Page 49 – The Pulse of Football

Jan

2026

Preview: Thomas Frank’s homecoming as Spurs visit Brentford

The fourth-best hosts welcome the joint-best visitors in the Premier League.

By Filip Mishov

Brentford targeting a first-ever top flight home victory against Spurs

The Bees are flying into the New Year on a two-match winning streak and are among the best home teams in the Premier League, with only the leading trio boasting a superior record to Brentford on their own turf after 18 rounds played.

The Keith Andrews-led squad have already exceeded most expectations this season, and rare are those who would have predicted that the West London club would welcome Thomas Frank‘s Spurs from the top half of the table, sitting above them with a point more in the overall standings.

On the contrary, the reigning Europa League winners are faring much better away from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and thus, are the joint-best team on the road in the Premier League alongside Arsenal and Aston Villa this season. However, the Lilywhites only just put an end to their two-match losing run with a narrow win against Crystal Palace, and now, Spurs are hoping to continue their unbeaten streak against Brentford at the GTech, which stretches back to 2022.

Key players

Kevin Schade finally stole the limelight from the free-firing Igor Thiago against AFC Bournemouth, as the talented forward scored a perfect hat-trick and showcased his full attacking repertoire. Although it took the German international a couple of seasons to adjust to the Premier League’s demands, now the 24-year-old is the squad’s second-best scorer (6) and the third-best chance creator (16), with only Michael Kayode (19) and Mikkel Damsgaard (21) having created more chances for their teammates. With Tottenham’s defence experiencing changes week in, week out, the dangerous Schade will pounce on every given opportunity to further impress his former boss and potentially his future suitors.

Mohammed Kudus is Spurs’ main protagonist this season and the tricky Ghanian is leading in terms of assists made (5), chances created (23) and successful dribbles (3.1 per 90) among his teammates in the Premier League, making him a menace for the opposing defenders. Furthermore, the 25-year-old is the highest rated player in the squad, averaging a FotMob rating of 7.11 and the pacey winger is Thomas Frank’s most reliable attacker this season given the inconsistency and the injuries across their forward line.

Team news

Sepp van den Berg missed the last match against the Cherries, but the Dutch centre-back is expected to be available, while Frank Onyeka and Dango Ouattara are on international duty at the AFCON and Joshua Dasilva, Antoni Milambo and Fabio Carvalho are injured.

The return of Cristian Romero will provide Thomas Frank’s injury-depleted squad with a big boost, but Xavi Simons still has to serve a two-match suspension and joins Destiny Udogie, James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski, Dominic Solanke on the sidelines plus Pape Sarr and Yves Bissouma are at the AFCON.

Prediction

The tight-knit Bees will be eager to show Thomas Frank that swapping West for North London was not a step up in his managerial career, and with the in-form Kevin Schade and Igor Thiago up front, goals for the home side are almost a certainty, but the Danish coach might have a trick or two up his sleeve as well, and I believe a draw might be the most realistic outcome.

(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.

Jan

2026

Preview: Liverpool start 2026 with home tie against Leeds United

The clash at Anfield on Thursday evening sees two of the most in-form teams in the Premier League facing off. Yes, you did read that right. Liverpool and Leeds United rank fourth and fifth respectively in the current form table over the last five matches.

By Sam McGuire

The story so far

Liverpool have had a real Jekyll and Hyde season. The Premier League champions won five from five to kickstart the campaign before losing six of their next seven in the English top-flight. Right now, they’re on a six match unbeaten run in the league, winning five of those.

They went from languishing in mid-table to sitting in fourth position in what felt like a blink of an eye. With Mohamed Salah away at AFCON, Florian Wirtz has stepped up over recent weeks. He posted an 8.4 FotMob rating against Brighton, an 8.6 against Spurs and then a 9.0 in the win over Wolves last weekend. During this three game period, he has a goal and an assist.

Leeds head to Merseyside unbeaten in their last five following a 1-1 draw with Sunderland last time out in the Premier League. During this run, they’ve beaten Crystal Palace (4-1) and Chelsea (3-1), while also managing a 3-3 draw with Liverpool.

This form has seen them climb to 16th in the Premier League, six points clear of the relegation places. It’s been an impressive turnaround after a run of six defeats in seven had threatened to undo their positive start to the season. However, everything is delicately balanced right now. A few bad results and they’ll be right back in the battle to avoid the drop zone.

Key Players

Hugo Ekitike is a man in form for Liverpool. With Salah at AFCON and Alexander Isak out injured, the Frenchman has relished his role as the main man in attack for the Reds. He has five goals and an assist in his last four outings for the champions and this includes a two goal haul in the 3-3 draw with Leeds.

For Leeds, Dominic Calvert-Lewin is the one to watch. The former Everton man has scored in each of his last six outings and has eight goals in total for Danial Farke’s side. Only Antoine Semenyo (nine), Igor Thiago (11) and Erling Haaland (19) have more goals than the Leeds United No. 9 this term.

Team News

The visitors are without Sean Longstaff and Daniel James for the trip to Anfield. Liverpool, meanwhile, are without a host of names. Salah is away with Egypt at AFCON, Giovanni Leoni and Alexander Isak aren’t expected to be back any time soon while Wataru Endo, Stefan Bajčetić and Joe Gomez are still absent with various knocks. The good news for the hosts is that Dominik Szoboslzai has returned from his suspension having sat out of the win over Wolves.

Prediction

Both teams have momentum on their side which means both teams are likely going to score. Liverpool have the superior quality in attack, despite the noticeable absences, so we’re going with another 2-1 win for the hosts.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Jan

2026

Preview: Man City test unbeaten record at Sunderland

Manchester City are hitting form with Pep Guardiola’s team currently on a winning run of eight matches in all competitions.

By Graham Ruthven

Mancunian momentum

What was once billed as a transitional season is increasingly looking like a title-challenging one for Manchester City who have built some serious momentum since their last league defeat to Newcastle in November.

Since then Pep Guardiola’s team have won eight matches on the bounce, most recently easing past Nottingham Forest in a match that highlighted the strength of City’s resolve compared to last season.

Sunderland have been one of the surprise packages of the Premier League season, but have stalled in recent weeks, winning just one of their last five fixtures.

Some of this can be attributed to the number of Sunderland players currently at the Africa Cup of Nations. Indeed, Régis Le Bris is currently without as many as six first team starters due to international call-ups.

Nonetheless, the Black Cats have yet to suffer a loss at home in the Premier League this season and will test Manchester City in attacking transition. Thursday’s match could be a compelling one.

Key players

Granit Xhaka has been one of the signings of the season in the Premier League. The Swiss midfielder has given Sunderland control and leadership in the centre of the pitch. Both qualities will be important against Manchester City.

Further forward, Brian Brobbey’s physicality could unsettle City’s defence while Wilson Isidor could stretch the visitors in the second half of the match off the bench.

Realistically, Robin Roefs will need to be in top form to stop Manchester City from finding the back of the net. The Dutch goalkeeper’s save percentage of 77.8% is currently the highest in the Premier League.

Erling Haaland is the obvious difference-maker to highlight from a Manchester City point of view. The Norwegian has netted an incredible 19 goals in just 18 league outings so far this season.

However, Rayan Cherki is starting to find his feet as City’s most influential player in the final third. The Frenchman found the back of the net against Forest while no other Premier League player has more assists (seven) than him this term.

Phil Foden has drawn a blank in each of his last three games, but has still contributed nine goal contributions in the league this season. He and Cherki will operate behind Haaland.

In central midfield, Nico González, Tijani Reijnders and Bernardo Silva will be given the opportunity to go again with Rodri still working his way back to full fitness. The Spaniard could feature off the bench.

Team news

As if Sunderland’s absentee list wasn’t long enough due to AFCON, Dan Ballard is now sidelined with a knee injury. The physical defender’s absence will be felt in the backline.

Arthur Masuaku, Noah Sadiki, Reinildo, Habib Diarra, Chemsdine Talbi and Bertrand Traoré are all at AFCON, leaving Le Bris somewhat short of options across the pitch. Sunderland’s depth is being tested.

Rayan Aït-Nouri and Omar Marmoush are also at AFCON while Oscar Bobb and Jérémy Doku are expected to miss out as they continue their recovery from injury.

Prediction

With Arsenal having already posted an impressive win over Aston Villa in this round of games, it’s now time for Manchester City to respond if they want to keep pace in the title race. We expect them to become the first away side to win at the Stadium of Light this season: Sunderland 1-3 Man City.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Dec

2025

Weston McKennie is going up through the gears at Juventus

Juventus are on a winning run under Luciano Spalletti with Weston McKennie enjoying his most productive period at the Turin club.

By Graham Ruthven

There isn’t an outfield position Weston McKennie hasn’t played during his time at Juventus. Last season, the American was used at left back. And right back. And in central midfield. And even as an emergency centre forward. Luciano Spalletti clearly values that versatility, using McKennie in two different roles in last Saturday’s 2-0 win over Pisa.

While McKennie started on the left side, he was shifted over to the right for the second half. It was in this area that the 27-year-old created the opening for Juve’s opening goal, crossing for Pierre Kalulu to bundle home from close range. Not for the first time recently, McKennie’s impact on the match was profound.

Indeed, McKennie has registered three goal contributions in his last six appearances. While some questioned if the American would work well under Spalletti, he has played every minute of every league game under the new manager. McKennie seems to be one of Spalletti’s most trusted figures.

“He’s an incredible guy,” said Spalletti when asked about McKennie’s quality as a player. “He always wins a personal duel with his opponent. You can put him in multiple positions and his skills allow us to change the formation in this period. He has all the qualities to do well anywhere.”

*McKennie’s defensive numbers in Serie A this season*

McKennie’s versatility has sometimes been a curse in that the American has never nailed down a consistent starting spot in the Juventus lineup. He played over 2,300 minutes in Serie A last season, but that game time was spread across five or six different positions. McKennie filled in the gaps around other players.

More recently, though, Spalletti has shifted his formation and approach to get the best out of McKennie, deploying the 27-year-old in a hybrid right wing back role. In this position, McKennie operates on the right side out of possession, but will frequently move into a second striker role when the opportunity is there to get forward.

This tactical tweak has harnessed McKennie’s attacking instincts, getting the American into positions where he can impact matches in the final third. It’s a change that has turned the dial for Juventus who have been far too conservative as a team over the past two seasons, maybe longer.

*McKennie’s passing stats in Serie A this season*

Spalletti’s Juve are a work-in-progress. While the Old Lady are currently on a run of four wins from their last five league outings, their performances have been uneven. Even against Pisa on Saturday, Juventus were pushed hard in the first half and could have fallen behind before eventually taking control in the final 17 minutes.

Transfer business is expected as Spalletti continues to remodel Juve in his own image. Gonzalo García, Antoine Griezmann, Radu Drăgușin, Marcos Senesi, Leon Goretzka and countless other targets have been linked with the Turin club. Sales, however, could be required before any new additions are made.

Recent reports have speculated McKennie could be among those to make way. Premier League clubs including West Ham have been linked with the midfielder while Roma were believed to be interested last summer. McKennie’s sale could allow Juventus to invest in other areas of their squad, like the forward line.

McKennie, however, has made a habit of proving his doubters wrong. He has been pushed towards the Juve exit door several times over the course of his career there only to force his way back into the first team. This resilience has permitted McKennie to rack up over 200 appearances for Juventus. Only one current squad member has made more.

2026 could be a big year for McKennie. Not only are Juventus chasing the Scudetto, the USA will co-host next summer’s World Cup. McKennie has been a key figure for his national team for a number of years, although Mauricio Pochettino’s recent omission of the midfielder from his squad has raised questions over his place in the side.

For the USMNT, Pochettino sees McKennie as an advanced playmaker, using the 27-year-old as one of his dual number 10s. In this position, there is a lot of competition from the likes of Christian Pulisic, Malik Tillman and Gio Reyna among others. McKennie, however, could be the most rounded midfielder Pochettino has. He will surely feature at the World Cup.

McKennie’s talent has been obvious for a long time, but it’s only now that he is being built around as a central piece at Juventus. Spalletti has a clear vision for the Old Lady’s future and McKennie is a big part of it. The American’s recent performances are evidence of the faith the former Napoli boss has in him. This is McKennie at his best.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Dec

2025

Morgan Rogers can become a superstar at Aston Villa

Remember the start of the season? When Aston Villa had gone a whole month without scoring a single goal, Unai Emery was miserable after a disappointing summer transfer window, and Morgan Rogers was a one season wonder? Yeah, neither do we.

By Alex Roberts

Don’t expect Emery, or anyone at Villa to admit it anytime soon, but they are in the title race. Good sides win when they don’t play well, and that’s exactly what Emery’s side did in the 2-1 victory over Chelsea and the one over Man United in the game before that.

Yes, if you look at Villa’s xG, they’re technically a bottom half side, and they’re correct, Villa are massively overperforming their underlying numbers. They’re 15^th for xG (19.9), 12^th for big chances created (35), and 14^th for touches in the opposition box (412).

I’m going to risk sounding like every boomer pundit across the UK, but what really matters at the end of the day, however, is points on the board and balls in the back of the net. With 39 points from a possible 54, three off league leaders Arsenal, Villa have every right to be where they are.

Arguably one of the best coached sides in England, Villa still need to rely on a couple of magic moments, and none of their current crop of players have produced as many as Morgan Rogers over the past one-and-a-half seasons.

It was a big ask for Rogers when he came in, the man tasked with finally replacing club legend and boyhood Villian Jack Grealish after more established attackers like Philippe Coutinho and Leon Bailey had failed.

Where the others crumbled, Rogers has thrived under the pressure of being the club’s main man and poster boy. Just don’t mention the fact he started his career at West Brom before coming through the youth ranks at Man City.

*Roger’s season summary at Villa, highlighting the 2024/25 campaign*

At the start of the season, Rogers looked like half the player that was named PFA Young Player of the Year, lacking the energy, quality on the ball, and pace we’ve come to know and love. Even the Villa fans were getting on his case, jeering Rogers in their 1-0 Europa League win over Bologna.

That game was a real low moment. Rogers played the full 90 minutes, lost the most duels (12), had one shot that nearly went out for a throw in, and completed 10 of his 24 attempted passes. It was so bad the Villa fans sarcastically cheered whenever he actually found a teammate.

Now, we’re not going to advocate for fans getting on the backs of their own players, but it clearly worked. Rogers got his act together after that game, just as Emery predicted he would.

“Morgan is young and needs time for experiences,” said Emery. “I kept him on the field because I wanted to see his reaction, how he was accepting everything. He didn’t play well and wasn’t clinical in the attacking third, but I wanted to keep him on.

“He needs to take experiences [like] today, not playing every game well, the crowd not being happy with him. It’s [about] getting his experiences and growing up through it.”

Rogers’ dip in form wasn’t entirely his fault, Villa as a whole looked lost in their first five Premier League games. Emery recognised that, and a tactical tweak has since got his side, and Rogers, back on track.

Villa averaged 59.56% possession in that time, with 76.4% in the 1-0 defeat to Brentford and 71.4% in the 1-1 draw away at Sunderland. From match day six up until the 2-1 win over Man United, that dropped drastically, and Villa had the ball an average of 50.02%.

That has helped get the best out of Rogers. He’s a player that thrives in transition, running at defenders with the ball at his feet rather than trying to intricately play his way through a low block like they were trying to do.

*Rogers’ passing numbers, Premier League games only*

Rogers is a risk taker, he’s completed the second most through balls in the Premier League so far this season with 13, three off Man United’s Bruno Fernandes, with a pass rate in the final third success rate of 66%. He’s losing the ball more often than anyone else at Villa, but the pros outweigh the cons.

His brace against Man United made Rogers the first Aston Villa player to score two or more goals in two consecutive Premier League games since Dion Dublin all the way back in 1998.

That game should be considered the benchmark. Rogers was at his absolute best as Villa hosted a somewhat resurgent United, reminding Ruben Amorim that his side still have some way to go before competing for major silverware.

*Rogers’ possession numbers, Premier League games only*

Rogers had the fewest touches of any outfield player to play the full 90 minutes (33), but he didn’t need any more than that to inflict maximum damage on United, making young Leny Yoro look a bit silly in the process.

His first goal just before the break was a real work of art. Rogers plucked the ball out of the air, needing to give chase to stop it going out of play. Yoro was there but the Villa man barely acknowledged him before turning on the pace and curling the ball beyond Senne Lammens.

Yoro took his eyes off Rogers for his second goal, allowing him to saunter into the box and get a hold of it after some poor defender from Ayden Heaven, again curling in past the United ‘keeper to secure all three points.

All of this has certainly caught the attention of England boss Thomas Tuchel, who is clearly a big fan of Rogers. The forward has featured in all of the squads since he took over, starting six of his ten games.

With the likes of Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, and Jude Bellingham also vying for that number ten spot for the summer’s World Cup, Aston Villa’s very own Rogers has laid down the marker.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Dec

2025

Preview: Manchester United round off 2025 against bottom side Wolves

Manchester United host Wolves at Old Trafford on Tuesday evening, hoping to build on an impressive win over Newcastle United last time out. Rob Edwards is still searching for his first point in charge of the Midlands club, while they are yet to find a victory from their opening 18 games of the campaign.

By Matt Smith

It’s been just a few weeks since these two sides last met, with United securing an emphatic 4-1 victory away from home earlier in December. Interestingly, all three United goalscorers on that day, Mason Mount, Bryan Mbeumo, and Bruno Fernandes, could all miss this fixture.

Team news

Speaking ahead of the game, Ruben Amorim was unsure whether Mount would be fit enough to face Wolves after he was substituted at half-time last time out. Fernandes, Harry Maguire, Matthijs De Ligt, and Kobbie Mainoo are also likely to miss out, while Amad Diallo, Mbeumo, and Noussair Mazraoui are away at AFCON.

Edwards has confirmed that Santiago Bueno picked up a knock against Liverpool, so he could miss out for the away side. Andre will be unavailable after he received his fifth yellow card of the season.

Amorim’s adapting at United

The key talking point surrounding Amorim during his United tenure has been his stubbornness towards his three-at-the-back formation. Over the last couple of games, the Portuguese manager has started to shift things, and it was certainly more of a back four against Newcastle.

It certainly paid off for the Red Devils, picking up an impressive 2-1 victory. Whether Amorim feels he was forced into the change due to the lack of options at the moment or decided something needed to be altered to turn things around remains to be seen, but it’s exciting for United fans to see a change that has yielded results.

Change of style needed for Wolves?

It’s safe to say things haven’t worked out for Wolves this season, and relegation feels like a foregone conclusion at this stage. We’re almost at the halfway stage of the campaign, and Edwards’ side are already 16 points adrift of safety.

No side has completed more long balls per game than Wolves in the Premier League this season, but it’s a method that simply isn’t working out. The Wanderers have conceded more and scored fewer than any other team, and they are sleepwalking to relegation unless something drastic happens in the coming months.

Dorgu the surprise saviour

Last time out, Amorim deployed Patrick Dorgu, traditionally a wing-back, in an unorthodox right-wing position, and it certainly paid off. The Danish youngster provided a crucial goal to help United secure three points, and it was arguably his best game in a United shirt.

Over the last couple of games, where Dorgu has been given a little more freedom to make an impact in the opposition half, he’s produced a goal and an assist. Amorim might have found his solution to Mbeumo’s absence unexpectedly.

Prediction

Unfortunately for Wolves fans, it’s unlikely they’ll be picking up their first win here. We’re going for a 3-0 victory to Manchester United.

(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.

Dec

2025

Preview: Chelsea face fellow out of sorts side Bournemouth

One win in six Premier League games isn’t a good look for Chelsea, but it could be worse, Bournemouth haven’t won in nine. The two deeply out-of-form sides meet at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday.

By Alex Roberts

A brilliant first-half against title chasing Aston Villa was completely forgotten after Chelsea completely capitulated in the second, dropping out of the Champions League places. Questions about squad build and ambitions of the higher-ups are starting to get a little louder in West London.

Bournemouth’s 4-1 defeat at Brentford was one of their worst of the season. A positive start to the campaign now feels like a long time ago and sides have well and truly figured out how to get the better of Andoni Iraola and his high line.

Farewell Antoine Semenyo?

This could very well be Semenyo’s last game in a Bournemouth shirt as rumours over a move to Man City and now a potential hijack of that move from Liverpool start to circle ahead of the January transfer window.

It’s easy to see why all the big boys, except Chelsea, want to sign him. Probably the most two footed player in the Premier League, Semenyo’s nine goals and three assists make him one of the most in-form performers outside of the ‘big six’. Unfortunately for Bournemouth, it was inevitable they’d come calling.

Bournemouth fans will be able to enjoy watching him cut inside at least one last time as they travel to Chelsea, and one day, when he’s lighting it up at the Etihad or Anfield, they can look back with fond memories of Semenyo playing for their side.

Don’t blame Enzo Maresca

Chelsea have once again slipped into a winter malaise, and all is not well at Stamford Bridge. When this happened last season, the finger was pointed squarely at Enzo Maresca, but this time, it should be towards the club’s sporting directors and micro-managing co-owner.

The club signed a lot of remarkably talented young players in the summer, but the squad is arguably weaker than last season, and Chelsea are no longer a big fish in a small pond playing in the Europa Conference League, they’ve got to compete in the Champions League.

There is a reason Maresca has started to get a little chatty in his press conferences over the past month or so, and the sentiment is, largely, shared by the fans. Of course, all of this will blow over with a few positive results, so let’s see what happens next.

Team news

The biggest piece of team news coming out of Chelsea is that the ever-present Marc Cucurella is doubtful for the game today after asking to be substituted against Villa due to an apparent hamstring injury.

Other than the Spaniard, it’s the usual suspects that are out for Chelsea, with Levi Colwill (ACL) Roméo Lavia (thigh), and Dário Essugo (thigh) all sidelined.

Maresca returns from his touchline ban, though, so he’ll be yelling in person rather than through a walkie talkie.

It’s unlikely Bournemouth will make too many, if any, changes from the side that lost to Brentford. Tyler Adams will once again be a huge miss as he’s out until February after tearing his MCL.

Ben Gannon Doak (hamstring), Veljko Milosavljević (knee), and Matai Akinmboni (muscle) are all definitely ruled out, while Alex Scott is a slight doubt after been withdrawn in the Brentford defeat.

Prediction

It’s not going great for either side at the moment so we’re expecting a pretty cagey affair. So, we’ll go with a 1-1 draw.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Dec

2025

Preview: Aston Villa out to prove title credentials against Arsenal

A pivotal top-of-the-table clash will draw the curtain on Premier League action in 2025.

By Neel Shelat

Aston Villa on the brink of a record-breaking winning streak

Aston Villa’s comeback win over Chelsea last weekend led them to match their club record of 11 consecutive wins across all competitions, first set in 1897 and only previously repeated all of 111 years ago in 1914. Funnily enough, they have done so in what is their 111th season in the English top flight.

Clearly, the Villans seem to have something of a lucky number, but they have a long way to go yet if they are to immortalise this campaign by winning their first league title since 1981.

Arsenal’s fantastic home form

While Villa have been stealing the headlines lately, Arsenal still have some impressive ongoing streaks. Of course, their 18-match unbeaten run was broken in the reverse fixture earlier this month, but their home form has remained imperious.

Last week’s EFL Cup draw with Crystal Palace ended their 10-game winning streak at the Emirates Stadium, but the Gunners remain unbeaten in 15 matches on their turf. They have picked up 25 out of a possible 27 points in their Premier League home matches this term.

*The Premier League table (HOME games only!)*

Key absences in both back lines

Injury crises have derailed many an Arsenal title charge in the past, so they have tried to do everything possible to avoid such a collapse this time around. Their impressive squad depth is coming in very handy at this time of year, and the full back positions are under the spotlight at the moment.

Benjamin White has been out for a few weeks and Jurriën Timber was not a part of the last matchday squad, so Declan Rice may have to deputise at right back unless the Dutchman returns to the XI. Riccardo Calafiori was due to start the weekend’s match but pulled out during the warm-up, so Piero Hincapié or young Myles Lewis-Skelly may well start on the left. Some much-needed good news for the Gunners is that Gabriel Magalhães is expected to make his first start since early November and rekindle his partnership with William Saliba.

Villa would have been preparing for this match without Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres anyway, but their task has been made tougher by one-match suspensions for Matty Cash and Boubacar Kamara. Their right side will be further weakened by the absence of Evann Guessand, who was drafted into the Ivory Coast’s AFCON squad at the last minute.

Set-pieces a potential concern for Villa

With Manchester City poised to pounce on any slip-ups in this match, Arsenal will be well aware of the importance of winning this match by any means necessary. Unai Emery’s side have won three of their last five meetings, so Mikel Arteta will need to devise the perfect plan and get his side on their A game.

Set-pieces have been a key component of the league-leaders’ attack this season, and they could prove more important than ever in this match since Villa’s 84 shots conceded from such situations is the worst record in the league.

Prediction

A tense clash is to be expected, but Arsenal might just have enough to carve out a slender victory.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Dec

2025

Preview: Crystal Palace host Spurs in Sunday showdown

Crystal Palace and Tottenham, two teams struggling of late, go head-to-head at Selhurst Park on Sunday afternoon.

By Matt Smith

The Eagles will be looking to bounce back after arguably their most disappointing display of the season against Leeds, while Thomas Frank’s side are hoping to avoid making it three defeats on the bounce.

The last meeting between these two sides saw Palace pick up a 2-0 victory on the road, with Eberechi Eze grabbing a brace.

Palace also won this exact fixture last season, completing a rare double over Spurs.

Team news

Chris Richards picked up a foot injury against Arsenal last time out, but there’s a chance he could be fit enough for this one. Oliver Glasner’s side will be without Daniel Muñoz, Daichi Kamada, and Cheick Doucouré, while Ismaïla Sarr is away at AFCON.

Spurs will be without a host of players, partly down to a bit of ill-discipline against Liverpool. Cristian Romero and Xavi Simons were both sent off in that one, so they’ll serve the first game of their suspensions. They should have no fresh injury concerns, however.

We’ll let you have the ball

Palace are one of the sides in the Premier League with the lowest average possession this season, but it’s been effective for them. Glasner allows the opposition to have the ball, but it’s when they do regain possession that they can cause plenty of damage.

Dealing with the hectic fixture schedule that comes with playing in Europe has impacted some of their performances and consistency this campaign, but Glasner is doing a superb job in ensuring they are still competing towards the top of the table. Being eliminated from the Carabao Cup will ease their schedule slightly, but they remain in the Europa Conference League.

The data is worrying for Frank

Tottenham’s xG difference this season is 6.6, having created just 16 expected goals throughout the Premier League campaign. Frank’s side have struggled at both ends of the pitch, and it’s safe to say it’s not been an ideal start to the former Brentford manager’s tenure in north London.

Heading in to this round of games only Burnley, Wolves, and Sunderland have created fewer expected goals than Tottenham this season, while they rank 16th in the league for touches inside the opposition box. As they started the weekend in 14th position in the table, Frank desperately needs to show improvement in the second half of the season.

It’s only a matter of time for Mateta

A key reason why Palace managed to qualify for Europe last season was the form of French striker Jean-Philippe Mateta. The former Mainz forward also enjoyed an impressive start to the 2025/2026 campaign, but he’s fallen off a cliff in recent weeks.

*Mateta’s shot map in the Premier League*

Palace’s poor form has coincided with a drop off from Mateta, and it feels like only a matter of time before he finds the back of the net once again. That’s now six games without a goal for the striker, but we’re backing him to bounce back against Spurs and end Palace’s run of four games without a win.

Prediction

Leading on from our prediction of Mateta bouncing back, we’re going for a 2-0 victory to Palace in this one.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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Dec

2025

Preview: Aston Villa test their winning run at Stamford Bridge

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

By Alex Roberts

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

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

Morgan Rogers is the man

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

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

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

The most complete player in the league?

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

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

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

Team news

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

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

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

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

Prediction

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

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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