Andijan vs Surkhon - Super League

When Andijan and Surkhon clash at the home ground on July 18, 2026, the stakes extend well beyond a single result — this is a Super League fixture that carries real weight for both clubs. He experienced victory in his only Old Firm appearance as a Gers player, but Sunday will be his first taste of the fixture in the dugout.

Both camps will view the Super League meeting at the home ground as an opportunity to put a marker down, regardless of where they currently stand. The hosts have done enough without setting the world alight, LDLDD over their last five and a 40.91% win rate to their name. The visitors have been hard to predict on their travels, W in their last five reflecting a win rate of 31.82%. The contrast in attacking output — 1.23 versus 0.86 goals per game — adds an extra layer of intrigue. Newcastle had agreed a deal worth £49m for the Switzerland international, who was a breakout star at the World Cup as he scored three goals in their run to the quarter-finals.

Pressing intensity will define the contest. Andijan will seek to win the ball high up the pitch and suffocate Surkhon's build-up, while the visitors will aim to play through the pressure and exploit the spaces it leaves behind. Anderson can still play proactively from deep, but he will have other technical players around him to lighten the load in possession, and zones to hit rather than always playing to feet.

When A. Amonov is on the pitch — 2 goals to his name this term — moments of magic are never far away, and the Super League's top scorer will be central to how this one unfolds. How each side deals with the other's danger men — and who takes their chances when they come — will be central to the outcome. Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has thanked AS Monaco after his contract was terminated by the club.

Predictions are tricky when the sides are this evenly matched, and small margins — a moment of quality, a slice of luck — could decide it either way. A share of the spoils looks the most probable outcome, with neither side holding a decisive edge — a 1-1 draw feels like a fitting result. With positions in the Super League table to defend and momentum to chase, neither side can afford to leave anything in the tank. Manchester City will begin another Premier League season with major uncertainty hanging over the club after league chief executive Richard Masters admitted the long-awaited verdict on their financial case has taken longer than expected.