe Gomez hint at a departure for him. Reports seem to imply Alisson Becker could be heading to Juventus while there are question marks over the long-term futures of Ibrahima Konaté, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai.

Richard Hughes, Liverpool’s Sporting Director, does not have an enviable summer ahead. To complicate things even further, the former Bournemouth transfer guru needs to figure out what is going on with Curtis Jones.

*Jones’ current player traits comparison*

The 25-year-old was a shock transfer target for Spurs and Inter during the January transfer window and, at one stage, a loan move to Italy looked to be a formality. It didn’t come to fruition and the Scouse-born midfielder remained at Anfield, albeit watching on from the sidelines after being inexplicably benched by Arne Slot.

Fabrizio Romano recently revealed Inter’s interest in Jones remains. Writing on his WhatsApp channel, Romano revealed that the No. 17 is open to joining the Serie A champions while his contract renewal is “on hold”:

“Curtis Jones is fully open to joining Inter. He is keen on the project, the country, and the significant interest Inter have been showing him since January. Liverpool’s approval is still needed, and a fee has yet to be set, but his contract renewal is, as things stand, completely on hold.”

And David Lynch confirmed the contract situation, saying talks over an extension are understood to have effectively ceased, and it is known that he was open to a January move to Inter Milan before the Reds shut the door. The 2024/25 Premier League champions would bank pure profit on the midfielder under the Premier League’s new squad cost ratio rule.

With Liverpool needing to raise funds ahead of another summer of spending, perhaps Jones will be sacrificed. At his peak, just 12 months ago, the England international was valued at €62million.

But perhaps the smart business here would be to renew the versatile midfielder. The Reds are already having to juggle multiple transfer angles this summer, unnecessarily adding another seems excessive.

There’s a lot of talk over what Liverpool do actually need. A ball-playing right-back appears to be a priority for a lot of fans, as does a controlling midfielder. In Jones, they have both.

Over recent weeks, the former left-winger has been deployed at right-back with Conor Bradley injured and Jeremie Frimpong being favoured at right-wing. Jones has actually impressed in an inverted role. For example, against Chelsea, he had the joint-most touches (95) and seemed comfortable in the hybrid role.

In the Merseyside derby win over Everton, Jones finished with a match-high 8.4 FotMob rating. The 25-year-old had the most touches (118), had the most defensive contributions (28), and finished with a pass success rate of 94%.

Earlier in the campaign, during a time in which Slot tinkered with the system and deployed Jones alongside Szoboszlai in a double pivot, the six-cap England international impressed in the middle of the pitch. In one game in particular, he was at the centre of everything. In Liverpool’s 5-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt, Jones had the most touches (139), attempted 127 passes, finding a teammate with 122 of those, won over 60% of his duels while covering 11.1km.

He followed that showing up with another dominant performance, this time in a 3-2 loss to Brentford. The No. 17 completed 97% of the 75 passes he attempted, he tied a match high six dribbles and won 63% of his duels.

He’s shown he can play multiple roles to a high level. He’s shown he can be the ball-playing right-back Liverpool might want as well as a midfield controller that they desperately need. His versatility makes him a valuable squad player – as does his homegrown status.

As far as easy decisions go, giving Jones a new deal makes a lot more sense than allowing him to leave and having to find someone to fill his role in the squad.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Add FotMob as a preferred news source on Google by clicking – here.

May

2026

Preview: Aston Villa host Liverpool in final Champions League push

It’s fifth vs fourth on Friday night in the Premier League as Aston Villa welcome Liverpool to the Midlands.

By Ross Kilvington

Aston Villa just one win away from the Champions League

While Unai Emery would lead Villa back into Europe’s premier club competition by winning the Europa League next week, a win over Liverpool on Friday would take care of that.

One eye will be on that Europa League final against Freiburg, but a good performance against the Reds would set them up nicely.

Villa enter this game having not won against Liverpool in nearly six years. That was the remarkable 7-2 thrashing in October 2020, yet they have lost eight times since in all competitions.

The question is, will Emery go with his strongest XI at Villa Park? Or will he rest some of his star performers ahead of Wednesday’s European showpiece? Only time will tell.

Arne Slot faces an uncertain future at Liverpool

After a superb debut season which saw Slot lead Liverpool to the Premier League title, the 2025/26 campaign has been somewhat of a damp squib.

Slot spent nearly £450m last summer and has nothing to show for it. Add in the fact club legends Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson leave this summer, it could be an interesting pre-season for the Reds.

Is he the right man to lead Liverpool into next season? Former Liverpool and Villa goalkeeper David James believes so.

“Yes,” said James, who was speaking on behalf of Zamsino. “When Arne signed, I can assure you that there would have been a two or three season plan with expectations at the beginning and within that, possible talk of winning the Premier League further into that.

“You take the two years that he’s had, this season will be qualification for the Champions League without a trophy, but over the two years, Champions League qualification twice, and a Premier League title.

“I think next season will obviously be the acid test and there shouldn’t be any real criticism for him this season. If this was to replicate again next season, then over two years, you’d be thinking, okay, where is the future? I think he’s done a tremendous job this season.”

A big summer awaits the Dutchman and a couple of wins to end the campaign might ease the growing tension around Anfield.

Team News

Emery will be without Boubacar Kamara, Alysson Edward and Amadou Onana, but these are the only injury absentees for Villa.

The Spaniard will be hoping no other player joins the trio on the treatment table, especially with the Europa League final just around the corner.

Conor Bradley, Hugo Ekitike, Giovanni Leoni and Wataru Endo will all miss the clash at Villa Park.

Elsewhere, Ibrahima Konaté, Florian Wirtz, Salah and Alisson will undergo late fitness tests to see if they can feature.

Prediction

Emery will hope to get through this match unscathed, while Slot knows that a win would mathematically secure Champions League football.

Both teams enter the game in mixed form. Considering that, I expect this one to end all square at Villa Park.

(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.

Add FotMob as a preferred news source on Google by clicking – here.

May

2026

FotMob Profile: Ollie Watkins looks ready to lead Villa to glory

The last time Aston Villa won a major trophy, John Major was Prime Minister, Terry Venables was the England manager, and Firestarter by the Prodigy was top of the UK Singles Charts.

By Ross Kilvington

A lot has changed in the subsequent 30 years, yet one thing has remained constant: Aston Villa haven’t managed to end their major trophy drought.

There has been several opportunities along the way. The Villans made it to the FA Cup final in 2000 and 2015, although lost to Chelsea and Arsenal respectively.

The League Cup has also failed to offer solace, with Villa losing two finals so far this century – to Manchester United and Manchester City.

Even Unai Emery spurned a glorious opportunity in 2024, leading the club to the semi-finals of the Conference League, only to be denied by a spirited Olympiacos display.

Two years later, the Spaniard stands on the brink of immortality at Villa Park. John McGinn’s superb display against Nottingham Forest in the Europa League semi-final second last week sent Villa into their first continental final since 1982.

The Scot was magnificent. Yet it was Ollie Watkins who scored the all important first goal on the night.

Watkins has picked the right time to hit a purple patch of form, especially with a busy few weeks coming up.

Ollie Watkins was a nightmare for the Forest defence

Despite trailing by a goal heading into the second leg, a boisterous atmosphere at Villa Park gave Emery’s men the spark that was lacking a week prior.

Watkins was tasked with leading the line and his performance was superb. The Englishman was a real handful for opposition centre-backs Morato and Nikola Milenković during the first half.

Just minutes before the opener, Watkins clashed with Morato and was forced to sport a bandaged head for the rest of the evening. This Terry Butcher-esque look – minus the severe blood loss – gave the striker a rather menacing look.

It wasn’t a coincidence then, that he opened the scoring a few moments later.

Some dazzling footwork by Emi Buendía took him past several Forest defenders before he flashed the ball into the middle of the six-yard box, where Watkins slotted home the first goal of the evening.

He even assisted McGinn for the third goal, playing a nicely weighted pass into the Scotsman, who calmly put away the first of his brace.

Overall, Watkins managed four shots throughout the match and won 100% of his aerial duels in what was fantastic all-round display.

This performance was to be expected, however, as Watkins has hit his stride just when Villa needed him the most.

Peaking at the right time

Watkins and Emery have been a match made in heaven since the Spaniard took over at Villa Park in October 2022.

The former Brentford forward has scored 75 goals across 185 matches under Emery, more than double the total of goals scored for other manager across his career to date.

Things were not all rosy during the first half of the campaign, though, with Watkins netting just three Premier League goals before Christmas and zero in the league phase of the Europa League.

Following his goal against Burnley last weekend, Emery lauded Watkins for his return to form in recent months.

*Watkins’ shot map in the Premier League this season*

“Three months ago, he was a little down, but we always have conversations about being consistent and working for the team every match. Now he is getting the numbers.” Said the 54-year-old.

Whatever clicked in late December had the desired effect, as Watkins netted twice against Chelsea on December 27 during a 2-1 victory.

Goals followed against Arsenal and Forest over the next seven days and this period appeared to rejuvenate the striker.

Five months on, Watkins has scored 14 goals since Christmas, chipping in with three assists as Villa stand on the cusp of not only a top-five Premier League finish, but also securing their first major trophy in 30 years.

He ranks in the top 3% among fellow centre-forwards for goals (5), shots on target (14) and touches in the opposition box (51) in the Europa League this term.

Continental glory awaits if he can replicate that sort of form in the final and there is no doubt a certain Thomas Tuchel will be watching in Istanbul.

World Cup place is up for grabs

Watkins was left out of the squad for the friendlies against Japan and Uruguay back in March, dampening his hopes of making it to North America.

Tuchel has now submitted his provisional 55-man squad ahead of the tournament, before cutting this down to 26 players by the end of next week.

*A summary of Watkins’ career at Aston Villa so far*

Harry Kane will be England’s main man in North America, but there is no doubt that Watkins can offer plenty in the final third.

The Villa striker has netted six goals in 20 England caps, including that famous winner against the Netherlands in the Euro 2024 semi-final.

His last international appearance came back in October against Wales, where he scored England’s second goal of the evening before being subbed at the interval.

A lot has happened since then, but with arguably the most important few weeks of his career coming up, Watkins is in an excellent frame of mind to perhaps lead both Villa and England to glory.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Add FotMob as a preferred news source on Google by clicking – here.

May

2026

Jeremy Doku has added goals to his game and that could make him the best winger in the world

Manchester City are still in the Premier League title race largely because of the recent performances of their Belgian winger.

By Graham Ruthven

There is no more terrifying prospect in football right now than Jérémy Doku in a one-on-one situation. Many Premier League defenders have been confronted by this nightmare-inducing scenario in recent weeks and few have avoided complete and utter humiliation at the hands of one of world football’s most prolific dribblers.

Doku has always been a dribbler. That’s his thing. Nobody is averaging more successful dribbles per 90 minutes in the Premier League this season, nor did anyone get the better of the Manchester City winger for this metric last season or the season before that. With the ball at his feet, he has always been a menace.

*Most successful dribblers in the Premier League this season*

Recently, though, Doku has added final product to his play. He has registered four goals and two assists in his last five games with City still in the title race only thanks to the brilliance of the 23-year-old who is fulfilling the potential he showed earlier in his career. In this form, Doku is among the best wingers in the world.

“We are really pleased. Now he is winning games. But he has always been really, really good,” said Pep Guardiola when asked about the recent performances of Doku and his improvement over the course of the season for Manchester City. “It depends on your mentality.

“I want to become one of the best wingers in the world. Otherwise, you’re in a comfort zone and you say, ‘No, it’s fine, it’s fine.’ Always I’ve been, Jérémy, dribbles and whatever. I always try. But I say, no, I want to become one of the best of the best. That is when you reach that level.”

As a team, Manchester City have evolved from the start of the season to this point. Last summer, Kevin De Bruyne, Ederson, İlkay Gündoğan and Kyle Walker all departed the club as part of a rebuild that saw the likes of Rayan Cherki, Ginaluigi Donnarumma and Tijani Reijnders arrive as new additions.

This rebuild continued in January with the arrival of Marc Guéhi and Antoine Semenyo, both of whom quickly became first team figures. Guardiola experimented with a number of different formations and attacking approaches, only settling on a consistent lineup in the second half of the season.

*Doku’s last four games prior to the midweek game vs. Crystal Palace*

It wasn’t so long ago that Doku appeared to be at risk of being squeezed out at the Etihad Stadium. The Belgian failed to progress and develop his game after joining City from Rennes in 2023, prompting many to suggest Guardiola needed a more reliable player in the wide areas. Doku wasn’t cutting it.

Of late, though, Doku has grown into a role as a consistent difference-maker and the driving force behind City’s title challenge. Guardiola has emboldened the Belgian international as City’s starting left winger, tailoring his attacking approach to get the best out of the most prolific dribbler in the Premier League.

*Doku’s possession numbers in the Premier League this season*

That Nico O’Reilly is now Manchester City’s first-choice left back has helped Doku find his role in the team. O’Reilly is unique in the way he likes to make forward runs into the centre of the pitch, drawing defenders away from Doku who frequently takes up a wide position to isolate opponents.

When O’Reilly moves out to the wing, Doku has the freedom to come inside. This has added to the natural rotations Manchester City have in the final third of the pitch with Cherki and Bernardo Silva also a part of the title-chasers’ fluidity that has built up over the course of the 2025/26 campaign.

Even if City end up losing out to Arsenal in this season’s Premier League title race, Guardiola has guided his side through an important and necessary transition over the last 12 to 18 months. Doku is part of Manchester City’s next generation which will surely win plenty of titles and trophies in the years to come and could still finish this season with a domestic double.

This summer will see City continue their rebuild. Elliot Anderson has been strongly linked with a move to the Etihad Stadium from Nottingham Forest with central midfield a particular focus. Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali is also believed to be a long-term target for Manchester City.

While Matheus Nunes has grown into the right back role over the last two seasons, City could use a natural full back in that position. Tino Livramento, Feyenoord’s Givairo Read and Sporting CP’s Iván Fresneda have all been mentioned as potential targets for the Etihad Stadium club this summer.

On the wings, though, City are well-stocked. Between Doku, Semenyo and Savinho, Guardiola has a collection of wide difference-makers capable of deciding the outcome of a match in an instant. This is certainly true of Doku who still hasn’t reached the ceiling of his ability. He can get even better.

(Images from IMAGO)

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May

2026

Ashley Cole’s leap of faith at Italian club Cesena

It’s easy forget that Ashley Cole has an established relationship with Italian football, that picture of him awkwardly stood by his former Roma teammates will be fresh in the memory of those who didn’t.

By Alex Roberts

He’s the latest member of England’s ‘golden generation’ to move into management. After completing his badges at Derby County under former teammate Frank Lampard, Cole went on to work in Chelsea’s academy.

Cole then moved on to assistant manager roles at Everton, again with Lampard, then Birmingham City under Wayne Rooney, and within the England national team set‑up under Lee Carsley.

That’s seven years of coaching experience, but he couldn’t find any club in England willing to take a chance on one of the country’s greatest ever defenders. So, Cole broadened his horizons, and Cesena came calling.

“I was getting kind of discouraged by a lack of opportunities, from some clubs in England I spoke to. They like to throw the ‘you don’t have experience’ line. And I’m like, I get what you’re saying, I agree – but how am I going to get experience?” he told BBC Sport.

“That’s the battle you have to fight as a number two for six or seven years – you have to take a leap of faith, but a club also has to take a leap of faith. I don’t think there are too many black English coaches working in Italy, so yes, it is a massive leap of faith from them and I’m very proud to be here.

“It is a great place to be and to start. I’m glad I’m back. We’re going to do something different – a bit special.”

Cesena aren’t one of the big boys, they couldn’t even ben considered a ‘fallen giant.’ It’s been over a decade since they were last in the Serie A, and they’ve been floating about Italy’s second and third divisions since their relegation from the top flight.

Still, a place in the Serie B play-offs is the expectation this season. They achieved just that last season under Michele Mignani, but were knocked out in the semi-finals by Catanzaro, thanks to Pietro Iemmello’s 54th minute goal.

Sitting in eighth, Serie B’s final play-off spot, with one win in his last ten games, Migani was given the boot. Harsh or not, the club felt like they needed to roll the dice and Cole was brought in with the mission to right the ship and take the side to the next level.

One of the seemingly hundreds of Italian teams under American ownership, the decision to hire Cole stemmed from their desire to internationalise the club. Cole is a well-known name even in Italy, a former international, with a Champions League on his CV as a player.

It was a risk, and unfortunately, it doesn’t look like it’s worked out. The ex-Arsenal and Chelsea man signed a short-term contract, until June 2026, with an option to extend it by another year. That’s looking unlikely.

Now that the regular Serie B season is over, we can have a bit of a retrospective. Cesena ended up in 11th, which is very much not in the play-offs, and Cole won just one of his eight games in charge, with a win percentage of just 13%.

Coming into any club mid-season is incredibly hard for any manager, never mind one who’s just starting the trade. Tactically, Cole made the bold decision to go from Italian football’s beloved back 3 to a back four.

Under Migani, Cesena were happy to let opposition sides have the ball, use their wing-backs to provide width and pack out the centre of the park with three midfielders in well-structured 3-5-2.

That shifted almost as soon as Cole walked through the door. A fresh 4-2-3-1 saw them move to a more intense possession-based style, having 50% or more of the ball in all but one of their games under Cole, the 0-0 draw with Carrarese.

“A lot of fans will say you can’t play attacking football,” he said in 2023. “But me being a defender, I hate defending. I don’t want to work on defensive work. I want to do the attacking play. Lee Carsley really gave me the license to come up with certain game plans and style of play.”

It’s a more modern approach to football that we’re currently seeing very little of in Italy, Cesc Fàbregas’ Como are doing it exceptionally well. Cole isn’t restricting in his self-imposed responsibility to bring Italian football into 2026 to matters on the pitch.

During his time at Everton, Cole would often watch matches from a higher vantage point and feedback his analysis. He’s brought that technique to Cesena, bringing in high vantage cameras to get a bird’s eye view of training, not unlike Luis Enrique at PSG.

He’s also a huge proponent for more in-depth video analysis. Now, it would be WILD, if Cesena weren’t already doing something similar, but given Cole’s time with two top Premier League sides and the England set-up, there are levels to it.

All of this sounds amazing, the issue is, is it too much? Young managers tend to come in and want to stamp their authority on things very quickly, and it can often result in too much change too soon. Cole went through something similar as a player, when André Villas-Boas took over at Chelsea.

The results haven’t been good enough, and we’re sure Cole would be the first to admit that. Cesena’s only win under him, 3-1 at home against Catanzaro, was one of their best of the season, regardless of the man in the dugout.

Cole’s career is new, but it’s clear he’s a project manager, one with a clear philosophy, wanting to play free flowing attacking football. IF, and it’s a big if, Cesena stand by him and decide to give him a full season, there are some positive signs.

Either way, Cole deserves his flowers for taking that ‘leap of faith’ and taking charge of the Italian side. It’s not the early 2000s anymore, ‘Cashley’ the boy is dead, Ashley Cole the man killed him.

(Images from IMAGO)

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May

2026

Preview: Madrid look to pick up the pieces in midweek round of LaLiga

Real Madrid host Real Oviedo on Thursday, with both sides’ season already over in reality.

By Matt Smith

Madrid suffered a 2-0 defeat against Barcelona last week, allowing Hansi Flick’s side to seal the title in LaLiga. Real Oviedo will finish bottom of the table with their relegation already confirmed, sitting on just 29 points after 35 games.

When the two sides met back in August, it was a comfortable 3-0 win for Madrid, although it took until the 83rd minute for them to grab their second goal.

Team news

Madrid are likely to be without a host of players heading into this game with Dean Huijsen, the latest player to potentially join the injury list. The former Bournemouth defender pulled out of the game against Barcelona at the last minute so he could miss out.

Rodrygo, Dani Ceballos, Ferlan Mendy, Dani Carvajal, Éder Militão, and Arda Güler are all confirmed absentees.

Real Oviedo will be without Javi López and Kwasi Sibo, who are both suspended for this one. Jaime Vázquez and Eric Bailly are both ruled out, while Leander Dendoncker is a doubt.

Two teams playing for pride

Both sides will undoubtedly want their seasons over with already, although Madrid are guaranteed a runner’s up finish. It is certainly not what they would have been aiming for heading into the season. They are currently 14 points behind Barcelona with just three games remaining.

Oviedo were promoted to LaLiga this season and were undoubtedly one of the favourites to go down. Unfortunately for them, their fate was sealed fairly early, and it’s back down to the second tier.

For some of these Oviedo players, it’s a chance to experience the Estadio Bernabéu for the first time. For Madrid, it’s a chance to give something back to their disappointed fans.

Arbeloa heading for the exit door?

There are strong rumours that Álvaro Arbeloa will be replaced at the end of the season with the ‘Special One’, José Mourinho reportedly set to replace him. It would certainly be no surprise if Arbeloa is shown the boot, as he’s been one of Real Madrid’s poorest performing managers in recent years.

Mourinho last managed Madrid back in the 2012-2013 season, and he has unfinished business after failing to win the Champions League during his time at the club.

Time for Bellingham to prove his worth

It’s been a disappointing few months for Jude Bellingham at Real Madrid, producing just one assist and no goals since the turn of the year in LaLiga. Despite their season being basically over, there will still be some expectant supporters at the Bernabéu, and it’s a chance for Bellingham to prove his worth.

Question marks are starting to surround the England international after his poor displays, and it’s time for him to stand up and be counted, even through difficult times.

Prediction

With the pressure off for Real Madrid, we’re predicting a comfortable 3-0 victory.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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