الكاتب: مسؤول الدوري الإنجليزي لكرة القدم

Aston Villa vs Bologna Preview Draw or Villa win Under 2.5 goals The UEFA Europa League has long been a competition associated with Unai Emery, and the Aston Villa boss will be desperate for its familiar stage to inspire a turnaround in fortunes. Villa have endured a torrid start to the 2025/26 campaign, failing to win in six competitive outings so far while scoring just twice (D3, L3). Their problems came to a head last weekend in a frustrating 1-1 draw away to newly-promoted Sunderland, where even a red card for their opponents could not tip the balance in Villa’s favour.…

EFL Cup Recap: Liverpool, Chelsea, Fulham and Other Premier League Sides in Action Tuesday night delivered plenty of drama in the EFL Cup as Premier League clubs fought for places in the fourth round. Five top-flight sides progressed, while others endured scares against lower-league opposition. Here are the key takeaways from a busy evening of football. Liverpool 2-1 Southampton Liverpool were made to work hard at Anfield, eventually edging past Championship side Southampton. Alexander Isak finally scored his first goal for the Reds, but the victory was overshadowed by injuries and a late suspension. Arne Slot rotated heavily, making eleven…

Ballon d’Or Recap: Donnarumma and Gyökeres Celebrate Awards The Italian goalkeeper takes home the prestigious Yashin Trophy, while Arsenal’s Swedish striker secures the Gerd Müller Trophy for best goalscorer. Manchester City’s Gianluigi Donnarumma and Arsenal’s Viktor Gyökeres were among the winners at the prestigious Ballon d’Or 2025 ceremony, staged at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. Donnarumma, who made the move to City from Paris Saint-Germain earlier this September, collected the Yashin Trophy, an award given annually to the world’s best goalkeeper. Meanwhile, Swedish forward Gyökeres was recognised with the Gerd Müller Trophy after finishing as the top scorer across…

Betis vs Nottingham Forest Preview Draw or Betis win Both teams to score European nights return to Seville as Real Betis begin their UEFA Europa League (UEL) campaign against Nottingham Forest. For Betis, this marks their fifth successive season in European competition, underlining the club’s consistent progress under Manuel Pellegrini. Last season’s journey to the UEFA Conference League final ultimately ended in heartbreak, but it reinforced their status as a dangerous outfit capable of competing with Europe’s best. The Andalusians warmed up for this clash with a convincing 3-1 win over Real Sociedad in La Liga, a much-needed result that…

Matchday 5 Awards Another Premier League matchday is in the books and, as usual, there is plenty to dissect. Arsenal and Manchester City played a 1-1 draw that needed a moment of brilliance from Gabriel Martinelli to ensure that Arteta’s men did not lose. Meanwhile, Manchester United finally managed two consecutive EPL wins at home for the first time since Ruben Amorim took over. There was also the small matter of the Merseyside derby, which Liverpool won without relinquishing a 2-0 lead, which is something that had become a bit of a habit this season. Elsewhere, Leeds won at the…

Premier League Recap: Arsenal Leave It Late, Villa Finally Score, Bournemouth Draw Arsenal 1-1 Manchester City A dramatic late goal from Gabriel Martinelli ensured Arsenal held Manchester City to a 1-1 draw at the Emirates, maintaining the Gunners’ unbeaten head-to-head run against the champions to five matches. City struck early, taking the lead just nine minutes in. Erling Haaland exchanged passes with Tijjani Reijnders before calmly finishing past David Raya for his 11th goal in just six games across club and country. The Citizens managed the game with composure, frustrating the home crowd with a pragmatic approach, while still carrying…

Premier League Recap: Fulham’s Derby Delight, United Edge Chelsea, Merseyside Is Red and More Fulham 3-1 Brentford Fulham produced a superb comeback to defeat Brentford 3-1 at Craven Cottage, sealing consecutive Premier League victories for the first time since February. Despite the Cottagers’ early dominance, it was the Bees who struck first. Mikkel Damsgaard pounced on a misplaced pass before firing past Bernd Leno to give the visitors the lead. Brentford almost doubled their advantage when Kevin Schade latched onto a poor backpass, but he failed to convert. Fulham responded just before half-time, turning the contest on its head with two…

Ballon d’Or 2025 Contenders: Do Any EPL Players Stand a Chance? Rising Stars Lead the Ballon d’Or Race The 2025 Ballon d’Or is fast approaching, and the spotlight is firmly on Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona. With Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo’s era of dominance now behind us, football’s most prestigious individual award feels more open than ever. This year’s ceremony will take place on Monday night, and it would be no surprise if a PSG player stepped up to collect the prize. The French champions secured their first-ever Champions League triumph last season and followed it up by reaching the…

Arsenal vs Manchester City Preview Draw Both teams to score Sunday’s clash at the Emirates Stadium brings together two of the Premier League’s modern heavyweights. Arsenal and Manchester City have gone head-to-head in several title races over recent seasons, and while Liverpool currently sit on the throne, both of these sides see this fixture as the perfect platform to prove they can mount another serious challenge. Arsenal enter the contest in good shape after recovering from the disappointment of losing to Liverpool at Anfield before the international break. Mikel Arteta’s men responded in ideal fashion with back-to-back Premier League wins, both…

Sunderland vs Aston Villa Preview Draw or Sunderland win Under 3.5 goals Sunderland’s return to the Premier League has been smoother than many anticipated. Under Régis Le Bris, the newly-promoted side have taken to top-flight football with confidence and maturity, losing just one of their opening four fixtures (W2, D1). Last weekend’s goalless draw away at Crystal Palace was another sign of their resilience, as they defended with determination against a side known for their attacking width. That result, coupled with home victories earlier in the season, means Sunderland have the chance to set a piece of history. Should they win…