Archive December 31, 2025

Another year of football is over and it’s time to start looking ahead to 2026.

The Premier League will reach its conclusion in May, with Arsenal looking to win their first title in over two decades – but can the Gunners see the job through this time?

Will an English club be crowned champions of Europe? Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham are all looking to reach the last 16.

Could Chelsea’s hold over the Women’s Super League be set to end? Manchester City, now under the guidance of Andree Jeglertz, lead the way in an enthralling title race.

The World Cup, expanded to 48 teams and complete with a round of 32 for the first time, is bigger than ever before – but who will come out on top?

The winners of the Women’s Champions League, Ballon d’Or and Scottish Premiership will also be known.

It’s much better to spend the night working out the various combinations that will get your team where you want them than it is on New Year’s Eve because it’s overrated.

What have Watford been drinking lately, and is it time to take Hull City seriously in the Championship?

In League One, surprise names appear at both ends of the table, while Huddersfield, a big dog, is a reality.

Hull City needs to be discussed. No, we actually do.

It’s time we took notice when four victories from a five-game unbeaten run come in handy, but when you factor in victories against Middlesbrough, Millwall, West Bromwich Albion, and Wrexham, it’s obvious.

Additionally, Joe Gelhardt, the Championship’s joint second-best scorer, may need to wait at least another fortnight before he can add to his 10 goals, while Mohamed Belloumi, a winger, has also been added to the list of casualties.

The Tigers have quietly slipped into fourth place, two points clear of the automatic promotion spots, under Sergej Jakirovic, a previously unknown boss.

After Monday’s victory at Middlesbrough, Jakirovic expressed his satisfaction that the team is playing well and that it will push this goal, but it won’t be simple because everyone is struggling with injuries.

He has won titles in his native Bosnia and Croatia, but his ability to sustain it with limited trading options in the January transfer window will put his skills to the test.

Also, before East Yorkshire fans get too excited, they might want to take a look at Thursday’s MKM Stadium opponent Stoke (15:00 GMT) before they get too excited.

The Potters are now in 10th place, four points off the top six, after falling behind in their previous seven outings, as they did at the end of November.

There is something about the Hornets and Javi Gracia that just works, despite the fact that it is not often the words “perfect fit” and “manager” and “Watford.”

Even though they only hired him four months after he had won the FA Cup final and had already held 12 appointments, he is now back on his feet as the Prince of, well, Vicarage Road.

Watford moved into the play-off places for the first time this season thanks to their dramatic late-game victory over Norwich on Monday, where they currently lead the Championship’s form guide with 14 points from an unbeaten six-game run.

“I adore Christmas working!” Never did I anticipate having the ability to say it. After Carrow Road won, Gracia described it as “extraordinary” to have three wins in a row.

It’s something to be proud of, the team, and the players who are also involved, “.

Although it is 17th vs. 12th in the context of a Championship season, which makes it seem like a big game (during the GMT period) and could be seen by those who aren’t directly involved, meh?

So why do we want to highlight something a little meh? Because it is a little meh and shouldn’t be, it is.

Sheffield United finished second in the table this year before falling in the play-off final, while Leicester, in the Premier League, had just lost to Liverpool and Manchester City in successive games.

Both were anticipated to be challenging this season, but they are not for a variety of reasons.

After six straight defeats to the season, the Blades realized Chris Wilder was the way to go, so they hired him back to take over as Ruben Selles.

Leicester have threatened to enter the promotion race despite the possibility of a points deduction, but sporadic defensive horror shows like a 4-1 hammering at QPR have prevented them.

Huddersfield Town have had nine managers since being dropped from the Premier League in 2019 to reclaim the position.

They come in all shapes and sizes: old people, club legends, Europeans, and now Lee Grant, a rookie in his first role as the top man.

The Terriers are a big dog in League One, with crowds of 18 000 and a squad that many people envy.

Three straight wins have given the impression that they may be about to end. It has been a stuttering season.

Last year, League One was home to two of the bottom four League Two players.

19 months ago, League Two’s leaders were a non-league team.

Some people lose out on opportunities, but no one respects reputation.

As Shrewsbury and Rovers of Bristol meet in Shropshire (15:00 GMT) with their heads just above the dreaded dotted line, they will not regret seeing the back of 2025 come to an end.

Rovers are currently the EFL’s worst performers after losing 30 league games. With their respective league standings in jeopardy, Shrewsbury lost 27 games, making them joint-second worst. Both of those losses resulted in relegation, so this might not be for the faint-hearted.

Bromley, in contrast, have embraced the EFL like a duck under Andy Woodman, who won 11th overall and is now leading the charge with a five-game winning streak.

They will want to extend that record to Newport, which is currently the only EFL team without defeat, at home (15:00 GMT).

Shrewsbury and Rovers of Bristol will be interested in helping the Ravens.

New Year’s Eve is overrated, much better to spend the night poring over league tables and fixtures while working out the various permutations that get your team to where you want them.

In the Championship, is it time to take Hull City seriously, and what have Watford been drinking lately?

Big dogs Huddersfield are coming to life in League One, while in League Two there are surprise names at both ends of the table.

We need to talk about Hull City. No, we really do.

Four wins during a five-match unbeaten run have been eye-catching enough but when you consider those victories have come against Wrexham, Millwall, West Bromwich Albion and Middlesbrough it is time we took notice.

Those victories have also come without the Championship’s joint second top scorer, Joe Gelhardt, who may still be out for at least another fortnight before he can add to his 10 goals, while winger Mohamed Belloumi has also joined the casualty list.

Under their previously unheralded boss Sergej Jakirovic, the Tigers have quietly sneaked into fourth place, two points outside the automatic promotion places.

“I’m very pleased because we are playing well and we will try to push this but it will not be easy because everyone is struggling with injuries,” said Jakirovic after Monday’s win at Middlesbrough.

A title winner in his native Bosnia as well as Croatia, he knows how to get the job done but sustaining it with limited trading ability in the January transfer window will be a test of his skills.

Also, before any fans in East Yorkshire get too excited they may like to look at Thursday’s opponents Stoke when they arrive at the MKM Stadium (15:00 GMT).

Second at the end of November, the Potters’ poor run of five defeats from their past seven outings finds them now in 10th place, four points short of the top six.

It is not often the words ‘perfect fit’ go together with ‘manager’ and ‘Watford’ but there is something about the Hornets and Javi Gracia that just works.

I mean, granted they sacked him in 2019 barely four months after he had guided them to the FA Cup final and have gone through 12 appointments since then but, here he is back once again to sit on his throne as the Prince of, well, Vicarage Road.

Monday’s dramatic late 1-0 win at Norwich pushed Watford into the play-off places for the first time this season and they currently top the Championship’s form guide with 14 points during an unbeaten six-game run.

“I love working at Christmas! It’s something I never thought that I could say. It’s something amazing to get three wins in a row,” Gracia told BBC Three Counties Radio after the Carrow Road victory.

“This spirit, the team with all the players involved as well, it’s something to be proud of.”

It feels like it should be a big game in the context of a Championship season but it is 17th v 12th (17:30 GMT) and so could be seen by those not directly involved as a bit, meh?

So why are we highlighting something that is a bit meh? Well because of the very fact it is a bit meh and it really should not be.

This time last season Sheffield United were second in the table before ultimately losing in the play-off final while Leicester, in the Premier League, had just lost successive games to Liverpool and Manchester City.

Both were expected to be right up there challenging this season, but they are not for a whole variety of reasons.

The Blades thought binning boss Chris Wilder was the way forward until six straight defeats to start the season told them it was not and they brought him back to replace Ruben Selles.

Leicester, with the risk of a points deduction still hanging over them, have threatened to push themselves into the promotion picture but sporadic defensive horror shows including a 4-1 hammering at QPR have held them back.

Since relegation from the Premier League in 2019, Huddersfield Town have gone through nine managers in trying to get back there.

They have come in all shapes and sizes – Europeans, old hands, club stalwarts and now, in Lee Grant, a rookie in his first gig as the top man.

For League One, the Terriers are a big dog with crowds regularly touching 18,000 and a squad the envy of many.

It has been a stuttering season so far but three successive wins suggest they might be about to click.

Two of the bottom four in League Two were in League One last season.

The leaders of League Two were a non-league side 19 months ago.

It is a division of opportunity for some but no respecter of reputation.

Shrewsbury and Bristol Rovers will not be sorry to see the back of 2025 as they start the new year by meeting in Shropshire (15:00 GMT) with their heads just above the dreaded dotted line.

Rovers’ 30 league defeats made them the EFL’s worst performers over the past 12 months. Shrewsbury lost 27 games to make them joint-second worst – both suffered relegation so this might not be one for the faint-hearted with their respective league standings under threat.

Bromley, by contrast, have taken to the EFL like a duck to water under Andy Woodman – getting their feet wet by finishing 11th last season and now leading the way on the back of a five-match winning streak.

They also now possess the EFL’s only unbeaten home record and will fancy extending that at home to relegation-haunted Newport (15:00 GMT).

Bristol Rovers and Shrewsbury will be keen for the Ravens do them a favour.