MATCH PREVIEWS

Arsenal vs. Newcastle: Cup Drama Under the Emirates Lights!

It’s Arsenal vs Newcastle in the Carabao Cup, and the Emirates is set to witness a heavyweight clash. Expect fireworks in this midweek showdown, with both teams having a strong desire for a trophy.

Key Stats to Know

Arsenal’s Steady Grind: The Gunners have only lost twice in the league this season, but let’s be honest, they’re not the free-scoring juggernaut we’ve seen in the past. Still, they’re handling business. Five wins and a draw in their last six at the Emirates, scoring 2.0 goals per game (xG: 1.79) while letting in just 0.33 (xG: 0.93). Missing Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka might make things tricky, but Arteta’s side knows how to grind out results.

Newcastle’s Wild Card: The Magpies love an away trip, with four wins, a draw, and two losses in their last seven. They’ve been clinical, scoring 2.14 goals per game (xG: 1.56), but their defence can be shaky, leaking 1.29 goals (xG: 1.48). This game feels closer than it looks on paper; don’t expect one-way traffic here.

Betting Suggestions

This one feels like it’s Arsenal’s to lose. A 2-1 win for the Gunners at 7.75 is worth a look, especially given Newcastle’s defensive cracks. Fancy goals? Over 2.5 at 1.68 could bring a nice return, with both teams packing enough firepower to light up the night. We tend to see more goals when the fixtures are congested. 

This game is available via our partner Booms Bet. Click here.

Tottenham vs Liverpool: Can Spurs Stun the League Leaders?

Tottenham host table-topping Liverpool at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in a match that promises plenty of action and likely plenty of goals. Spurs might have the home advantage, but this one feels like Liverpool’s to lose on paper.

Key Stats to Know

Tottenham’s Rollercoaster Home Form: Spurs’ performances in N17 have been as unpredictable as a British summer. In their last nine home games, they’ve managed just two wins, three draws and four defeats. Their attack is doing its part, scoring 2.33 goals per game (xG: 2.1), but the defence is anything but solid, conceding 2.56 per match from an xG of 1.82.

Liverpool’s Ruthless Streak: Meanwhile, Liverpool are flying, particularly on the road. Six wins and a draw in their last seven away fixtures tell you all you need to know about their form. They’re putting up outrageous numbers, scoring 3.29 goals per game (xG: 1.82), although they’re not entirely watertight defensively, conceding 1.57 from an xG of 1.33. Mohamed Salah is playing like a man possessed, with 21 goals this season and five in his last five appearances. Stopping him is easier said than done.

Betting Suggestions

This fixture screams goals. Over 3.5 at 1.74 looks like unbelievable value, considering these teams combined for a wild 6-3 scoreline just a few weeks back. Liverpool to win at 1.65 also offers solid value, given their likely dominance.

Spurs need to start strong to keep their heads in this one, but it feels like Liverpool’s firepower might be too much for them to handle.

This game is available via our partner Booms Bet. Click here.

WTF?

This Team Just Set the World Record for the Most Confusing Substitution Chain Ever 🔄

In a "hold my clipboard" moment, Northampton Town just turned their substitution strategy into a Christopher Nolan movie. They managed to use three substitutions... on the same position... replacing the replacement's replacement. (Yes, you read that right.)

Here's how this beautiful chaos unfolded:

• Sub 1: Liam McCarron comes on (normal enough)

• Plot Twist: McCarron gets injured after 25 minutes

• Sub 2: Jack Baldwin enters (replacing the replacement)

• Plot Twist 2: Baldwin takes a knock to the head

• Sub 3: Jordan Willis comes on (replacing the replacement's replacement)

Think of it as the football equivalent of those Russian nesting dolls, except each one is slightly more injured than the last.

Big picture: While the rules allow five substitutions these days, nobody expected one team to create a substitution cinematic universe. At least they held on for a 1-1 draw against Shrewsbury, proving that sometimes chaos is a viable strategy.

Bottom line: Somewhere, a football statistician is having an existential crisis trying to log this in the record books. Meanwhile, Northampton's physio room probably looks like a left-back convention. 🤕

DID YOU KNOW?

When PSV's Golden Era Set the Blueprint for Dominance

Think PSV's current Eredivisie form is impressive? Let's rewind to 1986-88 when they set a standard to which even today's squad would tip their hats. The Eindhoven giants strung together an absolutely ridiculous 22 consecutive wins in the Eredivisie, a run that would make even the most optimistic Philips Stadion regular's jaw drop.

The 1987-88 season, in particular, was when they really showed off. While today's PSV is turning heads, their predecessors were busy collecting trophies like they were going out of style:

• Eredivisie title ✅

• KNVB Cup ✅

• European Cup ✅

The architect? Guus Hiddink, who assembled what might be the most stacked PSV squad ever:

• Ronald Koeman (before his Barcelona glory days)

• Hans van Breukelen (wall mode: activated)

• Wim Kieft (goals were his love language)

Bottom line: While today's PSV is writing their own success story, this legendary squad set a standard that still makes the Eredivisie record books look like a PSV highlight reel. 🇳🇱

MEME OF THE DAY

When Will This Winter Break Be Over?

WHO WILL WIN?