It’s been a while since we’ve seen any kind of title race in Ligue 1. PSG have run away with it for the past four seasons, but in 2025/26, they’ll head into the December break sitting in second, with little RC Lens and Florian Thauvin ahead by a point.
Pierre Sage took over from Will Still, who joined Southampton and was promptly sacked a few months later, in the summer and Lens had a busy transfer window, spending around €60 million on new players, powered by the sales of Neil El Aynaoui and Andy Diouf.
There was a clear focus on signing players in their early to mid 20s, but they broke that apparent transfer policy to sign a 31-year-old Florian Thauvin from Udinese for a reported €6.9 million, and it’s been one of the best decisions they made.
Thauvin’s player traits compared to similar players in Top 5 leagues
Thauvin left France back in 2021, calling it quits with Marseille and joining Mexican side Tigres, reuniting with former teammate André-Pierre Gignac. While Gignac became a legend at Tigres, Thauvin was ultimately a failure.
The Frenchman picked up an injury almost immediately after he turned up, had bust-ups with the manager because he believed his world champion status should make him a guaranteed starter, regardless of how he played.
It was all a bit of a mess and Tigres terminated his contract after 18-months at the club. The traditional legal battle ensued and Thauvin found himself at Udinese, where he managed to rediscover some form, scoring 15 goals and providing ten assists in his 73 games across all competitions.
The winger/playmaker has taken to life at Lens supremely well. Tactically, Sage wants his side to press intensely, using 3-4-3/3-4-2-1 formations with high wingbacks and a constantly rotating midfield.
Thauvin plays as the right sided ten in Sage’s system, or sometimes the right winger if the game needs a little added width, but either way, he’s an integral part of Lens’ well-oiled machine.
His attacking numbers speak for themselves. Alongside his five goals and assists, Thauvin has proven to be his side’s main creative force, with 34 chances created, 26 successful crosses, 438 successful passes at a rate of 77.9%, and an xA of 3.83, so he should have more assists than he currently does.
In possession he’s one of the best in the league. Thauvin is a high-volume dribbler and his close control and ability to wriggle through defences is arguably the best part of his game, with 28 successful dribbles, he’s ahead of the likes of Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué, Bradley Barcola, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
He’s clearly a leader on the pitch. 925 touches, 88 of which have been in the opposition box indicates just how much his teammates trust him to be the difference maker, and considering he’s only been dispossessed 34 times, more often than not he is.
Sage demands more from his forwards than a few little mazy runs and cutbacks, though, he needs them to start the press and do it in cohesively, otherwise opposition players will be able to play through them far too easily.
Thauvin’s possession numbers in Ligue 1
Thauvin has completely bought into his manager’s philosophy, and he is giving it his absolute all on the pitch. He’s won 15 tackles and 65 duels, made 60 recoveries and won possession in the final third back 15 times, but perhaps most importantly, he’s only been dribbled past nine times.
Now, we all love stats, you probably wouldn’t be scouring FotMob if you didn’t, but there is still something to be said of the good old fashioned eye test. Thauvin has had a few real standout performances, with the 4-1 win over Monaco being one of them.
He didn’t get the assist for the first goal, but he was the reason it happened. Thauvin timed his press well and after Monaco made a mistake playing out of the back, he latched on to the ball, dribbled around three defenders into the box, and slid it to Adrien Thomasson. After a little pinball, ex-Crystal Palace forward Odsonne Édouard smashed it into the back of the net.
Thauvin was credited with the assist for Lens’ third goal, and what an assist it was. A delicately lofted ball took every Monaco defender out of the game before it fell to midfielder Mamadou Sangaré, who juggled the ball a bit before scoring his first of the season.
His second assist of the game wasn’t as impressive, but from Thauvin’s quickly taken corner, Wesley Saïd, who was also fantastic, got his second goal of the game with a glancing header, and Lens earned a statement win.
A little more recently, Thauvin scored both goals in their edgy 2-1 win over Angers. Before the game, much of the build-up was about Lens been at the top of Ligue 1 for the first time in 21 years, these players were, largely, in unchartered territory.
What they needed was an experienced head to step up and that’s exactly what Thauvin did. His two goals, the first being a beautifully taken effort from just outside the box, and the second coming via a heavy deflection, kept Lens at the top of the league.
Lens are in the midst of a six-game winning streak and will head into the new year top of the tree. Whether they’ll be there come the end of the season is the big question, PSG could go and spend €200 million in January and win all their games between now and then.
Thauvin has been inspired for Lens, and he’s even earned a re-call to the France national team already this season. If he keeps his form up, perhaps a spot in Didier Deschamps’ World Cup squad isn’t so far-fetched after all.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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The 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations kicks off in Morocco this Sunday, and we will be covering it with regular previews, round-ups and features. First up, a group-by-group look at all 24 contestants, including defending champions Ivory Coast (pictured).
Morocco are hosting the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time since 1988, having withdrawn from holding the 2015 edition of the tournament due to the Ebola pandemic. As they prepare to become the second African nation to host the World Cup in 2030, they have heavily invested not only in world-class infrastructure but also in building a top-class team.
Indeed, they are the highest-ranked nation going into the tournament and are widely regarded as the clear favourites. Head coach Walid Regragui has quite an impressive track record in charge of the team, but the one slight blot on his copybook is the Round of 16 elimination from the last AFCON. With a squad full of elite-level regulars, he will be keen to change that on home soil and win Morocco’s second continental crown.
The Atlas Lions’ toughest group opponents look to be Mali. They will be coached by Belgian journeyman Tom Saintfelt, who has plied his trade at clubs in nine countries besides taking charge of 13 different national teams. He has a reputation for overachieving with underdogs at AFCON, so the Eagles will hope that he can get the best out of their blooming young talents en route to a knockout run.
Zambia topped their AFCON qualifying group ahead of the defending champions Ivory Coast, but they parted ways with ex-Chelsea manager Avram Grant just a couple of months prior to the tournament following a disappointing World Cup qualification campaign. His former assistant Moses Sichone has been promoted to the head coach role, so all eyes will be on him to see whether he can lead the Copper Bullets to the knockouts for the first time since their unforgettable title-winning campaign in 2012.
Comoros are among the lowest-ranked teams at this AFCON as they are making just their second appearance on Africa’s biggest stage. Their population of well under a million makes them the smallest country in this edition of the tournament. The midfield duo of Youssouf M’Changama and Zaydou Youssouf, as well as winger Faïz Selemani, are set to be key figures in Stefano Cusin’s side.
Group B: 🇪🇬 🇿🇦 🇦🇴 🇿🇼
Egypt are the most successful team in AFCON history with seven titles to their name, but they have not added to their tally since 2010. They will equal their longest-ever title drought should they fail to win this time around. All eyes will naturally be on Mohammed Salah as he still seeks his first international title, but Omar Marmoush and Mostafa Mohamed are his only fellow European-based teammates. Head coach Hossam Hassan will be counting on the experience of the squad to get them out of this tough group and over the line against more talented teams in the knockouts.
South Africa’s squad composition is somewhat similar as they have six European-based players and two coming from Saudi Arabia, while the rest are domestically based. They are known for their tactical intelligence under veteran coach Hugo Broos, who led them to match their best performance since the turn of the century with third place last time out. Bafana Bafana will be aiming to go the distance once again, and certainly will be a tough opponent for any side.
Angola have been consistent overachievers in recent years, but they could not make it count in the recently-concluded World Cup qualifying as they finished fourth in their group. They will be keen to bounce back at AFCON, having put together their best-ever campaign in a run to the quarter-finals last time. Their squad retains a good mix of experience and youth, but the big change is that Patrice Beaumelle has succeeded the long-serving Pedro Gonçalves in the dugout.
Zimbabwe have never made it to the AFCON knockouts in their five previous appearances. They will need something special to change that after failing to win any of their 10 World Cup qualifying matches and appointing new head coach Mario Marinică just over a month before this tournament. Their squad announcement featured a noteworthy omission in Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Marshall Munetsi, who himself claims to be recovering well from a calf injury.
Group C: 🇳🇬 🇹🇳 🇺🇬 🇹🇿
Last edition’s runners-up Nigeria are looking to make amends not only for that defeat to the Ivory Coast but also for their failure to qualify for the upcoming World Cup. As ever, they are spoilt for choice in attack with the likes of Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman in the squad while Tolu Arokodare and Victor Boniface have been left out, but finding the right balance in midfield remains their biggest challenge.
Sami Trabelsi’s Tunisia are a team that absolutely no one looks forward to facing due to their stodgy yet successful style of play. The Eagles of Carthage kept clean sheets in each of their 10 games in the recent World Cup qualifying campaign. Their lack of an attacking edge led them to crash out of the group stage in the last AFCON, though, so they will hope to see some decisive contributions from their forwards.
Uganda put together a respectable World Cup qualifying campaign to finish second in their group behind Algeria. Paul Put has called up players from all over the world, including the USL Championship in America, Thailand, Tanzania, Rwanda, Romania, Czechia and Burton Albion from the English third tier, forming a very diverse squad.
Tanzania have qualified for their third AFCON in the last four editions and are guaranteed a spot in the next one as co-hosts alongside Kenya and Uganda. They are yet to win a game in the group stage, though, so changing that will be new head coach Miguel Gamondi’s main priority. The Argentine tactician is vastly experienced having spent the last 25 years on the continent, but this is the first time he will lead a national team.
Group D: 🇸🇳 🇨🇩 🇧🇯 🇧🇼
2021 AFCON champions Senegal bowed out of the Round of 16 last time around as they lost to the eventual champions on penalties. Pape Thiaw succeeded in his first major task after taking over from Aliou Cissé as he led the Lions of Teranga to an unbeaten World Cup qualification campaign, but this will be his first major tournament in charge of the main team. Senegal are unbeaten in their last 23 competitive matches, and they have a decent chance of preserving that streak through this competition thanks to their excellently well-rounded squad.
DR Congo put up a good fight against Senegal in the same World Cup qualifying group and eventually did enough to advance to the inter-confederation play-offs ahead of Cameroon and Nigeria, so they are not to be underestimated. They got as far as the semi-finals last year despite only winning one game, and might well have to repeat the trick this time around in the absence of key forward Yoane Wissa.
After failing to qualify for the last two editions, Benin are back for their fourth AFCON appearance. Despite getting as far as the quarter-finals in 2019, they still have not recorded a win in the competition. Gernot Rohr’s side will have a handy chance of changing that this time around. Aiyegun Tosin, ex-Huddersfield Town striker Steve Mounié and St. Pauli’s Andreas Hountondji will be key to their hopes.
Botswana will be the lowest-ranked team in this edition of the AFCON as they make their second appearance, having only previously featured in 2012. 1-0 wins over World-Cup-bound Cape Verde brought them to the tournament, but their almost entirely domestically based squad now have a massive challenge on their hands.
Group E: 🇩🇿 🇧🇫 🇬🇶 🇸🇩
As ever, Algeria will aspire to be right up there with the main title contenders at AFCON, but their initial focus has to be on getting past the group stage, having crashed out in each of the last two occasions. Vladimir Petković was appointed head coach after the last exit, and he has enjoyed a successful tenure so far with comfortable qualification campaigns. The real challenge for him begins now, though, as he will have to find a solution to mask the Fennecs’ relatively weaker defence and get the best out of the vast attacking talent in the squad.
Burkina Faso have advanced to the knockouts in four of their last five AFCON appearances, getting as far as the semi-finals on three occasions since 2013. Brama Traoré has regularly been involved in and around the national team setup over the years as an assistant and youth team coach, but this will be his first time leading the side. With more experienced figures like Bertrand Traoré, Edmond Tapsoba and Hervé Koffi joined by emerging youngsters such as Dango Ouattara and Cyriaque Irié, the Burkinabé sqaud will be keen to upset the odds once again.
Equatorial Guinea sprung one of the biggest surprises at the previous AFCON as they topped Group A ahead of would-be finalists Nigeria and the Ivory Coast. Incredibly, they have advanced to the knockouts in each of their previous four appearances at the competition. They have made matters more challenging for themselves this time by initially dismissing and eventually reinstating head coach Juan Michá over the last couple of months, as the federation and players are embroiled in a dispute over finances and general support. Even so, they have enough quality and experience in their squad to put up a good fight once again.
Sudan put together an incredible effort to qualify for their second AFCON in the last decade and just their fourth since 1976. They finished second in their group after picking up four points against Ghana, who shockingly finished last. Worse yet for the Black Stars, ex-coach Kwesi Appiah was the man leading the Sudanese effort.
Sudan’s successful qualification campaign
The Falcons of Jediane are achieving all of this while a terrible civil war devastates their homeland, so their games will be about much more than just the football on the pitch as they are one of the few remaining unifying forces in Sudan.
Group F: 🇨🇮 🇨🇲 🇬🇦 🇲🇿
The Ivory Coast are the defending AFCON champions after they won their third title at the culmination of one of the most incredible campaigns in the competition’s history, spanning two group stage defeats, a mid-tournament coaching change and three turnaround victories in the knockouts. Emerse Faé was naturally rewarded with a long-term contract thereafter, and he will hope to see out the full tournament this time around.
The 41-year-old coach has made some bold calls with his squad selection, leaving ex-Arsenal forward Nicolas Pépé and Sunderland’s Simon Adingra out in favour of teenagers Yan Diomande and Bazoumana Touré. The Elephants have a good deal of quality and experience across the rest of the squad, so they are sure to put up a sturdy title defence.
Cameroon are a real AFCON powerhouse having lifted the trophy five times, but they are currently embroiled in internal turmoil. The Indomitable Lions put out two separate squads for the tournament, one on behalf of the football association and their newly-appointed head coach David Pagou, and the other from Marc Brys, who maintains that his contract as the team’s head coach remains active.
The issue stems from a conflict between Brys and FA President Samuel Eto’o, whom the former has accused of being narcissistic. In fact, reports have claimed that some of the controversial decisions in the FA’s squad, such as the exclusion of Vincent Aboubakar, can be put down to Eto’o’s desire to preserve his status as the country’s all-time top-scorer. At the time of writing, it seems that the ex-Barcelona striker has prevailed as Pagou is currently leading the team in Morocco.
After missing out on the last edition of AFCON, Gabon will be keen to come back with a bang by capitalising on Cameroon’s chaos. Thierry Mouyouma’s side will be led by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in what could well be his last major international tournament, while other key figures such as Denis Bouanga and Mario Lemina are also well past the age of 30. So, this is likely the last opportunity for this generation of Gabonese players to put together a memorable campaign.
Mozambique are among the teams seeking their first win at AFCON as they gear up for their sixth appearance at the tournament. Chiquinho Conde’s side did manage to pick up two points last time around, matching their combined tally from all four previous campaigns. Their squad has remained largely unchanged, so 42-year-old Domingues will become the oldest outfielder in AFCON history if he takes to the field.
(Images via IMAGO)
You can follow the Africa Cup of Nations on FotMob – with deep stats and players ratings. Download the free app here.
The big ticket item for teams in the market for a playmaker was Florian Wirtz. Manchester City wanted the German international, in fact a deal was viewed by many as a formality, but they ultimately lost out to Liverpool with the Reds signing the Bayer Leverkusen No. 10 for a club record £100million fee.
Pep Guardiola’s side pivoted and raided Lyon to bring the 22-year-old Cherki to the Etihad in a deal believed to be worth an initial £30million. At the time, many queried whether this would be a successful signing. For all of Cherki’s strengths, he was a maverick. He wasn’t necessarily someone many thought would fit in with Guardiola’s strict, almost robotic system, approach and identity.
Cherki’s player traits compared against similar players in Top 5 leagues
After all, Jack Grealish arrived at Manchester City and was viewed as a wildcard to help give the team something a little different. He struggled to live up to the price tag. It was going to be an impossible task in all honesty, how do you justify £100million as a No. 10 when the team is built around getting the best out of a No. 9 who simply puts the ball into the back of the net?
But even without the price tag weighing heavy on Grealish, the England international struggled in general. His best return in a single season for City was five goals and seven assists. The 2022/23 campaign was the only time he scored over three goals and assisted on more than three occasions at the Etihad.
This is an era of attackers being judged purely on output, and Grealish, simply put, didn’t deliver in this Guardiola system geared more towards repetition rather than someone who plays on instinct. If he struggled when he was already up to speed with the rigours of the English top-flight, how would Cherki manage when questions over his attitude and work rate had followed his career closely?
Heading into the season, the narrative was that he’d struggle with the intensity and physicality of the league. And while he has been used sparingly this season, racking up just 488 minutes in the Premier League this term, Cherki has made a lot of people look a little silly.
The Premier League assist leaders
The 22-year-old sits second in the English top-flight for assists with six. He has four assists across his last four Premier League outings, including three in his last two starts. His standout performance was against Sunderland, a game in which he claimed two assists. His showing earned him a 9.2 FotMob rating having completed the most dribbles (five) and creating the most chances (six). In the 3-0 win over Palace last weekend, a game he was given a FotMob rating of 8.4 for, he, again, created the most chances in the match (three) and completed the most dribbles (five).
Wirtz, meanwhile, is yet to register an assist in the Premier League. Arne Slot has yet to figure out a role for the German maestro and he’s been in and out of the team with Liverpool struggling.
Guardiola has a clear role in mind for Cherki and the player is fully buying into what is needed for him to be a success in the Premier League. Bruno Fernandes is the only player with more assists to his name this term. Despite Jérémy Doku receiving rave reviews for his showings for City this season, and he has been a revelation since scaling his output, it is the City No. 10 who tops the Expected Assists per 90 chart with 0.47.
While normally this sort of output would be expected to slow down, the way City play and the way Erling Haaland continues to be freakish, goalscoring robot, you wouldn’t be surprised if Cherki carried these creative exploits across the entire campaign if given the opportunities on the pitch.
With the way Guardiola keeps talking about his No. 10, something must’ve gone horribly wrong if he’s not been a regular for the title chasers come the end of the season, though he might have to dial it back a little bit.
Following yet another assist, this time against Palace, the City boss singled Cherki out for praise, saying: “Rayan, with his quality in the final third, has special vision.”
Cherki’s passing stats on a per 90 basis
It’s just about tailoring his particular, and unique, skillset to the right situations and moments.
Against Sunderland, he was asked about Cherki’s outrageous rabona assist. His response?
“I want him to make a good cross. If he doesn’t make a good cross, I don’t like it. He did it and it’s fine. I never saw Messi doing these kind of things. Messi’s the best player to play the game. The biggest quality of Messi is the simplicity of Messi, the simple things he does perfectly. The biggest players like Rayan have to learn this. But he’s so young.”
He responded too, playing a simple pass to Foden in the build-up for his goal against the Eagles. If Guardiola can refine that side of Cherki’s game, where less is more, Premier League defenders are going to be in trouble. He headed into the campaign as someone viewed as a risky signing. Midway through, he’s looking like one of the bargain buys of the summer.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
You can follow every Manchester City game with FotMob this season – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.
Following their first-ever UEFA Champions League triumph, Paris Saint-Germain have featured in two FIFA competitions this year. The first was the inaugural edition of the Club World Cup, in which they finished as runners-up after losing the final to Chelsea.
July’s Club World Cup Final defeat for PSG
Now, the Intercontinental Cup – the successor to the old Club World Cup played just by the winners of each federation’s premier club cup competition – will afford them a second opportunity to become world champions of some sort. The new format of the competition grants the European entrants a direct spot in the final, so this will be PSG’s only game of the tournament in Qatar.
Flamengo looking to cap off a fantastic year
Brazilian giants Flamengo will be fighting for their fifth trophy of the year to cap off one of the most successful seasons in their history.
Mengão started off with a couple of relatively smaller titles in the Supercopa and Campeonato Carioca, their state championship. As the season heated up, they found themselves competing on all fronts besides going on a tour of the United States for the Club World Cup, in which they advanced to the knockouts. They fell short in the Brazilian cup, but went the distance in both the league and Copa Libertadores to lift their fourth continental crown and second such double.
Flamengo had enjoyed a similarly trophy-laden season in 2019 when they also got to the Club World Cup final in Doha, but then lost out to Liverpool in extra time. They will be hoping to go one better this time around and lift their second intercontinental title.
Will fatigue catch up with Flamengo?
Although Paris Saint-Germain have had UEFA Champions League commitments and are not leading the way in Ligue 1 at the moment, they have been able to take things relatively easy and regularly rest their star players so far this season. Flamengo, on the other hand, have had no such luxuries as they are in the busiest and most stressful part of their season.
This will be Filipe Luís’ side’s 10th match in the last month as they have been involved in a frantic end to the league season, the Copa Libertadores final, and two rounds of the Intercontinental Cup over the last week.
Historical record firmly favouring PSG
The old Intercontinental Cup – which ran from 1960 to 2004 and pitted the European and South American champions against each other in a two-legged decider – was an incredibly evenly-matched affair. There was almost nothing to separate the two confederations in the end, as the CONMEBOL sides edged it 23-22.
The subsequent Club World Cup, though, very quickly became a one-sided affair. Brazilian sides did win the first three editions of the tournament, but since 2007, Corinthians in 2012 are the only outlier in an otherwise spotless record for the UEFA representatives.
Prediction
Flamengo are quite deservedly the best team in South America as they have a collection of experienced internationals and are well-coached by a relatively young but already vastly experienced Luís, who will surely be a wanted man after his stellar 2025, but PSG have to be considered clear favourites.
The Parisians will only be without Achraf Hakimi, so a near-full-strength XI should get them over the line comfortably enough.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
You can follow every game from the FIFA Intercontinental Cup with FotMob this season – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, physical metrics, and player ratings. Download the free app here.
Jürgen Klopp warned the rest of the Premier League. Aware of Harry Wilson’s natural talent as the Welsh youngster came through Liverpool’s academy system, the German immediately identified his best quality. “His shooting is world class,” said Klopp in a quote that is now more prescient than ever.
Wilson has always been a danger from outside the box, but his current output is off the charts. Indeed, the 28-year-old is in the form of his life, registering six goal involvements in his last four games for Fulham with Wilson’s match-winning performance away to Burnley on Saturday arguably his best display of the season so far.
Wilson’s last four games
Without Wilson on the pitch, Fulham probably wouldn’t have escaped Turf Moor with three points. The Welshman contributed two assists and scored the goal which proved to be the difference between the two teams, showing excellent composure and guiding a finish into the far corner of the net when the ball came to him inside the box.
By his recent standards, this was a run-of-the-mill goal. Wilson is having his own Goal of the Season competition this season. There was the outside-of-the-boot finish against Crystal Palace and the opportunistic strike from range against Tottenham Hotspur, taking advantage of Guglielmo Vicario’s absence off his line.
Technically, there aren’t many in the Premier League on Wilson’s level. The 28-year-old is incredibly clean in his execution on the ball. He can pass. He can cross. And he can certainly shoot, as the Welsh international has demonstrated a number of times for the Cottagers this season.
Wilson’s shot map in the Premier League
Wilson is now Fulham’s primary difference-maker. He is their top scorer with five goals in 15 league appearances and is their main man in the final third of the pitch. Wilson’s potential has been obvious for a long time, stretching back to his spell in the Liverpool academy, but he is now putting everything together.
“From pre-season I had this conversation with him and I felt he was becoming much more mature,” said Fulham manager Marco Silva when asked about Wilson’s contribution and his importance to the Cottagers right now. “A player needs some love but needs some responsibility and to like the pressure of the responsibility on his back and he is feeling well with that. Not just in our football club, but in the national team as well.
“He can feel it and probably he can deliver more for the team. I don’t have doubts he is in the best moment of his career. The way he is being decisive with goals and assists, but the way he is playing as well, he is more mature, is managing the moments of the game and being in the top of his game in some moments.”
Wilson’s passing stats in the Premier League this season
Silva is right to mention Wilson’s contribution to his national team. The 28-year-old scored a hat trick in his last outing for Wales, helping The Dragons to a dominant 7-1 win over North Macedonia in their final 2026 World Cup group qualifier. Wilson will be expected to deliver when the playoffs roll around in March.
For Wales, Craig Bellamy has deployed Wilson as something of a False Nine, highlighting the 28-year-old’s ability to play across the forward line. For Fulham, Wilson has been used on the right side for the most part, but has also played as a number 10 and even deeper in the midfield unit. His versatility is extremely valuable.
Fulham have struggled for consistency so far this season. While the Cottagers have recently registered impressive wins over Sunderland, Tottenham Hotspur and Burnley, they have also lost to Everton, Manchester City and Crystal Palace. There’s a reason Silva’s team is slumped in the bottom half of the Premier League table.
Wednesday’s Carabao Cup quarter-final against Newcastle United is an opportunity for Fulham to reframe their 2025/26 campaign. The Cottagers have never lifted a major piece of silverware and haven’t played in a major cup final since losing to West Ham in the 1975 FA Cup final. This is a chance for Fulham to make history.
Newcastle could still be hurting from their loss in Sunday’s Tyne-Wear Derby to Sunderland, meaning there could be a strong reaction from Eddie Howe and his players. Alternatively, the Magpies could fail to find their best attacking form once more, opening the door for Fulham to make the final four.
If the Cottagers are to pull off a big result at St James’ Park it’s safe to assume Wilson will play an important role. The 28-year-old has never been more influential for club and country, nor has he caught the eye more regularly with the number of stunning strikes he is producing on a regular basis. Wilson’s goals are just one part of what makes him so special.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
You can follow every Fulham game on FotMob – with in-depth stat coverage, including xG, shot maps, and player ratings. Download the free app here.
After a transitional year or so, there is a growing sense that Manchester City are finally starting to settle into a new identity. Things are coming together.
Sunday’s 3-0 away win over Crystal Palace might have slightly flattered Pep Guardiola’s team, but it was proof of the momentum City have built, winning each of their last five matches in all competitions.
The Carabao Cup isn’t Manchester City’s top priority this season. Nonetheless, Wednesday’s quarter-final against Brentford is a chance to take another step towards silverware.
Despite establishing themselves at Premier League level, Brentford have never won a major piece of silverware in their history.
This season’s Carabao Cup could be an opportunity for the Bees to change this and so Keith Andrews might place more importance on Wednesday’s quarter-final than his opposite number.
Recent H2H results
Manchester City are unbeaten in their last five meetings with Brentford in all competitions. They are firm favourites to extend that unbeaten run to six fixtures.
This, however, could be a tactical match-up that benefits Brentford. They could expose the hosts in transition and capitalise on their relative lack of physicality at the back.
Key players
Guardiola could rotate his team ahead of the busy Christmas period, meaning Erling Haaland might be in line for a place on the bench against Brentford on Wednesday.
Savinho is expected to start for Manchester City, giving the hosts a threat in quick transition. The Brazilian was productive off the bench against Crystal Palace, winning the penalty kick that led to City’s third goal.
Phil Foden could also be rested by Guardiola. Jérémy Doku, however, could keep his place in the City starting lineup while Oscar Bobb may make his third start in this season’s Carabao Cup.
Igor Thiago has been something of a revelation for Brentford this season, scoring 12 goals in all competitions. The Brazilian centre forward will be a physical threat and an attacking focal point for the Bees to play off.
Igor Thiago’s productive season
Jordan Henderson scored his first Brentford goal against Leeds United on Sunday. The midfielder has created more Big Chances than any of his teammates this season and will be a key figure in Wednesday’s cup quarter-final.
Michael Kayode’s long throws will put the Manchester City backline under pressure while Rico Henry’s surging runs down the left side could expose the space in behind Rico Lewis.
Team news
Mateo Kovačić and Rodri are sidelined for Manchester City, leaving Guardiola short of options in central midfield. This will likely see Nico González and Tijani Reijnders start in the middle of the pitch.
Omar Marmoush is also unavailable for City with the Egyptian forward on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations this month.
Frank Onyeka and Dango Outtara are similarly at AFCON with their respective national teams while Fábio Carvalho is a long-term absentee as he recovers from a serious ACL injury.
Prediction
City have some serious pedigree in this competition – lifting the trophy in four consecutive seasons up to 2021 – so will likely be out to ruin Brentford’s big day: Man City 2-1 Brentford.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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There was plenty of excitement around Manchester United when it was announced that Fridolina Rolfö would join the club back in August. Calls for increased backing for the women’s team from the club’s board have been prevalent over the last few seasons and once again the summer transfer window had been quiet.
With just three incomings and the hope of competing in the Champions League for the first time, the arrival of a player of the Sweden international’s calibre was welcome news not just for the experience she would bring but also the addition of some much-needed squad depth if the team were to compete on multiple fronts.
For Rolfö is one of the most seasoned and versatile players in the game at the moment. The two-time Champions League winner spent four seasons at all-conquering Barcelona before heading to Manchester with previous stints at German giants Wolfsburg and Bayern Munich.
Sitting down with the 32-year-old before the winter break, Rolfö appears to be settling well into her new environment.
“I feel great,” she says. “We have many exciting games ahead of us. You always you want to give your all in this last push before the Christmas break and you want to go in having a great feeling.”
“Of course, it’s a little bit rainier than Barcelona,” she laughs. “I think it’s lovely place. I love the city and the people here so I’ve been having a great experience so far.”
It has been a successful start to the campaign for Marc Skinner’s side who are fighting on four fronts. They currently sit third in the Barclays WSL and secured progression in Europe with two games of the League Phase to spare.
“I would say we’re growing every week,” she continues. “We still have to learn. But I think we’re performing really well. We already qualified for the knockout phase in the Champions League and we’re doing great in the league… We just have to continue working on some details to be more decent and create more chances. But I think we have started something really good together.”
Rolfö had to be patient to get her chance to show the team and their fans what she could do. Having suffered an ankle injury in a Nations League fixture back in June, the race was on to get fit for the Euros. She made it back in time to feature for Sweden’s run to the quarterfinals but needed a bit of extra recovery time in pre-season to return to full fitness.
“I would say [settling in] was a bit tougher,” she remembers. “Of course, you want to go straight into the team but it took me a little bit longer to recover. I had to push it a lot in the summer in the Euros. In the end, it was a good decision to take it a little bit slower. But it also made it a little bit harder to get into everything in the beginning here at United. It feels like I’m getting more and more into it.”
To help herself adapt, she has had to draw on the nous she has gained from a 17-year career that has seen her ply her trade in four different countries.
“When I get to a team, I want to get to know the players,” she states. “How do they play? What do they do? What kind of movements [do they make]? Where do they want the ball? Those are the main things that you have to focus on in the beginning. But I would say that the people here are easy to get along with and easy to communicate with and that also makes it easier.”
Her integration into the squad after her return has, at least from the outside appeared seamless, developing natural connections with the players around. She scored her first goal for the club in the Champions League, the winner in their 1-0 victory away to Atlético Madrid. She went on to head home the winner over PSG on a historic night at Old Trafford – “I will remember that one,” she says with a smile – followed by an almost exact replica against her former team Wolfsburg. She scored her first two goals in the Barclays WSL, completing United’s remarkable comeback from a 3-0 deficit against Tottenham Hotspur to steal a point just last weekend.
For her part, she is enjoying the challenges in a league that is “much more competitive than the other leagues I’ve been playing in before”. “Every weekend is really tough and there are many great teams”, she states. “It’s physical and it’s fast… that’s how you want it as a player.”
In terms of the Champions League, it has been an impressive run for a team who are experiencing the top echelons of European football for the first time. Having a player like Rolfö, however, is invaluable to help guide the way of her younger, less experienced teammates. “I know what it is like to play in the Champions League and playing those different teams,” she says. “I’m trying to bring everything that I have, like the way I play and leading by example but also talking to the girls about what to expect.”
They will round out the League Phase against Juventus on Wednesday night and Rolfö expects another difficult test as both are aiming to finish as high as possible in the table. “I saw when they played Lyon and I would say they’re good in transitions,” she analyses. “They are very straight in how they play and they also have individually good players… We have to be prepared because they’re a good opponent and they have been doing great so far.”
After Wednesday’s trip to Turin, there is one more game – a league cup quarterfinal against Spurs – before a hard-earned rest for all the players. “I don’t have that many plans,” Rolfö says with a smile. “I’m going back home and I’m just going to see friends and family. Hopefully, there will be some snow in Sweden so I get to experience the proper Swedish Christmas. That would be lovely.”
(Cover image from IMAGO, with additional images from Girls on the Ball)
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Wilfried Nancy needed to win on Sunday. As bad as his first two games as Celtic’s new manager had been, victory over St Mirren in the Scottish League Cup final would have offered some hope that the Frenchman had weathered an early storm to put his mark on a team, and a club, in need of a new identity.
Instead, Celtic produced a performance that highlighted everything Nancy is struggling to get to grips with in his new job. St Mirren’s win at Hampden Park was no fluke. The Hoops might have had more possession, but the 3-1 scoreline was a fair reflection of the match Nancy surely watched in confusion from the touchline.
Nancy has clear, non-negotiable ideas on how football should be played. Those ideas were established during his time in Major League Soccer as CF Montreal and Columbus Crew head coach and were almost certainly the thing that attracted Celtic to him in the first place. Nancy’s principles make him the manager he is.
The Frenchman favours a 3-4-3 shape. He wants aggression from his team in and out of possession and emboldens his players to exploit space wherever it opens up on the pitch. Nancy’s teams are position-less. When this works, it’s an exhilarating approach to observe. At its worst, though, it’s a rabble.
Celtic’s performances have fallen into the latter category. Nancy has attempted too much too soon, crowbarring the Scottish champions into a new formation that doesn’t suit them. Celtic don’t have the players to operate in the way the former Columbus Crew boss wants and that has been obvious in the performances they have delivered.
To function effectively, Nancy needs defenders who are comfortable on the ball to progress possession out from the back. In Liam Scales and Auston Trusty, however, Celtic have two central defenders clearly uncomfortable at seeing so much of the ball in matches. In Sunday’s cup final, St Mirren were happy to let either take possession.
The lack of natural wing backs means Nancy has had to deploy Sebastian Tounekti and Yang Hyun-Jun on either side when neither player is suited to the role. Tounekti and Yang both lack the natural defensive instincts to play as part of the backline, too often leaving Celtic exposed to the opposition counter.
Celtic’s current league position
In the middle of the pitch, Nancy requires two midfielders who can cover a huge amount of ground. Callum McGregor might be the most technically gifted player in the Celtic Park dressing room, but the 32-year-old has lost a yard of pace from his peak and has looked overwhelmed against Hearts, Roma and St Mirren.
“I can see something good,” insisted Nancy after Sunday’s dismal defeat at Hampden. He is right to point out that there have been periods in all three of his first three games in which Celtic have shown the hallmarks of Nancy-ball. Immediately after equalising against St Mirren, the Hoops were indeed firmly on top.
As a 90-minute team, though, Celtic are a long, long way from where they need to be. The summer’s dreadful recruitment has left the Scottish champions short-handed and lacking in top-end quality. Nancy is finding that out to his cost since taking over from Martin O’Neill. In many ways, he has been set up to fail.
“I tell them that I want to do better for sure,” said Nancy when asked what his message to the increasingly sceptical Celtic support would be. “But I am asking them, not to be patient but to trust what I am going to say regarding I can see what we are trying to do. I can ask the fans to believe in me and to trust I can do things, but that is not my job. I have to act instead of talking.”
Another bad result and performance against Dundee United on Wednesday would increase the noise around Nancy. It would add weight to the growing argument that while the Frenchman might have been the right man for the job at another point, now was the wrong time to integrate a manager of his mould.
In any other season, Nancy might have been afforded time to get things right. This season, though, Hearts are setting the pace at the top of the Scottish Premiership table, raising the prospect of a first non-Old Firm title winner since the days of Sir Alex Ferguson’s Aberdeen in the 1980s.
Celtic simply can’t allow any more ground to be lost in the title race. They need Nancy’s methods to take root quickly or their new manager to make some short-term compromises to buy himself more time in the long-term. Hired to lead Celtic into a new era, Nancy has so far only succeeded in highlighting the club’s past mistakes.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Chelsea travel to League One leaders Cardiff City for their Carabao Cup quarter final, the first time these two sides have faced off since their Premier League meeting back in 2019. Both clubs have gone through a lot since then.
Enzo Maresca’s side weren’t at their best in the last round, making it more complicated than it should have been and needing young winger Jamie Gittens to bail them out in their 4-3 win over Premier League strugglers Wolves.
Cardiff, on the other hand, got the better of Wrexham, beating their Welsh rivals 2-1 on the night and breaking the hearts of anyone who’s still catching up via the medium of the next Welcome to Wrexham series in a year’s time.
Rotation, rotation, rotation
It’s the name of the game for Chelsea at the moment, and the absolute bane for my fantasy team. We never really know what line-up Maresca is going to put out, and it’s hard to tell whether that’s a good thing or not.
The results against Leeds and Atalanta are definitely in the con column, but having the ability and wherewithal to be able to rest the likes of injury prone duo Reece James and Wesley Fofana when needed is certainly a pro.
Once one of Arsenal’s great young hopes, signed from Southampton for a reported fee of around £16 million back in 2014, the defender now finds himself at Cardiff, and he could offer some valuable experience against Chelsea.
Chambers starred, alongside William Fish, at the heart of Cardiff’s defence in the win over Wrexham, ending his game having made four clearances, four recoveries, and winning six of his nine aerial duels.
No matter who Chelsea play, Chambers will undoubtedly be in for a busy evening. The most important thing for the former Arsenal man is to be a calm presence for Cardiff’s inexperienced yet dynamic back line.
Team news
There will be plenty of changes for Chelsea with Maresca likely to rest some of his key players in the midst of the hectic festive period. Along with the names we already mentioned, Jorrel Hato could finally be given a chance to redeem himself after a calamitous first half display against Qarabag.
Maresca has all but confirmed that star man Cole Palmer won’t feature as Chelsea continue to manager his minutes. The same could be said for James.
Cardiff pleaded with Chelsea to allow loan star Omari Kellyman to play, but their request was duly turned down by the Premier League giants, which feels a little harsh.
To make matters worse, Brian Barry-Murphy’s side will also be without star man Rubin Colwill, who isn’t expected to return to action until February with an ankle injury. Gabriel Osho (toe) and Ollie Tanner (ankle) will also miss the game.
Prediction
Cardiff don’t have anything to lose here, and that always makes a lower league opposition dangerous. Still, we think Chelsea will get through with a relatively comfortable 2-0 win.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Amorim looks to have turned a corner at the helm of the Red Devils, although there are still the odd moments of inconsistency that plague the side.
Impressive wins over Liverpool and Brighton were followed by disappointing draws with Nottingham Forest and Tottenham. Even Everton managed to get in on the party, winning at Old Trafford for the first time since 2013.
Since then, the club have defeated Crystal Palace and Wolves, with a draw against West Ham sandwiched in between.
Things clicked at Molineux. United managed 27 shots throughout the match, creating eight big chances in the process.
Bruno Fernandes was superb, registering three goal contributions, creating five big chances and playing 12 passes into the final third.
He thrived playing behind Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha and Amorim will be looking for more of the same against the Cherries.
Another performance like the one on display at Molineux and Man United will be right in the hunt for a Champions League spot next term.
Bournemouth are in freefall
After a decent start to the Premier League season, Andoni Iraola’s men have been in freefall recently.
The Cherries’ last win came against Forest on October 26. Across their six subsequent fixtures, they have scored just five times, conceding 13 goals in the process.
This run of two points from 18 has seen them plummet down the league table. Indeed, at the time of writing, Iraola’s men currently sit 15th, albeit seven points clear of 18th placed West Ham.
Recent H2H results at Old Trafford
Bournemouth can perhaps take solace in the fact they have a wonderful record when playing United at Old Trafford in December.
Last year, the Cherries sealed a sublime 3-0 win and this came 12 months on from a 3-0 win at the Theatre of Dreams in the 2023/24 season.
Lighting couldn’t strike three times, could it?
Team news
Amorim will have plenty on his mind ahead of the tie regarding team selection. Three of his players – Mbeumo, Amad and Noussair Mazraoui – will leave this week to participate in the Africa Cup of Nations.
The manager is keeping their availability under wraps, however, with FIFA setting a date of Monday 15 December to release players for the tournament.
The home side might come into this clash missing several key players, but Amorim will be feeling positive after dominant 4-1 win over Wolves last week.
Despite the Cherries enjoying a couple of excellent results at Old Trafford in recent seasons, the Red Devils will enact their revenge on Monday evening.
Prediction: Manchester United 2-1 Bournemouth.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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