Pep Guardiola will be an interested spectator when Liverpool host Manchester United on Tuesday, but he made it clear Manchester City's mission will not change regardless of the result.
United could do their neighbours a favour at Anfield in a fixture Liverpool approach just one point adrift of Premier League leaders City, whom the Reds beat 3-2 in the FA Cup semi-final last Saturday.
A draw or a defeat for the Reds would give City the chance to gain some extra breathing room at the summit when they face Brighton and Hove Albion on Wednesday.
However, Guardiola knows a slip-up for Liverpool will only change things if City continue to do their job.
Speaking at a pre-match media conference, Guardiola said of the Liverpool-United clash: "We watch it as a fan. I watch at home, I want to know the result, would love United to get points but it won't change if we don't do our jobs in the next games. We can learn something for both teams.
"The challenge is the same as the last two weeks, the same, one point ahead. Every game a final, challenge and fight until the end."
Kyle Walker will play no part against Brighton after suffering an ankle injury in the Champions League against Atletico Madrid. Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan also sustained minor injuries in that clash last week, with their availability for the Brighton meeting yet to be determined.
Central defender Ruben Dias, meanwhile, is back in training after seven weeks out with a hamstring injury, and was an unused substitute at Wembley on Saturday.
"Kyle no. The other players are better, we will make a decision tomorrow," added Guardiola.
“Kyle we don't know yet [how long he will be out]. It's his ankle. He can't play tomorrow but the rest we don't know.
"Ruben is training really good, but we cannot forget he had seven weeks off and has not played one minute.
"Ruben is intelligent. He is a guy who knows his body.
"We are more than delighted he is back. Nathan Ake has made [an] incredible contribution. John Stones and Aymeric Laporte have played a lot of minutes, especially Aymer.
"It's good to have three or four central defenders."
Chelsea must not underestimate Heidenheim test, says Maresca
Enzo Maresca insists his Chelsea players must be mentally prepared for the challenge that Heidenheim will pose in tomorrow's Europa Conference League clash.
Chelsea are one of six sides, along with Heidenheim, with a perfect record in the competition so far, though the Blues lead the way in the 36-team league table having scored 16 goals in three games.
The Blues' superior goal difference was helped by their 8-0 thrashing of Noah in their last game, scoring six goals in the first-half, which was the largest lead by an English side at the break of a major European game since Derby County were winning 9-0 against Finn Harps in the 1976-77 UEFA Cup.
Though Chelsea have already swept aside the sides put in front of them in the competition so far, Maresca does not want complacency to undermine his side's performance against the Bundesliga club.
"I enjoy every game in this competition knowing that every club tries to make it their big game," Maresca said.
"The issue for us can be that if we are not ready mentally, and we underestimate a team, they can hurt us. So we need to be ready.
"It’s an important competition, a European competition. Since we started, we have tried to share minutes with all the players in the squad.
"In some of the [Conference League] games, we have also used some young players. So we’ll see. In this moment, it’s like this, and hopefully, we can continue in this way."
With the hectic December fixture list to begin on Sunday with Aston Villa's visit to Stamford Bridge, a number of players have not travelled with the squad.
Yet Maresca provided a positive update on Malo Gusto and Pedro Neto, both of whom were absent for their 2-1 victory over Leicester City on Saturday.
"Both have trained with us," he said. "We don’t take any risks for tomorrow’s game, but I think both should be available for Sunday’s game [against Aston Villa]."
Red Star Belgrade 5-1 Stuttgart: Five-star hosts earn first Champions League win
Red Star Belgrade claimed the first win of their Champions League campaign, coming from behind to thrash Stuttgart 5-1 at the Stadion Rajko Mitic on Wednesday.
This was only the Serbian SuperLiga leaders' third ever win in the competition, and they had to come from behind to move up to 31st in the standings after five games.
Ermedin Demirovic opened the scoring for the visitors in the fifth minute, capitalising on some slack defending to net his seventh goal of the season in all competitions.
However, Stuttgart loanee Silas Katompa Mvumpa restored parity six minutes later, driving from midfield before sending a curled effort beyond Alexander Nubel.
The hosts were ahead just past the half-hour mark through Rade Krunic, who netted his first club goal for over two years, his last coming for AC Milan in the 2022-23 campaign.
Red Star continued to threaten after the interval and were rewarded in the 65th minute when Mirko Ivanic ghosted in at the far post to head in his side's third.
Krunic turned provider four minutes later, teeing up Nemanja Radonjic before the Serbian striker notched his second a minute from time with a low left-footed finish.
Data Debrief: Fifth time lucky
After going four games without a win in the competition, Red Star did not look like a side lacking confidence as they confidently dispatched their Bundesliga opponents.
Their victory was their biggest across both the Champions League and European Cup when conceding first, while they also inflicted Stuttgart’s joint-heaviest defeat in the competition.
Red Star also scored five goals in a game in the Champions League or European Cup for the first time since a 5-0 win at Dundalk in September 1988, while it was their biggest triumph in the competition since beating Portadown 4-0 in October 1991.
Hurzeler unsurprised by Brighton's progress towards Champions League places
Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler does not want to stop his fans dreaming of Champions League qualification following their impressive start to the season.
They have accrued 22 points in their opening 12 matches of the season and currently occupy fifth place in the Premier League, one point behind second-placed Manchester City and level with the respective third- and fourth-placed sides Chelsea and Arsenal.
Their run of form led to a section of fans singing about potentially qualifying for Europe's top tournament during their 2-1 victory over Bournemouth last weekend.
While Hurzeler would not be drawn on the chant, he did not exactly dampen fans' enthusiasm, saying: “I don’t listen so they can sing what they want.
“I didn’t hear it. I was focused on the game, but I think it is always important to make the supporters proud because in the end, they pay a lot of money, they spend a lot of time to support us, and it’s our responsibility to give them something back.”
There has been surprise from some quarters at the position the club currently occupy, having finished in 11th last term while juggling the Europa League. But not from the manager, who talked up his players following their most recent victory.
"There is no surprise [at the progress] or expectations. It is belief in the process and the guys," he said.
"If you see them work everyday, you see an unbelievable work ethic. When you are a man down, you have to stick together and support each other. We can improve on a lot of points but I believe in the process."
Southampton manager Russell Martin, meanwhile, is trying to keep positive ahead of his side's trip to the Amex Stadium and following their 3-2 defeat at home to Liverpool.
"I think there's so much more to come. The fight is there, they're running," he said.
"It's about work, analyse the problems. We have to keep learning and helping the players through it as much as we can. Playing out is what got us to the Premier League and I'm really proud of the players.
Southampton were relegated bottom of the league in 2022-23, which was their most recent season in the Premier League.
Despite currently occupying the same spot, Martin believes that this season is different and that the players are doing their best for him and the club.
"I think the feeling is very different from the last time this club was in the Premier League. There's no lack of fight, they're really trying," he said.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Brighton – Joao Pedro
Pedro has been directly involved in six goals in his last five Premier League appearances, scoring four and supplying two assists.
The Brazilian forward scored the opening goal in Brighton's 2-1 victory against Bournemouth last weekend and the equaliser against the Citizens in the previous match.
Southampton – Adam Armstrong
Armstrong has scored three goals in his last three home appearances for Southampton, being the last player to net four in the top flight at St. Mary's since Charlie Austin in 2016.
The 27-year-old scored the only goal of the game in Southampton's only victory this season against Everton, which came earlier in November.
MATCH PREDICTION: BRIGHTON WIN
Brighton have won their last two Premier League games, last winning three in a row in September 2023. The Seagulls are also unbeaten in all six of their home league games this term (W3 D3), their longest such run from the start of a campaign since 2015-16 (10 in the Championship).
They are also the only team to be unbeaten when conceding the first goal in Premier League games this season (W2 D2). Meanwhile, Southampton have gone on to lose all eight games in which they’ve conceded first, with only Nottingham Forest also having a 100% loss rate (2/2).
And having been winless in their first seven Premier League meetings with Southampton (D4 L3), Brighton have now won three of their last five against them (D2).
However, Southampton have lost just one of their last seven Premier League games played on a Friday (W4 D2), going down 1-0 at Aston Villa in September 2022. This follows a run of four straight defeats on Friday games, a run which culminated in a 9-0 home loss to Leicester City in October 2019.
The Saints have also scored in all 12 of their top-flight games against Brighton – it’s the most they’ve faced an opponent while scoring every time in the competition, while Brighton have only faced Man City (15) more without keeping a clean sheet.
But Southampton have struggled away from home. They have lost each of their last nine Premier League away games – only once have they lost 10 in a row on the road in the top-flight, doing so between December 1973 and April 1974. The last side to lose 10 in a row in the Premier League were Aston Villa (February 2016 to September 2019).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Brighton – 63.7%
Draw – 19.2%
Southampton – 17.1%
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