Noussair Mazraoui and Bryan Mbeumo
January 2026
Morocco beat Cameroon 2-0, ending Mbeumo’s tournament and extending Mazraoui’s run to at least the semi-finals. Brahim Diaz scored first from close range after a corner sequence, then Ismael Saibari finished low into the corner after a free-kick fell kindly. United regain Mbeumo quickly, while Mazraoui remains away for at least another week.
Mikel Arteta
January 2026
Mikel Arteta has challenged Arsenal to finally win the Premier League after several near-misses, with the club top of the table and four points clear of Manchester City. Arsenal are also in strong positions across cups and Europe. Arsenal have combined elite defensive numbers with depth through injuries, including a 4-1 win over Aston Villa without Declan Rice. Arteta’s test is turning a mid-season lead into the trophy, after multiple past seasons ended with Arsenal losing ground late.
Lionel Messi
January 2026
pain coach Luis de la Fuente urged Lionel Messi to keep playing as the Argentina captain continues to weigh up whether he will feature at the 2026 World Cup. Messi has said he will decide based on fitness and not wanting to be a burden. Messi helped Argentina qualify by scoring eight goals in South American qualifying, but has repeatedly stressed he will assess his physical condition day by day. Argentina will attempt to defend the title they won in 2022, and Messi is still undecided about joining that run.
Mohamed Salah
December 2025
Egypt stayed unbeaten at AFCON after drawing 0-0 with Angola in their final Group B match, with Mohamed Salah unused on the bench. The Pharaohs had already secured a last-16 spot, so the result was about managing minutes rather than chasing goals. Coach Hossam Hassan rotated heavily and also rested Omar Marmoush, keeping key players fresh for the knockouts. Egypt had qualified via earlier wins over Zimbabwe and South Africa, then closed the group with a clean sheet at Adrar Stadium in Morocco.
Mikel Arteta
December 2025
City briefly went top after a late Cherki winner at Forest, but Arsenal reclaimed first place by edging Brighton 2-1, with Odegaard’s early strike and a Rutter own goal enough despite Gomez pulling one back to set up a nervous finish at the Emirates. Arteta admitted feeling “hacked off” by last season’s home draw with Brighton but praised his side’s resilience despite another unconvincing display. He insisted Arsenal are ready to push City all the way, treating routine-looking games as must-win tests in a title race decided by tiny margins.
Pep Guardiola
December 2025
Pep Guardiola says he would much prefer Manchester City to be comfortably top rather than chasing Arsenal, but insists they remain well placed across competitions, close in the league, strong in the Champions League and Carabao Cup, and about to launch their FA Cup campaign. Aiming to avoid a second straight season without a league title, Guardiola urged players not to overindulge at Christmas and highlighted the difficult Forest trip, while also paying tribute to club legend John Robertson, emphasising respect for opponents even amid City’s relentless push for trophies.
Brenden Aaronson
December 2025
Leeds, sitting 16th, host high-flying Sunderland in a meeting of last season’s promoted pair, needing points to stay clear of relegation trouble after shipping 31 goals, even though their recent head-to-head record offers encouragement with a win and draw last campaign. Aaronson, who started both Championship fixtures against Sunderland, is again expected to play a central creative role, with Leeds tasked to tighten defensively against opponents who concede little but struggle to score, turning the match into a tense balance between resilience and opportunism.
Christian Pulisic
December 2025
Milan host relegation-threatened Verona needing a controlled win to maintain pressure in an ultra-tight title race, after dropping points against Sassuolo and losing the Supercoppa Italiana to Napoli, which has slightly stalled their recent momentum. Pulisic, Milan’s most consistent attacking outlet this season, is expected to steady the side by exploiting Verona’s weaknesses and providing end product in a match where efficiency, patience and focus matter more than spectacle if Milan are to keep pace at the summit.
Mohamed Salah
December 2025
Egypt needed late magic from Mohamed Salah to secure a 2-1 win over Zimbabwe, coming from behind after wasting a dominant first half before Marmoush equalised and Salah struck in stoppage time to avoid an embarrassing start to their AFCON campaign. Operating with more freedom than at Liverpool, Salah roamed centrally and from the right, repeatedly creating chances before his influence dipped, then reappeared at the death when he teed up Zizo, missed further openings and finally swivelled inside the box to smash home the decisive half-volley.
Rayan Cherki
December 2025
Cherki opened the scoring with a vicious strike from the edge of the box, chesting down a loose clearance before smashing into the roof of the net. He then marked the moment by mimicking Haaland’s meditation celebration, underlining his growing confidence since arriving from Lyon in the summer. The French playmaker now has four goal contributions in his last four games, including a rabona-assist for Foden against Sunderland. Guardiola has praised his personality and decision-making in tight areas, even likening aspects of his final-third craft to Messi while stressing that Cherki’s special talent must always be built on simple, reliable basics.
