Brighton and Chelsea lock horns today
Six days after they locked horns in the FA Cup, Brighton and Chelsea will recommence battle when they meet in Friday’s Premier League clash at the Amex Stadium.
The visitors will travel back down to the South Coast with revenge at the forefront of their minds after falling to a narrow defeat in Saturday’s cup clash.
Chelsea will focus on the Premier League and Conference League for the remainder of the season after their FA Cup campaign came to a disappointing end in Saturday’s trip to the Amex Stadium, quashing their hopes of winning the competition for the first time since 2017-18.
Realistically, Enzo Maresca will have to go all the way in the Conference League if he is to win a trophy in his first season in the Stamford Bridge dugout.
First and foremost, Chelsea will continue their Champions League qualification bid in Friday’s rematch against Brighton, with the visitors sitting in fourth place in the Premier League table and just two points clear of Manchester City and Newcastle United in fifth and sixth position respectively.
If they are to hold on to a top-four spot, the Blues will have to improve on their travels, having failed to win any of their last four Premier League away matches.
Chelsea will be desperate to produce a positive response after being knocked out of the FA Cup by the Seagulls, but while we believe they will avoid defeat, we think they may have to settle for a point against a Brighton side that have drawn six of their 11 Premier League home matches this season.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
Getafe to stretch their unbeaten run against Girona
Getafe will be bidding to stretch their unbeaten run of form in La Liga to six matches when they continue their campaign with a clash against Girona at Estadi Montilivi on Friday night.
Girona boast a record of nine wins, four draws and 10 defeats from their 23 league matches this season, with a total of 31 points leaving them in eighth spot in the table, four points behind sixth-placed Rayo Vallrcano.
The Catalan outfit had a historic 2023-24 campaign, finishing third in the division, but they have found it more difficult this term, with the White and Reds 17 points off third-placed Barcelona at this stage of proceedings.
A top-six finish would still represent an excellent season for Michel‘s side, but they have lost three of their last four in the league, including a 3-0 defeat to Athletic Bilbao last time out, with the team suffering their sixth away La Liga defeat of the campaign.
Girona have won two of their last three league matches against Getafe, including a 1-0 success earlier this season.
Getafe’s recent away record is excellent, posting three straight wins, conceding only once, and we are therefore struggling to predict a loss for the capital side here. Girona have won six of their 11 home league fixtures this term, but we are predicting a low-scoring draw here, which both managers would likely take if that were offered ahead of kickoff.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
Highflying Bologna welcome Torino
Nine games unbeaten – six in Serie A – Bologna aim to boost their hopes of European qualification when hosting Torino on Friday evening.
Like their visitors, the Rossoblu have settled for a single point several times in 2025, but both will seek three at Stadio Dall’Ara.
Full of confidence after a five-match unbeaten streak in Serie A – followed by a midweek Coppa Italia quarter-final win over Atalanta BC – Bologna were buoyant when heading south to Lecce last week, but they were ultimately held to a 0-0 draw.
Nonetheless, the Rossoblu can now go undefeated through their first seven league games of a calendar year for the first time since 2012, as the race for European places continues.
Sitting level on points with AC Milan – who they must play twice before the end of the season – and just behind Fiorentina and Juventus, Vincenzo Italiano‘s men are intent on tasting more continental action after this season’s Champions League adventure.
Torino (1,370) and Bologna (1,326) have played the most minutes on level terms in Serie A this season, so it is sure to be a close-fought contest on Friday.
With one goal splitting them, the hosts can end their visitors’ unbeaten streak and extend their own, thanks to a more potent attack.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
Leicester, Arsenal to lighten-up the King Power Stadium
Returning from Dubai unexpectedly worse for wear, Arsenal play their first game in 10 days on Saturday lunchtime, when they rock up to the King Power Stadium for a Premier League date with Leicester City.
The Gunners have not been in action since being slain by Newcastle United in the EFL Cup semi-finals, whereas the Foxes were controversially beaten by Manchester United in the FA Cup last Friday.
Mikel Arteta‘s Arsenal could have been forgiven for wanting to jump on the plane to the Middle East straight after their 5-1 mauling of Manchester City, and judging by their pitiful performance against Newcastle in the second leg of their EFL Cup semi-final, their heads were already in Dubai when they travelled to St James’ Park.
Now only fighting for Premier League and Champions League glory between now and the spring, Arsenal would normally be heading home from their customary mid-season break with a spring in their step, but news of a season-ending hamstring injury to Kai Havertz has extinguished any fleeting optimism.
Nevertheless, Arteta’s men have a wonderful unbeaten top-flight record to fall back on.
The Foxes might have impressed at Old Trafford, but even a Gunners outfit with just three fit attackers will be a different kettle of fish, and we still expect Arteta’s men to mark their return to British shores with a comfortable win.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
Friday
Aston Villa 15:00 Ipswich Town
Fulham 15:00 Nottingham Forest
Manchester City 15:00 Newcastle United
Southampton 15:00 AFC Bournemouth
West Ham United 15:00 Brentford
Liverpool 14:00 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Tottenham Hotspur 16:30 Manchester United
Friday
Atlético Madrid 17:30 Celta Vigo
Villarreal 20:00 Valencia kick
Real Betis 20:00 Real Sociedad
Friday
Sunday
