Manchester City's season is swiftly getting away from them.
Pep Guardiola's team were on course to get back on track when they led Feyenoord 3-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday. Yet it finished 3-3 and the Premier League champions' winless run extended to six matches across all competitions.
City became the first team in Champions League history to lead a match by three goals as late as the 75th minute and fail to go on to win.
They failed to win a match in which they led by three goals for the first time in all competitions since May 1989 against Bournemouth in the second tier (3-3), while for the first time in his managerial career, Guardiola saw a team of his fail to win a match in which they were leading by three goals.
City have also lost their last three Premier League games, as many as they had in their previous 47 combined (W35 D9). They last lost four consecutive league games between April-August 2008.
According to the Opta supercomputer, they now have just a 12.6% chance of retaining the title.
So, a trip to Anfield to face Arne Slot's rampant Liverpool – who are eight points clear at the top of the Premier League and beat Real Madrid 2-0 in the Champions League on Wednesday – is hardly the match Guardiola would have wanted as he looks to get City back on course.
Here, we preview a huge clash.
What's expected?
Perhaps not since Liverpool's title-winning campaign in 2019-20 has there been such a gulf in form between these two rivals. A win for Liverpool could see them go 11 points clear – in Premier League history, only three teams have overcome a deficit of more than 11 points to go on and win the title (Manchester United in 1992-93 and 1995-96, and Arsenal in 1997-98).
As it stands, Liverpool have a 74.8% chance of winning the title.
The onus really is on City, then, to snap their dismal run of form, but Opta's supercomputer makes Liverpool the favourites, with a 45.3% win likelihood. City came out on top in 29.9% of the data-led simulations, while there is a 24.8% chance of a draw.
The Citizens have won just one of their last 21 Premier League away games against Liverpool (D7 L13), beating them 4-1 in February 2021. They have not won at Anfield with fans in attendance since May 2003 (2-1).
Liverpool have won just one of their last nine Premier League games against City (D5 L3), a 1-0 home victory in October 2022.
The away side has won just six of the 54 Premier League meetings between Liverpool and City, the lowest percentage of any fixture to be played more than 30 times in the competition (11%).
Slot's machine keeps paying out
Maybe only in his wildest dreams would Slot have hoped for such a strong start to his Liverpool tenure, especially given the size of the shoes he had to fill at Anfield.
The Guardiola-Jurgen Klopp rivalry lit up English football for the last eight years, but Slot has swiftly made this Liverpool team his own.
This will be Slot's first meeting with both Manchester City and their manager Guardiola. None of Liverpool's last six managers have lost their first league meeting with England’s reigning champions (W4 D2), since Roy Evans' 1-0 loss to Manchester United in 1993-94.
Liverpool's only Premier League defeat so far this season was a 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest at Anfield. They have won seven of their eight league games since (D1), scoring at least twice in seven of those games.
No manager in Premier League history has reached 10 wins in fewer matches from the start of their career in the competition than Slot (12 games, level with Guus Hiddink and Carlo Ancelotti).
In contrast to the rampant attacking of the Klopp era, Liverpool's foundations have been built on a strong defence. They have kept more clean sheets (six) than any other team in the top flight this term, and conceded just eight goals (at least four fewer than any other side and nine fewer than Manchester City). Their 10.75 expected goals against (xGA) is also the lowest total in the competition.
Not that the Reds' attack hasn't been on point. Tottenham (27) are the only team to score more goals than Liverpool (24) in the Premier League in 2024-25, while Slot's side have the third-highest xG (23.6) and have had the highest number of big chances (defined by Opta as an opportunity from which a player would reasonably be expected to score), with 48.
The big question is how Slot's possession-based system will match up against City's. But it is all clicking for the Dutchman so far.
The boys with the blues
City have not lost four Premier League games in a row within a single season since 2007 when they suffered five consecutive losses to Blackburn Rovers, Reading, Portsmouth, Wigan Athletic and Chelsea between January and March.
But a defeat at Anfield would see them match that unwanted slice of history.
In his managerial career, Guardiola has only lost more games against Tottenham (nine) than he has against Liverpool (eight).
He has won just six of his 22 meetings with the Reds (27%), his lowest win rate against any side he has faced more than five times in all competitions.
City have won five of their last six Premier League games against sides starting the day top of the table (D1). However, their last such defeat was a 3-1 loss against Liverpool at Anfield in November 2019, with the Reds going on to win the title that season.
Defensively, City have been all over the place. Their 15.9 xGA means they are averaging 1.3 xGA per game, whereas last season in the Premier League, they finished with 35.9 xGA (an average of 0.9 per match).
Erling Haaland, for all his talent, has squandered some big chances, albeit he is still performing slightly above his xG (12 goals from 11.9 xG). City are underperforming their xG as a team by 2.4 (22 goals from 24.4 xG).
Problems in both boxes, then, for Guardiola to solve.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Liverpool - Mohamed Salah
Salah netted twice to help Liverpool to a 3-2 comeback win over Southampton last week and has made headlines this week when he claimed after that victory at St Mary's that he was yet to be offered any sort of contract by the club – his current deal expires at the end of the season.
If this is to be Salah's last campaign at Liverpool, he is doing his very best to go out on a high note. As well as having the most goals and assists combined in the Premier League this season (16), Salah’s goal involvements have also been worth a league-high 17 points to Liverpool this term.
Salah has scored seven times in the league against Manchester City for Liverpool, while he needs just two more top-flight goals at Anfield to bring up his 100th for the Reds at their home ground.
Manchester City - Ilkay Gundogan
Three of Gundogan’s four Premier League goals against Liverpool have come at Anfield, with no City player scoring more away against the Reds in the competition’s history (Nicolas Anelka also three).
His next appearance will be his 200th in the Premier League, while if Manchester City win here, he would be the third player to win as many as 150 of his first 200 appearances in the competition (currently 149 – Bernardo Silva won 153 and Ederson 151 of first 200).
Gundogan would be only the third German player to hit the landmark of 200 Premier League games after Robert Huth (322), Dietmar Hamann (268) and Pascal Gross (228).
Select Brands ink $45 million five-year sponsorship deal with Waterhouse FC to solidify legacy of success on and off the field
Jamaica Premier League (JPL) outfit Waterhouse FC received a significant boost in its charge towards maintaining a rich legacy of success and youth development as they inked a five-year, $45 million sponsorship deal with Select Brands Limited, Jamaica’s leading distributor of wines, spirits, and non-alcoholic beverages.
According to David McConnell, co-managing director of Select Brands, the partnership not only solidifies its commitment to community development but, more importantly, highlights the company's dedication to fostering growth and unity through sports.
The sponsorship will provide financial and material support to the club, with a focus on enhancing fan experiences, improving infrastructure, and strengthening community ties over the next five years.
Additionally, the collaboration will see stadium upgrades and funding for events aimed at youth development, creating pathways for young talent, and enriching the community’s engagement with football.
"Why Waterhouse? It is your legacy of winning, your strong leadership, your great team, and unity,” McConnell said during a press conference at the Waterhouse Mini Stadium on Wednesday.
“Many of your values are [values] that our company maintains; unity, strength, respect, and discipline,” he added.
With the company situated near the Waterhouse community and employing several residents, McConnell emphasized the significance of investing in football as a positive outlet and a professional avenue for local talent. He also noted that this partnership aligns with Select Brands’ growth strategy and its mission to expand its impact on the community.
Waterhouse Football Club President Donovan White celebrated the partnership as a key milestone in the club’s illustrious journey.
This, as he highlighted the club’s 37-year history in the Jamaica Premier League, its achievements in Concacaf tournaments, and its role in nurturing young talent.
“We’re not a small club. We may look small. We may even feel small, but Waterhouse is a big club and a well-respected club in every respect and in many places. I want to ask our fans and our supporters to use this moment, a very seminal moment in our history, to re-engage.
“Let’s go again. It’s time to refresh. It’s time to find new energies. It’s time to raise Waterhouse Football Club to a whole new level, and that’s what we’re about,” White declared.
Meanwhile, Waterhouse’s Kemar Foster echoed the same sentiment while expressing gratitude for the sponsorship and its potential to elevate the team.
“We are honoured to have you with us this season and beyond. We are dedicated to ensuring that this partnership is mutually beneficial for both of us. Your sponsorship is more than just financial support. It provides our team with added resources necessary to elevate the team performance, improve our facility, and boost morale,” Foster stated.
Tottenham need to get used to life without Vicario, according to Postecoglou
Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou played down the chances of getting a free agent goalkeeper in to replace the injured Guglielmo Vicario.
Vicario underwent surgery on a broken ankle sustained during their 4-0 victory over Manchester City last weekend, though Postecoglou suggested he was happy to play Fraser Forster when asked about the possibility of a new face coming in.
"No, that is not going to happen. That's why we've got a squad of players. I don't think us signing a free agent now is going to help us. If I hadn't named Fraser [Forster] in the European squad, that would've been a radical decision," said Postecoglou.
"When you're left with two and they couldn't play in Europe, then you would kind of look at it but unless something else happened, that's why we've got four goalkeepers.
"Young Luca [Gunter], who to be fair has been injured and is not ready, but Fraser I've known for a long time and he's such a strong character within the group and he's ready to play.
"Brandon [Austin] is improving all the time. Alfie [Whiteman] has also sort of been at the club for a while and whatever has been asked, the training capacity that they bring, we are more than capable with what we've got."
When asked about Vicario's recovery following his operation, Postecoglou explained that the Italian is going to be unavailable for the long term.
"It's not going to be weeks, it's going to be months. He's had surgery and with surgery, there are certain timelines and because it is Vic," he said.
"I don't like giving timelines so early in the process on something like that because it puts undue pressure on the player and also, maybe some expectations. I think once we get past the rehab stage, we will have a clearer idea."
Fulham player Antonee Robinson, meanwhile, is heading into the match full of confidence after claiming that Tottenham "are not unbeatable by any stretch".
“We’re going to have had a little bit longer break, us playing Saturday and not having a midweek game, they’re going to have a tough game [against Roma in the Europa League on Thursday]," he said.
“So going into it, hopefully fresh legs play a bit of a factor in our favour. If we’re on form and playing how well we can play, I think we go toe to toe with anyone.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Tottenham – Dejan Kulusevski
Kulusevski has scored two goals and supplied two assists in his last seven league games for Tottenham.
He finished with an assist in Tottenham's 4-0 victory over Manchester City last weekend, while he has also created more chances than any other Premier League player this season (33).
Fulham – Emile Smith Rowe
Smith Rowe has directly contributed to five Fulham goals this season, scoring three and assisting two.
His most recent goal was the opener in Fulham's last away game, in which they beat Crystal Palace 2-0 in November.
MATCH PREDICTION: TOTTENHAM WIN
Tottenham come into this match having won 4-0 away to Manchester City in their last league game.
The hosts are sixth in the table with 19 points after 12 matches and have won four (L2) of their six league matches at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this season.
Tottenham have lost just one of their last 14 Premier League home games against Fulham (W10 D3), with that 1-0 defeat coming in March 2013.
Despite beating Spurs 3-0 in their last Premier League meeting in March, Fulham were winless in their previous nine (D1 L8) against them.
Marco Silva's side have won just two (D2 L2) of their six away games in the Premier League this season.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Tottenham – 54.6%
Draw – 21.7%
Southampton – 23.6%
Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw nominated for Barclays WSL Player of the Month
Jamaican superstar Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw has been nominated for the Barclays Women’s Super League (WSL) Player of the Month award for November, capping off an extraordinary month of performances for Manchester City. The 27-year-old forward's scintillating form has placed her among six elite nominees for the prestigious accolade.
Shaw’s nomination comes as she prepares for a pair of international friendlies with Jamaica’s senior women’s team against South Africa in Montego Bay, a fitting opportunity for fans back home to celebrate her remarkable achievements.
In November, Shaw scored four goals across six matches, helping City to three wins and two draws in a tightly contested month. Her standout performances included a brilliant hat-trick in City’s 4-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur at the Etihad Stadium, which etched her name into WSL history.
The hat-trick made Shaw the record hat-trick scorer in WSL history, surpassing her teammate Vivianne Miedema. She also became the first player in league history to score three hat-tricks against the same opponent, cementing her legacy as one of the league’s most clinical strikers.
Additionally, Shaw rounded off the scoring in City’s 3-0 triumph over Crystal Palace, a landmark match that marked the club’s 200th WSL fixture.
Shaw faces stiff competition for the Player of the Month award, going up against Arsenal’s Steph Catley and Alessia Russo, West Ham’s Katrina Gorry, Aston Villa’s Anna Patten, and Chelsea’s Mayra Ramirez and Guro Reiten.
Fans can cast their votes for the WSL Player of the Month until 11:00 (UK time) on Monday, 2 December.
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