It has been an unusual few weeks for several teams, with some big names falling flat on their backs while some continue to impress — several average teams have also stepped up their games.

 

 

 

In this edition of weekend preview, we take a look at the optimistic top teams who are on impressive runs and those who couldn't wait for the break to come and help put an end to their misery.

From the thriving Barcelona, Liverpool and Atalanta to the unidentified Real Madrid, Manchester City and Arsenal, we take a look at some of the most interesting and mouth-watering fixtures across the top leagues this weekend.

Chelsea vs Arsenal

The biggest one this weekend in any land. The world will be on the lookout on Sunday when Arsenal travel to the Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea in the biggest London derby match.

The Gooners has in recent years made themselves favourite in this fixture, losing just one in their last ten meetings, which includes a 5-0 victory in their last meeting earlier in the year.

Chelsea however has shown vast improvement under Enzo Maresca and even though their two league defeats have come against the top teams they've faced in Manchester City and Liverpool, they'll still fancy their chances against a vulnerable Arsenal side.

 

 

 

 

Form Guide and Head-to-Head

Chelsea is fairly better poised for this fixture than Arsenal due to recent performances and form in general — they head into the match on Sunday on the back of an 8-0 thrashing of Noah FC in the Conference League, which marked their return to winning ways after a run of two winless.

Their only home defeat this season came on opening weekend against Manchester City, meaning they are now on a run of eight unbeaten at home, winning six.

Arsenal heads into the game this weekend in their worst form possible. They are winless in their last three league games, losing two, while in mid-week they lost their unbeaten run in the UEFA Champions League to Inter.

They’ve lost all three away games in major competitions with only a 3-0 success over Preston North End in the Carabao Cup and a scrappy 1-0 win over Shakhtar Donesk in the Champions league their only wins since return from the last international break.

Head to Head

• Chelsea has won just one win their last ten meetings with Arsenal across all competitions, at the Emirates stadium in the early weeks of the 2022-23 campaign.
• Arsenal has been victorious in seven of their last nine meetings with Chelsea, losing just once in that period.
• Arsenal is unbeaten in their last five visits to Stamford, Bridge,  winning three.

Team news and injury updates

 

 

 

 

Chelsea is expected to be with everyone for the match as Cole Palmer has recovered from Sunday's knock at Manchester United, while Jadon Sancho, who missed the match against his parent club is also expected to be available.

A complete change is expected to be made to the starting XI that beat Noah FC on Thursday, as the regular first-team players return for league action as they always do.

Arsenal is in a choatic position right now, most especially with their misfiring attackers and absent midfielders. Martin Ødegaard returned from his long-term injury in mid-week while Declan Rice missed out due to a broken toe. Riccardo Calafiori continues to nurse a knee injury.

Arteta has said Kai Havertz and Mikel Merino should be okay following their injuries against Inter. Rice may be risked given the significance of the fixture while Ødegaard may be given a start as his creativity has been missed since August.

Prediction: Chelsea 2-2 Arsenal

Brighton vs Manchester City

Who would have thought Manchester City will be in this position right after claiming the Premier League summit at the end of October, following Liverpool's stalemate at Arsenal.

Since then, Pep Guardiola's side has lost all three games across all competitions, exiting the Carabao Cup, losing their unbeaten run in the league and UEFA Champions League.

It doesn't get any worse than realising that one of their last two defeats was their first-ever loss to Bournemouth, and the other was an European humiliation in the hands of Sporting CP, managed by new Manchester United boss, Ruben Amorim.

 

 

 

 

Lack of form and fitness issues have plagued the team's capability in recent weeks. Despite his impeccable start to the season, Erling Haaland has scored just once in the last five Premier League games, and head to the weekend on the back of back-to-back blanks and a penalty miss in the humbling loss to Sporting.

His goal drought highlights the club’s inability to create clear-cut chances in the absence of creative players like Kevin De Bruyne, while Phil Foden is yet to get into his strides consistently so far.

Brighton away from home is always a tricky test as you do no always know what to expect. Doing what you do best at times may not really help and City's current form do not help matters.

Fabian Hurzeler's side have also slown down in recent weeks due to injuries to important players in the team, most especially Joao Pedro, who started the season in exceptional fashion.

Form Guide

• Brighton are winless in each of their last three games across all competitions, losing the last two — both to Liverpool.
• They have picked up important wins against Newcastle United, Manchester United and Spurs while they also earned a point at Arsenal.
• Manchester City has lost one Premier League game in 2024, and it came in their most recent game in the competition.
• Manchester City has lost each of their previous three games, they've never gone four straight losses since the appointment of Pep Guardiola.
• Last time Manchester City went four games without a win was between March and April in 2017 (2D. 2L)

Head to Head

• Manchester City has won 13 of their previous 15 meetings with Brighton, losing one.
• Manchester City are unbeaten in their last six meetings with Brighton, winning five.
• Manchester City has scored in each of their last 15 meetings with Brighton, averaging 2.46 goals per game.

Team news and injury updates

Joao Pedro, Solly March, Lewis Dunk, Yankuba Minteh, Adam Webster and James Milner, Yasin Ayari and Mathew O'Riley are all injury doubts for the host, although it does include those nursing long-term injuries.

 

 

 

 

Kevin De Bruyne made his injury return in Portugal on Tuesday while Jack Grealish and John Stones missed out, making their involvement this weekend a bone of contentious. Oscar Bobb and Rodri remain absent with long-term injuries.

Prediction: Brighton 1-3 Manchester City

Liverpool vs Aston Villa

Arguably the best team in Europe so far, everything is going right for Arne Slot few months into his reign at Liverpool as the club currently sits at the top of both Premier league and UEFA Champions League standings.

They have also secured their ticket to the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup, where they will battle Southampton in the Saint Marys next month — lost one and drawn one in 16 games this season.

 

 

 

 

They couldn't be in a better shape ahead of a crunch tie with Unai Emery's Aston Villa, who are also having a good season in general, bar their recent dip in form of late.

After surrendering an early lead to lose 4-1 at Spurs last weekend, their perfect run in Europe also came to an end in the hands of Club Brugge, who took all three UEFA Champions League points on Wednesday courtesy of a Hans Vanaken second-half penalty.

It is a worrying time as Villa, and are one of those teams who couldn't wait for the break to come. After going four games without a win, what they need now is to refresh and restart, not go to Anfield, a hostile ground for visitors.

Form Guide

• Liverpool has lost one of 16 games this season, winning 14
• Liverpool are unbeaten in 12 games across all competitions, drawing just one.
• Liverpool has won each of their last six home games across all competitions.
• Aston Villa are winless in their last four matches across all competitions, losing each of the last three.

Head to Head

• Since losing 7-2 in October 2020, Liverpool has remained unbeaten in this fixture, winning six of eight
• Aston Villa are winless in their last five trips to Anfield, losing five and drawing just one.

Team news and injury updates

Alisson Becker, Diogo Jota, Federico Chiesa and Harvey Elliott continue to recover from injuries which has kept them out in recent weeks, otherwise Liverpool has no fitness concern.

 

 

 

 

Matty Cash and Ross Barkley continue to miss out for Unai Emery's Aston Villa, although they do have the depth to make up for these absences.

Prediction: Liverpool 3-1 Aston Villa

Manchester United vs Leicester City

It is Ruud van Nistelrooy's final assignment as the interim boss before the takeover of Ruben Amorim. The Dutchman has done a wonderful job and will look to bow out on a high in front of the United faithfuls in Old Trafford on Sunday.

A familiar foe in Leicester City awaits. The same team he kicked off his temporary spell against in a seven-goal thriller that saw United picked up the quarter-finals ticket in the Carabao Cup.

 

 

 

 

Following last weekend's draw against Chelsea and a 2-0 win over PAOK Thessaloniki FC in the Europa League on Thursday, van Nistelrooy has improved the atmosphere around the club, making it a better place for Amorim to arrive in.

A win on Sunday could see them move into or within of the top half of the table depending on results elsewhere, and that will be the aim of the former striker, as he looks to bid another farewell at the Theatre of dreams.

Newly promoted Leicester City has so far had a campaign befitting of a newly promoted team. Their only two league wins so far have come against fellow newcomer Southampton, and another against Bournemouth.

Form Guide

• Under Ruud van Nistelrooy, Manchester United are unbeaten in the three games, winning two
• Leicester City are winless in their last three games, which includes a 5-2 defeat in Old Trafford just over a week ago.
• Leicester has not won an away game against a side that was in the top-flight last season.
• Manchester United’s biggest league win has come against a new promoted side, 3-0 against Southampton in Saints Marys in September.

Head to Head

• Manchester United are unbeaten in each of their last four meetings with Leicester City, winning each of the last three.
• Leicester City has won just one in ten travels to Old Trafford, losing seven.
• Since returning to the top-flight in 2014, Leicester City has not kept a clean sheet in 21 meetings with Manchester United across all competitions.

Team news and injury updates

Manchester United have a couple of names back in training amongst those who have been sidelined for a while. Leny Yoro and Kobbie Mainoo are back and there's a chance the latter makes the squad on Sunday.

Mason Mount and Antony have both returned and were involved with the squad on Thursday, although Antony was an unused substitute, it was a relief to see players returning to full fitness.

Prediction: Manchester United 3-1 Leicester City

Real Madrid vs Osasuna

 

 

Response is what Carlo Ancelotti and his players will be looking for when they host Osasuna in their final game before the international break.

Back-to-back home defeats to Barcelona and AC Milan has compound their woes in recent weeks, leaving them nine points behind runaway leaders in the league and outside an automatic ticket spot for the UEFA Champions League round of 16.

Although they have suffered some unfortunate injuries, it is obvious Real Madrid's trouble is much more than that. The team has struggled to maintain balance since the start of the season, which coincides within the addition of Kylian Mbappé to the attack.

There have been lots of debates on how Los Blancos fit in all these attacking talents in the team yet without a recognised No.9 on the books.

It is a complicated process as now they will have to axe one of the major players in attack to create a room for an incoming striker, if fluidity is not restored before the January window, or latest next summer.

The task at hand however is to return to winning ways and depart for the break on a positive note, while the club's administrators work on how to restore order in the coming weeks.

Form Guide

Real Madrid has lost each of their last two games which have come in the Bernabeu — they've never lost three straight home games in the 21st century.

 

 

 

 

 

Osasuna has won each of their last three games without conceding a goal.

Head to Head

Real Madrid is unbeaten in 21 games against Osasuna, winning 16 and drawing five.

Real Madrid has won each of their last four meetings with Osasuna.

 

 

Team news and injury updates

Thibaut Courtois, Dani Carvajal, David Alaba and Aurelien Tchouameni are still injured for the host while the visitors have a full squad to call upon.

Prediction: Real Madrid 2-0 Osasuna

Real Sociedad vs Barcelona

High-flying Barcelona travel to Anoeta to face Imanol Algiacil's Real Sociedad, who have not won a home game in the last three.

On current form, Hansi Flick's side are too good for any side, having blown away both Bayern Munich and Real Madrid in the same week, scoring eight goals and conceding one in the process.

Barcelona has scored 29 goals in their previous seven games, scoring at least three in each game in the process. The attack has really picked up with the creativity of Raphinha and Lamine Yamal, as well as the clinical finishing of both Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha.

 

 

 

 

They could be too much for their host to live with in the final kickoff of round 12 in LaLiga on Sunday, when they seek their eighth win on the bounce, a result that will see them equal their longest winning run, between January and February 2023.

Form Guide

Real Sociedad has won just one of seven home games this season, losing five, including the last two.

Barcelona has won each of their last seven games across all competitions, scoring at least three goals in each.

Head to Head

• Real Sociedad are winless in their last ten home games against Barcelona, losing nine.
• Barcelona has won each of their last four league games away to Real Sociedad.

Team news and injury updates

Pablo Marin, Nayef Aguerd, Hamari Traore, Benat Turrientes, Arsen Zakharyan and Ander Barrenetxea remain unavailable for the host while Barcelona also have injury concerns of their own, many of which are no more news.

Pau Cubarsi is the only addition after the mid-week win. The defender is okay after ten stitches buy still expected to sit out this weekend.

Marc Andre Ter Stegen, Marc Bernal, Ferran Torres, Andreas Christensen, Ronald Araujo and Eric Garcia remain on the sideline.

Prediction: Real Sociedad 0-3 Barcelona

Inter vs Napoli

It is top of the table clash in Italy this weekend as second place Inter play host to league leaders, Napoli, in the Giuseppe Meazza on Sunday night.

Antonio Conte leads his side to his former home on the back of a 3-0 humbling in the hands of Ademola Lookman and Atalanta last time out, ending a run of six straight wins.

For Inter, they earned a big European win over Arsenal in mid-week, remaining the only team yet to concede in the Champions League this season and extending their unbeaten run to nine.

 

 

 

 

Should they get the better of the visitors, they'll head into the break at the top of the Seria A but at the same time, a defeat could see them drop out of the top five depending on results elsewhere. That's how tight things are at the top in the league.

Head to Head

• Inter has won seven of their last 11 league meetings with Napoli, losing just oncee.
• Napoli are winless in each of their last eight away games at Inter in the Serie A, losing five.

Prediction: Inter 1-0 Napoli

These are the major fixtures for the weekend that will be very significant in the league races across Europe top leagues as certain teams could begin to run away with it, while some others might be giving it up this early.