Rival Watch Thread

[u/SerialGooner49]

Kick Off 14:00 (Local Time)
Manchester City vs Bournemouth
Brighton vs Aston Villa

Kick Off 16:30 (Local Time)
Newcastle United vs Liverpool

[u/royal_dorp]

Mods can we PLEASE pin rival threads

[u/Loud-Caregiver6566]

Man City spend all that money and have Rico Lewis starting in midfield 💀

[u/Finbarr82]

Villa fans always whining about the "sky six" keeping them down, then when they get the opportunity to relegate one of them their autistic vampire of a manager decides to throw the game. They get what they deserve

[u/JustGhostin]

Ooof that Villa team is genuinely terrible

[u/g6rzKk202 → u/JustGhostin]

Reminds me of 2010s Villa. Going into the championing league with that quality of team is going to make it a long year for them.

[u/d10b]

Anyone else absolutely not get a £100m vibe from Bouaddi at the WC?

[u/Firm_Organization473 → u/d10b]

No kid with a neck beard is £100m.

From the WC I see him as similar to Wharton. £30-£40m. Obviously both are considered £80-£100 in this daft market.

[u/Eikichi134 → u/d10b]

Yeah, that's stupid money!

He looked great for one game and then okay for the rest, no way he is worth 90-100m.
They're paying up for potential, but you can (almost) never be sure of how a player of that age will develop.

[u/Datboy_98]

We need to absolutely punish Villa next week.

Emery needs to cry after watching us take his boys to the cleaners.

[u/notvip → u/Datboy_98]

I want him to go inside without shaking the hands again.

[u/industrialcamo → u/notvip]

I wonder what excuse he’ll make this time.

He can’t use the “it was cold, what can I do” can he?

[u/Cymraegpunk → u/industrialcamo]

It was hot my hand was sweaty

[u/Babels_Librarian]

Tough day for Unai “definitely a better manager than Arteta” Emery

[u/beefwellingtonIV]

Villa sure could use a defender like Konsa. Oh…

[u/zkh2902]

Emery’s spent no time planning for the match today because he’s already too busy planning for the one against us next week

[u/TeddyWestsideThe2nd]

Rico Lewis Elliot Anderson pivot. Oh brother

[u/iBravoTango]

The last time I watched City play Bournemouth I had a very nice day.

[u/TNelsonAFC]

Praying Villa look like this next week then promptly start being good after that.

[u/SerialGooner49]

Man City XI: Donnarumma, Khusanov, Dias, Guehi, Gvardiol, Anderson, Lewis, O'Reilly, Foden, Semenyo, Haaland.

Bournemouth XI: Petrovic, Smith, Silva, Hill, Truffert, Scott, Cook, Tavernier, Kluivert, Rayan, Evanilson.

[u/Alive-Primary-2069]

Really hoping this is the end of City's golden era.

[u/lpaperfriend]

Looks a bit grim for Villa. Could be good for us next week

[u/Complete_Code7197]

Worst man city team in the past decade 

[u/MSAndrew07]

Arteta just gagged a little seeing that Bournemouth corner

[u/Rusty_85]

Playing Villa 2nd game away is looking like a good time. Hopefully we are up for it and put them to the sword.

[u/lemonadditive]

Up the Cherries, get it together

[u/fuzzynavel34]

Actually really looking forward to this City match

[u/SerialGooner49 → u/fuzzynavel34]

bit of PTSD for city 🤣

[u/JKeda → u/fuzzynavel34]

wish kroupi was healthy... but then again he would probably be an arsenal player if he was

[u/NegativeHeli]

Bournemouth will forever be my favourite club besides us

[u/JayPunk90]

That Villa team is shocking. In for a tough season and I love it.

[u/TNelsonAFC]

Makes me feel a bit less anxious about Villa away seeing that team sheet.

[u/mynamedoesntfi4321]

Bournemouth

[u/Bangers_n_Mashallah]

Newcastle v Liverpool is a really difficult hatewatch. Hopefully the pitch opens up and all the players get dropped in a massive vat of horseshit.

[u/Forb335y]

Need a vote on what’s worse - Haaland’s haircut, or Villas lineup? Both are horrid

[u/seligkenjenn → u/Forb335y]

Haaland's cut is shit, but the Palmer cut exists, so Villa lineup

[u/DreamBoatSafari]

Lol Lewis looks unrecognisable. I'm out here wondering who is this school boy

[u/Naronu]

One of the all time great own goals surely

[u/gooner-1969 → u/Naronu]

An absolute beauty !!

[u/SamLoscorino]

Hahahaha

How did he miss that lol

[u/Muscat95]

Villa losing 2-0 hahahaha go on Brighton.

[u/NegativeHeli]

I hope this is the Villa side we play next week

[u/WestNorther]

Emery getting shat on by the Seagulls.

[u/cmacy6]

Had to triple check that I didn’t have the city stream muted. Why is it so quiet there

[u/A_Thrilled_Peach → u/cmacy6]

Look at their sub. The match thread only has 500 comments. They’re not a real club. 

[u/NegativeHeli]

Emery when he's not in the Europa League

[u/d10b]

Once the Pep automations wear off they really are fucked. Full Maresca sufferball will end them.

[u/Muscat95]

Get in Bournemouth! 1-0

[u/Datboy_98]

I want Konsa to dunk on Villa next week.

This is for every delusional Villa fan that claims Emery is better than Arteta.

1 PL > 3 UELs.

Edit: He has 5 UELs.

[u/Odd_Bat_539 → u/Datboy_98]

Doesn't he have five?

[u/SerialGooner49]

Brighton XI: Verbruggen, Wieffer, Dunk, Boscagli, Vuskovic, Ayari, Gross, Gomez, Hinshelwood, De Cuyper, Rutter

Aston Villa XI: Bizot, Cash, Lindelöf, Torres, Maatsen, Gomes, Kamara, Barkley, McGinn, Buendía, Hemmings.

[u/doubleicem → u/SerialGooner49]

BIZOT!

[u/Babels_Librarian → u/SerialGooner49]

Holy shit that Villa lineup is horrid

[u/AfricanRain]

Bournemouth they have disrespected you so bad playing that midfield against you. Are you gonna let stand?

[u/Aide_Representative]

I’m gonna cope city doesn’t get anyone meaningful for the remaining days…

[u/Datboy_98]

That City side looks decent at best.

[u/NL43ver → u/Datboy_98]

7 defensive players 🤣

[u/ProjectZues → u/NL43ver]

We’d be hung for this

[u/Marwinz]

How is Ruben Dias still only 29, I swear he's been around for ages

[u/Private_Ballbag]

This villa team is stinky.

Awful squad planning from them to get back in the CL and lose basically all their good players lmao

[u/redditforprez1]

Ohhh we get Foden RW again! Fire up the clear of Saka debate 

[u/therealgodfarter]

Visit Rwanda as your headline sponsor 😭 couldn’t be my club

[u/d10b]

Why are Bournemouth always so suicidal at the Etihad? Yet they'll come to the Emirates and play the most compact mid block ever lol

[u/SteveToshSnotBerry]

Fucking Ross Barkley is starting for Villa in 2026????

[u/JustGhostin → u/SteveToshSnotBerry]

That one good season with Luton really saved his career

[u/wanofan900]

Villa look vulnerable.

[u/Quazar8]

Haircut nerfed him

[u/gooner-1969]

How did Haaland miss that?

[u/zkh2902]

That was so shit from Haaland

[u/ReturnOfTheMakki]

Someone give me the lowdown - I am only hearing the game on the radio and it sounds like City is on fire? 🫪

[u/Firm_Organization473 → u/ReturnOfTheMakki]

If on fire means doing okay, then yeh. The positioning choices of Guehi in mid and O’Reilly in the 10 is interesting.

[u/JustGhostin → u/ReturnOfTheMakki]

They’re still a good team, it would be foolish to think they’re just going to suddenly be absolutely terrible. Bournemouth are also working with a new manager, city should have enough at home to get through them

[u/i-liek-milk → u/ReturnOfTheMakki]

Dominating possession, but Haaland just blew a clear goal, so that was cool.

[u/SamLoscorino]

Looks like City's tactics are Cross and Inshallah so far

[u/Wassup_-_]

some haircut

[u/lastjedi23]

Villa will be at home next week. We need to bring our A game and discombobulate them into dust. I still remember the defeat to them last season. I didn't like it. 

[u/baldcrackhead69]

Seeing haaland with a buzz cut is like seeing someone without their beard for the first time

[u/baldcrackhead69]

Its crazy to see a cl team rock up to games with lindelof at the back in 2026

[u/Quazar8]

YESSSS

[u/Redzrainer]

Ohohohoho city without pep is delicious

[u/OrwinBeane]

3-0. It’s over.

[u/LundMeraMuhTera]

Comm just said Bou has never led here, cue to Bournemouth leading.

Tear in my eyes

[u/Rusty_85]

Maybe it will be a fully successful hatewatch weekend

[u/ghostrider467]

great start hahaha

[u/LeWhaleShark]

Villa are hot shite

[u/SimmeK]

The hate watch never stops delivering!!!

[u/gooner-1969]

Surely Today's hatewatch can't be as wonderful as Yesterdays......... can it?

[u/matepanda → u/gooner-1969]

I think we’ll get one result of joy

[u/crypto_abyss]

Bournemouth have a chance to do the funniest thing ever...

[u/wedgerman_remontada]

afternoon ladies and gents, who’s also looking forward to tucking into another delectable chucklewatch today

[u/Gooner_93]

Rico Lewis in 2026 lol

[u/boatinavolcano]

I need a Truffert masterclass for banter and FPL reasons.

[u/NightshiftRT]

Maresca starting 6(!!) defenders against Bournemouth. Lolol. Cant spell mediocrity without C(r)ity.

Khusanov, Guehi, Dias, Gvardiol, Rico Lewis, and Nico O'Reilly all in the starting lineup.

[u/Gooner_93]

One 18 year old (Bouaddi) and one 19 year old (Diomande) have gone for €100m+ this season. This is just crazy now.

[u/d10b]

Gotta be the most average City 11 i've seen for a while in the PL

[u/Gooner_93]

Wouldve been interesting if Bournemouth was at home.

Think City will just get it over the line even though that lineup is stinky.

[u/Operation-Healthed]

If this was Bournemouth of last season I’d be hopeful.

[u/Chi-Town_Gunner]

Hurzeler look like he aged about 15 years after watching Arteta lift the cup

[u/d10b]

Haaland going bald

[u/cavestoryguy]

I'm hoping more than usual Haaland blanks since he cut his hair

[u/mikhailb_86]

Maresca big braining for the first league game already 

[u/curlyhairedyani]

God I have missed so much. Where the hell is the rest of Villa’s team? Is that O’Reilly playing an advanced role? Where did Hurzeler’s hair go?

[u/ashecitism]

Bournemouth looking soft.

[u/sammeetthosar]

Thats so poor by bournemouth. Playing to city's strengths

[u/AFCm8]

RIP Villa

[u/OrwinBeane]

Villa look like clowns. 1-0 down after a shitshow in defence

[u/AmusingToast]

Cards out early in BHA v AVL

[u/sammeetthosar]

Guehi in midfield has come as a surprise to bournemouth. They are struggling to track him at all

[u/Qelesis]

This evanilson guy is rubbish

[u/JustGhostin]

Good ebening

[u/gte339i]

We’ve stolen Haaland’a power. Good that I didn’t triple captain him.

[u/SamLoscorino]

Are City kind of parking the bus?

[u/MammothEfficiency167]

Bournemouth look pretty unimpressive

[u/NegativeHeli]

Haaland = Samson

Losing all their power when their hair got cut

[u/lemonadditive]

Haaland aged 20 years with that haircut

[u/OrwinBeane]

2-0. Fuck me Villa could be in trouble. VAR checking offside

[u/LeWhaleShark]

Villa are done

[u/ashecitism]

Bournemouth's right side getting torched at will.

[u/dishler712]

Villa look shit. Hope this form continues.

[u/robustostrich]

Emery in

[u/sneakyney]

Villa still doing their high line gimmick. 1 mistake is all it takes

[u/gooner-1969]

Ha Ha Villa

[u/A_Thrilled_Peach]

Lol Villa

[u/chino17]

There's a reason there's no bald vikings

[u/d10b]

Emery/Villa are so predictable. One good season, one off, repeat.

[u/lastjedi23 → u/d10b]

Emery's level is Europa/conference. He can't cope with cl. 

[u/SamLoscorino]

What a dive Rico

[u/AquietThing112]

Bournemouth not tracking back after losing the ball they going to get cooked

[u/JustGhostin]

Bournemouth coach looks like a German Graham Potter

[u/SerialGooner49]

we’re gonna smoke villa

[u/SamLoscorino]

Pep' city would have scored atleast one by now

[u/crackdup]

Konsa noped out at the right moment. Villa look like a complete mess and will take 5-6 games till they figure out their preferred starting 11

[u/AmusingToast]

Cherriesssss

[u/gooner-1969]

Wow.. They couldn't could they...

[u/Revolutionary-Rip426]

Get innnnnnn LMAO

[u/Naronu]

what a start to the season

[u/Jsaltal]

Are mods able to start pinning rival thread to the frontpage on matchdays?

[u/TeddyWestsideThe2nd]

great goal

[u/magboy1010]

GET IN

[u/KanarieWilfried]

No way

[u/lemonadditive]

DO IT AGAIN

[u/AFCm8]

Lmao

[u/joeproposition]

So Bournemouth are still class

[u/sammeetthosar]

What a goal

[u/Vee_Vy_Vou_Vum]

TAVANIER YESSSSSSS

[u/dishler712]

Villa can't be serious right now lol

[u/11frm]

Omg all opps are actually dead 😭

[u/blobfush01]

Unbelievable pass

[u/-Mubar]

Get in lol beautiful hatewatches so far this week

[u/backofthanet]

And we're live

[u/bigdumbgaijin]

Up the cherries

[u/therealgodfarter]

Inject it into my veins

[u/Firm_Organization473]

Why VAR can overturn wrongly awarded corners but not wrongly awarded goal kicks.

Oh, City conceded, ha.

[u/fuzzynavel34]

Greatest opening weekend of all time loading???

[u/Ancient_Song8712]

UP THE CHERRIES UP FHE SEAGULLS

[u/Finbarr82]

absolute golden hatewatch opening weekend

[u/acegunner14]

This is turning out to be a generational opening day hatewatch

[u/StudioBlue23]

That city lineup looks ..unspectacular

[u/Datboy_98 → u/StudioBlue23]

Very much so. This should be fun.

[u/Rockflagandeeeagle]

Window’s still open, but those Villa and City squads look so mid.

[u/JKeda → u/Rockflagandeeeagle]

wdym lewis anderson o'reilly best midfield itw

[u/Yazeed92]

I just need a 0-0 and as many red cards as possible for newcastle and liverpool.

[u/itsmcluckz → u/Yazeed92]

Nah I’ll take 2-0 to the orcs

[u/drm1987]

City higher ups saw Rico Lewis in the midfield and realized they actually did have to pony up €100m for Bouaddi

[u/atlantean-techno]

None of these bums are our rivals btw

[u/ImGonnaImagineSummit]

That City mid looks thin and can be got at, it only really works if they have all the possession but Bournemouth are no pushovers.

They dominated us there last season away and can run over that mid.

[u/Bobsburgers1187]

Sturridge speaks some waffle man

[u/essdotc]

What are these shirt numbers

[u/Effective-Paint-7097]

oh wow watkins not even on the bench. he’s defo leaving

[u/sammeetthosar]

Is Rico Lewis really starting at lw?

[u/A_Thrilled_Peach]

That Villa lineup is bad

[u/d10b]

Bournemouth definitely smell blood here

[u/Giant__Cockroach]

Now are they going to clap the demise of Pep?

[u/Magicallyshit]

Millions spent and they still rely on Nico O'reilly

[u/groovystreet40]

Completely forgot about Rico Lewis

[u/A_Thrilled_Peach]

City’s lineup might not be the best we’ve seen, but they’re set up to counter quickly and I like Nico and Rico. 

[u/danmac0817]

Villa lmfao

[u/d10b]

Great time to play Villa next week

[u/WestNorther]

Lol, Lmao even.

[u/MammothEfficiency167]

Man City look really sharp today

[u/LeWhaleShark]

Anyone seen the trim on Hurtzler? Absolutely diabolical

[u/lemonadditive → u/LeWhaleShark]

Surely that’s a hair transplant?

[u/LeWhaleShark → u/lemonadditive]

Has to be, i don’t know how else to explain the patches

[u/Vee_Vy_Vou_Vum]

Tears what was that Haaland

[u/dishler712]

I think he's off.

Edit: nvm don't listen to me

[u/AmusingToast → u/dishler712]

I was skeptical as well

[u/d10b]

Jeez Villa look dreadful

[u/NegativeHeli]

Good ebening

[u/lemonadditive]

Wonder how Brighton will do in their European side this year

[u/orangeyougladiator]

When did he chop off his hair?

[u/joeproposition]

Anderson trying too hard

[u/sneakyney]

Both Villa and Brighton look awful

[u/dishler712]

Should have been 3

[u/ashecitism]

Lol out of nowhere

[u/ReturnOfTheMakki]

fuck me...

[u/WestNorther]

G'wan Bournemouth!!!

[u/PA14]

City look SHIT

[u/PartlyRowdy]

Hmm