With the new year slowly ticking on, we have reached the halfway stage of the season, and with that there are a multitude of important matches coming up that will give indications on how 2026 could fare for teams around the leagues.


Monday 5th January, Sky Bet Championship, Leicester v. West Brom, 20:00

There is a battle of the underachievers in the Championship this week, with two sides that were tipped to be in the promotion race now languishing in mid-table.

West Brom are the side worse off in 18th; just nine wins from 24 matches have them looking more over their shoulder toward the drop zone than upwards, with just seven points separating them and Norwich in 22nd.

Their form has obviously been nothing to shout too much about, with three wins in their last ten matches, with their most recent match ending in a 1-0 defeat away to fellow strugglers Swansea.

A win could end up in Albion leapfrogging The Foxes, who are just three points ahead of them in 14th. They too have been disappointing, especially considering their squad depth that competed in the Premier League just last season.

Now with ex-QPR manager Marti Cifuentes at the helm, the Foxes have been slightly underwhelming but still have a faint chance of reaching the playoffs in what is an extremely congested Championship table.

They do remain just six points off sixth but cannot seem to get a run of results with one win in their last four in between losses to Watford and Sheffield United.

With both sides needing a win and to put performances together, we could see a feisty and fast-paced outing, especially considering the players that will be on show. But, with a lot of inconsistencies from them this season, a more solid and cautious display could also be the order of the day.

Date: 05/01/2026

Time: 20:00

Venue: King Power Stadium, Leicester

The match will be shown on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football.

 

Wednesday 7th January, Premier League, Newcastle United v Leeds United, 20:15

There is a similar battle in the Premier League as Newcastle look to advance closer to the top six at the expense of a Leeds side on the up and aiming to make headway between them and the relegation zone.

Leeds have improved massively over the back end of 2025, which has led them to impressive wins over Chelsea and Crystal Palace, along with solid draws against Liverpool and Manchester United, all of which culminated in a current seven-match unbeaten run.

The Whites’ last result was that aforementioned draw with Manchester United at Elland Road, which saw them extend their gap to eight points from the drop.

Newcastle also enter the match in good form; after a slow end to 2025 with two wins in six, back-to-back wins against Burnley and Crystal Palace have them in ninth with 29 points and just two points separating them from Chelsea in the Europa League spots.

Both sides appear poised for a successful 2026, and a victory for either could be crucial as the season transitions into its second half. No doubt the two sides have different ambitions, but both look to be on the right road to be where they need to be at the end of the season.

Date: 07/01/2026

Time: 20:15

Venue: St James’ Park, Newcastle

The match will be shown on Sky Go.

 

Thursday 8th January, Premier League, Arsenal v Liverpool, 20:00

From mid-table to the top of the Premier League now, as top side Arsenal host defending champions and current top-four hopefuls Liverpool at the Emirates.

Arsenal are showing their credentials as a team fighting at the pinnacle of English football, with just two losses and 15 wins that have them on 48 points and with a sizeable lead over Man City in second.

Their last loss came at the start of December when they left Villa Park with a 2-1 defeat. Since that lapse, which could have derailed their season, the Gunners have won each of the following seven matches in all competitions.

Arteta's men showed their fighting spirit too last time out with a 3-2 away win over Bournemouth and prior to that a dominating revenge win over Villa at the Emirates, which extended their lead over the Birmingham side by five points.

After a slow start from Liverpool, they have picked up enough to re-enter the top four after a long unbeaten run of nine matches. The Reds did fail to capitalise on two recent matches that looked to be certain wins, as they fell to draws against Leeds and Fulham.

Arne Slot’s men are still relatively comfortable in the top six on 34 points, with four points keeping them from Chelsea in sixth.

 Arsenal are undoubtedly in better form, but a statement win from Liverpool could be just the thing to really kickstart their title defence and leave doubts in the mind of Arsenal, who need to keep themselves as far away from the chasing pack as possible.

Date: 08/01/2026

Time: 20:00

Venue: Emirates Stadium, London

The match will be shown on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League.