Hello, and welcome to The Full 90, a column for all football lovers. In this column, I will discuss all things Premier League and Champions League football, including match previews, reports and more.
Having come off the back of football’s latest international break, we look ahead to this weekend and next week for some exciting fixtures between English giants and European powerhouses. In the Premier League, teams will battle it out for points throughout match Week 4. The highlight of this weekend is set for Sunday at 11:30 a.m. Manchester City and Manchester United will battle for the first time this season in the Manchester Derby. One of the fiercest rivalries the country has ever seen features a struggling Manchester United side, led by manager Ruben Amorim, making the short journey to their rivals, Manchester City. Manchester United has been the talk of the town after their recent 12-11 loss in penalties to League Two side Grimsby Town in the League Cup. The dreadful performance by the English giants has been an appropriate depiction of their time under the Portuguese manager. With the odds stacked against them, Amorim and his side look for an underdog-style win despite being ahead of City in the table. Manchester United will be without key players Lisandro Martinez, Mason Mount, and their key summer signing, Matheus Cunha. Alongside Cunha, Manchester United has also brought in Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford and Benjamin Šeško from German club RB Leipzig to help bolster their attack. Amorim will surely apply his footballing style to the game with his likely setup of a 3-4-3, prioritizing proactive pressing and structured possession. On the opposing side will be Pep Guardiola, the man who has won it all. Considered one of the best of all time, Guardiola chases his fifth Premier League title this season; however, with a sudden injury crisis, Manchester City may have to take it one game at a time.
We will likely see an altered setup for Guardiola’s men that was fielded in their 2-1 defeat to Brighton before the international break. Injuries to key players including Omar Marmoush and Rayan Cherki could cause City some issues in this game, as the creative playmaking from the duo will not be in action. Guardiola will have some decisions to make on the back of a rare loss to Brighton. The arrival of England International James Trafford will undoubtedly be called into question following the subsequent arrival of former PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who appears to be favored by Guardiola. Also, expect the back line to be shaken up for Manchester City, with likely replacements including Abdukodir Khusanov for Rúben Dias. It’s a Manchester Derby that is sure to excite; I expect a cagey back-and-forth between the two clubs. Two managers with possession-based styles will be looking to break down and unlock each other’s defenses to secure victory in both points and territory.
Throughout the league, many other teams will be facing off, but my sleeper match of the week is between Bournemouth and Brighton Hove Albion. I expect this game to be a fast-paced, back-and-forth affair between two young managers. Both coming off major wins for their clubs, Andoni Iraola and Fabian Hürzeler will be striving to replicate that success through their respective teams. Expect Bournemouth to embrace the Iraola-coded counter-attacking style. This will be best portrayed through Antoine Semenyo, a Ghanaian winger with the dynamism and speed fit for the best clubs in Europe. Brighton will likely look to build up from the back and find their midfield gem Carlos Baleba on the half-turn to kickstart quick and sharp attacks off the wing.
The Champions League is finally back. After a long three months, Europe’s best teams return to the biggest stage of them all to battle for the Champions League trophy and be crowned European champions. Match Week One is full of exciting games over the course of Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Tuesday offers some intriguing matchups — however, the juxtaposition between German and Italian football will be put on full display when Borussia Dortmund and Juventus face off in Turin. Expect many talented players to impose themselves on this match, although my eyes are on the Turkish maestro Kenan Yildiz to help Juventus get the result they desire.
Two European giants will face off on Wednesday when Chelsea FC faces Bayern Munich in the Allianz Arena. Chelsea is fresh off winning the Conference League and adding a European trophy to their trophy cabinet, as well as winning the FIFA Club World Cup over the summer in the United States. Chelsea’s young squad of talent looks to challenge German giants Bayern Munich in their own backyard. Bayern is led by manager and Manchester City legend Vincent Kompany, whose experienced squad will look to obtain a win over their youthful opponents. Players from both sides will be sure to excite the audience. I expect Chelsea forward Joao Pedro and Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise to showcase their exceptional abilities throughout the clash.
Look forward to a busy week of football ahead. With a big Manchester derby taking place on Sunday and Champions League nights on the horizon, the 2025-26 season is truly getting underway.
