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• 'Super simple' – Lille president rules out January exit for Jonathan David

  Lille president Olivier Letang has categorically ruled out a January exit for forward Jonathan David amid links with a number of European clubs.

  David is out of contract at the end of the season and has been touted as a target for the likes of Bayern Munich, Juventus and Barcelona.

  Speaking this week, the Canada international named Barcelona as his "dream" club but suggested he would prefer not to leave Lille mid-season.

  And in an interview with After Foot RMC, Letang confirmed no bids have yet been tabled ahead of the January window.

  "We are not going to sell him in January, and we have not received any offer for him," he said.

  "Jonathan's situation is super simple. We are very happy to have him with us. 

  "Last season he had one more year left on his contract. We were trying to qualify for the Champions League. 

  "You have a guy who scores 20 to 25 goals a season. We had no obligation to sell him."

  David is into his fifth season with Lille and has scored 97 goals in 202 games for the Ligue 1 side in all competitions while assisting a further 18.

  Seven of those goals have arrived in 11 appearances this term, including in Champions League games against Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Juventus.

  The 24-year-old's best league season with Lille saw him score 24 goals in 2022-23, while he has netted 19, 15 and 13 in the other full campaigns.

  Lille chief Letang reiterated that David has been offered a new deal to stay on at Stade Pierre-Mauroy, but selling him has never been an option.

  "He is a player who scores between 20 and 25 goals and helps us qualify for the Champions League," he said. 

  "Plus, Jonathan loves Lille, which is his club. Our position was very clear from the beginning – we think of the athlete. 

  "Obviously, he already has an offer that is in his hands, the ball is in his court."

• The Numbers Game: Man City need a win as Tottenham come to town

  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.

• Serie A side Genoa confirm sacking of head coach Gilardino

  Serie A side Genoa have confirmed the departure of their head coach Alberto Gilardino, with Patrick Vieira reportedly on his way in.

  Gilardino, a World Cup winner with Italy in 2006, leaves the club with them sitting just one point above the relegation size with 10 points from 12 matches this season. 

  A former striker who played for clubs including Genoa, Parma, AC Milan and Fiorentina, Gilardino took charge of Genoa in 2022 and helped them earn promotion to the top division before a 11th-place finish during the 2023-24 season. 

  "The club thanks Gilardino for the goals achieved together over the years and wishes him the best for his career," Genoa said in a statement.

  The 42-year-old saw his side salvage a late 1-1 draw against Cesc Fabregas' Como in their last match before the international break. 

  Genoa were also knocked out of the Coppa Italia in the second round following a defeat to Sampdoria on penalties in September. 

  Arsenal legend Vieira is set to replace him, according to multiple reports. 

  The former France midfielder has been out of work since leaving Strasbourg by mutual consent in July.