The Premier League action kicks off with Brighton hosting Chelsea on Friday, while Manchester United continue their reconstruction under new manager Ruben Amorim on Sunday. Meanwhile, Kaizer Chiefs remain determined in their quest for silverware as they take on Chippa United in the Nedbank Cup last 16.
In Serie A, Lazio will aim to slow down league leaders Napoli in a closely contested title race. Here’s our selection of must-watch matches, all airing live on SuperSport.
Chelsea looking for ALL three points against the Seagulls
- Premier League: Brighton v Chelsea
- Friday 14 February | 10pm (CAT)
After a five-game unbeaten run against Chelsea in the Premier League (W2 D3), Brighton have now lost each of their last three against them. Chelsea have lost just one of their seven Premier League away games against Brighton (W4 D2), going down 4-1 in October 2022.
Having failed to score in five of their first eight Premier League meetings with Chelsea, Brighton have now scored in each of their last seven against them. However, they’ve only kept one clean sheet in their 15 games against the Blues in the competition.
Brighton suffered their heaviest league defeat since August 1958 (0-9 v Middlesbrough) last time out against Nottingham Forest (0-7) and the Seagulls could now lose three Premier League games in a row for the first time since March 2022 (a run of 6 under Graham Potter).
Chelsea are currently on the longest winless streak away from home in the Premier League (D2 L2), going four without victory since beating Spurs 4-3 in early December. Tthe Blues averaged 2.9 goals per game across their first eight away league games of the season but just 0.5 per game across this winless run.
Los Blancos going ALL out to stay top of the log
- LaLiga: Osasuna v Real Madrid
- Saturday 15 February | 5:15pm (CAT)
Osasuna have not won any of their last 19 meetings with Real Madrid in LaLiga (D5 L14), their longest winless run against a single opponent in their history in the top-flight.
Real Madrid have not lost any of their last nine away games against Osasuna in LaLiga (W6 D3), their best unbeaten run away from home against Osasuna in their history in the competition.
Real Madrid have won their last four games against Osasuna in LaLiga, scoring four goals in each of the last three; only against Elche between 1959 and 1961 (four) and AlmerÃa between 2011 and 2014 (four) have they scored 4+ goals in four straight meetings with a side in the history of the competition.
Osasuna have drawn seven of their last 10 LaLiga games (W1 L2), while they have played out the most draws of any side overall in the competition this season (10).
Real Madrid have dropped points in their last two LaLiga games (D1 L1) and have not failed to win 3+ in a row in a single campaign in the competition since November 2020 under Zinedine Zidane (D1 L2).
ALL to play for in the Nedbank Cup
- Nedbank Cup: Kaizer Chiefs v Chippa
- Saturday 15 February | 6pm (CAT)
Chiefs and Chippa meet in the Nedbank Cup Last 16, their second encounter in this tournament. This will be their third meeting in a cup competition, with Chiefs winning both previous encounters.
Chiefs will be hosting Chippa in a cup fixture for the first time, with Chippa having been the home side in the previous two.
In 25 previous meetings across all competitions, Chiefs have won 14 times, Chippa have secured eight victories, and three matches ended in draws. Their first cup meeting was in the 2017-18 League Cup quarterfinal, where Chiefs won 1-0, courtesy of a Bernard Parker penalty.
The sides last clashed in the 2018-19 Nedbank Cup semifinal, with Chiefs winning 4-2. Dumsani Zuma, Andriamirado Andrianarimanana, Bernard Parker, and Khama Billiat were on target for Chiefs, while Andile Mbenyane and Lerato Manzini scored for Chippa.
ALL roads lead to Rome for Napoli
- Serie A: Lazio v Napoli
- Saturday 15 February | 7pm (CAT)
Napoli have failed to win any of their last four Serie A encounters against Lazio (D1, L3), despite having emerged victorious in each of the previous four. Additionally, they have not scored in their last two meetings with the Biancocelesti, and the last time they went three consecutive league games without finding the net against Lazio was in 1948.
Lazio have the opportunity to secure three victories over Napoli in a single season across all competitions for the first time since the 1994-95 campaign under manager Zdeněk Zeman. On that occasion, two of the three wins came in the Coppa Italia quarterfinals.
Napoli have dominated their recent visits to the Stadio Olimpico in Serie A, winning eight of their last 11 away matches against Lazio (D1, L2). Since the 2013/14 season, no other team has recorded more away victories against the Biancocelesti, with Inter and Juventus managing six each in the same period.
Despite Lazio currently occupying a top-four spot in the Serie A standings after 24 matches—their first time doing so since the 2019/20 season—their home form has been inconsistent. They have won just one of their last five league games at the Stadio Olimpico (D2, L2), though that victory came in their most recent home fixture against Monza.
ALL eyes on two teams under pressure
- Premier League: Tottenham v Manchester United
- Sunday 16 February | 6:30pm (CAT)
Tottenham are unbeaten in their last four Premier League games against Man Utd (W2 D2) and are looking to complete the league double over the Red Devils for the first time since 1989-90.
Manchester United have conceded at least twice in each of their last four Premier League games against Spurs – the last side they conceded multiple goals against in 5+ consecutive league games was Arsenal (5 between 1975 and 1978).
Tottenham have already beaten Manchester United twice in all competitions this season, 3-0 in the Premier League and 4-3 in the League Cup quarterfinal. Not since 1989-90 have Spurs beaten Man Utd three times in a single campaign, while the last side overall to defeat the Red Devils three times in a season were Chelsea in 2012-13.
After their 2-0 win over Brentford, Tottenham are looking to win back-to-back Premier League games for just the second time this season, previously doing so in September – when their two wins were over Brentford and then Manchester United.
