Honestly, the Premier League table is looking absolutely wild right now. If you’d told me at the start of the season that Unai Emery would have Aston Villa sitting level on points with Manchester City by mid-January, I probably would’ve laughed you out of the pub. But here we are. It’s Sunday, January 18, 2026, and the English football matches today carry some massive weight for both the top and the bottom of the league.
Arsenal dropped points yesterday against Forest. City lost the derby to United. The door isn't just open for Villa; it’s been kicked off its hinges.
What’s on the schedule for today?
We’ve got a double-header in the Premier League, plus a massive slate of Women’s FA Cup action. If you’re looking for the big ones, here is the breakdown of the top-flight men's games:
- Wolves vs. Newcastle United – 14:00 GMT (9:00 AM ET) at Molineux.
- Aston Villa vs. Everton – 16:30 GMT (11:30 AM ET) at Villa Park.
It's a weirdly quiet Sunday in terms of volume, but the stakes are high. Wolves are essentially fighting for their lives at the bottom of the table, while Villa are genuinely—and I can't believe I'm saying this—playing for a chance to go second.
Can Wolves finally find a win against Newcastle?
Look, things are grim at Molineux. One win in 21 games is the kind of stat that keeps managers up at night. Rob Edwards has done a decent job of making them harder to beat lately—they've actually picked up five points from their last three—but they are still rock bottom with only seven points.
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Newcastle comes into this on a three-game winning streak. They’re sitting in 9th, looking to push for those European spots that seem to be slipping away from the likes of Spurs and Brighton.
The big news for Wolves is the return of Emmanuel Agbadou from AFCON duty. They’ve missed that presence. Plus, young Mateus Mané is on a bit of a heater, scoring in his last two games. If he nets today, he becomes one of the youngest ever to score in three straight Premier League matches.
Newcastle is the heavy favorite here. Most bookies have them at around 3/4. But Molineux under the grey January clouds? It’s never as easy as the odds suggest.
Villa vs. Everton: The game everyone is watching
This is the big one for the neutral. Aston Villa is the real deal this season. They’ve won 13 out of 21 games. They haven't lost a single game at Villa Park in their last eleven outings. That is a fortress.
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If they beat Everton today, they move to 46 points. That would put them three points clear of Manchester City and just four behind Arsenal. We are officially in "Villa for the title" territory if they win this.
Everton, meanwhile, is hovering in 12th. They’ve been weirdly good on the road under David Moyes—yes, Moyes is back in the blue dugout—keeping four clean sheets in their last five away games.
One interesting subplot: Jack Grealish is playing against his boyhood club again. Whether you love him or hate him, he always seems to be at the center of the drama in these fixtures.
The Women's FA Cup Fourth Round
While the Premier League takes the headlines, the Women's FA Cup is in full swing today. There are matches happening all over the country.
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- Spurs vs. Leicester City (12:00)
- Man Utd vs. Burnley (13:00)
- Arsenal vs. Aston Villa (14:00)
The Arsenal vs. Villa clash in the women's game is particularly tasty. Arsenal are usually the powerhouses, but Villa's women's side has been investing heavily and they’re starting to bridge that gap.
Why today feels different
There’s a tension in English football right now. The "Big Six" era feels like it's officially dead. When you see Sunderland sitting in 8th place and Villa challenging for the title, you realize the league has shifted.
The English football matches today aren't just about three points; they're about proof of concept. For Villa, it's about proving they belong at the very top. For Wolves, it's about proving they belong in the division at all.
Actionable insights for today’s matches:
- Watch the Villa midfield: If Tielemans and McGinn dominate the early exchanges, Everton’s low block will eventually crumble. Villa's home form is too strong to ignore.
- Keep an eye on the Newcastle wings: Wolves struggle with pace in the transition. If Newcastle gets Gordon or Barnes isolated against the Wolves wing-backs, it could be a long afternoon for the Old Gold.
- Check the weather: It’s January in England. Wind and rain at Molineux usually favor the underdog and lead to "scrappy" goals. Don't expect a tactical masterclass if the pitch is a bog.
If you're betting or just watching for fun, focus on the first 20 minutes of the Villa game. If Everton doesn't concede early, their confidence grows, and they are masters of the 0-0 or 1-0 "theft" on the road.
Check the live lineups about an hour before kickoff. Injuries have been piling up this January, and a late change in goal for either side could flip the script entirely.