Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has admitted that he is struggling to keep all of his talent happy ahead of their game against Leicester on Saturday.

The Blues' first-team squad page listed 43 players at the start of the season, with 10 players having joined over the summer.

As a result, this has meant limited game time for some of the club's more senior players, such as Joao Felix who is yet to start a Premier League game since joining permanently in summer.

Despite this issue, Chelsea have started the season well and currently sit third after 11 matches, but Maresca feels a tinge of regret at not being able to involve everyone.

"I feel a shame for Joao and I would like to give him more minutes in the Premier League but we need defensive balance and we cannot play with Joao, Cole [Palmer], Christo [Nkunku]," he said.

"I’d like to put all of them on the pitch but then you need to defend, and you need the right balance.

"I don’t have any doubts that if Joao keeps working well, he will find his moment in the Premier League."

Leicester manager Steve Cooper, meanwhile, will have to pick his team up following a 3-0 defeat at Manchester United prior to the international break. He will have to do so without key player Ricardo Pereira, who is out for four months with a hamstring injury.

"It's a real blow for everybody, and especially him. We'll all be with him now in his recovery," he told BBC Sport.

Having kept just one clean sheet in 11 league games, Cooper is also aware of where his side need to improve.

"We're not going to hide away from the chances and goals we're conceding, and we'll keep showing intent to improve that," he said.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Leicester – Jamie Vardy

Vardy is 37 years old, but tops the scoring charts at Leicester having netted four goals in the Premier League.

He has opened the scoring on one occasion this season and has a conversion rate of 33.33% having scored his goals from 12 shots on goal.

Chelsea – Cole Palmer

Palmer ranks fifth in the Premier League top scorers so far this season, having scored seven goals. He also ranks equal-second for goal involvements, having added five assists alongside his goals.

The Chelsea forward has had at least three shots in five of his last six league games and ranks fourth for total shots in the Premier League with 36.

MATCH PREDICTION: CHELSEA WIN

Chelsea earned a 1-1 draw at home to Arsenal in their last match before the international break, which left them third in the table and four points behind second-placed Manchester City

That draw means that Chelsea have lost just one of their last 10 league games (W5 D4), which came against league leaders Liverpool in October.

Chelsea have lost just one of their last seven away games against Leicester (W4 D2), winning four of their last five meetings overall.

Leicester are winless in their last 13 Premier League games against sides starting the day in the top four of the table (D3 L10). They come into this with three defeats in their last four matches in all competitions (D1).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Leicester – 19%

Draw – 21.6%

Chelsea – 59.5%

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has said that Arsenal are still struggling to get key players back to fitness ahead of their match against Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

Captain Martin Odegaard made his first start since August in their 1-1 draw with Chelsea prior to the international break, having suffered an injury with Norway in September, but his side are struggling elsewhere.

Both Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka were substituted in the second half of that match with injuries and subsequently pulled out of the England squad.

"We are still missing a lot and some of the guys out there are not in the best condition," Arteta told BBC Sport.

"That is all we are asking, that they are fit and available and in the physical condition to play at this level. We have not had any of that.

"It was patch, after patch, after patch. A lot of players starting and not in the condition to finish games, so that is what I am praying for."

Nuno Espirito Santo, meanwhile, insists his side will take lessons into this weekend from their 3-1 defeat against Newcastle last time out.

"When you lose and win there is always a lesson to be learnt. We must learn an important lesson, we have been punished the way we have been punishing other teams," he said.

Despite the loss, Nottingham Forest are still fifth in the Premier League table after 11 matches, level on points with Arsenal. Nuno himself was also named September's Manager of the Month.

"Even though we lost the game, everyone at Forest should be proud of the players and how we have been working together. OK, let’s go again," he said.

"I’m just proud from day one of the way we have been working as a team."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Arsenal – Bukayo Saka

No player has supplied more assists in the Premier League than Saka (seven), with Mohamed Salah trailing by one.

The winger has also scored three goals for the Gunners and is one behind Kai Havertz as the club's leading scorer.

Nottingham Forest – Chris Wood

Wood is equal-second alongside Bryan Mbeumo and Salah in the Premier League scoring charts with eight goals.

The 32-year-old has opened the scoring on six occasions in the league this season, while he has the best conversion rate (38.1%) of any player to have made more than 10 appearances.

MATCH PREDICTION: ARSENAL WIN

Arsenal are currently in fourth place, one position above their weekend opponents Nottingham Forest.

They are unbeaten in eight home games in all competitions so far this season (W6 D2), including in their five home games in the league (W3 D2).

The Gunners have won six of their last seven Premier League games against Nottingham Forest, including back-to-back victories last season.

The visitors come into this on the back of a 3-1 defeat at home to Newcastle last time out, which ended a four-match unbeaten run.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Arsenal – 67.1%

Draw – 18.8%

Nottingham Forest – 14.1%

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has said that Arsenal are still struggling to get key players back to fitness ahead of their match against Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

Captain Martin Odegaard made his first start since August in their 1-1 draw with Chelsea prior to the international break, having suffered an injury with Norway in September, but his side are struggling elsewhere.

Both Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka were substituted in the second half of that match with injuries and subsequently pulled out of the England squad.

"We are still missing a lot and some of the guys out there are not in the best condition," Arteta told BBC Sport.

"That is all we are asking, that they are fit and available and in the physical condition to play at this level. We have not had any of that.

"It was patch after patch, after patch. A lot of players starting and not in the condition to finish games, so that is what I am praying for."

Nuno Espirito Santo, meanwhile, insists his side will take lessons into this weekend from their 3-1 defeat against Newcastle last time out.

"When you lose and win there is always a lesson to be learnt. We must learn an important lesson, we have been punished the way we have been punishing other teams," he said.

Despite the loss, Nottingham Forest are still fifth in the Premier League table after 11 matches, level on points with Arsenal. Nuno himself was also named September's Manager of the Month.

"Even though we lost the game, everyone at Forest should be proud of the players and how we have been working together. OK, let’s go again," he said.

"I’m just proud from day one of the way we have been working as a team."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Arsenal – Bukayo Saka

No player has supplied more assists in the Premier League than Saka (seven), with Mohamed Salah trailing by one.

The winger has also scored three goals for the Gunners and is one behind Kai Havertz as the club's leading scorer.

Nottingham Forest – Chris Wood

Wood is equal-second alongside Bryan Mbeumo and Salah in the Premier League scoring charts with eight goals.

The 32-year-old has opened the scoring on six occasions in the league this season, while he has the best conversion rate (38.1%) of any player to have made more than 10 appearances.

MATCH PREDICTION: ARSENAL WIN

Arsenal are currently in fourth place, one position above their weekend opponents Nottingham Forest.

They are unbeaten in eight home games in all competitions so far this season (W6 D2), including in their five home games in the league (W3 D2).

The Gunners have won six of their last seven Premier League games against Nottingham Forest, including back-to-back victories last season.

The visitors come into this on the back of a 3-1 defeat at home to Newcastle last time out, which ended a four-match unbeaten run.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Arsenal – 67.1%

Draw – 18.8%

Nottingham Forest – 14.1%

Evan Mobley says the Boston Celtics were a "good test" for the Cleveland Cavaliers as they saw their perfect start to the NBA season ended.

The Cavaliers were 15-0 going into the game, the fourth team in NBA history to open with that record, but a slow start cost them as they lost 120-117 to the defending champions on Tuesday.

Cleveland fought back to cut a 21-point deficit to two in the third quarter, with Donovan Mitchell making it a four-point game with 24 seconds remaining, but they could not snatch a win as Al Horford's late dunk sealed it.

Mobley had 22 points, 11 rebounds and six assists for the Cavaliers, and chose to focus on the positives from the defeat, in particular, their response to the half-time deficit.

"I'm happy how we fought back," said Mobley. "That was the main thing that I can be happy about.

"I feel like we didn't start the best. That was the main thing that really shot us in our foot. But overall, I feel like we played a pretty good game.

"I think it was a good test, and from what I saw out there, we could beat anybody."

Mitchell, Cleveland's top scorer with 35 points, added: "[I learned] that it's the group I thought we were.

"It's just a test. This is a big test. Whether you win, lose or draw, it's just a test, and obviously, you want to learn through wins, but we lost tonight.

"But there's a lot we can take away from the good in the second half and a lot we can learn from the first half to get better at."

The Celtics bounced back from a defeat to the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the NBA Cup with this result and made it three wins on the trot.

They improved their record to 12-3, though they still sit below the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference, and Derrick White says Boston knew a lot was riding on this result.

"Everybody knew that they were undefeated and coming to our building," he said. "And also, it's an NBA Cup game, and we already lost one game.

"So, it was a really big game in that aspect. So, we were all aware [of the excitement around it]."

Former Manchester City defender Danny Mills believes Erling Haaland is an "enigma", which is why it is so hard to leave him out of the side.

Haaland has been a revelation since joining City in July 2023, and he has won the Premier League Golden Boot in both seasons so far, while also scooping up the Premier League Player of the Year award in his debut campaign.

He has scored 105 goals in 114 appearances in all competitions for City, netting 16 times this term already.

Haaland is averaging 1.09 goals per game in the Premier League this season, after making a record-breaking start to the campaign in which he scored 10 times in the opening six matches.

Mills, who played for City between 2004 and 2009, thinks the 24-year-old's high-scoring record comes down to the efficient way he approaches matches.

"Erling Haaland is a bit of an enigma," Mills told Stats Perform. "He's not your usual centre forward.

"We expect our centre forwards to either drop deep, be a bit of a playmaker and create chances, or put on a high press, work the channels, and have lots of touches, closing people down.

"Haaland stands in the middle of the pitch, makes the runs when he needs to, is very efficient, and puts the ball in the back of the net more often than not. He gets himself in good positions.

"We can talk about him missing big chances, but he's also scored an awful lot of goals. That's the thing — a centre forward will always say you're better off being in the position and missing the chance than not being in the position because the goals will come. Everybody misses chances."

Haaland also set the record for most Premier League goals in a single season in 2022-23, with 36, and he once again sits top of the goalscoring charts this term, though he has seen his goals dry up somewhat in recent weeks after his lightning-quick start.

The Norwegian netted his 12th Premier League goal of the campaign in City's 2-1 loss to Brighton before the international break, ending a run of three games in all competitions without a goal.

Nobody has had more shots than Haaland in the English top-flight this season (55), while only Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins (11) has missed more big chances than him (10).

Mills suggested that Haaland is held to a higher standard than other forwards in the competition, but says even when he is not scoring, he offers too much to be left out of the starting line-up.

"When we talk about patchy form for Erling Haaland, patchy form for him is still way better than most other players' form. It's better than 95% of Premier League strikers," Mills added.

"That's why he gets criticised for missing big chances, because we expect him to score every single time. But he's just different.

"I think it's very, very difficult to leave him out because he offers so much. He's so big, strong, powerful, and scores all types of weird and interesting goals at times.

"He occupies three or four defenders because they’re all worried about his pace in behind, his aerial ability, or what he's doing. Leaving him out would be a big, big call.

"It's not like he's going through a drought. An Erling Haaland drought is that he hasn't scored for two games. There are centre forwards all over the world who would love that to be their record, not their drought.

"So, I think we need to have some perspective. Yes, he might miss one or two chances, but he's a massive threat and a fantastic goalscorer."

Julian Nagelsmann insists Germany "can do things better" after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Hungary due to a last-gasp penalty.

Felix Nmecha had given the visitors the lead in the 76th minute, but Dominik Szoboszlai equalised in the 99th minute from a controversially given penalty for an alleged handball by Robin Koch.

Nagelsmann's side had also had a Leroy Sane goal disallowed by VAR before Kai Havertz struck the post moments after coming off the bench.

While the result of the match had no bearing on the standings – Germany had already secured top spot with a game to spare – it did end a three-game winning run.

Germany have now scored in their last 12 matches, including friendlies, but Nagelsmann was still left frustrated by the disjointed nature of their performance in Budapest.

"To be honest, I don't really want to talk about the game. I think we can do things better," he told ZDF.

"We took too long in the first half to get things together, partly especially in the twenty minutes before the break."

On the penalty decision, Nagelsmann said: "I spoke to the referee after the game and asked if he also saw the game against Spain [at the Euros]. I don't think he understood what I said.

"I don't think it was a penalty at all. [Robin] Koch turns away from the shot and draws his hands closer to his body."

Germany will find out their opponents for the Nations League quarter-finals in Friday's draw.

Genoa have appointed former Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira as their new coach, the Serie A club said on Wednesday.

The Frenchman has been out of work since parting ways with French Ligue 1 side Strasbourg in July, having previously managed Premier League club Crystal Palace.

Genoa sacked coach Alberto Gilardino on Tuesday, with the club hovering just one point above the relegation zone with 10 points from 12 matches this season.

Gilardino registered just two wins in Serie A this season, while the club were also knocked out of the Coppa Italia by Serie B Sampdoria on penalties in the second round. 

Vieira began his managerial career with Manchester City's Under-23 team between 2013 and 2015 before he took over at MLS side New York City FC. He then spent two-and-a-half years at Ligue 1 side Nice before moving to Palace.

In his sole season at Strasbourg, the former France international won 13 of his 38 league games (D10 L15), averaging 1.29 points per game during his tenure. 

Vieira is now the first French manager to work in at least three of the five major European championships in the 21st century.

He will reunite with new signing Mario Balotelli, having coached the Italian striker for 10 matches when they were both at Nice in the 2018-19 season.

Brazil recovered from a goal down to earn a 1-1 draw at home to a stubborn Uruguay side in Tuesday's CONMEBOL World Cup qualifier.

The hosts were booed by some quarters of their own support in Salvador following the result, which leaves them fifth in the table and five points inside the automatic qualification places.

It was a match of few chances punctuated by two moments of world-class quality, with Uruguay striking first.

Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde opened the scoring 10 minutes into the first half, curling into the bottom corner from the edge of the area to put Uruguay a goal up.

But seven minutes later, Gerson scored his first goal for his country to level things up, a brilliant volley from outside the box.

The draw has Uruguay in second place, two points above Brazil, who could have won it if not for Sergio Rochet's fine save to deny Gabriel Martinelli, and five behind leaders Argentina with six matches remaining.

Data debrief: Brazil struggle to break down Bielsa's Uruguay

Despite Raphinha, Vinicius Junior and Gabriel Martinelli all featuring in this game, Brazil could not find the quality to regularly trouble their visitors.

The home side managed just three shots on target during the match – one more than Uruguay.

While they won the xG battle 1.09 - 0.47, it will be a disappointment that they had 18 attempts in total and could only divert so few goalwards.

Manchester City are in uncharted territory ahead of Tottenham visiting the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

Pep Guardiola's all-conquering side, who have won four successive Premier League titles, have lost their last four matches in all competitions.

It is the first time in Guardiola's managerial career that he has lost four straight games in all competitions, while it is the first time City have lost that many in a row since 2006, when they lost six on the bounce under Stuart Pearce.

A 2-1 EFL Cup defeat to Tottenham at the end of October started City's poor form, and defeats to Bournemouth, Sporting CP and Brighton followed.

With Liverpool continuing their fine form under Arne Slot, City head into the weekend five points behind the Reds. 

Though with Liverpool not in action until Sunday, City can put the pressure back on by seeing off a Spurs team that lost 2-1 to Ipswich Town at home before the international break.

Here, we preview the clash using the best Opta data.

What's expected?

City have won just three of their last 10 Premier League games against Tottenham (D2 L5) and are looking to win consecutive league meetings with them for the first time since April 2019.

Yet despite that indifferent form against Spurs, City are still made the big favourites by Opta's supercomputer, which ranks their chances of victory at 59.5%.

Spurs' win probability comes in at 20.2%, while the draw is at 20.3%.

City's form has seen them drop off when it comes to the Opta supercomputer's forecast for the season, with Liverpool now the favourites to win the title (60.2%).

This match should promise goals, though.

Tottenham have scored at least twice in each of their last three Premier League away games against City, winning 3-2 in 2021-22, losing 4-2 in 2022-23 and drawing 3-3 last season. No team has ever scored multiple goals in four consecutive Premier League visits to the Etihad.

Under Guardiola (since 2016-17), City have lost more Premier League games (six) and conceded more Premier League goals (22) against Tottenham than they have against any other opponent.

Saturday's clash also sees two of the league's top three scoring teams this season go head-to-head. Spurs (23) have netted the most goals in the top tier, with City (22) joint-second alongside Brentford.

City have registered the highest xG (22.3), with Ange Postecoglou's team recording the second highest (21.7). These teams have had 401 shots between them across 22 matches this season, so expect entertainment.

Classic City, or is there something wrong?

There has been a tendency for City to take a while to get going in recent years, but they have never looked so short of form as they do now at this stage of a season.

Guardiola is on the longest losing run of his entire managerial career. Though they are the only team to have scored in every Premier League game so far this season, City have lost their last two (1-2 vs Bournemouth and Brighton). They last lost three in a row in the competition in February/March 2016, a run which included a home defeat to Tottenham.

City have already dropped seven points from winning positions this term, while they only dropped 10 from such positions across the entirety of last season.

They have gained a league-leading 13 points from losing positions, though that shows they are falling behind much more often than Guardiola would like.

The loss of Rodri to a season-ending knee injury has not helped, and City may have to dip into the market in January in search of a replacement.

Since the start of last season, City have played 13 league games without Rodri, and they have lost five of them. Their win rate without the Spaniard in the side in that time is 53.8%, while with him in the team it rises to 77.8%. 

With Liverpool facing Southampton, City know they need to get back on track quickly, or they might simply have too big of a gap to bridge.

Road rage

Spurs have won just two of their last 11 Premier League away games (D2 L7), winning just once in five on the road this term. Since the start of this spell in March, no side have lost more Premier League away games than Tottenham (seven).

Postecoglou will not be changing his approach for this game, though. Spurs look to get forward at any opportunity, and the statistics back this up.

As a team, Tottenham have made more off-the-ball runs into the box than any other side in the Premier League this season (612), with Dominic Solanke having the most among players (138).

Spurs have also had the most shots inside the box of any Premier League side this term (134).

Tottenham have played more passes/crosses into the opposition box than any other side in the Premier League this season (429). There are 10 players in the division to have made 70+, with Spurs having three of those (Pedro Porro 96, James Maddison 77, Dejan Kulusevski 72).

Postecoglou promised Spurs fans a trophy this season, and their defeat of City in the EFL Cup was a big scalp, but in the league they have lost three of their last six games and are in 10th, though they are only three points off the top six.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Manchester City - Erling Haaland

Haaland netted a hat-trick for Norway this week, taking his tally for the season to 22 for club and country. 

He returned to scoring form in the Premier League against Brighton, though City could not hold on for the win. While he may not have always shown his best level, Haaland is still betting at a remarkable rate of 1.1 goals per 90 minutes in the top flight this season.

Tottenham - Dejan Kulusevski

No player has created more chances either overall (30) or from open play (25) in the Premier League this season than Kulusevski.

His pace and skill on the counter could be a real asset against City's high line.

Lautaro Martinez equalled Diego Maradona's scoring record for Argentina as his strike secured a 1-0 win over Peru in their CONMEBOL World Cup qualifier.

The Albiceleste bounced back from a shock defeat to Paraguay, with the Inter striker's 55th-minute effort enough to extend their lead at the top of the table to five points.

Argentina started brightly and almost took the lead with their first real opportunity, only for Julian Alvarez's powerful strike to rebound off the outside of the post.

Alexis Mac Allister also came close moments later and rose high to meet Alvarez's cross, though he could only glance his header wide.

Martinez, who netted his 32nd Argentina goal to go joint-fifth in the all-time scoring chart, proved decisive in the second half, acrobatically volleying Lionel Messi's cross into the back of the net.

Lionel Scaloni's side are one place above Uruguay, who they face next. They are on 25 points at the top of the qualifying table, while Peru are rooted to the bottom with just seven. 

Data Debrief: Equalling a great

Martinez took 70 appearances to go level with Maradona in the Argentina record books, though he is still a long way off matching Messi's 112-goal tally for his country.

The captain, meanwhile, registered his 58th assist, matching former United States forward Landon Donovan's record for most international assists.

It was a needed win for the hosts, but they had to edge a cagey affair to get it. There were just three shots on target in the whole game, with all three falling to Argentina.

Peru failed to attempt a shot on target for the first time in the CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifiers since facing Argentina in October 2023.

Danny Mills believes Manchester City will benefit from resolving Pep Guardiola's uncertain future at the club sooner rather than later.

Guardiola is in the final year of his contract with City and had dropped hints towards the end of last season that this could be his last on the blue side of Manchester.

However, recent reports suggest he could be signing a one-year extension to keep him at the Etihad for a 10th year.

The Spaniard joined the club in 2016 and has won 18 trophies with the club, including six Premier Leagues, winning the last four in a row, a Champions League, two FA Cups, four EFL Cups, a UEFA Super Cup, and a Club World Cup.

Mills, who played for City between 2006 and 2009, says it will be better for everyone at the club when a decision over his future has been made.

"It's very, very difficult to know what Pep is going to do. He's very much a man inside his own head," Mills told Stats Perform.

"I don't think he gives too much away about his thought process. We know he's incredibly intense. His dedication is unrivalled at times.

"He's constantly thinking about football, thinking about Manchester City. That's what he does, and he's incredibly good at it. Only he will know what the next stage of the process is."

"We saw before at Barcelona that he needed a break after three or four seasons because he was burned out. He needed a break after three seasons at Bayern. He's been at Manchester City longer than at any other club.

"He's been very, very successful in that time, remodelled the team several times, changed the style of play, dealt with players coming in and leaving, and handled all types of pressure. He's won everything there is to win in that time.

"I think he's earned the right to decide what he wants to do. If he stays, recruitment might look a little different compared to if he decides to leave. A new manager might want a slightly different style of player.

"Look at what Liverpool did with Arne Slot. The players Klopp wanted will be similar, but a new manager always wants to put their own slant on things.

"The conversations now about recruitment for January or next summer will be slightly different if Pep is involved compared to if a new manager is coming in. Some players might look at Pep and think, 'I want to play under him because we know each other, and he knows how I play'.

"A new manager with a different style might not give those players the same security. So, they'll start wondering, 'If Pep goes, where does my future lie at the club?' It just creates a bit of uncertainty. The sooner that's resolved, the better for Manchester City."

Guardiola has won 353 of his 490 games in charge of City in all competitions (D70 L63), boasting a 72.04% win rate. In that time, they have scored 1,200 goals.

The 53-year-old has seen a number of records broken while at the helm, including the record points total in a Premier League season when they won the title with 100 points in 2017-18.

Having overseen so much success in his first eight seasons, Mills admitted it would be hard to find someone to fill the gap he will leave behind.

"I think it's really difficult to find someone to replace Pep. It's a bit like replacing Alex Ferguson. It's very, very difficult," he added. "Or replacing Arsene Wenger.

"Okay, Wenger maybe stayed a little too long, but when he was in his prime period, there wasn't anyone who could replace him.

"Pep reinvented football in the Premier League, changed the way Manchester City play, and influenced how a lot of teams play."

"Who do you bring in to take that to the next level? There will be young coaches who get an opportunity. Obviously, Arteta is a big rival at the moment, but he knows the football club, so his name will be in the conversation.

"Someone like Ruben Amorim might have been mentioned, but he's now crossed to the red side of Manchester, so that rules him out.

"Manchester City used to have the people in place to ensure the succession plan was lined up. Some of those people are now moving on, which creates some uncertainty. City's planning has always been exceptional from top to bottom, from the sporting director to academy coaches, but that's been disrupted recently.

"You also throw in the 115 charges against the club. Who knows what's going to happen with that? I think a lot of the charges are spurious. Look at Forest and Everton – they got penalised for two charges, and City have 115. Some will be trivial, like not dating a piece of paper properly or signing in the wrong place.

"Still, we have to wait for the outcome of that. It doesn't affect the players now, but it could impact the team and the club going forward."

Even if Guardiola stays, there will come a time when he no longer sits in the City dugout, but Mills believes he will have a lasting legacy due to his influence over the English top-flight.

"I think Pep's legacy is incredible. What's he won at the moment? Four Premier Leagues in a row, six out of seven, which is phenomenal. Pep has only ever finished outside the top two once," Mills said.

"I think that was his first season at Manchester City. He's only finished outside the top two once in his entire career. That's unbelievable. It's a ridiculous record. He's always finished first or second, and that's part of his legacy.

"The way he changed the style of play is another key part. A lot of people doubted whether it was possible to play that way in the Premier League, playing out from the back.

"Look at what the goalkeeper position has become. Look at teams taking goal kicks and playing one-twos in their own six-yard box. That's all down to Pep. That's another part of his legacy.

"So, I think there are two parts to it. His winning legacy is phenomenal, and his success rate is unrivalled at the moment. He has to be up there with the best of all time. But also, the style of play and the way he moulded what many thought was impossible and now everybody has copied it.

"One of the biggest forms of admiration is imitation, and everybody has tried to copy Manchester City. They haven't quite managed it, certainly, not in terms of quality, but in an ideal world, everyone would want to play winning football in that style."

Brazil recovered from a goal down to earn a 1-1 draw at home to a stubborn Uruguay side in Tuesday's CONMEBOL World Cup qualifier.

The hosts were booed by some quarters of their own support in Salvador following the result, which leaves them fifth in the table and five points inside the automatic qualification places.

It was a match of few chances punctuated by two moments of world-class quality, with Uruguay striking first.

Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde opened the scoring 10 minutes into the first half, curling into the bottom corner from the edge of the area to put Uruguay a goal up.

But seven minutes later, Gerson scored his first goal for his country to level things up, a brilliant volley from outside the box.

The draw has Uruguay in second place, two points above Brazil, who could have won it if not for Sergio Rochet's fine save to deny Gabriel Martinelli, and five behind leaders Argentina with six matches remaining.

Data debrief: Brazil struggle to break down Bielsa's Uruguay

Despite Raphinha, Vinicius Junior and Gabriel Martinelli all featuring in this game, Brazil could not find the quality to regularly trouble their visitors.

The home side managed just three shots on target during the match – one more than Uruguay.

While they won the xG battle 1.09 - 0.47, it will be a disappointment that they had 18 attempts in total and could only divert so few goalwards.