There are stars to watch out for on both sides in this Florida derby, even if the MLS main attraction might be missing.
Messi injury status
Inter Miami managed to get the result they needed to remain in the Leagues Cup, defeating Pumas UNAM 3-1 to progress to the knockout rounds which begin later in the month.
Messi remains out for the game against Orlando, but that win against Pumas gives the team encouragement that they can win without their main star.
The addition of De Paul to the ranks helps. He brings the teamwork and experience that Messi himself values so much, and can now rub off on the rest of the team.
Telasco and Tadeo’s time to step up (again)
All season, Telasco Segovia and Tadeo Allende have felt like key players in this Inter Miami team.
It’s OK having several star names, but the key to truly being successful is complementing that individual greatness with a functioning team and players being the big names.
Other parts of the recruitment model for MLS teams should be finding younger players to develop and prime-age players to fit in the middle.
The profile of 22-year-old Segovia makes him the replacement for Diego Gómez, who joined Brighton in January, while at the age of 26, Allende should be at his peak and playing his best football.
Both have contributed this season and are the second-highest scorers at the club, behind Messi on seven goals apiece in MLS.
It is they, alongside the additional guidance from De Paul, who will need to step up in Messi’s absence and match Orlando’s attacking stars.
Opposition watch: Orlando City
Orlando also progressed to the knockout rounds of the Leagues Cup, joining Inter Miami in the quarterfinals alongside Seattle Sounders and LA Galaxy from the MLS side of the draw.
Óscar Pareja’s side have been one of the best teams in MLS this season when it comes to creating chances in attack, and are the second-highest scorers in the Eastern Conference with 46 (behind Miami’s 49)
They are second in the league for expected goals with 44.2 and also second for the number of big chances created, with 78, behind the San Jose Earthquakes on both counts.
Orlando have also missed the most big chances in the league with 54, which suggests they have even more goals in them than the 46 they have scored.
Martín Ojeda has been the standout player for Orlando this season and is one to look out for. He has been ably supported by Marco Pašalić and experienced Colombian forward Luis Muriel.
Prediction
Orlando City’s attack will be too much for Inter Miami’s defence, but it has the potential to be yet another high-scoring game.
(Cover Image from IMAGO)
You can follow every Inter Miami game live this season with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage including shot maps, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.
After a landmark 2024/25 campaign for Crystal Palace and Liverpool, Sunday’s Community Shield is an opportunity for both teams to make an early statement.
For Liverpool, the sight of Arne Slot and his players lifting another piece of silverware could hint at another dominant season to come. The Reds strolled to the Premier League title term and have made a number of blockbuster additions over the summer to, in theory, grow even stronger.
Crystal Palace’s summer has been challenging with the Selhurst Park club demoted to the Conference League. The Eagles have also struggled to recruit in the way that was surely hoped for with Borna Sosa the only notable addition.
Liverpool are firm favourites to win at Wembley on Sunday, but Palace have demonstrated their capacity for upsetting the odds against an elite opponent at the national stadium once before.
The last five meetings between these two
Key players
Palace’s defence won them the FA Cup final against Manchester City last season and the likes of Dean Henderson, Marc Guéhi, Maxence Lacroix and Chris Richards must find top form to keep Liverpool at arm’s length on Sunday.
Eberechi Eze has been the subject of speculation linking him with Arsenal this summer, but is expected to start for Palace. His dribbling and creativity will be a threat to the Liverpool backline with Jean-Philippe Mateta’s physicality another danger.
Mohamed Salah netted an incredible 29 league goals for Liverpool last season and after penning a new two-year deal to stay at Anfield the Egyptian winger remains the Reds’ greatest threat in the final third.
Premier League top scorers, 2024/25
Florian Wirtz has been signed to play as Liverpool’s new number 10. The German could operate in behind another summer signing, Hugo Ekitike. The young Frenchman is quick, skilful and will give Liverpool a different dimension in and around the box.
Chadi Riad and Cheick Doucouré are long-term absentees for Crystal Palace while Eddie Nketiah will be missing for up to six weeks after suffering a hamstring injury in a pre-season match.
Matheus Franca is also an injury doubt. Otherwise, Oliver Glasner has a fully fit and available squad to choose from.
Van Dijk, Conor Bradley and Joe Gomez will all be assessed before the match for various reasons, but stand a good chance of being cleared to feature. Liverpool’s injury list is generally clear ahead of the start of the season.
Slot faces a number of selection decisions across the pitch. Should Giorgi Mamardashvili start over Alisson Becker having impressed in pre-season? Is Kerkez a better bet at left back than Andy Robertson?
Where does Wirtz fit into the midfield and which deep-lying player should be sacrificed? How will Ekitike be deployed in the attack? These are things Slot will have to consider.
Prediction
Glasner’s team know how to defend and Liverpool may take some time to bed in their shiny new signings but the Reds should have enough attacking options to make the difference: Crystal Palace 1-2 Liverpool
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Brentford are in uncharted waters. For the first time in their Premier League tenure, Thomas Frank won’t be in the home dugout at the Gtech Community stadium. Add the departures of Bryan Mbeumo and Christian Nørgaard, along with Yoane Wissa’s uncertain future, should we be worried?
After seven years at the helm, a ‘big’ club finally listened to all those pundits and took a chance on Frank. He’s the man tasked with leading Tottenham into their brave new era following their Europa League win under Ange Postecoglou.
Frank’s time at Brentford will be defined by their ability to punch above their weight. The Bees have consistently been the team with the lowest wage bill in the Premier League. Last season it was reported to be £44,343,000 per-year, only newly promoted Ipswich spent less (£40,768,000).
Unlike the likes of Ipswich, they’ve managed to establish themselves as mainstay in the English top-flight, with their lowest finish coming in 2023-24, ending their campaign all the way down in 16th with 39 points, 13 above now League One side Luton Town.
While many sides, and managers, refuse to deviate from their preferred philosophy, Frank is a rare bread. He’s a coach that has no problem adapting; if the game calls for his side to go long, they’ll go long, if they need to be patient against a low block, then that’s what they’ll do.
Last season, his Brentford side primarily used a 4-3-3 or a 3-5-2, depending on the opposition. The formations may change but the general ideas remain the same, have a high back line when attacking, keep the ball, counter press, create high xG chances, stick ’em in the net. Simple right?
Brentford had the eighth highest xG in the Premier League last season
Brentford were seventh in terms of big chances created in the Premier League last season with 109, while overperforming their xG, scoring 66 goals from the predicted 60.2. It all points to a manager who knows how to get the best out of his players.
Now that the great Dane is gone, former set-piece coach Keith Andrews is the new gaffer. For those that watched any Brentford games last season, it’s fair to say they LOVED a set-piece, from both attacking and defensive perspectives.
Andrews may not have been jumping up and down on the touchline like Arsenal’s Nicolas Jover, but he was nearly as productive. Brentford ended their 2024-25 Premier League campaign with 13 set piece goals, the fifth most in the division, while only conceding three, the least. All he needs to do now is add more nonsensical hand gestures.
Like Frank, Andrews comes in as a complete unknown quantity. This is his first managerial position, but the boffins at Brentford don’t mess about, they’ll have crunched the numbers, hacked the system, and be confident they made the right choice. Let’s not forget, Frank lost his first three games when he took over from Dean Saunders.
If it was just Frank leaving, then there wouldn’t be too much cause for concern, it’s those on the pitch that have added to the increasing anxiety. Bryan Mbeumo, the man who scored just over 30% of Brentford Premier League goals last season has left to join Man United.
Brentford’s top scorers in the league last season
A tasty £66.7 million profit on the forward, who Brentford signed from French side Troyes when they were still in the Championship will make the pill a little easier to swallow, but he’s going to be a huge miss.
Questions remain whether he will be able to keep up his form in front of goal, like Brentford, Mbeumo overperformed his xG quite considerably, bagging 20 Premier League goals from a predicted 12.26, but that’s not all he’s about.
Not only did he score goals, Mbeumo’s work rate off the ball made him an absolute menace. He never gave the opposition a moment’s rest, winning 31 tackles, 179 duels, and making 156 recoveries. He also won the ball back in the final third 32 times.
As of writing this piece, Brentford haven’t signed a like-for-like replacement for Mbeumo. Antoni Milambo, who has joined from Feyenoord, is capable of playing as a right-winger, but he’s more of a midfielder. It’s hard to see where those types of numbers are going to come from looking at their current options.
Our best rated Brentford players last season
Christian Nørgaard’s move to Arsenal seemed to catch everyone off guard, although maybe it shouldn’t have. Mikel Arteta appears to be a fan of a 30-something defensive midfielder who can come on and shut the game down.
Considering his position, Nørgaard’s numbers in front of goal last season were pretty impressive. He ended the season with six goals and four assists, the most productive of his career so far.
Obviously, it’s at the other end of the pitch where he’s expected to make a real difference, and he did. Nørgaard won 62% of his tackles, 61.9% of his aerial duels, and made 49 interceptions throughout his 34 Premier League games.
Beyond the more tangible stuff, Nørgaard was a real leader at Brentford. He was made captain back in 2023 when Pontus Jansson left for Malmö leading the team 65 times in the Premier League and 68 times in all competitions.
Unlike the Mbeumo situation, Brentford have brought in a replacement for Nørgaard. Former Liverpool and Ajax captain Jordan Henderson has returned to England. He will absolutely make up for the void left by the Danish star off the pitch, but it remains to be seen whether he still has the legs for the Premier League.
On the bright side for Brentford fans, Yoane Wissa is still at the club… for now. Reports suggesting he would go on strike to force a move away appear to have been wrong after the club shared images of him back in training with his teammates.
He was the other member of arguably the best attacking duo in the league last season, scoring just one goal less than Mbeumo (19). Newcastle are getting pretty desperate though, and the transfer window remains wide open.
As the new season approaches, it’s hard to predict what’s going to happen with Brentford. What was once the most stable environment in the league is starting to show some cracks. We’re not saying it’s a full on crisis, but it’s worth keeping an eye on.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
You can follow every Brentford game on FotMob in the 2025/26 season – with in-depth stat coverage and player ratings. Download the free app here.
There have been so many ‘pinch me’ moments for Wrexham fans over the past few years that their limbs are surely getting sore. The journey the Welsh club has been on since Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds’ takeover in November 2020 defies belief and Saturday’s Championship opener against Southampton will be another big landmark.
Of course, this is no fairytale. Wrexham have moved up three divisions in three seasons thanks to the money ploughed into the club by McElhenney and Reynolds. They had the biggest budget in the National League and League Two. Birmingham City outspent them in League One last season, but Wrexham still had a financial advantage over the rest.
That advantage won’t be so evident in the Championship where several clubs are still receiving Premier League parachute payments. Wrexham’s opening weekend opponents Southampton, for example, have a reported wage bill of over £44m having been in the English top flight last season. Wrexham’s reported wage bill is a quarter of that.
So will Wrexham’s remarkable rise up the English league pyramid continue or will the Championship give them a reality check? Have the Welsh club been promoted ahead of schedule to their own detriment or will this season be just another step on their way to the Premier League, as is the stated aim?
It’s been a busy summer at the Racecourse Ground. It was always going to be as Wrexham retool their squad for a higher division and so no fewer than 12 players have been let go since the end of last season with seven new signings arriving in their place to the tune of roughly £10m. There will be more signings made before the window shuts.
Paul Mullin is gone. The 30-year-old who was the face of Wrexham’s charge through the National League and League Two has joined Wigan on loan after falling out of favour. Some fans may feel sentimental about Mullin’s departure, but the reality is Wrexham need better in attack if they are to survive and thrive in the second tier.
Ryan Hardie has been signed (for a fee of £700,000) to replace Mullin. The Scottish forward has been prolific at Championship level for Plymouth Argyle, scoring 22 goals over the last two seasons. Wrexham hope that with better service Hardie will put up even better numbers at the head of their attack.
Wales international Kieffer Moore also signed this week, with Wrexham one of the clubs to be linked with Jamie Vardy. The 38-year-old is still a free agent after leaving Leicester City at the end of last season and has reportedly received an offer from Wrexham. Vardy insists he has more in the tank and there would be a place for him at the Racecourse Ground.
Hardie and Moore’s top stats from last season in the Championship
Conor Coady has already made the switch from Leicester to Wrexham, joining in a deal worth £2m. The 32-year-old is a natural leader and will give Phil Parkinson a dominant defensive presence to build around at the back. Wrexham will need a sound backline to handle the attacking quality they will face from Championship opponents.
£3m was spent to bring in midfielder Lewis O’Brien from Nottingham Forest while full back Liberato Cacace was signed from Empoli for £2m. Danny Ward is Wrexham’s new starting goalkeeper, further bolstering the homegrown core within the squad. Parkinson has a lot of top-level experience at his disposal.
“I think it’s interesting because the jump in salaries is incredible, mind-blowing,” said Parkinson when asked about preparing Wrexham for the Championship. “That is a challenge, but what we’ve always tried to do is make sure the culture in the club is right and I think that’s key – no superstars, no egos in the dressing room and we’ve got to try and get that balance right again. You always need extra quality when you go up a level to make sure the right people come into the building.”
Nobody truly knows what to expect from Wrexham this season. Some believe they will be fighting relegation back to League One. Others argue they are destined for the top half of the Championship and could even force their way into playoff contention. There is a large element of the unknown about Parkinson’s team at the moment.
More will be known after Saturday’s opener against Southampton. Now could be the time for Wrexham to put in place foundations for next decade or so, when McElhenney and Reynolds have stated they want the club to reach the Premier League. Another promotion push may not be on the cards. This season’s documentary might not be a blockbuster.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
You can follow every Wrexham game on FotMob in the 2025/26 season – with in-depth stat coverage, including xG, shot maps, and player ratings. Download the free app here.
There’s something ‘real’ about football in the Championship. The passion, the huge crowds, and all that rich history, but without the lick and polish that comes with the Premier League. Instead, the edges are frayed. Scratch the surface and finances are precarious. But even when clubs turn up with their own documentary crews, there is nothing ‘reality tv’ about life in the second tier.
Premier League’s relegated three
The gap to the Premier League can be a chasm, and logic dictates that the three who went down will bounce back up.
Southampton have 32-year-old Will Still (pictured) now at the helm. From playing Football Manager as a teenager to becoming the youngest boss across Europe’s top five leagues when he took over at Reims, it’s been a hell of a ride. An immediate 17-game unbeaten run elevated his profile whilst he still completed his coaching badges, and his reputation has only grown from his last role at Lens. The Belgian-born Englishman arrives as an ‘unknown’ having never managed in England. But we said the same about Régis Le Bris who’s busy preparing Sunderland for the Premier League.
Will Still’s career win percentages
On the pitch Southampton were abysmal last season. Still has to turn around a group that are used to losing. Again they start the season with goalkeeping issues with Aaron Ramsdale joining Newcastle and Gavin Bazunu returning from serious injury. Cashing in on Tyler Dibling seems inevitable but keeping Shea Charles in the middle will be vital.
Leicester have the core attackers that helped them win the league under Enzo Maresca two seasons ago. Abdul Fatawu’s class is undiminished, as shown with his wonderful friendly goal against Fiorentina. With Bilal El Khannouss and Stephy Mavididi, that’s an attacking trio that can tear any side in this division apart. Martí Cifuentes has put down his trowel to take over at Leicester. After saving and stabilising QPR, his time at the club ended with gardening leave. However, a points deduction for alleged EFL rule breaches does hang over the club. Leicester supporters continue to be unhappy with what they see as an apathetic approach from the owners and the appointment and bungled dismissal of Ruud van Nistelrooy shows that, off the pitch at least, they’re lacking direction and clear strategy.
Kieran McKenna remains at Ipswich and they are the best placed of last season’s relegated sides. They’ve lost big Liam Delap but tied down the even bigger George Hirst. Having spent over £130m last campaign, they made a poor fist of their Premier League foray but given that was after incredible back-to-back promotions from League One, they are in a stronger position now than two years ago. Azor Matusiwa has been their main transfer outlay. Being in the 95th percentile with his duels won last season in Ligue 1 with Rennes shows you that they’ve got a combative player ready to fill the boots of the departed Samy Morsy.
Azor Matusiwa’s defensive numbers in Ligue 1, 2024/25
Coventry to climb?
I’m backing Coventry City. Under Frank Lampard they were superb last season and they have kept the team together. Kaine Kesler-Hayden excelled in a very poor Preston side and arrives from Aston Villa. He can countenance the departure of Milan van Ewijk, if that happens.
Jack Rudoni has become the ‘manager’s son’ as one of Lampard’s favourite pupils but his performances at the back end of the season were stellar. His return of 12 assists and 9 goals, including dislocating his shoulder to score against Oxford, shows the 24-year-old can be counted upon. The players have a chastening play-off semi-final exit to Sheffield United to spur them on this campaign.
As for the Blades, Rubén Sellés is now in charge after Sheffield United’s play-off final heartbreak. I think it will take time for the players to adapt to his methods after working under Chris Wilder for so long though. The Spaniard was ditched by Hull City after less than six months on Humberside, despite previously working wonders at besieged Reading.
Goalkeeper Michael Cooper is the best in the division – his save map alone can show you that.
Michael Cooper save map, Championship 2024/25
The mercurial Louie Barry arrives on loan from Aston Villa. Injury ended his spell with Sellés at Hull but his outstanding efforts at Stockport County left him as one of League One’s players of the season, despite leaving in January.
For Birmingham, the further Tom Brady is away from the dugout, the better. Talented head coach Chris Davies can do his own motivational seminars and the ownership group have continued to back him. I’m looking forward to seeing Kyogo Furihashi in the flesh. Celtic’s key man left for Rennes mid-season before a management-change saw him frozen out and thoroughly miserable. Now the Japan international can link up with compatriots Tomoki Iwata and new boy Kanya Fujimoto and get his chance to shine. Added to that, Tommy Doyle impressed at Wolves and arrives on loan, as does goalkeeper James Beadle from Brighton, fresh from winning the U21 Euros with England. The bookmakers are backing the Blues to go up again, even if the Opta super computer is not – read those always interesting data-backed predictions here.
Relegation a foregone conclusion for Wednesday?
Sheffield Wednesday are in a mess. Staff and players are being paid late, and half the squad has left. Their 9,000 capacity North Stand has been shut down by the local council for being unsafe. Owner Dejphon Chanshiri has seemingly pulled the financial plug and is prevaricating on any potential sale. Danny Röhl has called time and been replaced by his assistant Henrik Pedersen. Only captain Barry Bannan, at the behest of his distraught daughter, has committed to the club. The spectre of one of our great football institutions going to the wall looms large.
Hull City have another new boss in Sergej Jakirović, but it is owner Acun Ilıcalı who has caused the biggest issues for the Tigers. Thanks to a late loan payment for Louie Barry, they’re under an embargo and unable to pay for any players. Surviving on goal difference after finishing seventh the season before, the broadcaster and entrepreneur touted as Türkiye’s Simon Cowell isn’t getting a ‘yes’ from me.
Oxford United will be mentioned in relegation conversations as a club with one of the smallest budgets in the division, but Gary Rowett will keep them solid. I predicted Preston for the drop last season and their biggest refresh has been bringing in social media stars and lifelong fans ‘Spud Bros’ as their sponsors. Having met them over the summer and asked them ‘what makes a good potato’ live on TV, there is a buzz and some much-needed positivity at PNE. I think that third spot will be a club that will find itself in a fight almost by accident, Preston will be hoping it isn’t them again this season.
Watford could do anything. Norwich with local lad Liam Manning are a wildcard, Ryan Mason has his chance at West Brom and Nathan Jones at least has his Charlton players singing from his hymn book.
There’s no Tunnel Club, the paint is peeling and if you have a pie that’s cooked all the way through then you’re onto a winner, but on the pitch there’s plenty to look forward to from the Championship this season.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Inter Miami go into their final game of the Leagues Cup group stage, against Pumas UNAM, still in with a chance of qualifying for the tournament’s knockout stages.
Lionel Messi is currently an injury doubt and is being assessed on a game-by-game basis, leaving some doubts as to whether Javier Mascherano’s side can get the win they need to progress.
Messi injury update
Inter Miami confirmed that Messi picked up a “minor muscle injury” in the game against Necaxa, which saw him subbed off with just over ten minutes played.
“Yes, I spoke to him. The club issued a statement, and it’s [only] a slight injury, so within the bad news, it’s good news,” said Mascherano.
“We don’t like to estimate a return, especially in Leo’s case. He usually recovers very well from injuries and normally does so quickly.
“Clearly, for tomorrow, he is unavailable, but then we will see how he feels and how he progresses.”
Messi’s injury status can potentially have a big effect on ticket sales in the Leagues Cup and MLS, so the club will not want to rule him out for more than one game at a time, but he will definitely miss this game against Pumas.
Messi has missed four MLS games this season and his club have won two, drawn one, and lost one of those.
Opposition watch: Pumas UNAM
Pumas’ star goalkeeper Keylor Navas is suspended, having been sent off for denying a goal-scoring opportunity in the 95th minute against Atlanta United in the previous game.
The status of both players leaves the game without the eagerly anticipated face-off between Messi and Navas.
Pumas still won that game 3-2 and won their opener on penalties against Orlando City, leaving them in a similar position to Inter Miami, and still in with a chance of qualifying from the Liga MX side of the league phase.
The Liga MX outfit will still be able to call upon former Houston Dynamo midfielder and Panama international star Adalberto Carrasquilla.
The midfielder has scored three goals in the two matches Pumas have played in this tournament so far, including the all-important late winner against Atlanta, while striker Guillermo Martínez will be looking to get off the mark in this key matchup.
Inter Miami can still qualify
So far in this tournament, Inter Miami have one win on penalties and another in regular time. Penalty wins accrue two points, leaving them on five points with a game to play.
This means that Inter Miami will qualify for the next round with a win in regular time, but if the game goes to penalties, regardless of the outcome of the shootout, other MLS teams will have a good chance of getting in ahead of them.
With Pumas being in an almost identical situation, this game is a must-win for both, and Inter Miami will need to get the job done against Mexican opposition without Messi, which they were unable to do in the last game.
Current top six in the MLS group: after three rounds the top four progress to the knockout stages
Prediction
It will be a competitive game with both teams looking to win and progress, and could result in a narrow defeat for a Messi-less Miami despite home advantage.
(Cover Image from IMAGO)
You can follow every Inter Miami game live this season with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage including shot maps, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.
Sometimes, it appears as though Chelsea don’t have a plan when it comes to transfers. Under the ownership of BlueCo, the newly crowned Club World Cup champions have stockpiled talent.
It’s why the likes of Lesley Ugochukwu (signed in 2023 for £23million), Axel Disasi (signed in 2023 for almost £40million), Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (signed in 2024 for £30million), Renato Veiga (signed in 2024 for £12million) and Nicolas Jackson (signed in 2023 for £32million) could all be on the move this summer.
The Blues will make profit on some players but losses on others. The scattergun approach in the transfer market delivers successes and flops. It also forces young academy starlets to move elsewhere. That’s why there’s uncertainty over the futures of Tyrique George and Josh Acheampong this summer following the arrivals of Jamie Gittens and Jorrel Hato. Enzo Maresca is still looking to add to his ranks too. A move for Alejandro Garnacho would surely spell the end of George at Stamford Bridge.
Eyebrows were raised earlier in the summer when Chelsea moved for João Pedro just weeks after securing the signature of highly-rated forward Liam Delap. Talk recently has centred around their pursuit of Xavi Simons.
Xavi Simons’ player traits comparison
Why are the Blues blooding to add him to their squad when his position is currently occupied by their best player, Cole Palmer. In the eyes of many, it isn’t the smartest use of resources.
This time, however, it makes an awful lot of sense. As brilliant as Palmer is, he’s still a young player, just 23, and his minutes need to be managed carefully.
Look at what happened to him last season.
The former Manchester City man ended the campaign with 15 goals and eight assists. He claimed a FotMob average rating of 7.64, a figure that only Mohamed Salah could better in the Premier League.
On the surface, Palmer had another successful season for the Blues. However, their early season title push came to an abrupt halt around December and this coincided with the England international struggling.
In the opening 15 games of the season, Palmer scored 11 goals and helped Chelsea to nine wins. The Blues also registered four draws on their way to averaging 2.06 points per game. Over the course of an entire campaign, that would equate to 78 points. For context, Arsenal finished second with 74 points.
In the remaining 22 matches that Palmer appeared in, he scored just four goals as Chelsea claimed 11 wins and five draws for a points per game average of 1.72. That is a 65 point season – the same total that seventh placed Nottingham Forest finished with.
Simons’ 2024/25 Bundesliga stats vs. Palmer’s 2024/25 Premier League top stats
When Palmer was on it, Chelsea had the form of a team worthy of a runners-up position. When he struggled, the Blues were a team posting numbers that would’ve had them battling for a Europa League Conference position.
Dig a little deeper and his numbers take a bit of a hit again. For example, he netted four goals in a single game against Brighton and registered three assists against Wolves. Remove those games and 11 goals and five assists in 35 appearances isn’t as impressive, is it?
While Chelsea possess a number of players, they don’t own anybody quite like Palmer and this is what makes Simons such an important purchase.
The 22-year-old has the skillset and playing profile to line-up alongside the new Chelsea No. 10 as well as in place of him. He can alleviate the burden on the left-footed maestro and this makes Maresca’s side even more formidable. They’d no longer be, in the nicest possible way, Palmer FC.
Simons can play anywhere across the attack, including as a false-nine if required, as well as playing on either flank. His strengths differ from role to role but he makes things happen. And Chelsea need more players to make things happen.
Last season, in a dysfunctional RB Leipzig team, Simons claimed 10 goals and seven assists. He finished with an average FotMob rating of 7.64 in the Bundesliga, just behind the £100m-rated Florian Wirtz.
In the grand scheme of things, £60million for Simons, in the current market, could prove to be the signing of the summer, not just for Chelsea but across the Premier League. He could be an invaluable addition to their ranks, purely because it frees up Palmer. And this makes Chelsea even more dangerous as a team.
He’s a genuine threat too. Last season, he had an Expected Goals haul of 5.11 but an xG on Target total of 8.91, proving to be a good finisher. He also claimed an Expected Assists total of almost six. And this was while he was playing for a struggling team. Stick him in an XI with pace and quality and he could be a skeleton key, along with Palmer.
Instead of a title charge fizzling out in December, Chelsea’s pursuit of the title could be prolonged with the arrival of Simons. The signing of the Dutchman isn’t the Blues being greedy. It is an intelligent piece of business.
Manchester United have already lifted a trophy this season. The fact it was the Premier League Summer Series trophy dampened any euphoria the club’s fans might have felt (DVD sales of the triumph might be modest), but the sight of Ruben Amorim and his players with silverware in-hand was nonetheless a symbol of what has been an encouraging pre-season.
Of course, the online discourse around United’s summer contradicts this. Supporters are generally unhappy at the business that has done in the transfer market, which isn’t to say Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo have been unpopular additions, but that most expected many more signings to have been completed by now.
United’s Summer Series results
This concern isn’t without justification. Bruno Fernandes himself has admitted the need for “one or two players more” before the start of the 2025/26 season with Amorim still lacking the tools required to truly make his high-energy, high-intensity approach work. His team is still very much a work-in-progress.
Nonetheless, Manchester United have looked a lot more like an Amorim team in pre-season. They have played at a much quicker pace, both in and out of possession. Amorim has placed a focus on fitness and United certainly appear capable of covering more of the pitch than was the case last season when opponents frequently out-worked the Old Trafford outfit in matches.
“We need to be a little bit more emotional in this team,” said Amorim when asked about the culture within his squad and the work that has been done to overhaul this since the end of last season. “With the emotion, we become more sacrifice, more pace, more energy. We are improving on that.”
As the captain, Fernandes has taken it upon himself to maintain high standards within the dressing room. Despite finishing the pre-season tour of the United States unbeaten, the Portuguese was unhappy with elements of United’s performance in Sunday’s 2-2 draw against Everton in Atlanta.
“We didn’t want to finish in this way,” said Fernandes. “Our performance wasn’t the best and we were a little bit lazy. We want to avoid that because with laziness you can pay at any moment.” Manchester United have one last pre-season fixture against Fiorentina this weekend to set a more positive tone before their Premier League opener at home to Arsenal.
Amorim surely feels good about the impact Cunha has made since joining from Wolves. Deployed as one of United’s dual number 10s in behind the centre forward, the Brazilian has brought creativity and invention in the final third. While Cunha failed to score in the three Premier League Summer Series matches, a moment of magic is surely in the pipeline.
Cunha’s player traits comparison
Mbeumo’s late arrival in the USA meant he started just one game and it’s clear the Cameroonian still has some fitness work ahead of him to get up to full speed. Even still, Mbeumo plays with the sort of authority Manchester United have been desperate for under Amorim. The 25-year-old has a certain gravity. The ball is drawn to him.
United still hope to sign a new starting number nine before the summer transfer window closes with Benjamin Šeško and Ollie Watkins both linked with a switch to Old Trafford. This would raise further questions over Rasmus Højlund’s future, although the Dane has shown signs of improvement in pre-season.
Against West Ham in particular, Højlund looked like the fast and physical striker that convinced Manchester United to part with £72m to sign him from Atalanta two years ago. The 22-year-old used his pace to get United into good goalscoring positions in the box, giving his team some much-needed threat in and around the area.
There was one moment that stood out, when Højlund made up roughly 15 yards on Max Kilman who was left in the Danish striker’s dust as he surged through on goal. While the West Ham defence did well to narrow the angle, Højlund still managed to get a shot away, pinging a ferocious effort off the post.
Højlund’s numbers at United
Amorim’s midfield is still an area of concern. Manuel Ugarte has looked solid in some pre-season matches and vulnerable in others. Casemiro appears leaner, but will never have the physicality he had as a Real Madrid player. Fernandes has been used as a number eight when he is more effective closer to goal and Amorim still doesn’t seem to fully understand Kobbie Mainoo.
Defensively, there have been shaky moments – like when Amad Diallo rashly booted a clearance off Ayden Heaven and into his own net against Everton on Sunday. The injured André Onana has played no part in pre-season which is far from ideal considering the questions around the Cameroonian goalkeeper.
Expectations of a successful 2025/26 campaign must be weighted against all the issues Amorim inherited and the problems he failed to solve after taking over last season. There’s no guarantee he will ever find a winning formula as Manchester United manager, but for the first time there is hope his team is finally heading in the right direction.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Nottingham Forest supporters expressed a collective sigh of relief when news emerged that Morgan Gibbs-White had signed a new three-year contract with the club last month.
“Morgan is a special player – not just in terms of talent, but character and mentality,” said Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis.
“He represents everything we want this football club to be: he is a winner, talented, ambitious, fearless, and proud.”
At one stage, it looked as though the midfielder was heading to Tottenham Hotspur. Spurs were set to trigger his £60m release clause, but Forest considered legal action due to the approach as it was a breach of the confidentiality clause in his contract that prevented a public release of the value.
Forest were arguably the surprise package of the 2024/25 season, spending over half the campaign in the Champions League places.
They may have fallen short of securing a place in Europe’s premier club competition, but if it weren’t for Gibbs-White, Forest may not have even reached those heady heights in the top flight.
Morgan Gibbs-White was the fulcrum behind Forest’s success last season
When Forest splashed out £42.5m for Gibbs-White in the summer of 2022, eyebrows were raised. Across 88 matches for Wolves, he had registered just four goal contributions, with only two of those coming in the Premier League.
His first two seasons at the City Ground were a major success, with the attacking midfielder scoring ten Premier League goals while adding a further 18 assists as Forest retained their top flight status.
These performances led to a sublime 2024/25. In 34 top flight matches, he recorded 17 goal involvements – seven goals and ten assists – which played a key role in the club sealing their highest Premier League finish since the turn of the century.
Gibbs-White season summary at Nottingham Forest
Such was his importance under Nuno Espírito Santo, Gibbs-White ranked in the top 11% for assists, the top 14% for chances created and in the top 15% for total shots across the entire league campaign when compared to his peers.
Defensively, the Englishman also excelled. Indeed, he ranked in the top 10% for duels won (154), aerial duels won (41), recoveries (127) and interceptions (23) domestically, suggesting his influence stretches beyond the final third of the pitch.
Gibbs-White passing numbers, Premier League 2024/25 – bar shows comparison to similar players
His role as the club’s attacking fulcrum allowed others such as Anthony Elanga and Chris Wood to shine last term as they scored six and 20 goals respectively.
Tying Gibbs-White down to a new contract could act as a catalyst for the club to seal another top half finish in the Premier League as well as progress far in Europe.
With Elanga departing to join Newcastle United, more pressure will be on the 25-year-old, but he wont be fazed by the added responsibility.
A place in the 2026 England World Cup squad awaits Gibbs-White
Gibbs-White only made his senior England debut last September and has since won a further three international caps.
Competition for places ahead of the 2026 World Cup looks set to be intense, especially in the attacking midfield slot. Improving on his numbers from last season would certainly give Thomas Tuchel plenty to think about.
While Cole Palmer offers goals and assists aplenty in that number ten slot, the Forest No. 10 brings a different skillset to the table.
Not one to control the tempo or even dictate the play in the final third, Gibbs-White thrives when driving forward with the ball, exploiting space in the opposition defence.
He tends to drift across the final third, rather than remain in a central role. This fluidity allows him to link up effectively with both the defensive midfielders and attackers to create a vital link between the two.
Always looking for the ball, the midfielder ranked in the top 10% for touches (1739) compared to his peers in the top flight last season.
This demonstrates his eagerness to get involved and while his pass accuracy statistic might not be the best in the division due to his high-risk approach of playing passes into dangerous areas. Moving the ball into these areas often, however, is why Forest shone throughout 2024/25.
Not only will Gibbs-White be without Elanga, the Forest talisman might have to get used to playing behind a new centre-forward.
The club signed Brazilian Igor Jesus during the summer transfer window and there is no doubt he offers more dynamism than Wood in the penalty area.
Player traits comparison for Igor Jesus
Gibbs-White has bettered his goal involvement from the previous season since joining Forest three years ago.
With Jesus looking like the main man for Espírito Santo, plus Dan Ndoye joining the side as a replacement for Elanga, the Englishman will need to get used to new partnerships in the final third.
Given his penchant for season-on-season improvement and the fact he is approaching the peak years of his career, the Stafford-born midfielder could be set to enjoy his finest campaign yet.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
You can follow all Nottingham Forest games on FotMob in the 2025/26 season – with in-depth stat coverage, including xG and player ratings. Download the free app here.
Lionel Messi has already had a standout moment in the competition, as his side will now be looking for an improvement on their opening match against Atlas.
Messi instrumental again
Inter Miami were seconds away from a disappointing draw in their first fixture of this tournament, which pits MLS sides against those from Mexico’s Liga MX.
The score in the game against Atlas was tied at 1-1, and the clock was counting down into the sixth minute of a minimum of five to be added on.
Up stepped Messi, not with a goal, but with an assist and an instrumental part in the move that brought the dramatic late winner scored by his compatriot Marcelo Weigandt.
It’s a knockout tournament, with a trophy on the line, and Messi turned on the style in a key moment.
The team can now also call upon Rodrigo De Paul, the new signing, whose paperwork was sorted in time for him to debut against Atlas.
Leagues taking shape
As only four of 18 teams will progress to the knockout rounds from each league, wins are vital at this stage, and even winning each of the three league phase matches might not guarantee progress.
Goal difference is likely to play a part once each team have played their three league phase matches, and one goal wins might not be enough.
Inter Miami, like all the teams in this tournament, will likely need more than narrow wins if they’re to progress, and they’ll be aiming to be more convincing in the remaining two games than they were against Atlas.
The Leagues Cup can be seen as assessing the relative strength of each league, pitting two against each other as well as individual clubs.
At the time of writing, MLS has the edge, having won ten to Liga MX’s eight, with six draws.
Seattle Sounders’ 7-0 win against current Concacaf Champions Cup holders Cruz Azul was an especially notable statement victory.
Inter Miami now needs one of its own against Necaxa.
Opposition watch: Necaxa
Necaxa scored the second-most goals in last season’s Liga MX Clausura league stage, but also conceded more than their fair share.
They come into this game on the back of scoring three against Atlanta United in a 3-1 win in the opening game of their Leagues Cup campaign, and will be among the Mexican sides looking to build on a good early win.
Their attack of Pavel Pérez and Diber Cambindo, supported by midfielder Agustín Palavecino, can score against anyone, and they’ll fancy their chances against Inter Miami’s defence.
Prediction
Miami will be looking to rack up the goals, but there could be plenty for both teams. That said, you’d still fancy Inter Miami with Messi and the introduction of De Paul to get the win at home.
(Cover Image from IMAGO)
You can follow every Inter Miami game live this season with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage including shot maps, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.
