Welcome to the 16th episode of Match Viewing for the 2025-26 season. This article will cover the major events in world football from October 17th to 18th Pacific Time:
October 17th, 4:30 AM Premier League, Nottingham Forest vs. Chelsea
This is the 100th meeting between the two teams. Chelsea has lost only one of their past 11 games against Nottingham Forest, and is unbeaten in their last four away games with three wins and one draw. Nottingham Forest has a winless record of three draws and six losses in its last nine games, placing them fourth from the bottom of the league, just one point above the relegation zone. Chelsea is seventh, three points behind the top four.
For this match, Chelsea defenders Colville, Santos, Palmer, and Delap are out due to injury. Pedro is expected to be entrusted with a heavy offensive role, as he will miss next week's Champions League match due to suspension. Caicedo and Enzo are also key scoring options for the team. For Nottingham Forest, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Douglas Luiz are out due to injury, leaving Gabriel Jesus, who scored four goals, and Ed Wood, who added three, as key players in their pursuit of points.
October 17, 7:00 AM, Premier League: Manchester City vs. Everton
This is the 200th meeting between the two teams. Manchester City are unbeaten in their last 17 meetings with Everton, with 14 wins and three draws. At the Etihad Stadium, Manchester City has an unbeaten record of nine wins and six draws in their 15 meetings with Everton. Before the international break, Manchester City had gone seven games unbeaten and were one point behind the top four. Everton, after ending their four-game winless streak, moved up to eighth in the standings.
For this match, Manchester City midfielders Rodri, Husanov, Nouri, and Marmouş were absent due to injury. Offensively, the team relies heavily on Haaland, who has scored 12 goals in nine club matches this season. Including international matches, he has scored in each of his last 10 games, for a total of 19 goals. His performance will determine whether the Blue Moon can win. For Everton, Ndiaye and Beto are key players in their efforts to break down Manchester City.
October 17, 7:15 AM La Liga: Barcelona vs. Girona
Barcelona have a record of seven wins, two draws, and two losses in their 11 matches against Girona, including a double victory last season. Before the international break, Barcelona suffered two consecutive defeats, losing the top spot in the league. The second-placed Catalans are two points behind the leaders. Girona secured their first win of the season with a 2-1 victory over Valencia, but are currently third from the bottom.
Barcelona is facing a heavy injury burden in this match, with Joan García, Marc-André ter Stegen, Marc-André Gavi, Marc-André Firmin, Marc-André Olmo, Rafinha, Marc-André Yamal, and Robert Lewandowski all out. Fortunately, Ferran Torres and Marcus Rashford are in good form, with the former scoring five goals in 10 games and the latter contributing three goals and five assists in 10. They will be the key players in attack. For Girona, while Donny van de Beek is injured, Marc-André Wattner offers some scoring potential.
October 18, 9:30 AM, Premier League: Fulham vs. Arsenal
Arsenal defeated Fulham 2-1 at home in the second leg of last season's Premier League match, securing their first win in four meetings. Before the international break, Fulham suffered two consecutive defeats, while Arsenal remained undefeated in their last four games. Arsenal currently has a record of five wins, one draw, and one loss in seven league matches, placing them atop the table by a single point, ahead of defending champions Liverpool.
Fulham forwards Jimenez and Muniz were sidelined due to injury in this match, significantly impacting the team's attack. The team will likely have to rely on Iwobi to perform well against his former club. Arsenal, however, is also out injured, along with Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, Madueke, and Ødegaard. Key striker Saka has been in excellent form recently, scoring three goals and providing one assist in the past four games. He, Džekeres, and Martinelli are all key scorers for the team. Of course, defenders like Timber and Gabriel can also score from set pieces in crucial moments.
October 18, 9:30 AM Bundesliga: Bayern Munich vs. Dortmund
The two teams have met 137 times in history, with Bayern holding the upper hand with 69 wins, 33 draws, and 35 losses. Dortmund has lost just one of the past 14 matches, but they have not won in the last three meetings, with two draws and one loss. Dortmund is unbeaten in their last two away matches at Bayern Munich's home ground. Both teams are in excellent form this season, with Bayern Munich starting the season with nine consecutive wins, while Dortmund has won six and drawn three of its nine matches. Bayern currently leads the Bundesliga standings with a perfect six-match winning streak, followed closely by Dortmund with four wins and two draws. This is a clear battle for the top spot in the Bundesliga.
Bayern Munich defenders Davids, Musiala, Hiroki Ito, and Stanisic were sidelined due to injuries. Offensively, Kane was the undisputed scoring force, scoring 18 goals in 10 games. Including international duty, he's scored in eight consecutive games, totaling 15. Dias and Olisey were also key scoring options for the team. Dortmund's Can and Duranville were sidelined due to injuries, and their main striker, Girasi, was also likely to be sidelined. His absence would be a significant blow to the team's offense. With six goals in eight games, he is the team's leading scorer.
October 18, 11:45 AM Serie A: Roma vs. Inter Milan
Inter Milan lost 0-1 to Roma at home in the second leg of last season's Serie A match, ending their four-game winning streak. However, Inter have won all four of their last eight away games against Roma, with five wins and three draws in their last eight. Currently, Roma is in second place in the league with a record of 5 wins and 1 loss. Inter Milan has risen to fourth place after winning five consecutive official matches.
In this match, Roma midfielders Lorenzo Pellegrini and Leon Bailey were absent due to injuries. Offensively, the team relies heavily on Sule, who has scored 3 goals and provided 2 assists in 8 games this season. For Inter, Thuram's injury has significantly impacted the team's attack, and the team can only hope for a strong performance from Lautaro.
October 18, 8:30 AM Premier League Liverpool vs. Manchester United
The two teams have met 216 times in history, with Liverpool holding the disadvantage with 72 wins, 61 draws, and 83 losses. Of their last three matches, Manchester United has an unbeaten record of 1 win and 2 draws. At Anfield, Liverpool has an unbeaten record of 5 wins and 5 draws in their last 10 matches against Manchester United. However, considering only the league, Liverpool has only lost once in their last 14 matches against Manchester United.
Before the international break, Liverpool's form dipped significantly. After a seven-game winning streak, they suffered three straight defeats, but they remain undefeated in their five home games this season. Manchester United, on the other hand, is a typical away-game slump, with two draws and two losses in four away games. Currently, after seven Premier League matches, Liverpool sits in second place with a record of five wins and two losses, one point behind Arsenal at the top. Manchester United sits in 10th place with a record of three wins, one draw, and three losses, four points behind the top four.
Liverpool's goalkeeper Alisson will be out injured for this match, and their attacking players have been struggling recently. Ekitik and Salah have both struggled and need to rediscover their scoring touch. Billionaires Isak and Wirtz need to score their first Premier League goals for their new clubs to boost their confidence. Manchester United's offense also desperately needs to improve. Mbeke Mbomo, Šeško, and Cunha, the €220 million signings from the summer transfer window, have struggled to perform.
October 18th, 12:00 PM, La Liga, Getafe vs. Real Madrid
The two teams have met 40 times in history, with Real Madrid winning 30, drawing 4, and losing 6. Getafe has remained undefeated in their last seven matches. Before the international break, Getafe had gone four games without a win. Real Madrid has won 9 and lost 10 games this season, including 7 wins and 1 loss in the league, holding a two-point lead over Barcelona at the top of the standings.
For this match, Real Madrid defenders Huissen, Rudiger, and Carvajal are out due to injuries. Mbappé, injured on international duty, is questionable. If he misses, the team will rely on Vinicius Junior in attack, who has scored 5 goals and provided 4 assists in 10 games this season. Lisso and Mayoral are crucial to Getafe's chances of scoring, as Real Madrid's defensive problems are significant, giving them opportunities to exploit.