Page 37 – The Pulse of Football

Mar

2026

Benjamin Sesko is spearheading United’s Champions League charge

Manchester United used to be able to call upon a dazzling array of centre-forwards during the 90s and 00s.

Figures such as Andy Cole, Teddy Sheringham, Dwight Yorke, Ole Gunnar Solskjær, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Wayne Rooney enjoyed plenty of success at Old Trafford under Sir Alex Ferguson.

Recent years, however, have failed to rekindle such glory days of top class strikers. Zlatan Ibrahimović and Romelu Lukaku tried, but didn’t stay long enough to forge proper legacies.

Rasmus Højlund and Joshua Zirkzee were signed by Erik ten Hag, yet both have failed to become the attacking outlet the club so desperately required.

As such, Benjamin Šeško had plenty of pressure on his shoulders when he signed for United last summer for a fee in the region of around £74m.

*Šeško player traits compared to strikers in top 5 leagues*

“The history of Manchester United is obviously very special but what really excites me is the future,” said Šeško upon his unveiling at Old Trafford.

“When we discussed the project, it was clear that everything is in place for this team to continue to grow and compete for the biggest trophies again soon.”

It didn’t quite click for him under Ruben Amorim, but boy, he is certainly making up for that since Michael Carrick returned as interim manager.

Šeško endured a slow start to life at Old Trafford

Much was anticipated from the Slovenian starlet once he sealed his move to United, especially considering several other clubs were after his signature.

Šeško made his mark at Salzburg between 2021 and 2023, scoring 29 goals in 79 appearances, enough to secure a move to their sister club, Leipzig, in the German Bundesliga.

His debut campaign in Germany proved that he could shine among the elite, scoring 14 goals across 31 Bundesliga games. These goals helped Leipzig finish fourth in the table and while they dropped to seventh last season, Šeško fired 21 goals, including four in the Champions League.

At 6’4″, Šeško is naturally good in the air, scoring three headed goals in the Bundesliga last term while winning nearly 60% of his aerial duels.

Despite his lanky frame, the striker is naturally fast, exceeding speeds of 35km/h in the league last season.

Add in a physical presence combined with a clinical nature in front of goal, as evidenced by 19% shot conversion rate and 13 league goals during 2024/25, Šeško was always going to attract attention.

Indeed, Arsenal, Newcastle and Chelsea showed interest, before United finally landed their man.

Although a fast start was expected, especially given the vast transfer fee paid to sign him, Šeško struggled initially, scoring just two Premier League goals in his opening 11 games.

*Šeško’s shot map in the Premier League, 2025/26*

It wasn’t until early January that he scored again, netting a brace against Burnley in a 2-2 draw at Turf Moor.

That was the first game following the sacking of Amorim and Šeško has since gone on to become a figurehead for United as they bid to finish in the top-four this season.

Michael Carrick has brought out the best in Šeško

The 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace on Sunday saw Carrick hand Šeško his first Premier League start under the new regime.

It took until the 38^th minute for him to get a glimpse of goal, directing a header straight at Dean Henderson.

He came close early in the second-half, but Jaydee Canvot was on hand to make a vital block. Deeper in to the second period, however, Šeško managed to get the better of the Palace defender by getting across him to connect with a Bruno Fernandes cross to put United ahead.

Šeško finished the match having registered three shots on target and took six touches in the opposition penalty area. Perhaps not the best performance by any stretch of the imagination, yet he was in the right place at the right time to score United’s winner.

*Šeško’s heatmap vs. Palace showed some Haaland-esque efficiency*

This is the type of striker the club have been calling out for in recent years. Someone who is able to put chances away on a regular basis.

The Slovenian more than deserved this start due to scoring three goals in his last four league matches, with all of them coming from the bench.

Šeško has showcased his full repertoire of goals lately. Whether it is a match winning strike on the turn against Fulham, a lovely finish on the counter against Everton, or a delightful flick into the net against West Ham, the striker has everything in his locker.

Rewarded with a second start in just four days against Newcastle on Wednesday evening, Šeško had an off night.

He failed to register a single shot on target while taking just three touches in Newcastle’s penalty area as United suffered a 2-1 defeat at St James’ Park.

Not the best of performances, but there is no doubt Šeško is beginning to settle in at Old Trafford.

With plenty of massive fixtures to come between now and the end of the campaign, the 22-year-old will be trusted by Carrick to fire the club into Europe’s elite club competition in 2026/27.

Given his impact off the bench lately and the fact he has a manager who is bringing the best out of him, Šeško could stake a claim to becoming one of the finest strikers United have had in the post-Fergie era.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Mar

2026

Preview: Wolves meet Liverpool for game two of league and cup double header

It’s the sequel at Molineux on Friday evening as Wolves host Liverpool for the second time this week.

By Sam McGuire

2026 uptick in form

Since the turn of the year, Wolves have looked to be a different beast entirely. Wins over West Ham United, Aston Villa and Liverpool have given fans hope that a great escape is actually possible. It’s unlikely, but it isn’t impossible, especially in the form Rob Edwards’ team find themselves in.

They’ve also drawn with Everton, Nottingham Forest, Arsenal and Newcastle United in 2026. Heading into the FA Cup clash with Liverpool, they have momentum on their side and they’re backed by an encouraged home crowd.

Wolves did a number on Liverpool on Tuesday evening and scored a last-minute winner. With no game for 10 days after this clash, expect Edwards to name a fairly strong XI. They’ll fancy their chances against Arne Slot’s side.

The reigning Premier League champions are in a battle for a top five finish. A decent FA Cup run could offer them some light relief but only if taken seriously. With injuries to contend with, Slot might be forced into naming a stronger XI than he’d like. Though, like Wolves, after this game, there’s a significant break for his players to recover.

At this stage of the campaign, performances aren’t as relevant. What matters is the result. Liverpool, having failed to pick up three points on Tuesday, will want to progress in the FA Cup and get back to winning ways. You never know when confidence will come into play. And the Reds desperately need players to start remembering who they are at this vital stage of the season.

Key Players

We don’t yet know how strong either team will go but you have to assume supersub Rodrigo Gomes might get the nod for Wolves. He’s scored in back to back games, netting the opener against Liverpool and the second in the win over Aston Villa. He’s in need of playing time for match sharpness and he’s a man in form, so it feels like the perfect opportunity for him.

For Liverpool, perhaps Slot will give Rio Ngumoha a start. The youngster has been bright in recent weeks when coming off of the bench and the Reds need a spark in the final third. It’s almost a free hit for the youngster. If he plays well, he might gatecrash the Premier League starting XI in the near future.

Team News

Believe it or not, Wolves have a clean bill of health heading into the game. Edwards has a fully fit squad available to him and no suspensions.

Liverpool, meanwhile, are without Alexander Isak, Wataru Endo, Conor Bradley, and Giovanni Leoni. Florian Wirtz is expected to be fit enough for a place on the bench and his presence alone will be a huge boost for the Reds.

Prediction

Again, it’ll be a scrappy game. We’re going with a 1-1 draw and it going all the way to penalties. The hosts will progress.

(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.

Mar

2026

Former-Arteta deputy Carlos Cuesta is making a name for himself at Parma

Remember the 90s? Neither does Carlos Cuesta. One thing he will know, though, is that Serie A used to be king, and Parma, with the likes of Gianluigi Buffon, Fabio Cannavaro, and Hernan Crespo on their books, were one of its many princes.

By Alex Roberts

Cuesta was born a couple of months after Parma won the old UEFA Cup in 1994-95 and nearly two-years-old when they were Scudetto runners up in 1996-97. So, for most of their now manager’s life, Parma were a midtable Serie A side at best, or in Serie C at worst.

Parma made it back to the big-time last season with Fabio Pecchia in the dugout, but as the season went on, and relegation back to Serie B was starting to look like a very real possibility, he was sacked in February and Cristian Chivu was brought in.

Chivu galvanized the squad and managed to turn it around, winning three, including a memorable 1-0 victory over Juventus, drawing seven, and losing three more. Parma ended the season in 16^th, five points above the drop.

As is so often the case, just as things were starting to look up, there was a setback. Impressed by their former defender’s brief spell, Inter Milan appointed Chivu as their successor for Simeone Inzaghi, and Parma were once again on the look out for a new manager.

They could have played it safe, gone with one of the many 60-something Italian maestros that have been there, done that, worn the beautifully tailored suit, but that isn’t really how Parma operate, they’re a club that doesn’t mind taking a risk.

Previously, they gave former Leicester and Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca his first job in senior management, Pecchia wasn’t hugely experienced, spending most of his career as an assistant, and of course, Chivu was a rookie too.

Thankfully for Parma, there is no shortage of young men wanting to make a name for themselves as a manager, and few are younger than Cuesta. In June, shortly before his 30^th birthday, he was named the youngest manager in Serie A since 1939.

He had spent the previous five years at Arsenal, learning from Mikel Arteta, an apprenticeship that mirrored his own under Pep Guardiola at Man City. Perhaps Arteta saw something of himself in Cuesta.

“(Leaving Arsenal) was maybe the most difficult decision of my life,” he told The Guardian. “I was incredibly happy at Arsenal, surrounded by incredible people in an incredible project. Not only with great players and a path that is only growing and growing, but with a person who has been incredibly important for me, which is Mikel.”

By the time he was appointed as Parma manager, Cuesta had already been coaching in some form or another for half his life. He did play as a youngster with local lower division side Santa Catalina Atletico, but with little chance of making it professionally, he changed tact.

Now, as we approach the final stages of his first season at Parma, we can certainly say the future is bright. Cuesta has his side in 12^th and can look up towards the top half with a relegation dog fight highly unlikely.

Parma had a clear plan last summer. With Giovanni Leoni, Ange-Yoan Bonny, and Simon Sohm, among others, all leaving for around €85 million, they would reinvest a good chunk of it in young players with a good resale value to go with their shiny new manager.

The only player Parma signed over the age of 25 on a permanent basis was back-up goalkeeper Vicente Guaita. The reported €44 million they spent was used to bring in Matija Frigan, Christian Ordóñez, Oliver Sørensen, Mariano Troilo, Abdoulaye Ndiaye, Sascha Britschgi, and Nesta Elphege.

Tactically, Cuesta has stuck with a back three, but tweaked Parma’s midfield depending on their opponents. Sometimes they’ll deploy a 3-5-2, other times a 3-4-2-1, and if Cuesta is feeling a little adventurous, a 3-4-1-2.

It’s also clear that Cuesta is prioritising defensive solidity. Parma aren’t bothered about controlling possession, averaging 44.7%, their xG is the second worst in the Serie A at 24.9, and they’ve scored 0.7 goals per 90.

All of that sounds abysmal, but they’re structured, organised, and clearly very well coached. They’ve only conceded 32 goals, averaging 1.2 per game. Cuesta is playing the hand he’s been dealt, perhaps in time he’ll be able to be a little more expansive.

They had a rocky start. A 2-0 defeat to Juventus in Cuesta’s first game must have been a pretty rude awakening. Parma didn’t get their first win until the end of September, when they beat Torino 2-1.

It’s all starting to come together now, though. Parma are on a four-game unbeaten run, winning three and drawing their most recent fixture against Cagliari 1-1. Their best result came at the San Siro, against Max Allegri’s title challenging AC Milan.

Parma have a good record against them, beating them 2-1 at the start of last season too. That game wasn’t as consequential, though, this was a major blow to AC Milan’s title ambitions, and may have handed the Scudetto to rivals Inter.

As you’d have probably guessed, it was a bit of a smash and grab from Parma. AC Milan dominated throughout, but in the end, it was Mariano Troilo’s 80^th minute header, from a corner, that won it. Arteta would be proud.

Italian football isn’t what it was, in all honesty, it’s a bit of a mess. With a lack of superstars, clubs need to take risks with recruitment, including that of managers in hopes they can generate money through sales.

As much of the football world focuses on another young Spanish manager with Arsenal links, Cuesta is quietly cultivating a reputation as a very well-rounded and tactically astute coach.

Once the time comes for Arteta to leave Arsenal, and although that probably won’t be for a while, they may have the perfect replacement on speed dial.

(Images from IMAGO)

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

Mar

2026

FotMob Profile: Hajduk Split’s journey against the odds

Hajduk Split’s hunt for its first Croatian Football League (HNL) title since the 2004/05 season has become an excruciatingly painful process. Last weekend, second-place Hajduk recorded a frustrating 1-1 draw with Varazdin, while table-toppers Dinamo Zagreb won 4-2 against HNK Gorica, extending their lead to seven points.

By Alex Connor

Disappointment and agonisingly fine margins have become a familiar tale for Hajduk. A previously successful force has become Croatia’s perennial bridesmaid. Since their previous league title win, Hajduk have finished either HNL runners-up or in third place a combined 14 times. In the last three campaigns, they’ve placed second once and third twice.

In the 2023/24 season, Hajduk were top at the winter break, but lost four consecutive games in the spring, including a home defeat to arch-rivals and eventual title winners Dinamo. Last season, Hajduk finished two points behind Rijeka, who ended Dinamo’s streak of seven successive league titles. Across April and May 2025, Hajduk suffered another season-defining collapse, enduring a six-match winless run that dramatically cost them top spot.

On 8th March, in their next league fixture, Hajduk host Dinamo in a do-or-die encounter at Poljud Stadium in Split. The mood will be tense after Hajduk’s chaotic 3-2 defeat to Rijeka in the Croatian Cup quarter-final on Wednesday evening. Meanwhile, Dinamo breezed into the semis and have momentum. An HNL loss for Hajduk would almost certainly eradicate any title aspirations. A draw doesn’t change the landscape. Three points are the only option.

Meetings between Hajduk and Dinamo are known as Croatia’s ‘Eternal Derby.’ The rivalry transcends what happens on the pitch and the intricacies of a title race. It’s a stormy political and ideological minefield, steeped in history and characterised by violence.

In all countries, football and fan sentiment are a microcosm of society. Before the dissolution of Yugoslavia in the early 90s, the derby was a fierce clash and a patriotic celebration. Other Balkan giants, Red Star and Partizan from Belgrade in Serbia, formed the ‘Big Four’ of Yugoslavian football, and they were Croatia’s clear enemies. The Serbian clubs symbolised Yugoslav authority, and Croatians were united in their resistance.

Following Croatian independence in 1991, the HNL was founded in 1992, and the rivalry between Hajduk and Dinamo escalated. As the capital, Zagreb emerged as the hub of centralist power, with political and economic advantages, which irritated Hajduk and reminded Split of the Yugoslavian regime.

Hajduk is a proud club which has always demonstrated unwavering loyalty to Croatia. In the Second World War, it was occupied by the Italians, who offered Hajduk a spot in Serie A, but it declined. Split was swiftly reoccupied by the Nazis and granted to the Independent State of Croatia in Zagreb. Hajduk’s players rallied, teamed up with the Partisans on the island of Vis in the Adriatic Sea.

After the war, the Communists asked Hajduk to relocate to Belgrade and become Yugoslavia’s army club. However, it bravely refused because it couldn’t be detached from its Dalmatian spirit in Southern Croatia. Instead, the Yugoslav People’s Army established FK Partizan.

Hajduk’s anti-establishment standing resurfaced when the nation’s first president, Franjo Tuđman, renamed Dinamo as ‘Croatia Zagreb.’ Dinamo fans and the Bad Blue Boys ultras felt their identity had been stripped, prompting huge protests, while Hajduk viewed it as further evidence of their rivals’ political favourability. This unpopular decision was reversed in 2000.

Hajduk’s resentment reached a new level of toxicity during Zdravko Mamic’s spell as Dinamo’s executive director. Appointed in 2003, the club scooped every league title between 2005/06 and 2015/16. However, in 2018, a Croatian court sentenced Mamic to six-and-a-half years in prison for tax evasion and siphoning off profits from player transfers. To avoid prison, he fled to Bosnia and Herzegovina, where he holds citizenship.

In 2013, the Torcida, Hajduk’s Ultras and the oldest supporters’ club in Europe, united alongside the Bad Blue Boys and gathered on the same terrace to appeal against corruption in Croatian football. Nevertheless, over the last 30 years, this derby has been marred by violence. In April 2024, more than 50 people were arrested when Hajduk fans invaded their pitch and fought Dinamo supporters following their side’s 1-0 loss in Split. In May 2025, Croatian police detained over 140 fans from both clubs due to more barbaric scenes.

It’s a complicated rivalry, underlined by constant tension and brutality. Ultimately, the relationship has always been worsened by those above. Fans can’t throw fists at the people in charge, so they direct the violence at each other.

The upcoming Eternal Derby meeting in Split is unquestionably massive for Hajduk, and they boast the resources to hurt their opponents. The most well-known member of the current squad is former AC Milan and Eintracht Frankfurt man Ante Rebić, who was born in Split and will be desperate to make his city proud.

Hajduk also possess the American-born Lithuanian playmaker Rokas Pukštas. The 21-year-old joined in 2022 and, in the following year, helped Hajduk reach its first UEFA Youth League final. Now, with six goals in 16 league starts, Pukštas is one of the club’s most important players. Michele Šego is another key part of Hajduk’s attack and is the HNL’s second-highest scorer with 10 goals.

Despite the gap to Dinamo at the top, Hajduk haven’t given up hope and last month, they recruited uncompromising Austrian centre-back Dario Maresic from fellow Croatian side Istra 1961 to tighten up their defence.

The provincial club is the nucleus of its adoring city, whose wait to be renamed as Croatia’s champions cruelly continues. On Sunday, Hajduk will undoubtedly give it everything in yet another make-or-break derby.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Mar

2026

Preview: Spurs and Palace close off the midweek round of Premier League games

As relegation fears mount, can Tottenham Hotspur ease their growing anxiety against those masters of inconsistency, Crystal Palace?

By Ian King

Spurs ended the weekend where they started

The best that can be said about Tottenham Hotspur’s weekend is that at least it didn’t end with them materially any worse off than they started it. They may have put in a fourth consecutive unimpressive shift in losing 2-1 at Fulham, but with Nottingham Forest, West Ham United and Burnley all also losing, they finished it four points above the drop zone, just as they’d started it, with ten games now to play.

*The bottom of the table prior to Wednesday’s games*

Crystal Palace have been mildly baffling of late. Having lost at home to Burnley and then putting in an unconvincing performance in beating Wolves 1-0, their last outing to Old Trafford to play in-form Manchester United saw them go down 2-1, albeit after a performance from which they might have deserved a point. Although only two positions above their opponents in the table, the six-point gap between the two teams means that Palace are almost certainly already safe for another season.

Crystal Palace are the last team that Spurs beat in the Premier League

If there is a cause for optimism amongst Spurs fans ahead of this fixture, it’s that Crystal Palace were the last team that they beat in the Premier League. We’ll gloss over the fact that this came on the 28th December. But there is also a warning for Spurs in the recent past. Palace did the league double over them last season, winning 1-0 at Selhurst Park in December 2024 and 2-0 at The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in May, as the home side’s 2024-25 Premier League season gurgled away down the plug-hole.

One little historical curio is that these two have played each other in seven different tournaments or league divisions, since their first meeting in 1906. They’ve played each other in both the League Cup and FA Cup, but also in the Premier League, the old First and Second Divisions of the Football League, and both the Southern League and Western League before they joined the Football League.

Richarlison is the only Spurs player who really knows what a relegation bunfight is like

One of the biggest concerns about Spurs’ slide towards the bottom three is that they don’t have players who are used to being in a relegation bunfight, making them particularly ill-equipped to deal with the unique pressures that come with such a struggle. One player who has, however, is Richarlison. Thanks to his time at Everton, he’s certainly been involved in this sort of scrap before. With eight goals, he’s by a long way now their top League goalscorer, and his goal at Fulham last weekend was about the only highlight of an otherwise dismal weekend for the North Londoners.

Brennan Johnson scored the goal which won Spurs the Europa League last May, and considering the size of the Tottenham injury list, the haste with which they sold him to Palace at the start of the January transfer window was almost unseemly. Johnson hasn’t scored for Palace in the League yet, despite having made nine appearances for them, so this all feels a bit like a script that is writing itself.

Both sides have players missing, but Spurs remain deep in a horrendous injury crisis

The latest Tottenham casualty is Djed Spence, who missed the Fulham match and is unlikely to be ready for this one, either. Otherwise, they remain where they were. Cristian Romero remains suspended, while Wilson Odobert, Destiny Udogie, Lucas Bergvall, Rodrigo Bentancur, Ben Davies, James Maddison, Mohammed Kudus and Dejan Kulusevski all remain out of action.

Crystal Palace have four players out with injury, with Eddie Nketiah, Cheick Doucoure, Jean-Philippe Mateta and Jefferson Lerma all in various stages of recovery. Maxence Lacroix will also be unavailable to Oliver Glasner. He’s suspended, following his sending-off against Manchester United on Sunday.

Spurs’ dismal run of form has to end some time, and Crystal Palace have looked vulnerable at times, this season

Igor Tudor’s comments after the Fulham match, in which he pointed at the team’s shortcomings in defence, midfield and attack, spoke volumes for the bin fire that Spurs’ season has become. Having an interim head coach sounding so defeated and broken after just two matches in charge of his new team feels like a pretty accurate representation of where the club are, at present.

We’re at the point of the law of averages being the most optimistic sign for the home side with regard to their remaining matches. Spurs did beat Crystal Palace earlier in the season, and that’s something to cling onto. There has to be a point at which they win another Premier League match, doesn’t there? Doesn’t there?

But Crystal Palace have made recent hard work of matches against other teams near the bottom of the table, and while they played better against Manchester United, they still lost. So I’m going to stick my neck on the line and go for a 1-0 Spurs win.

(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.

Mar

2026

Mohamed Salah’s changing role and numbers explained

This time last season, Mohamed Salah was on 27 goals and 14 assists in the Premier League. He finished his record breaking campaign with 29 goals and 18 assists as the Reds claimed the title in Arne Slot’s first season in charge.

By Sam McGuire

Now, with nine matches left to play, the Liverpool legend finds himself on five goals and six assists in the English top-flight. For added context here, he’d found the back of the net five times by October last season and was on six assists in November.

It’s been quite the drop off. The general consensus seems to be that, after playing a lot of football, to an extreme physical level in a Jürgen Klopp team, he’s finally lost his legs. After all, Father Time comes for us all.

*Salah’s season summary – this season and last*

But is there more to it than just a player finally ageing out of being a top level talent? Can you really go from posting record-breaking numbers to possibly failing to hit double digits in a Premier League campaign for the first time in your Liverpool career in the space of 12 months?

It is possible. But is it really likely?

The only way you could really make a fair assessment would be if Salah was platformed in the same system and environment as last season. If everything was as close to identical as can be but his performances weren’t close to being the same, it would be a player problem. But nothing is the same at Liverpool and that is having a significant impact on his output.

There was a huge summer overhaul at Anfield and the attack was revamped. Out went Luís Diaz and Darwin Núñez, in came Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike. The tragic loss of Diogo Jota also needs to be taken into account here. Trent Alexander-Arnold departed, cutting Salah’s supply line, and Dominik Szoboszlai, Salah’s legs last season, moved to accommodate Wirtz.

Salah went from being the undisputed main man in attack to being a cog in a heavily changed forward line. And yet expectations didn’t change.

Without the safety net of a lot of goals, the Egypt skipper’s performances are being put under the microscope. In the eyes of many, they simply aren’t stacking up. But his role impacts his output. If his role has changed, which it has, it’s bound to have an impact on his output. This is what we’re witnessing this season.

Last season, Salah had an Expected Goals per 90 average of 0.68 and a Non-Penalty xG average of 0.49. He was taking over 3.5 shots on a per 90 basis, having 10.5 touches in the opposition box and carving out 2.4 chances worth 0.24 Expected Assists.

His game was based on volume as a goal threat. Give him plenty of chances to score and he’ll put the ball in the back of the net. What helped him a little last season was his finishing too. He turned an xG total of 25.37 into a xG on Target total of 28.7 due to his placement. Penalties boosted these numbers too. He scored nine and had a Non-Penalty xG total of 18 in the Premier League. This term, he’s scored just one penalty in the English top-flight.

*Salah’s shot map in the Premier League this season*

But Salah, to be an effective goal threat, needed volume. It’s been the case throughout his entire career. This season, that volume has been stripped back and we’re seeing the consequences of that.

He is underperforming his xG total of 6.53 and this is likely due to poor finishing (5.03 xG On Target). But he’s getting fewer opportunities to right these wrongs, with shots per 90 dropping to 2.7. He’s also having significantly fewer touches in the box (7.7). He’s in less threatening areas this season, so he’s bound to be less of a threat. He’s still a creator though, with 2.11 chances per 90 and an Expected Assists average of 0.21.

When Liverpool are able to get their No,11 into favourable areas, he’s impactful. They managed this against Brighton in the FA Cup.

He was very much an inside forward against the Seagulls as opposed to a winger. The result? A season high FotMob rating of 9.1 after a goal and an assist. Salah also created four chances at Anfield, won one penalty and had five shots. He completed 75% of his attempted dribbles and had 11 touches in the box.

It was quintessential Salah. Not bad for a player who had lost their legs. In fact, since coming back from AFCON, he has four assists and three goals in 10 appearances across all competitions.

In the loss to Wolves, he had more touches than usual (70), but most of them came in deeper areas. He was, once again, operating on the touchline as a winger. The 33-year-old has never been a winger. He’s not going to transform into one as he heads into his mid-30s either. He’s an inside forward and when used as that, he’s a threat.

Age will be catching up to him but this decline is very much tied to the role rather than the individual.

(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.

Mar

2026

Preview: Arsenal head to Brighton in the midweek round

Arsenal continue their pursuit of a first League championship in 22 years with a trip to Sussex by the Sea to play Brighton & Hove Albion.

By Ian King

The pressure is still on Arsenal, but Brighton could yet still snatch a European place come the end of this season

And still we are where we are, at the top of the Premier League. Arsenal remain five points clear of Manchester City, having played a game more, and with City playing on the same evening the fever pitch could be hitting new heights in the away end at The Amex on Wednesday night.

*The top four heading into the midweek round*

Arsenal’s performance against Chelsea was enough to edge them a win, albeit against indisciplined opponents. They’re continuing to do enough, but with the Gunners still to travel to The Etihad this season, the ultimate destination of this year’s Premier League title remains in the hands of both of the top two.

Two consecutive wins have steadied the Brighton ship following a run of just one win in 13 League games which stretched all the way back to the start of December. The pressure on Fabian Hürzeler has eased a little and, in 11th place in the table and six points off seventh, they could yet snatch a Europa Conference League place, should they be able to continue their recent upturn in form.

Arsenal are one of the clubs that Brighton haven’t quite been able to crack, in recent years

These two sides have already met twice this season, with Arsenal having beaten Brighton 2-0 in the Carabao Cup at the end of October and 2-1 in the Premier League two months later. Brighton’s record against Arsenal isn’t very good, with just one win in their last eight meetings. Their last win against them at the Amex came in June 2020, with a 2-1 win at the end of the Covid-elongated season.

Eberechi Eze’s Arsenal goalscoring has so far seemed determined by The Narrative

Eberechi Eze has scored six Premier League goals so far this season, but five of them have come against Tottenham Hotspur. Other than that, his only League goal for his club came against his former club Crystal Palace at the end of October, and that’s not much of a return for a £70 million attacking midfielder. Getting on the scoresheet against his former club’s bitter rivals would at least be on point for a player whose goalscoring this season seems to have rather been determined by The Narrative.

A return to goalscoring ways for Danny Welbeck, meanwhile, has calmed Brighton down a bit over the last couple of weeks. He scored in each of their wins against Brentford and Nottingham Forest, and Arsenal are, of course, one of his previous clubs, while it also remains the case that there are some who are still making a case for him to be included in the England squad for the summer’s World Cup, despite being 35 years of age.

Both sides have late fitness tests ahead of the match, but it’s doubtful that most of those undergoing them will be available

Arsenal could be sweating on the availability of three key players back for this match, with Martin Ødegaard, Declan Rice and Kai Havertz all facing late fitness tests. Rice limped off during their win against Chelsea, and although it’s not believed that his injury is serious, he’s considered doubtful for this match, as is Havertz. Mikel Merino and Ben White are longer-term absentees.

Brighton have a fitness test of their own with Yasin Asari, who’s been out for a month with a shoulder injury. He is, like Rice and Havertz, doubtful to return for this particular match. Stefanos Tzimzas and Adam Webster are both out until later in the year.

The top two will likely both drop points throughout the closing stages of this season, and this could be one of those nights

With four pieces of silverware still to play for, the games will be coming thick and fast for Arsenal until the end of the season, but while they benefitted from a red card and an eccentric opposing goalkeeper’s performance against Chelsea, the fact remains that they are still grinding out the results.

But one of the Premier League’s defining features this season has been that feeling that anybody can beat anybody else, and there’s a little added spice to this fixture with the fact that Manchester City will be kicking off at more or less the same time, sixty-odd miles away from The Amex against West Ham United.

Brighton still have something to play for this season, and while their record against Arsenal hasn’t been great in recent years, they’re capable. After all, they did beat Manchester City themselves at this very venue at the end of August.

There’s been little to suggest both of the title-chasers won’t drop points throughout the closing stages of this season, this might be one of those games when that happens to Arsenal. I’m going for a 1-1 draw, and for the away end at The Amex to be left sweating on the latest updates from The London Stadium.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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Mar

2026

Preview: Newcastle look to end Michael Carrick’s honeymoon start with United

The Red Devils are aiming to complete a league double over Newcastle after winning the reverse fixture in what was one of Ruben Amorim’s last games in charge.

By Filip Mishov

Newcastle need a turnaround in form heading in to the business end of the season

Newcastle’s dreadful league form continued over the weekend, as Eddie Howe‘s squad slumped to a third consecutive home defeat at St. James’ Park and suffered a fifth loss across the last six Premier League matchdays.

Despite still being in the FA Cup and through to the Champions League round of 16 as well, Newcastle are sit 13th in England’s top flight and closer to the relegation zone than the top five as we head in to the midweek round. The pressure is mounting and their next five matches could define their season.

Manchester United continue to thrive under Michael Carrick and the Bruno Fernandes-inspired comeback win against Crystal Palace at Old Trafford lifted the Red Devils up to third place in the league for the first time since the 2022/23 season. The English coach has equalled the joint-best start by any manager in Premier League history, winning 23 points from nine matches across his two spells as interim coach.

The former midfielder has instilled belief and confidence in the dressing room, with United already earning seven points from losing positions under his leadership. However, the next challenge for the boyhood Newcastle supporter is to leave Tyneside with three points, a venue where United have won just twice in the past decade.

Key players

Sandro Tonali has been linked with a move to Old Trafford in recent weeks and it is no surprise that the energetic Italian international caught their attention with his recent performances. The 25-year-old is an ever present in the starting XI, and the robust midfielder stepped up in Bruno Guimarães‘ absence by earning a couple of FotMob’s Player of the Match displays and adding three goals and one assist over his past five matches, averaging a rating of 7.68.

Bruno Fernandes is definitely enjoying a season for the history books, producing impressive numbers week in, week out. The United captain recently recorded his 100^th assist in a red shirt, joining an elite company featuring only Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney as players with both +100 goals and assists for the club. Fernandes is also the first player across Europe’s top five leagues to reach over 80 chances created this season and remains FotMob’s highest-rated player in the Premier League (7.98).

Team news

Eddie Howe remains without several key players as Fabian Schär, Valentino Livramento, Emil Krafth, Lewis Miley and Bruno Guimarães are injured, while Nick Woltemade might miss out through illness.

*Potential Man United XI, made with the FotMob lineup builder*

Both Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw were subbed off due to “not feeling well” over the weekend and Michael Carrick hopes to welcome them back, while Matthijs de Ligt, Lisandro Martínez, Patrick Dorgu and Mason Mount are still unavailable.

Prediction

With Newcastle struggling at St. James’ Park of late and United flying at the moment, I would pick the latter as narrow favourites, although a draw is the most realistic outcome given their recent record on Tyneside and the questionable availability of three of their four starting defenders.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Mar

2026

Preview: Aston Villa meet Chelsea with both searching for form

Aston Villa host Chelsea at Villa Park in the Premier League on Wednesday evening, with both sides going into the game in disappointing form.

By Matt Smith

Unai Emery’s men have won just once in their previous five games in the league, seeing them slip down to fourth, while Chelsea have failed to win in their last three matches.

When the two sides went head-to-head earlier in the season at Stamford Bridge, Villa secured an impressive 2-1 victory on the road thanks to a second-half Ollie Watkins brace. Enzo Maresca left the club just a few days later, and they’ll now be heading to the Midlands under Liam Rosenior.

Team news

Villa’s midfield injury crisis will continue on Wednesday, with Youri Tielemans and Boubacar Kamara remaining on the treatment table. Emery has also confirmed that the game will come too soon for captain John McGinn, leaving them short of options in the middle of the park.

Harvey Elliott and Andrés García are also out.

Meanwhile, Pedro Neto will be unavailable for Chelsea after his red card against Arsenal last time out. Wesley Fofana will return from suspension, but Rosenior has confirmed that Estêvão remains out.

The Chelsea boss has also suggested that Marc Cucurella should be fit enough to play, but Jamie Gittens and Levi Colwill remain out injured.

Chance creation not a problem for Chelsea

With Chelsea sitting in sixth place, there’s no doubt Rosenior will be disappointed with the lack of progress they’ve made since he joined the club. The Blues still have many issues, but creating chances is certainly not one of them.

No side have created more expected goals (xG) than Chelsea in the Premier League this season, but it’s defensively where they’ve had their issues. Chelsea have conceded 38.5 xG, more than the likes of Brentford, Crystal Palace, and Newcastle.

Villa struggling in the final third

There’s been plenty of talk surrounding the disappointing form of Watkins, but Emery’s side have been struggling to create chances for him all season. The Midlands club rank 13th in the Premier League for xG created, scoring just 38 goals this campaign.

There’s no doubt the form of Watkins has to improve, but Emery needs to find a way to get the best out of him and get his side creating more opportunities.

Can’t keep Rogers quiet for long

It’s been a disappointing few weeks for Morgan Rogers, but it’s difficult to keep him quiet for too long. The English forward has been Villa’s most productive player this season, providing 13 goals and assists combined, and he’ll be relishing the opportunity to bounce back against Chelsea.

It’s an incredibly important year for Rogers as we head towards the World Cup, and he’ll need to get back on track ahead of the final few months of the Premier League season.

Prediction

It’s a difficult one to call with both sides struggling of late. We’re going for a 2-2 draw.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Mar

2026

Jens Berthel Askou: Motherwell’s Danish manager working miracles at Fir Park

Motherwell might not win the title this season, but The Steelmen might be the best footballing side in the Scottish Premiership right now.

By Graham Ruthven

Scottish football has waited decades for a season like this one. In a country dominated by two teams, four teams are being talked about as title challengers. Leaders Hearts have been the defining story of the Scottish Premiership so far, and rightly so. Motherwell, however, deserve a spotlight of their own.

Jens Berthel Askou’s team probably won’t win the title. 10 points might be too much ground to make up even if Motherwell hold a game in-hand over two of the three teams above them. That the title question is even being asked of them, though, shows how far they have come under their Danish manager.

*Motherwell – the fourth horse in a two-team title race*

Nobody in Scotland had heard of Berthel Askou when he was appointed at Fir Park last summer. The former defender arrived at Motherwell having been assistant manager at Sparta Prague and FC København, but quickly imposed himself on a team that hadn’t finished in the top half for four seasons.

Only Celtic are averaging a higher possession share per match in the Scottish Premiership this season than Motherwell. This level of control helps The Steelmen construct attacking opportunities in a repeatable way, but also protects the defence – Motherwell boast the second-lowest Expected Goals Conceded in the division.

Berthel Askou wants his side to play with the ball and has imposed an ideology that has made Motherwell the most dynamic, modern team in the country. As if this wasn’t impressive enough, the Dane has done this with one of the smallest budgets of any Scottish Premiership manager.

Tawanda Maswanhise has been a revelation. The Zimbabwean is the Scottish Premiership’s top scorer with 16 goals in 25 games after netting only six times for Motherwell last season. Maswanhise’s willingness to get in behind gives The Steelman a valuable element of unpredictability, offsetting their possession-heavy approach.

Elliot Watt and Elijah Just, both signed for nothing last summer, have also thrived at Fir Park this season, but Berthel Askou’s biggest success has been in drawing more quality out of the players he inherited as Motherwell manager. The Dane has lifted standards across the board at the club.

Stephen O’Donnell and Paul McGinn are two notable examples of this. While respected as experienced performers at Scottish Premiership level, nobody expected the pair to reach the sort of standard Berthel Askou has taken them to this season. O’Donnell in particular has caught the eye. The 33-year-old’s playing like prime Cafu.

It is the unfortunate reality of modern football that Berthel Askou won’t be at Motherwell for long. Celtic fans are openly discussing the possibility of the Dane taking over from Martin O’Neill at the end of the season. Clubs in Europe’s Big Five leagues are surely monitoring his progress as well.

Everything about Berthel Askou is impressive. He speaks with authority without ever raising his voice. Communication has been a key part of his success. Players and fans hang on his every calm and composed word. Even as outsiders have started talking about Motherwell as potential title challengers, the Dane has kept his cool.

“I know there’s been a lot of talk about us being in a title race now,” he said. “In terms of being in a race, racing with other clubs, there needs to be some conditions that are more or less the same. And we just compete in a totally different league, even though we’re in the same football league.

“There are some circumstances that the other teams above us have in their hands that we don’t have, and that’s why it’s irrelevant for us to discuss that question or to approach it internally or externally. What’s important is that we’re developing and we’re growing as a club, and that we are aware of where we need to grow as a club.”

Motherwell have lost just once in their last 20 league games, and that was away to Rangers when the Ibrox side were fortunate to nick a narrow 1-0 victory. The novelty of seeing an underdog like Motherwell out-play one of Scotland’s Big Two on their own patch still hasn’t worn off even as The Steelmen have made a habit of it.

If Motherwell are to have any realistic hope of winning the Scottish title for the first time since 1932, three points away to Celtic on 14th March will be required. A win against table-toppers Hearts in the final round of fixtures before ‘The Split’ would also be a huge boost to their cause.

Ultimately, this might prove beyond Berthal Askou and his players, but Motherwell’s story still deserves to be told in a season that could be remembered for Hearts’ heroics. At the very least, this could be the start of a managerial career destined for the top. What Berthal Askou has done isn’t normal.

(Images from IMAGO)

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