Category: Football

Shock results, an early title race and some teams looking destined for the drop, the Premier League 2024/25 season is delivering as usual. With five games down, we take a look at the season so far, some of the teams who have been quick to get out of the blocks and some surprising results.

Another Title for City?

The race for the Premier League title is unravelling once again with the usual suspects emerging at the head of the table. Sunday saw the first twist in the tail with the Etihad hosting a fiery encounter as Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City took on Arsenal. A thrilling encounter saw Manchester City level the score at 2-2 in the 98th minute as tempers boiled over before the full-time whistle. The shared points see Manchester City top the table while Arsenal remain in 4th place two points behind.

Meanwhile, Liverpool are one point behind City in 2nd place. A shock result at home to Nottingham Forest saw their first defeat of the season and Arne Slot’s first competitive defeat as their new manager, however, they bounced back strongly on Saturday with a dominant 3-0 win over Bournemouth. It will be interesting to see how the Reds fare this season after Jurgen Klopp’s departure, but they will certainly have their eyes on preventing the Citizens’ dominance in English football.

Separating Liverpool and Arsenal is Unai Emery’s Aston Villa. The Villans finished fourth last season and have had a strong start to the 2024/25 campaign. With only one defeat so far, they shouldn’t be underestimated, can they pull off a shock and win their first League title since 1981? However, with the addition of Champions League fixtures, will it be one too many games for the West Midlands club?

So can Manchester City win the Premier League for the fifth consecutive season? Or will Arsenal get revenge, having come so close for the last two seasons?

Everton’s Consecutive Collapse

It has been a bleak start to the season as far as Sean Dyche’s Everton are concerned, with just one point in five games. The miserable record sees them 19th in the table and destined for the drop having conceded 14 goals. However, it hasn’t just been the leaky defence that has been cause for worry. In consecutive games, the Toffees have been 2-0 up before succumbing to 3-2 defeats. Perhaps in the most spectacular game of the season, when Everton hosted Bournemouth, they were 2-0 to the good with only 3 minutes of normal time to play. The Cherries then scored three goals in seven minutes to snatch the points away at Goodison Park.

Struggling to hang on to leads will be a worry for Sean Dyche and many Everton fans. They will be eager to not see the move to their new stadium clouded by their first relegation since 1951.

Elsewhere down the bottom of the table, Wolves find themselves with only one point as do Southampton after disappointing starts from either side. With three teams occupying the drop zone on one point it may give an early indicator of who will face relegation this season.

The Battle for Europe

After an exciting battle for all three European tournaments last season, the Premier League 2024/25 season is promising to play out in a similar fashion. It was Aston Villa who rounded off the top 4 last season, beating Tottenham to the final Champions League place. Villa will be eager to do the same again this season, perhaps, going one better and becoming entwined in a title race.

Spurs on the other hand, haven’t had the strongest start to the campaign, boasting only two wins, finding themselves in the middle of the pack while Erik Ten Hag’s Manchester United are also yet to find their feet in 11th. The Red Devils opened their season with a victory over Fulham, however, consecutive defeats to Brighton and Liverpool in weeks 2 and 3 see them struggling for points.

After considerable speculation about his future at the club amid gossip surrounding the England job, Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United have started with intent. Although lacking in spectacular performances, the Magpies are sixth in the division with three wins and only one defeat. After narrowly missing out on European football last season, they will be determined to make amends in May.

Defeat on the opening day to Manchester City concerned Chelsea fans that they could be in for another bleak season, however, they have been undefeated since. After emphatic wins over Wolves and West Ham, the Blues find themselves in fifth place, in a prime position to battle it out for Champions League football. Can Enzo Maresca propel his squad to Champions League football for the first time in three seasons?

Shock contenders for Europe include a Nottingham Forest side who have started the campaign undefeated. After many had Forest tipped for the drop, away wins against Liverpool and Southampton have been pivotal and they find themselves in eight place, level on points with Brighton in seventh. Many wondered if Brighton would struggle this season after losing manager Roberto De Zerbi, however, they also remain undefeated this season under German head coach Fabian Hurzeler. Could Forest and Brighton throw the cat amongst the pigeons and salvage European football in 2025?

So a fascinating start to the new Premier League season, who do you think will come out on top? Will Everton be playing second division football next season for the first time in 70 years? Can Arne Slot deliver in his first season? Find out how the season will pan out with Engage Hospitality. Watch your favourite teams in the Premier League, live from the best seats in the house!

After their second consecutive European Final defeat, Gareth Southgate announced his departure and stepped down from his role as England head coach. After what had been a whirlwind 10 years in charge, Southgate’s time at the helm was one that gave England fans their first hopes of success in years, with many dreaming that it could finally be ‘England’s Year’.

After coming mightily close, silverware wasn’t to be in the end for Southgate who was credited for bringing the country together by the hope and positivity he had created around the England camp. Southgate’s departure brought with it much speculation on a replacement. Graham Potter and Eddie Howe were both mentioned as potential candidates, however, it was England Under 21s manager, Lee Carsley who stepped up to the plate and took charge.

Here at Engage, we take a look ahead to Carsley’s first Nations League game in charge as England boss, and what we might expect from him in the games to come after his first team selection.

Carsley’s First England Team Selection

The first UEFA Nations League fixtures of the new football season mark the start of Lee Carsley’s tenure in charge as England head coach. The fixtures have also allowed Carsley to pick his first England team to face Ireland and Finland on the 7th and 10th September.

After much criticism surrounding Southgate’s team selections, with many accusing him of not picking players based on form, the pressure was on for Carsley immediately. However, the reaction to the team was positive with some outlets describing it as ‘brave’ and ‘exciting’ with the addition of young talent.

It appears Carsley has gone with the aim of selecting players the Irishman has previously worked with. Angel Gomes, Tino Livramento, Noni Madueke and Morgan Gibbs-White have all received their first senior international call-up having all played for England at youth level.

Nick Pope has also been reintroduced to the squad replacing Aaron Ramsdale. Meanwhile, Kyle Walker’s lack of playing time for Manchester City this season sees him dropped from the squad. Walker’s exclusion may come as a shock to many, having been named in the Euro 2024 Team of the Tournament.

Levi Colwill, Harry Maguire and Walker’s Manchester City teammates, Jack Grealish and Rico Lewis also all return to the England squad.

So with what seems like a promising squad of young talent, what can we expect in Carsley’s first games?

Upcoming Fixtures

After being employed as interim head coach by the FA, Carsley has said he hasn’t been considering taking the role up permanently or thinking about whether he will be offered it, however, there is no doubt he will be keen to impress with his first games in charge. Especially considering the negativity surrounding England teams in the past, Carsley will be cautious about making sure his squad performs to the best of their abilities.

The first task Carsley will be dealt involves the nation he played for himself. On the 7th September, England will travel to Dublin to begin their UEFA Nations League campaign away at Ireland. The last time the sides met was in 2020 as England came out as 3-0 winners courtesy of goals from Harry Maguire, Jadon Sancho and Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

In what should be another comfortable victory for England, Carsley will be keen to show intent and ruthlessness in the hope he can prove that he is the man for the job.

England will then be in action only 3 days later as they host Finland in the second game of the Nations League at Wembley. England haven’t faced the Scandinavian side since 2001 as part of the 2002 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. The Three Lions triumphed 2-1 that day maintaining their unbeaten record against Finland. Having faced Finland 11 times in their history, England are unbeaten and have won 9 of those encounters. Carsley will be doing the utmost to make sure that impressive record continues.

With Greece, being the third side in England’s group, Carsley will have to wait until October before he can prepare to face the Euro 2004 winners. Greece are another side that England are unbeaten against, winning seven of their nine meetings.

In what is a fairly comfortable Nations League group, England should be able to get over the line with little hassle considering the strength of their squad. However, Carsley will be wary of any possible complacency and he will be eager to take none of these three sides lightly.

Do you think Lee Carsley is the man for the England job? He certainly joins a list of great former England managers, including Alf Ramsey, Bobby Robson and Sven-Goran Eriksson. The pressure is on for the former Irish international, but will he be able to deliver? With a strong team of talented individuals consisting of experience and youth, there is no reason why not. Find out with Engage how he will get on with hospitality for all three of England’s UEFA Nations League home fixtures!

The wait is finally over – the Premier League is back tomorrow. It’s been almost three months since the end of last season and while we’ve had the Euros, Copa America and the Olympics to whet the appetite, there’s nothing quite like the weekly highs and lows of domestic football.

Ahead of an action-packed opening weekend, we’ve taken a closer look at some of the key clashes.

City start title defence against new-look Chelsea

Manchester City enter the new Premier League season with ambitions of winning their fourth consecutive title and their first step on that journey is a trip to Stamford Bridge to take on Chelsea. While there have been question marks over the long-term future of Kevin De Bruyne, City still have a star-studded squad despite the loss of Julian Alvarez to Atletico Madrid.

The reigning champions head into their opening game as favourites but they’ll be wary of their west London counterparts. Chelsea are in the infancy of yet another new chapter, this time under Enzo Maresca, who previously spent a year learning his trade as Pep Guardiola’s assistant.

The Italian guided Leicester to promotion last season and faces a battle to get Chelsea back into the Champions League following their sixth-placed finish last time out. In true Chelsea fashion, they’ve splashed out again in the transfer market by bringing in nine new faces so far, including Pedro Neto from Wolves.

With such a huge squad to pick from, it’s hard to predict who will be selected to take on the might of City. Regardless of the other 10 players, one guaranteed starter is former City man Cole Palmer, who shone during his debut campaign at Chelsea as he scored 22 Premier League goals.

With the England star on their side, Chelsea will feel that they can take the game to anyone. But if their recent friendly is anything to go by, City should start their title defence with three points. The two sides met in a pre-season game across the pond earlier this month and two-time Golden Boot winner Erling Haaland reminded everyone of his class by smashing in a hat-trick in a 4-2 City win.

Potential banana skins for Liverpool and Spurs

While on paper they could be considered the easier fixtures, nobody wants to face a newly-promoted side on the opening weekend. The new kids on the block are an unknown quantity, eager to make an impression and still on a high from their promotion heroics in the previous campaign.

For Liverpool and Tottenham, they’ll have to navigate these early challenges and hope to get through unscathed. Jurgen Klopp will no doubt be laughing to himself on a beach somewhere that Liverpool have once again been dealt with the dreaded Saturday lunchtime kick-off.

Yet it’ll be no laughing matter for his replacement, Arne Slot, if he fails his audition against new boys Ipswich. Despite the changing of the guard, Liverpool have been remarkably quiet in the transfer market, bringing in no new faces so far.

And while Slot would have ideally liked some additions, he’ll be confident that his current squad can compete for now, with the likes of Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota firing in pre-season.

Ipswich impressed last year playing attacking football and they did well to keep hold of boss Kieran McKenna amid summer interest from more established clubs. The Tractor Boys are back in the top flight for the first time since 2002 and while they’ve strengthened well, they’ll be wary of being too bold and not having a ‘Plan B’ in certain games, which was ultimately Burnley’s downfall last year.

Elsewhere, Spurs travel to another promoted side in Leicester. Meetings between the two sides have traditionally been high scoring, with at least four goals in each of the last five matches.

There may well be goals in this clash. Tottenham caught the eye with their attacking play under Ange Postecoglu last season and they’ve bolstered their attacking ranks by splashing out on Dominic Solanke. Meanwhile, Leicester scored 89 goals on the way to the Championship title and have made smart additions up top.

Arsenal and Manchester United target strong starts

While they ultimately missed out to City again, Arsenal were even closer to the title last term, finishing just two points behind the champions. They’ve dusted themselves off, regrouped and they’ll fancy their chances at finally closing the gap this time around.

Jurrien Timber is back from injury, new signing Riccardo Calafiori adds defensive depth and Kai Havertz is finally showing glimpses of the huge potential he has. The Gunners take on Wolves, who they did the double over last season.

The Midlands outfit were no pushovers last year as Gary O’Neill silenced his early critics. But they’ve got work to do before the transfer window closes after losing two key players in Neto and Max Kilman.

And in the opening fixture of the new campaign, Manchester United welcome Fulham to Old Trafford. The Red Devils have been splashing out under their new ownership. They’ve already brought in exciting youngsters Leny Yoro and Joshua Zirkzee for big fees, with Matthijs De Ligt not far behind.

But Fulham will hold no fear going into the clash. The west London side won 2-1 in this fixture back in February and they’ve added Emile Smith-Rowe to their attack, who has popped up with a couple of goals in pre-season.

All eyes will be on the Premier League curtain raiser on Friday night and Erik ten Hag will be desperate to avoid a pressure-building defeat after surviving the sack by the skin of his teeth. United looked solid enough in their Community Shield defeat to rivals City but they’ll need key players like Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford to rediscover their form if they’re to have any chance of challenging for the top four.

Premier League opening weekend fixtures

Friday 16th August

 Manchester United v Fulham – 8pm

 Saturday 17th August

 Ipswich Town v Liverpool – 12:30pm
Arsenal v Wolves – 3pm
Everton v Brighton – 3pm
Newcastle v Southampton – 3pm
Nottingham Forest v Bournemouth – 3pm
West Ham v Aston Villa – 5:30pm

 Sunday 18th August

 Brentford v Crystal Palace – 2pm
Chelsea v Manchester City – 4:30pm

 Monday 19th August

 Leicester v Tottenham – 8pm

The conclusion of the Olympics signals the approach towards the end of what has been a phenomenal summer of sport. From Euro 2024 to Royal Ascot, Engage Hospitality has been with you every step of the way. However, don’t fret that it is coming to an end because the domestic football season is just around the corner. Here at Engage we run through the sides to watch out for with a Premier League 2024/25 preview!

After last year’s thrilling campaign that went right down to the wire, Manchester City reigned supreme once again. The Citizens painted Manchester blue for the fourth consecutive year as Pep Guardiola’s side ran riot scoring an astonishing 96 goals, the fifth time they have surpassed 90 goals in a season in the last six years. The three newly promoted sides all were relegated while Aston Villa were the second team in two seasons to infiltrate the ‘big six’ and achieve a top 4 finish.

We take a look at what might happen this year with another title to be decided, European football to play for and a relegation dogfight on the cards.

Premier League Relegation Battle

First up we take a look at the teams looking to remain in the Premier League. Last year it was Sheffield United, Burnley and Luton Town, the three newly promoted sides, who were eliminated from the division. The three teams promoted this year from the Championship were Ipswich Town while Southampton and Leicester City, Premier League Champions in 2016, were both promoted at the first time of asking.

It is difficult to say who will remain in the Premier League after last season where Nottingham Forest avoided the drop with only 32 points, however, the next closest side to them was Brentford on 39 points, denoting the gulf in class between last year’s newcomers. With Leicester’s relegation coming as a shock to many, they will be especially wary of survival in the division. It’s Ipswich’s first outing in the pinnacle of English football since 2002, while Southampton return in the hope of cementing their Premier League status once again.

Forest will be keen to survive for the third consecutive year after toying with the drop for the last two seasons. Considering their points deduction, Everton impressed last season comfortably avoiding the dropzone after many had tipped them to go down. The Toffees will be eager to push on and perhaps challenge further up the table.

After what was probably their worst season since being back in the ‘big time’, finishing 16th, Thomas Frank’s Brentford will be eager to reach the heights they have done in previous seasons finishing 9th in 2023. Whoever does go down, it’s safe to say the battle to stay in the league will be an exciting one!

Premier League Race For Europe

After what was an enthralling battle for European football in May, here at Engage we are hoping for more of the same! Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Aston Villa secured Champions League Football while Tottenham and Chelsea held the Europa League places. Newcastle United thought they had secured the Conference League place with 7th position, until Manchester United snatched it from their grasp with an FA Cup final victory.

Aston Villa disturbed the script last season as they found themselves in the top four boasting victories over Manchester City and Arsenal to beat Tottenham to the final Champions League spot. They will be keen to do the same again this year, but will the heavy schedule see a dip in their form? 

Spurs achieved European football once again after going without it last campaign, while a Chelsea team that struggled in 2023 did the same. Will the two London rivals be able to keep up with the demands of European football and the domestic calendar to maintain their improved form next season?

After what was a disappointing league campaign for Manchester United, they achieved European football once the season was complete. Against all odds, the Red Devils were victorious over Manchester City in the FA Cup Final securing them a Europa Conference League place. They will be keen to improve this season and secure Champions League Football again but will be challenged by Newcastle, who will be keen to gain revenge after the Conference League place was snatched from them when they finished in 7th place.

Premier League Title Contenders

As mentioned, Manchester City marched towards their fourth consecutive Premier League title last season and their eighth in 12 years. With that said, it was much less of a stroll than their usual dominance, with Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, pushing them all the way to the final day. A blip in form in April, saw Liverpool drop out of the race for the crown, while defeat at home to Aston Villa with 6 games to go saw the Gunners come runners-up for the second consecutive year.

Will it be third time lucky for Mikel Arteta? For the last three seasons, Arsenal have been mightily close to Premier League glory but for Pep Guardiola’s mesmerising Manchester City side. With exciting new signing Riccardo Calafiori, can they finally get themselves over the line and end the Citizens’ reign at the top?

Liverpool, on the other hand, may be at the beginning of a new project. The announcement of Jürgen Klopp’s departure sent shockwaves through the footballing world, marking the start of a new era on Merseyside. With no marquee signings just yet, it remains to be seen whether new manager, Arne Slot, can bring success to Anfield and challenge for their second Premier League title.

Will Manchester City break their own Premier League record with 5 in a row? After victory over Manchester United in the Community Shield on Sunday, it certainly seems likely. One of the best sides in football, Guardiola’s team are well-drilled, ruthless and strike fear into their opponents; they will be no different this season and it will take a stellar run of results to get the better of the Blues.

So how do you think the season will pan out? Will there be an upset in the title race? Can the newly promoted sides stay in the division? Find out with Engage as we offer all of the very best hospitality for you to watch the Premier League 2024/25 season live from the best seats in the house!

With the Euros and Copa America done and dusted, fans up and down the country are looking for their next football fix. Luckily, attention has already turned to next season and pre-season is in full swing.

Summer friendlies generally have no bearing on how the season will go, with players using them to get back into shape and get to grips with how their manager wants them to play.

But for us, the ever cynical fans, we use them as an opportunity to judge new signings after five minutes and claim our team is definitely going to win the league after narrowly beating a non-league side.

Premier League teams often use pre-season to build their brand globally, travelling to all corners of the world to play in front of a new audience. To keep track of who they’ll all be facing in preparation for the new campaign, we’ve put together a comprehensive guide to all the key fixtures.

Arsenal, Man United and Liverpool meet stateside

As has become tradition in recent years, three of the Premier League’s biggest sides will face each other in friendlies across the pond. Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool all have huge fan bases in America who will be desperate to see their heroes in the flesh.

Arsenal then welcome Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen to north London before hosting Lyon in the Emirates Cup. As well as Arsenal and United, Liverpool will also face Real Betis in the states. Arne Slot has big shoes to fill at Liverpool following Jurgen Klopp’s departure and he’ll get his first taste of the Anfield atmosphere in a home clash with Sevilla.

Meanwhile, United’s pre-season campaign has already started. Erik ten Hag has been handed a lifeline when he was expected to lose his job following last season and he’ll be hoping for an improvement after his side lost 1-0 to Rosenborg earlier this week.

Their line-up was mainly filled with academy players, although the likes of Marcus Rashford, Casemiro and Aaron Wan Bissaka featured. Following a disappointing campaign, United look set to spend big under their new ownership, with Joshua Zirkzee already snapped up and Leny Yoro set to follow.

Arsenal v Manchester United – Saturday 27th July, Los Angeles
Arsenal v Liverpool – Wednesday 31st July, Philadelphia
Liverpool v Manchester United – Saturday 3rd August, South Carolina

Man City and Chelsea set for dress rehearsal

In a warm-up game for their first Premier League game of the season, champions Manchester City are set to face Chelsea in a pre-season clash. The pair meet on the opening weekend at Stamford Bridge and their friendly in America will give new Blues boss Enzo Maresca the chance to see counterpart Pep Guardiola’s side up close in preparation.

Both sides are set for a series of heavyweight clashes while they’re abroad. City have friendlies against Celtic and AC Milan to look forward to, as well as La Liga giants Barcelona.

Meanwhile, Chelsea also face Celtic, while they could face Kylian Mbappe as they come up against Real Madrid. They’ll then host Inter Milan the week before the league season gets underway.

Manchester City v Celtic – Tuesday 23rd July, North Carolina
Chelsea v Celtic – Saturday 27th July, Indiana
Manchester City v AC Milan – Saturday 27th July, New York
Manchester City v Barcelona – Tuesday 30th July, Florida
Chelsea v Manchester City – Saturday 3rd August, Ohio
Chelsea v Real Madrid – Tuesday 6th August, North Carolina
Chelsea v Inter Milan – Sunday 11th August, Stamford Bridge

Who is everybody else playing?

Tottenham fans will have the opportunity to see former talisman Harry Kane once again. Spurs have two friendlies against Bayern Munich lined up, firstly in South Korea before a second fixture in London the following week.

Ange Postecoglou’s men aren’t the only side heading to Asia – both Newcastle and Brighton are set for trips to Japan. Meanwhile, Aston Villa will prepare for a Champions League campaign with matches against RB Leipzig, Athletic Bilbao and Borussia Dortmund.

Bayern Munich v Tottenham – Saturday 3rd August, Seoul
Tottenham v Bayern Munich – Saturday 10th August, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Aston Villa v RB Leipzig – Wednesday 31st July, New Jersey
Aston Villa v Athletic Bilbao – Wednesday 7th August, Walsall
Borussia Dortmund v Aston Villa – Saturday 10th August, Dortmund

Much like Arsenal and co., Crystal Palace, Wolves and West Ham are all set to play each other in friendlies in America. Meanwhile, Everton’s final game of the summer is a high-profile meeting with Roma at Goodison Park.

The Premier League’s new boys are all set for exciting fixtures as they prepare for the new campaign in the top flight. Ipswich were boosted by boss Kieran McKenna committing his future to the club and they’ve backed him well so far in the transfer market.

The Tractor Boys will face Shakhtar Donetsk, Borussia Monchengladbach and Hoffenheim. Similarly, Leicester are set to face Palermo, Augsburg and Lens, while Southampton are looking forward to friendlies against Lazio and Getafe.

With the late kick-off times and Euro fever taking over the nation, it can be difficult keeping up with Copa America.

Yet the tournament in the USA has been quietly bubbling away across the pond. The quarter-finals get underway this weekend, with Argentina looking to retain the title they won in Brazil three years ago.

Ahead of the knockout stages, we’ve taken a look at how all of the Premier League representatives have been performing.

Quarter-final fixtures

Argentina v Ecuador – Friday 5th July

Venezuela v Canada – Saturday 6th July

Colombia v Panama – Saturday 6th July

Uruguay v Brazil – Sunday 7th July

Liverpool pair to lock horns in quarter-final

The final eight has drawn South American sides Uruguay and Brazil together in a game that will be keenly observed by Liverpool fans across the globe. The match sees the often impenetrable goalkeeper Alisson come up against teammate Darwin Nunez who is proving to be rather prolific on the international stage.

The 25-year-old has scored twice in the tournament so far, helping his side top Group C with three wins out of three. In fact, Nunez’s blank in Uruguay’s final game ended his run of scoring in seven consecutive games for his nation.

Nunez has Premier League back-up supporting him in attack, notably in the form of Manchester United youngster Facundo Pellistri. The winger has played almost every minute for Uruguay, popping up with a goal and an assist. Meanwhile, Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur has found gametime hard to come by. Despite this, he still found himself on the scoresheet in Uruguay’s 5-0 drubbing of Bolivia.

Nunez and co. will fancy their chances when they take to the pitch in the early hours of Sunday morning. While Brazil are traditionally among the world’s best, they’re yet to find their rhythm in the tournament and finished as runners-up in their group behind Colombia.

Alisson will be hoping he can thwart Liverpool colleague Nunez, aided by the assistance of Premier League stars Bruno Guimaraes and Joao Gomes, who have been near ever-present during the competition.

West Ham attacker Lucas Paqeuta has contributed, popping up with a goal and an assist in Brazil’s 4-1 win over Paraguay. However, Arsenal duo Gabriel Magalhaes and Gabriel Martinelli have barely featured.

Crystal Palace duo star for Colombia

It’s a measure of the progress Crystal Palace have made in recent years that their players are starring at both the Euros and Copa America, something their fans have certainly never been used to.

Yet it’s a pair of Eagles that are soaring for surprise package Colombia, most notably marauding right-back Daniel Munoz. The 28-year-old has his sights set on the Golden Boot having scored twice so far, including an equaliser against Brazil on Wednesday.

Munoz also netted in his side’s opening game, as did Palace teammate Jefferson Lerma. The 2-1 victory against Paraguay set Colombia on their way as they finished ahead of Brazil to top Group D and set up a quarter-final meeting with Panama.

Liverpool star Luiz Diaz has also been a key figure in Colombia’s success. He scored the opener in their 3-0 win over Costa Rica and he’ll be essential if they want to reach the latter stages of the tournament. Chelsea target Jhon Duran and Bournemouth’s Luis Sinisterra are part of the Colombia squad but have struggled for minutes so far.

Chelsea midfielders go head-to-head

Much like Nunez’s impending battle with Alisson, the Copa America quarter-finals could see another pair of club team-mates come up against each other. Argentina take on Ecuador this Friday, with Chelsea midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo competing on opposite sides.

Fernandez will be desperate to prove himself against his west London counterpart but he’s been mainly used from the bench so far despite starring for Argentina as they won the World Cup in Qatar 18 months ago.

Elsewhere, Argentina’s squad resembles a ‘who’s who’ of Premier League stars. Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Maritnez has kept three clean sheets so far, with Lisandro Martinez and Cristian Romero playing their part in a solid defence.

Manchester City star Julian Alvarez has scored once so far, netting in the opening game against Canada. Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister will be hoping to continue his promising season by contributing in the tournament, while Alejandro Garnacho and Giovani Lo Celso have also seen minutes.

Caicedo’s former Brighton teammate Jeremy Sarmiento has been a bright spark for Ecuador so far. The tricky winger, who spent last season on loan at Championship sides West Brom and Ipswich, has been heavily involved and scored in his side’s defeat against Venezuela.

An early exit for some Premier League stars

While there are plenty of Premier League players in with a shout of winning the competition, for some familiar names it just wasn’t to be. Jamaica crashed out after losing all three games, with Aston Villa’s Leon Bailey refusing to be part of the squad after falling out with the hierarchy.

Brentford’s Ethan Pinnock was unable to prevent his side shipping seven goals in their three defeats. However, there was some joy for West Ham attacker Michail Antonio. He scored Jamaica’s first ever Copa America goal and their only one of the tournament in a 3-1 loss to Ecuador.

Elsewhere, the USA were eliminated as they finished third in Group C after a shock defeat to Panama. Palace defender Chris Richards was an ever-present alongside Fulham duo Tim Ream and Antonee Robinson. Matt Turner and Tyler Adams also featured.

And finally, Paraguay finished rock-bottom of their group following three defeats. Brighton’s Julio Enciso netted in their game against Colombia, while Newcastle’s Miguel Almiron was also involved.