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25/26 Match Week 19 Recap & 20 Preview
Sacked, (0-0)x3 & January Transfer Window
nick lochner
January 03, 2026
In partnership with
Sacked
 Enzo Maresca Out at Chelsea Enzo Maresca is out as Chelsea Manager, a surprise, kind of. A new manager has yet to be determined but it is a BUSY schedule coming up for Chelsea with PL matches, FA Cup, Carabao Cup and Champions League all on the schedule. It’s been quite the revolving manager door under Todd Bohley since he took over the club from Roman Abramovich in 2022.
| Maresca led Leicester City FC to promotion to the PL 2 years ago and left for West London to lead Chelsea. He then led Chelsea to the Champions League last season and won the Club World Cup Title last summer. Chelsea sit 5th in the table this year, recently beat Barcelona in the Champions League and was named the PL Manager of the Month in November. But December has seen just 1 win and Maresca had said mid-month - “many people had made it his worst 48 hours since joining the club” - apparently in reference to Maresca feeling like ownership were telling him who to play. In Tuesday’s draw with Brentford Cole Palmer was subbed in for at 63’ at direction from ownership. Palmer has returned from injury. Maresca felt Palmer could play all 90’, ownership said no. It is also being reported ownership was telling Maresca who to play to increase the players transfer value. |
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In Today’s CleanSheet:
Results 🏟️
Current Situation📈📉
What 2 Look 4 👀
Hot Topic 🔥🔥🔥- CS Quick Hits
Off Island 🏝️ - Edinburgh Derby
Best Bets 💰
Results 🏟️
Biggest Surprise Based on Odds to Win 🎁🎁
 📽️ See CS Video Links Below 🧨 | +415. For those relatively new to the EPL this result may not be as shocking as it really is. Man United, playing at Old Trafford, and drawing with a team with just 2 points in 18 matches. A draw was a fair result as Wolves played better at times than United and the stats were relatively even. United took the lead on Zirkzee’s 27’ goal but gave up a goal right before HT as Krejci scored at 45’. |
 | +370. No goals, but a ton of back and forth and great opportunities for both sides. More magic for the Black Cat’s at the Stadium of light and disappointment for City dropping points. City’s goalkeeper Donnarumma had some great saves in this one. |
 | +350. Great point for Leeds at Anfield. Liverpool had most of the chances taking 19 shots to Leeds 4 but the match felt more even than the stats show and sharing the points seems like a fair result. Leeds are playing their best soccer of the season while Liverpool continue to search. |
 📽️ See CS Video Links Below 🧨 | +340. All four goas in the 1H, The Cherries took the lead at 6’, The Blues scored 2 goals, and The Cherries again at 27’. It’s more frustration for Chelsea dropping points at home in a match they should be taking all three points. While it’s 10 matches in a row without a win, Bournemouth will be happy with a point. |
 | +327. Double the shots taken and 62% of the possession but no goals to show for it and it’s a very disappointing home result for the Tree’s. As for Everton, a goal in each half, at 19’ and 79’, gets all three points. |
 | +263. The Hammer’s had two leads, 1-0 and 2-1 but could not hold it. BHA had the better chances. The points were shared. |
 | +237. Spurs manager Thomas Frank was cheered by the home Bee’s fans, his former club, and boo’d by his current clubs fans when his side drew with Brentford. On the bright side, Spurs now have 7 clean sheets, 1 more than all of last season. As for Bee’s, it’s been a great first half of the season sitting in the top 10. As for the game - draw was a fair result. |
 | +223. Pretty even match, if anything FFC had the better of it. Palace went up 1-0 at 39’ on a Mateta goal and it looked like they were going to get away with all three points until Cairney scored for FFC at 80’ to share the points. |
 📽️ See CS Video Links Below 🧨 | -177. Great start for Newcastle scoring 2 goals within 7’. Josh Laurent got one back at 23’ and Burnley had the better of it for most of the match but couldn’t find the net. A defensive error by Burnley gave Newcastle a late goal at 90+3’. |
 | -265. Good opportunities for Villa in the 1H. The 2H, all Gunners. 48’, 52’ 69’ and 78’ goals before Villa got one back at 90+4’. That ends the 11 game winning streak of Villa and is a big 3 points for Arsenal in their push for a title. |
CS TOP 3 VIDEO LINKS on X - 📽️📽️📽️
Often the highlights are goals - but how about some new year love for the keepers.
David Raya (Arsenal), what a save. WATCH (20s).
Donnarumma (City) and Roefs (Sunderland) with some great saves. WATCH (25s X).
Arsenal made a statement against Villa - all their goals here. WATCH (90s X).
Current Situation 📈📉
Standings
Current Table (Arrows represent a team that moved up or down 2+ spots or into/out of Europe/Relegation) 
| Season Clean Sheets by Team  |
Goals & Clean Sheets
How does the current 25/26 season compare to EPL averages for goals and clean sheets.
Goals 23 Match Week 19 27.7 25/26 Season Average (G/MW)
| Clean Sheets 7 Match Week 19 5.3 25/26 Season Average (G/MW)
|
Scorers & More Stats
Multi Goal Scorers 2 Goals
3 Goals
4+ Goals
| Season Goal Leaders 22 Own Goals (See Below)* 19 Erling Haaland - City 11 Igor Thiago - Brentford 9 Antoine Semenyo - B’mouth 8 Hugo Ekitike - Liverpool 8 Dominic Calvert-Lewin - Leeds 8 Denny Welbeck - BHA 8 Jean-Philippe Mateta - Palace 7 Woltemade - Newcastle 7 Richarlison - Spurs 7 Phil Foden - Man City 7 Morgan Rogers - Villa | Tackles 70 Joao Palhinha - Spurs 59 Neco Williams - Forest 57 Tyrick Mitchell - Palace 54 Florentino - Burnley 51 Kenny Tete - FFC 51 Elliot Anderson - Forest 48 James Garner - Everton 47 Mats Wieffer - BHA 44 Adrien Truffert - B’mouth 46 Joao Gomes - Wolves |
4 Own Goals Allowed
3 Own Goals Allowed
| 2 Own Goals Allowed
| 1 Own Goal Allowed
|
What 2 Look 4 👀- Match Week 20
4.6 Match Week. 4 Saturday, 6 Sunday.
Saturday
3 Villa -124 v 17 Forest +338 SAT 630a - Villa get’s a home game to start a new winning streak. Tree’s with just 1 goal in their last 3 matches.
14 BHA -213 v 19 Burnley +569 SAT 9a - Two sides struggling. 3 points in 6 matches for BHA. 2 points in 10 matches for Burnley.
20 Wolves +150 v 18 West Ham +184 SAT 9a - Wolves Favored! Mid-season relegation tilt, Wolves have been playing better with the Hammers having 4 draws in their last 8.
15 Bournemouth +494 v 1 Arsenal -203 SAT 130p - Any magic left in the Cherries season needs to come out now. Just 5 points in 10 matches. Gunners are looking to extend their 4 points lead in the table.
Sunday
16 Leeds +152 v 6 Man United +165 SUN 630a - The Whites playing their best soccer host United, and it’s hard to tell what kind of soccer they are playing.
8 Everton +135 v 9 Brentford +206 9a - Two sides looking to exceed expectations this season. Winner could jump into a Europe spot.
11 Fulham +260 v 4 Liverpool -107 SUN 9a - Surprised the Reds are favored by this much. Liverpool are wandering yet still sit 4th in the table. FFC plays best at home and, aside from a 4-5 loss to City, Fulham’s defense has given them 10 points in their last 4.
13 Newcastle -154 v 10 Palace +380 SUN 9a - 1 point in their last 4 for Palace after a great run. Newcastle has been all over the board. Looks like the oddsmakers really like Newcastle.
12 Tottenham -123 v 7 Sunderland +330 SUN 9a - Another interesting line. That’s a pretty big favorites for Spurs who have really struggled at home. Sunderland sits at 7 in the table but it’s only 3 points ahead of Spurs.
2 City -161 v 5 Chelsea +350 SUN 230p - Surprise goal-less outing for City at Sunderland while Chelsea just sacked their manager.
Hot Topic 🔥🔥🔥
CS Quick Hits
3 0-0 matches, just 8 through first 18 match weeks.
Villa win streak snapped at 11 at Arsenal.
Sunderland have not lost at home this season - 5W 5D 0L - what a run for a promoted side, for any side really.
Since 1982 the World Cup final has featured at least one FC Bayern Munich Player. Here is their current roster based on nationality.
Germany, France, South Korea, Japan, Canada, Portugal, Austria, Croatia, Colombia, Nigeria, England, Senegal.
It’s possible Messi plays in England for the rest of the season since MLS is done and he wants to stay sharp for the World Cup. Liverpool is said to have inquired.
Off Island 🏝️
Transfer Window
The January Transfer window should be pretty active. Expect teams to make several moves.
Here is Sky Sports tracker. You can also learn a lot following @FabrizioRomano on X. He just announced USMNT player Brennan Johnson has signed with Palace for $40M moving from North London and Spurs to South London.
As we enter the window, just a reminder NCAA Football and Basketball, among other sports, now has it’s own transfer window. If you do not understand the picture below - you may want to Grok it.
Best Bets 💰
Season - Down $11
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Match Week 19 Results
Down $55
L ($40) - Chelsea to Win v Bournemouth AND Over 2.5 goals -101. $40
L ($25) - Man United to Win v Wolverhampton AND Over 2.5 goals -128. $25
L ($20) - Forest to Win v Everton +111. $20
W ($20) - West Ham v BHA Both Teams To Score -165. $33
W ($21) - Arsenal v Villa Both Teams To Score +103. $20
L ($20) - Liverpool v Leeds Over 3.5 goals +150. $20
W ($20) - Sunderland v Man City +2 (bet wins if Sunderland win, draw or lose by 1) +100. $20
L ($10) - Chelsea, United, City to Win +199. $10
L ($5) - Haalland to score 2+ goals +200. $5
W ($14) - Cole Palmer to score +137. $10
L ($5) - Burnley v Newcastle to finish 0:0 +940. $5
L ($5) - Burnley v Newcastle to finish 1:2 +590. $5
Match Week 20 Picks
Villa to Win v Forest -124. $100
OK, I’ll bite. The side that has won 11 of 12 comes home to Villa Park and is just -124 against a side that has been struggling to score. Will the Tree’s of early November show up, or the one that has scored 1 goal in their last 3 games.
Wolves to Win v West Ham +148. $20
It’s time.
Everton to Win v Brentford +135. $20
Everton is better.
BHA v Burnley Both Teams To Score -120. $24
Goals in this one. BHA scores at home, Burnley will find one.
Tottenham v Sunderland Under 2.5 goals +112. $20
Spurs have been very defensive and the Black Cats are more defensive on the road.
Newcastle to Win v Palace and Over 2.5 goals +136. $20
Spurs have been very defensive and the Black Cats are more defensive on the road.
Longshots of the week
Villa, BHA, Newcastle to Win +331. $10
Morgan Rogers (Villa) to score +178. $10
Jorgen Strand Larsen (Wolves) to score +178. $10
Danny Welbeck (BHA) to score +109. $10
All three to score +1492. $5
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