Author: Cody Aceveda

Cody Aceveda is a freelance writer based in Porto, Portugal. He has written for The Trivela Effect since February 2023. Cody is a fan of the Brighton, Portland Timbers, Portland Thorns, and Rayo Vallecano. He is also an experienced iGaming writer with over two years experience writing about sports betting and the sports betting industry for a variety of outlets.
Tottenham’s loss to Sunderland showed why De Zerbi is the wrong man for the job
Analysis

Tottenham’s loss to Sunderland showed why De Zerbi is the wrong man for the job

After Tottenham hired Roberto De Zerbi, most pundits focused on how long it would take for the Italian to implement his system. Some said he would bed in right away, while others said he might not have enough time to make an impact at Spurs this season. Whatever the argument, most of these discussions concerned De Zerbi’s attacking tactics. After all, De Zerbi’s preferred slow build-up is very different from Igor Tudor’s ‘keep-it-simple’ mentality and a huge departure from the kind of direct football Thomas Frank tried to use earlier this season. With all this being said, the loss to Sunderland made it clear that De Zerbi’s defensive set-up could see Tottenham relegated from the Premier League this season, not Spurs’ attack. If you watched De Zerbi’s Brighton sides, you’ll know th...
No, the Premier League isn’t dead after its Champions League losses
Analysis

No, the Premier League isn’t dead after its Champions League losses

The football world is reeling after Chelsea, Manchester City, Tottenham, and Newcastle were eliminated from the Champions League this week. The four English Premier League teams lost by a combined score of 28-12. LaLiga sides alone scored 20 goals against English opposition in the Round of 16. Newcastle’s 7-2 loss to Barcelona is one of the heaviest defeats in UCL history. Because of these results, there’s never been a better time to say that the Premier League is dead. And plenty of people are saying that, but those people are wrong. As bad as these losses were for EPL sides, they say nothing about the overall quality of English football. The Premier League is still the best league in the world. This week’s defeats only tell us that the gap between the Premier League and the elit...
Bruno Fernandes’ all-time great season is going overlooked
Analysis

Bruno Fernandes’ all-time great season is going overlooked

Most people know that Manchester United are over-performing expectations this season. The Red Devils are third in the table after Premier League Matchweek 30 and odds-on favorites to qualify for the Champions League. At the heart of this success is an all-time great season by Bruno Fernandes. On Sunday, the Portuguese international broke David Beckham’s Man Utd club record for most assists in a season. He has 16 in the EPL so far this campaign, double the second-ranked player (Manchester City’s Rayan Cherki). In case there was any doubt about whether Fernandes’ assists were flukes, you just have to look at his chance creation numbers. Per FotMob, the Man Utd captain has created 98 chances in the EPL. That’s 40 more than Declan Rice, who has created the second most chances this season...
Manchester United have identified the perfect Casemiro replacement
Transfer News

Manchester United have identified the perfect Casemiro replacement

Manchester United spent all of last summer chasing Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba. After being rejected by the Seagulls, the Red Devils seemed content to wait until the next offseason for the Cameroonian. Now, though, Baleba’s poor form this season reportedly has Manchester United looking at other options to replace Casemiro this summer. Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton and Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson have been the most commonly mentioned alternatives. Both are young and have huge upsides, like Baleba. However, a new story from CaughtOffside claims that Manchester United are interested in Newcastle midfielder Bruno Guimarães. This would be a great signing for the Red Devils. Despite all their struggles under Ruben Amorim, Manchester United are third in the table and strong...
Arsenal, Mikel Arteta’s dark arts will inevitably lead to Premier League rule changes
Analysis

Arsenal, Mikel Arteta’s dark arts will inevitably lead to Premier League rule changes

After the Gunners' 2-1 win over Chelsea on Sunday, the football world is again talking about Arsenal corner routines and the so-called ‘dark arts’ used by Mikel Arteta’s side. These conversations have been a staple of the 2025-26 Premier League season, but it’s starting to feel like we have finally reached a tipping point for what fans, commentators, and even other clubs are willing to accept. Manchester City legend Yaya Toure said he was “disappointed” by Arsenal’s performance in the London Derby match, while former AC Milan and Chelsea star Ruud Gullit described the Gunners’ tactics as “truly awful to watch” on Dutch television. On Tuesday, Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler added his name to the long list of football fans unhappy with Arsenal’s corner routines this season. Spe...
2025/26 Premier League Picks, Score Predictions for Every Matchday 11 Fixture
Analysis

2025/26 Premier League Picks, Score Predictions for Every Matchday 11 Fixture

Premier League Matchday 11 starts on Saturday with a Big 6 battle between Tottenham and Manchester United and caps off on Sunday with a heavyweight clash of Manchester City vs. Liverpool. Let’s get ready for these games and rest of the weekend’s fixtures with our Premier League predictions and picks for every match. Tottenham vs. Manchester United Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, 12:30p.m. GMT (7:30a.m. ET), Saturday, November 8 Manchester United snapped a three-game win streak with a 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest on Matchday 10. Tottenham, meanwhile, suffered another disappointing defeat at home in a 1-0 loss to Chelsea. The Man Utd result was surely disappointing for Red Devils fans, but it’s hard to overstate just how bad Spurs were last weekend. The Lilywhites created 0.05 expected...
2025/26 Premier League Picks, Score Predictions for Every Matchday 10 Fixture
Analysis

2025/26 Premier League Picks, Score Predictions for Every Matchday 10 Fixture

Premier League Matchday 10 will see Burnley host league leaders Arsenal, Tottenham take on Chelsea in a London Derby, and a struggling Liverpool will play against a resurgent Aston Villa at Anfield. Let’s get ready for these games and rest of the week’s fixtures with our Premier League predictions and picks for every match.  Brighton vs. Leeds United American Express Stadium, 3:00p.m. GMT (11:00a.m. EDT), Saturday, November 1 After two successive defeats on the road to Manchester United and Arsenal, Brighton will host Leeds at the Amex. Fabian Hurzeler’s team have kept just one clean sheet in their last 22 matches in all competitions. If there’s ever a chance for the Seagulls to get their first clean sheet of the season, it would be here.  Leeds have been shut out in three of their f...
2025/26 Premier League Picks, Score Predictions for Every Matchday 9 Fixture
Analysis

2025/26 Premier League Picks, Score Predictions for Every Matchday 9 Fixture

Premier League Matchday 9 kicks off on Friday with Leeds facing West Ham. On Saturday, Chelsea take on high-flying Sunderland, while Manchester United host Brighton at Old Trafford. It all ends on Sunday, with Arsenal battling Crystal Palace in a London Derby and Everton playing Tottenham. Let’s get ready for these big games and the rest of Matchday 9 with our EPL picks and predictions.  Leeds vs. West Ham Elland Road, 8:00pm BST (3:00pm ET), Friday, October 24 We’re only nine weeks into the 2025/26 Premier League season, but this is a must-win match for both teams.  Leeds suffered their second straight loss last weekend with their 2-0 defeat at Burnley. Another loss could see them drawn into the thick of the relegation battle. West Ham, meanwhile, are already in the relegation zone....
2025/26 Premier League Picks, Score Predictions for Every Matchday 8 Fixture
Analysis

2025/26 Premier League Picks, Score Predictions for Every Matchday 8 Fixture

The international break is over, and the Premier League is back. Matchday 8 starts on Saturday with Nottingham Forest taking on Chelsea and Crystal Palace playing Bournemouth in a battle of two surprise top-four challengers. On Sunday, Manchester United head to Anfield to play Liverpool in the biggest matchup of the weekend.  Let’s get ready for these fixtures and the rest of the weekend’s action with our Premier League Matchday 8 picks and predictions.  Nottingham Forest vs. Chelsea The City Ground, 12:30pm BST (7:30am ET), Saturday, October 18 Matchday 8 kicks off with arguably the most lopsided match of the weekend. Nottingham Forest have yet to win a match since Ange Postecoglou took over in September (0W, 2D, 5L). The Reds lost three matches in a row before the international bre...
2025/26 Premier League Picks, Score Predictions for Every Matchday 7 Fixture
Analysis

2025/26 Premier League Picks, Score Predictions for Every Matchday 7 Fixture

Premier League Matchday 7 will see Liverpool play Chelsea in a Big 6 clash, undefeated Crystal Palace take on Everton at Hill Dickinson Stadium, and Ange Postecoglou’s Nottingham Forest battle against Eddie Howe’s Newcastle. Let’s get ready for these games and the rest of this weekend’s action with our Premier League picks and predictions for every Matchday 7 fixture.   Bournemouth vs. Fulham Vitality Stadium, 8:00pm BST (3:00pm ET), Friday, October 3 Both Bournemouth and Fulham will be looking to set things right after disappointing results on Matchday 6. The Cherries barely managed to draw with newly-promoted sides Leeds, while Fulham conceded three unanswered goals in a 3-1 loss to Aston Villa.  Bournemouth have had the upper hand in this matchup since Andoni Iraola took over the ...