Page 59 – The Pulse of Football

Dec

2025

FotMob Interview: Manchester United and Sweden star Fridolina Rolfo

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.

By Girls On The Ball

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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Dec

2025

New Celtic coach Nancy endures baptism of fire

Just three games after his appointment, Wilfried Nancy is already fighting for his job as Celtic manager.

By Graham Ruthven

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.

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)

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

Dec

2025

Preview: The League Cup quarterfinals start as Chelsea head to Cardiff

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.

By Alex Roberts

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.

Maresca has several young stars that could get a chance here. Gittens, Josh Acheampong, Tyrique George, and Marc Guiu are all pushing to start, while academy stars Reggie Walsh and Shumaira Mheuka could get chances. We’ll just have to wait and see.

Remember Calum Chambers?

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.

Chelsea will definitely be without Levi Colwill (knee), Liam Delap (shoulder), and Roméo Lavia (thigh).

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)

You can follow every game from the Carabao Cup (aka EFL Cup) with FotMob this season — featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Dec

2025

Preview: In-form Manchester United welcome Bournemouth to Old Trafford

Manchester United have the chance to move up the Premier League table on Monday evening as they host a Bournemouth side who have not won in six games.

By Ross Kilvington

Ruben Amorim eyes Champions League places

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 15^th, albeit seven points clear of 18^th placed West Ham.

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.

Elsewhere, Matthijs de Ligt and Harry Maguire remain absent, while Benjamin Šeško is recovering from a bout of food poisoning and might not make the squad.

Iraola will be missing Ryan Christie, Matai Akinmboni and Ben Gannon Doak due to injury, with Lewis Cook suspended for the clash.

Prediction

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)

You can follow all the games from the Premier League on FotMob in the 2025/26 season – with in-depth stat coverage, including xG, shot maps, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Dec

2025

Preview: Sean Dyche’s Forest face Spurs at the City Ground

Can Tottenham Hotspur continue their mini-resurgence away to a Nottingham Forest team trying to build some momentum of their own?

By Graham Ruthven

Resurgent rivals

Back-to-back victories over Brentford and Slavia Prague have given Tottenham Hotspur and their embattled manager Thomas Frank some much-needed respite from the crushing pressure that had started to build.

Sitting a lowly 11th in the Premier League table, Spurs are still a long way from where they want to be, but there have at least been some green shoots of progress in their recent performances.

The same could be said of Nottingham Forest. Despite last week’s disappointing 3-0 loss to Everton, Sean Dyche’s side have won four of their last seven games, taking them out of the bottom three.

While Forest are heading in the right direction under Dyche, they were still only two points above the drop zone heading in to the weekend and can’t take anything for granted. They require points on the board.

Spurs boast the joint-second best away record in the Premier League this season. This game could be a positive tactical match-up for Frank’s team as they aim to make it three wins in-a-row.

Key players

Elliot Anderson has continued his incredible development this season and will be a controlling influence for Nottingham Forest in the centre of the pitch this weekend.

The England international is averaging more average passes per 90 minutes than any other Forest player this season and has also created 25 chances, underlining his importance to Dyche’s team.

Ahead of Anderson, Morgan Gibbs-White is another top-level player capable of imposing himself on the strongest opponents, accruing a team-high 3.1 Expected Goals (xG) so far this campaign.

For Tottenham, Xavi Simons is the attacking midfielder capable of breaking open a game. After a slow start to life at his new club, the Netherlands international has found some form, scoring in each of his last two games.

Richarlison will lead the line for the visitors to the City Ground. The Brazilian forward is Spurs’ top scorer this season, netting six times. He will physically match up against Nikola Milenković and Morato.

Mohamed Kudus has been Tottenham’s most creative player this season, generating three Big Chances in the Premier League. The Ghanian will be a threat down the right wing.

Team news

Forest captain Ryan Yates is set for a period on the sidelines after suffering an injury in last week’s defeat to Everton meanwhile Matz Sals is recovering from a minor groin problem.

Chris Wood remains out of action with a knee issue meaning Igor Jesus is likely to lead the line for the home team at the City Ground. Ola Aina and Taiwo Awoniyi are also unavailable for Forest.

Spurs have their own injury troubles with James Maddison, Dominic Solanke, Dejan Kulusevski, Yves Bissouma and Destiny Udogie all currently sidelined when they otherwise would be first team figures.

However, Brennan Johnson could return to the fold after missing the mid-week win over Slavia Prague in the Champions League through injury.

Prediction

With both teams in relatively good form and coming off a long week where both featured in European ties, there might not be a lot to split them. A score draw could be on the horizon: Nottingham Forest 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the 2025/26 Premier League season with FotMob – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Dec

2025

Preview: Palace look to relive the highs against City

The games are starting to come thick and fast for the Premier League clubs as we enter the festive period, but the fixtures won’t be getting any easier.

By Neel Shelat

Crystal Palace’s precarious position in the top four

Crystal Palace have shot up into the top four after winning three of their last four league games, but their position was far from comfortable heading in to the weekend (written ahead of Saturday’s games).

Palace will have to do their very best just to stay in the Champions League spots for the next month, as they will face both Arsenal and Spurs around Christmas before going on to meet Newcastle and Aston Villa in the first week of the new year.

Manchester City’s decade of dominance at Selhurst Park

Palace’s daunting challenge in the last FA Cup final was made all the more difficult by the fact that they had not beaten Manchester City in any of their previous seven meetings. Better yet, that win was the first time in a decade that the Eagles defeated City in London.

Of course, that means that the 10-time English champions still have ongoing unbeaten streaks in the league. They have won seven and drawn the remaining three of their last 10 visits to Selhurst Park, last losing in 2014/15.

Depleted right wing for the Eagles

One of the main concerns for Crystal Palace going into the season was their lack of quality squad depth, especially since they were to navigate a European campaign alongside their domestic commitments. They certainly are starting to feel the effects of that as we enter the festive period.

Ismaïla Sarr picked up an ankle injury against Manchester United and has been out for the last two weeks. He might return to fitness soon, but will likely remain unavailable as Senegal are expected to call him up for the Africa Cup of Nations. Oliver Glasner recently confirmed that Daniel Muñoz is set to undergo knee surgery, forcing him to field a second-choice right wing pairing of Nathaniel Clyne and Eddie Nketiah. Striker Jean-Philippe Mateta was also absent for the midweek UEFA Conference League match against Shelbourne, but that was said to be more of a precautionary measure.

City’s supporting cast finally starting to fire

Maxime Estève had been Manchester City’s second top-scorer behind Erling Haaland for a large chunk of the season so far due to his two own goals for Burnley. That finally changed at the end of November with Phil Foden’s brace against Leeds United.

Since then, Haaland has only scored a couple of goals while the rest of his teammates have netted nine times. Foden has been the most prolific with five goals in the last three league games, while Rayan Cherki is starting to show the best of his creative talents with three assists in those matches.

*Leading goal contributions for City in the Premier League*

Prediction

Although Manchester City’s defensive solidity has been inconsistent, their attack can easily become too hot to handle for most sides. So, they could well come away with something like a 2-1 win in London.

(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: A beleaguered Xabi Alonso takes his Madrid side to Deportivo Alavés

Alaves play host to a Real Madrid side this weekend who have won just two of their previous eight matches in all competitions.

By Ross Kilvington

With Xabi Alonso coming under intense scrutiny following this dismal run of form, a defeat at the Estadio de Mendizorrotza on Sunday evening in LaLiga could spell the end of the Spaniard at the Bernabéu.

Xabi Alonso is on borrowed time at Real Madrid

Following an impressive start to life at Real Madrid, it looked as though Alonso was the right man to lead the club into a new era.

Ten LaLiga wins from his opening 11 matches had Los Blancos top of the league and seemingly cruising.

Since a 1-0 loss to Liverpool at the start of November, however, things have unravelled fairly quickly.

A 2-0 defeat to Celta Vigo last weekend was followed by another, this time against Man City in the Champions League.

Two wins from eight. The Real hierarchy have a scattergun approach to firing managers. Remember Vicente Del Bosque being sacked after twice winning the Champions League and LaLiga between 2000-2003?

Defeat against Alavés will likely be the final nail in his coffin, that’s for sure.

Alavés are on a decent run of form

Alavés started the weekend in 11th place in LaLiga after winning five of their 15 league games this season.

The club are currently on a two-game winning streak, defeating Real Sociedad last weekend, just days after securing a passage into the next round of the Copa del Rey.

Carlos Vicente, top scorer this season with six goals, could by a thorn in the side of Real, who have a defence decimated by injuries.

He has scored against Sevilla and Atlético Madrid so far in LaLiga along with registering six goal contributions across just two domestic cup ties.

Team news

The home side will be without the services of midfielder Jon Guridi and defender Nikola Maraš for this clash against Real.

Facundo Garcés is also unavailable, but he is only suspended rather than suffering with any kind of injury.

Alonso, on the other hand, has a severe injury crisis on his hands. Against Man City, he was missing a total of eight defenders.

At the time of writing, 48 hours ahead of the Alavés tie, Kylian Mbappé is a major doubt having been an unused sub in midweek. Dean Huijsen, Eduardo Camavinga and David Alaba are also doubts.

Éder Militão, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ferland Mendy and Dani Carvajal are definitely missing.

To make matters even worse, Endrick, Álvaro Carreras and Fran García are all suspended.

It would be impressive if Alonso was able to get a functional starting XI on the pitch this weekend.

Prediction

Surely this dismal run of form has to end soon for Real? Weeks ago, this tie would have been a foregone conclusion, not now, especially with eight players definitely out either via injury or suspension.

If the likes of Mbappé and Huijsen are available, it would be a significant boost for Alonso and Madrid should secure just a second league win since the start of November.

Will it be enough to keep him in the job, however? Time will tell.

Score prediction: Alavés 1-2 Real Madrid.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow all the games from LaLiga on FotMob in the 2025/26 season – with in-depth stat coverage, including xG, shot maps, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Dec

2025

Preview: Barcelona look to press home their advantage vs. Osasuna

Barcelona host Osasuna on Saturday afternoon as they hope to extend their lead at the top of LaLiga.

By Matt Smith

Osasuna will be searching for their first goal away at Barcelona since 2020, when they secured a 2-1 victory.

These two sides met back in March, and it was Barcelona who took the three points with a comfortable home victory. Ferran Torres, Robert Lewandowski, and Dani Olmo bagged the goals that day.

Team news

Barcelona will, once again, be without Gavi, Dani Olmo, and Ronald Araújo. Other than that, Hansi Flick could have a fully fit squad to choose from for this game, as they look to continue their impressive run of form.

Iker Benito will be unavailable for Osasuna for this one as he continues his recovery from a long-term knee injury. Other than that, there shouldn’t be any fresh injury concerns for the away side.

The best form of defence is attack

Barcelona are sitting comfortably at the top of the table, with a four-point gap over second-place Real Madrid. Flick’s side have been far from perfect, however, with no team in the top half conceding more goals than them this season.

*Barcelona have conceded the 6th highest xG in LaLiga*

Barcelona have conceded an incredible number of chances, considering they are top of the table, but their phenomenal attack has papered over the cracks. The Catalan outfit have scored 2.9 goals per game on average and are one of the most exciting teams to watch in Europe, so I’m not sure Flick will be too disheartened at their defensive record.

Creativity is Osasuna’s Achilles heel

For a side battling towards the bottom, Osasuna have looked resolute defensively, but it’s the other end of the pitch where their difficulties lie. They’ve created just 21 big chances in the league this season, with only Sevilla creating fewer, scoring 14 times along the way.

Defensively, Osasuna have looked solid, conceding just 1.2 goals per game, fewer than their opponents Barcelona. However, as mentioned, they’ve been let down going forward, which means they sit in 15th place heading into the weekend.

Ferran Torres a surprise package

Raphinha, Lamine Yamal, and Marcus Rashford often get the plaudits for Barcelona’s strong attacking display, but Ferran Torres’ performances have gone under the radar. Of late, the Spanish forward has struck four times in the last three games, taking his goal tally to 13 for the season (all comps).

Torres is currently Barcelona’s top goalscorer with 11 goals in LaLiga, three more than veteran striker Robert Lewandowski. After being in and out of the side under Flick, Torres could now have made the striker position his own.

Prediction

It’s difficult to see past a Barcelona victory, considering their form and their impressive record at home to Osasuna. We’re going for a 3-1 win.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Dec

2025

Preview: Top meets bottom as Arsenal host Wolves

Arsenal host Wolves at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday evening, as Mikel Arteta’s side look to bounce back from a disappointing result away to Aston Villa. Rob Edwards’ side are still searching for their first victory of the campaign, with relegation a serious threat if their form continues.

By Matt Smith

The last meeting between the two sides saw plenty of drama, with both João Gomes and Myles Lewis-Skelly being sent off. Riccardo Calafiori grabbed a second-half winner to secure a 1-0 victory for the Gunners.

Team news

Providing an update to the media on Arsenal’s current injury situation, Arteta was cautious about confirming whether some of his stars would return. Declan Rice, William Saliba, Leandro Trossard, and Jurrien Timber all have a chance of making it, but Arteta wasn’t guaranteeing anything.

Wolves boss Edwards has confirmed that Jean-Ricner Bellegarde will be unavailable for the away side, and he’s expected to be out for over six weeks due to a hamstring injury. João Gomes will be available again following his suspension.

Arsenal remain phenomenal defensively

Although the Gunners spent significantly to improve their attacking options during the summer transfer window, it’s still their defensive solidity that is the most impressive. Arsenal have conceded just 9.5 expected goals this season, comfortably fewer than any other side in the Premier League.

The north London club have seen their form dip in recent weeks, picking up just two wins from their previous five games in the Premier League. Considering they face bottom-side Wolves this weekend, they’ll fancy their chances to get back on track.

Not much to shout about for Wolves

There’s no beating around the bush when it comes to discussing Wolves this season, as there’s very little positivity surrounding the club at the moment. To still be searching for their first win when Christmas is only two weeks away is a major concern, and it doesn’t get any easier this weekend against Arsenal.

Wolves aren’t sitting at the bottom by accident, with Edwards’ side conceding more goals and scoring fewer than any other side in the Premier League. Vitor Pereira was relieved of his duties earlier in the campaign, and we’ve seen little improvement under Edwards’ tutelage since then.

Declan Rice in the engine room

Although the defence of Arsenal has received plenty of the plaudits, while attackers also receive a lot of the limelight, Declan Rice has been a key cog in Arteta’s machine this season. An all-action midfielder, Rice has developed into a goalscoring and creative threat for the Gunners.

*Rice’s passing stats in the Premier League this season*

With attacking data that a winger would be proud of, Rice is also crucial for Arsenal defensively, and he’s an incredibly reliable option in the middle of the park for Arsenal. Wolves will have to be wary of his threat from deep this weekend, with his bursting runs and ball-carrying ability.

Prediction

Wolves will eventually find three points, but unfortunately for them, it’s unlikely to be this weekend. 3-0 Arsenal is our prediction.

(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: Liverpool host Brighton in key pre-Christmas test for Arne Slot

A 3pm kick-off at Anfield against Brighton in mid-December shouldn’t feel like a make-or-break match for Liverpool. In normal circumstances, it likely wouldn’t be. Right now though, it is.

By Sam McGuire

The story so far

Liverpool started the season in perfect form, picking up five wins from five. Since then, the Premier League champions have won just two of 10 in the English top-flight. The Reds trail leaders Arsenal by 10 points and find themselves behind the likes of Sunderland, Everton and Manchester United in the table.

It’s safe to say things haven’t gone to plan for Arne Slot’s side. And then Mohamed Salah poured petrol on the bonfire last weekend after the 3-3 draw with Leeds United, claiming he’s been thrown under the bus by the club and someone wants him to leave.

As a consequence, he was dropped from the matchday squad for the Champions League game with Inter. Recent reports have claimed he will be back in the squad for the visit of the Seagulls, prior to heading off to Morocco to represent Egypt at the AFCON.

With Cody Gakpo injured, and with Salah ostracised, the Reds would have been down to the bare bones in attack. Slot was forced into using a 4-4-2 diamond against Inter and he might have to retain that shape against Brighton on Saturday.

Liverpool have struggled at Anfield this season, winning four from seven on home turf and ranking 12th in the home table. The Reds are then 16th in the form table with five points from their last five matches.

Brighton are doing a little better with eight points during this period. The Seagulls have won just two on the road this term but have only lost three times. Fabian Hürzeler’s side have the third best attack in the Premier League, averaging 1.7 goals per 90, though they do rank seventh for xG and eighth for big chances created. Their season has been built on a fairly solid defence, giving up chances worth just 19.5 Expected Goals across their 15 matches.

The Seagulls have been inconsistent, however, in terms of results. They won just two of their opening seven but have won four of the last eight and lost just twice during this period, 4-2 against Manchester United and 4-3 against Aston Villa. They’ve beaten Manchester City and Chelsea this season too, so they can threaten superior teams. But then they’d also drawn with Wolves and West Ham.

You never know what you’re going to get from them.

Key Players

For the visitors, it’ll be Danny Welbeck. The 35-year-old has even Premier League goals for the Seagulls this season, though he has blanked in his last three outings. He doesn’t have the best record against the Reds, with three goals from 26 outings, but one of those did arrive at Anfield in March 2024.

For the hosts, the key player position is up for grabs with Salah missing. If Florian Wirtz returns to the starting XI, expect him to play a big part on Saturday. He’s yet to score or assist in the Premier League but he looked good against Inter on Wednesday and could carry that momentum into this game.

Team News

Liverpool are without Jeremie Frimpong, Giovanni Leoni, Cody Gakpo and Stefan Bajčetić. Federico Chiesa could well return from illness and there’s still no decision, at the time of writing, over what might happen with Salah.

Hürzeler is without Adam Webster and Solly March. Everyone else appears to be available for the trip to Merseyside.

Prediction

We’re going to go with a narrow 2-1 win for Liverpool. The hosts are unbeaten in four and have a point to prove right now.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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