In Today’s CleanSheet:

• Headlines 📌

• What 2 Look 4 👀 

• Hot Topic 🔥🔥🔥- Moose Cup

• Off Island 🏝️ - El Clasico

• Best Bets 💰

Headlines 📌

• Half n’ Half. With two international competitions kicking off (AFCON & AFC Tournaments - read more about it here in Match Week 20 Recap) PL Match Week 21 is spread across two weekends -

  • Match Week 21.1 starting Friday, January 12

  • Match Week 21.2 beginning January 20.

• 21.1. 1 Friday, 2 Saturday, 2 Sunday.

• Pencil These In. With 5 matches, they are all to be penciled in - no overlaps.

• January Transfer Window.

  • Eric Dier is leaving Spurs and heading to Bayern Munich and team back up with Harry Kane.

  • Spurs picked up a Radu Dragusin, from Genoa who turned down Bayern Munich.

  • BHA picked up a 19yo fullback, Valentin Barco

  • Many other rumors in play. Here’s the latest.

• Financial Fair Play. This time, Newcastle. They may have to sell one of their star players to gain some revenue and be in good standing with FFP.

• 1 goal from 6.47 expected. Been a struggle for Arsenal over the last three matches that saw them drop out of the Top spot. For more on xG check out the Hot Topic section of Match Week 9 Recap (cleansheetepl.beehiiv.com).

• Nipple Twist Anyone. Former Chelsea teammates - Rudiger and Morato. Reminds me of college roommates!

• Goal of the Year Candidate - Patrick Bamford - Leed’s United - The angle

  • Angle 1 - it’s a nice goal (X 25s)

  • Angle 2 - WOW - It’s a GREAT goal (X20s)

What 2 Look 4 👀- Match Week 21.1

We’re Number 17”! We’re Number 17! (“Not Relegated”)

• Friday 145pm USAN. Burnley v Luton Town. Past the halfway point of the season and relegation contenders need to start stacking 3 points at a time. It’s not lose and get relegated, or win and be saved, but a win by either team could be significant. Luton was in better form heading to the new year. Burnley won at The Hatters back in early October.

1.8 Miles of Domination

• Saturday 730pm USA. Chelsea v Fulham. West London Derby. 1.8 miles separate the two sides - and maybe it has something to do with West London - as both sides are lacking consistency this season. Chelsea’s last 8 WWLWLLWL. Fulham’s last 8 WLLLWWLW. Both 4 wins 4 losses no draws.

  • Historically, Fulham have struggled against their bigger next-door neighbor winning only 1 of the last 23 matches beating them at home (Craven Cottage) a year ago. Fulham has beaten Chelsea 8 times in 77 matches, the LOWEST winning percentage of any team to have played each other over 50 times in English Soccer.

One Last Chance?

• Saturday 1230pm NBC. Newcastle v Man City. A team struggling, even at home, looking tired with 1 win 6 losses in 7. The Magpies have a chance to right the ship against the defending champs and at least temper the pressure on manager Eddie Howe. A loss could knock Newcastle out of the Top 10. That along with getting knocked out of the Champions League is a recipe for a sacked manager with Newcastle’s expectations. And rumor is, Saudi ownership is looking. City on the other hand get Kevn De Bruyne back after missing the first half of the season with a hammy and as Phil Foden said, “Everyone was buzzing to have him back.” Will he make the difference jumping right back in? City was nowhere near top form for the last month but must feel pretty good that the top of the table all gave away points.

A Fesh Start

• Sunday 9am USA. Everton v Villa. Villa sits 2^nd in the Table but it feels like they could be at the top having dropped 4 points against Sheffield United and Man United and winning with a shaky performance home to Burnley. How will they handle the road test? Everton took a 10-point deduction and turned it into a 4-match winning streak, however back-to-back-to-back loses have the fans nervous. Plenty of time for the Toffee’s to string wins together and be safe from relegation, but more losses would ratchet up the pressure.

A Fesh Start

• Sunday 1130am USA. Man United v Tottenham. It’s a good team with a lot of resources, a solid manager and possibly the highest fan expectations in the world. But for Man United 8th in the Table is not going to get it done and the expectation Sunday will be for a home win against a team ahead of them. Spurs have been playing exciting soccer and are surprising favorites heading to Old Trafford. After getting off to a great start, injuries set them back however they seem to have righted the ship with 4 wins in their last 5.

Hot Topic 🔥🔥🔥

Moose Cup aka Carabao Cup aka EFL Cup

Carabao Cup is a competition for the top 4 leagues in English Soccer. This is not the highly respected FA Cup - the competition for ALL clubs in England. This is a tournament most of the clubs, coaches and player’s dislike. The Carabao Cup is considered by many a money grab that just adds to an already crazy schedule. It’s the Semi-Finals with Home and Away matches, total goals advances to finals. Leg 1 was this week.

• Middlesbrough (Championship) v Chelsea - UPSET in the first leg, 1-0. Middlesbrough sits in the middle of the Championship Table (league below the PL) and were outplayed at home to Chelsea having only 28% of the possession and being outshot 6-18, yet took a 1 goal lead heading into leg 2 at Stamford Bridge on January 23.

• Liverpool v Fulham - Down 1-0 at 19’, Liverpool came back with 2 at 68’ and 71’to take a 1 goal lead heading into leg 2 at Craven Cottage on January 23. A good outcome for the Reds who were missing 3 stars - Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mo Saleh yet had 67% possession and led shots 21-6.

Off Island 🏝️

El Clasico

El Clasico (Wiki) is any match between Barcelona and Real Madrid. Over the past 19 La Liga (Spain) seasons Barca (11) and RM (8) have won 17 titles. Atletico Madrid won the other 2. If you paid attention, you may remember Messi played for Barca and Ronaldo for RM both in their prime. Some great matchups. Madrid is the capital of Spain and its largest city. Barcelona is the capital and largest city of Catalonia, which has an ongoing independence movement.

Phil Ball, the author of Morbo: The Story of Spanish Football says “they hate each other with an intensity that can truly shock the outsider”. The rivalry started way before football between the two regions of Spain.

Barcelona leads the all-time series 124W 109L 64D. They are the only 2 clubs never to be relegated from La Liga.

The Spanish Super Cup

We’ve talked about the FA Cup in English Soccer, the all open competition. In Spain that tournament is called the Copa del Rey. The Spanish Super Cup is a 4 team tournament between the previous year’s Winners and Runner-Ups from Copa del Reay and La Liga.

Both Barcelona and Real Madrid have advanced to the championship to be played Sunday, January 14 at 1pm cst on ABC. Here is a summary at BBC Sport.

Best Bets 💰

CleanSheet Picker Standings

CleanSheet Season Gains/Losses:

City to Win at Newcastle -170. $34.

Luton Town to Win at Burnley +285. $20.