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.
Arsenal players are not in the best condition according to Arteta
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%
Maresca feels regret at Joao Felix's lack of Premier League game time
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 players not in the best condition according to Arteta
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%
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