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• Guardiola suffering without De Bruyne ahead of Bournemouth visit

  Pep Guardiola conceded Kevin De Bruyne will not feature before the November international break as Manchester City prepare to visit Bournemouth on Saturday.

  De Bruyne has not played since mid-September when he was removed against Inter in the Champions League, with a thigh issue his latest injury setback.

  The Belgium captain also spent a four-month spell on the sidelines last campaign, and Guardiola revealed bad news on De Bruyne's recovery before Wednesday's disappointing 2-1 defeat to Tottenham in the EFL Cup fourth round.

  "I would like to tell you [when he can return], I especially would like to know, but I don't know," said Guardiola.

  "He feels better to train, but to go to the level we need for competition he still has pain. Kevin has to feel good to express the huge talent that he has.

  "If he doesn't come back as quickly as possible, we will struggle because we cannot sustain it with 14 or 15 players, but it is what it is.

  "We need players to come back but it is what it is. Hopefully that can happen after the international break."

  City sit a point clear of Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table after their narrow 1-0 win over Southampton, while Bournemouth are 11th after their last-gasp leveller for a 1-1 draw with Aston Villa.

  Cherries head coach Andoni Iraola will be expecting a tough test at the Vitality Stadium, though suggested no one can match Villa's left-hand side – not even City.

  "I made one sub in the first half for the first time in my career but I have to assume the responsibility because I put Julian [Araujo] in the most difficult game for a right-back that you can find in the Premier League," Iraola said.

  "Everyone knows what they’re going to do, but it’s very difficult to defend. The timing and the way they turn the players in the middle, we need to be better in the decision making [going forward]."

  PLAYERS TO WATCH

  Bournemouth – Antoine Semenyo

  Antoine Semenyo has been involved in more Premier League shots following a ball carry than any other player this term (20 – 12 shots, eight chances created).

  The Bournemouth midfielder also has three goals and an assist to his name this season in the competition, a tally he will hope to add to on Saturday.

  Manchester City – Phil Foden

  Talisman Erling Haaland only has one goal in four league matches against Bournemouth, so Phil Foden may be expected to step up here.

  Foden has scored in each of his last five appearances against Bournemouth in all competitions (five goals), also providing three assists in these games.

  MATCH PREDICTION – MANCHESTER CITY WIN

  Guardiola's side are the heavy favourites for this clash, considering they have won all 14 of their Premier League games against Bournemouth.

  City have outscored the Cherries 45-7 across their winning run, which is the best 100% record any team has against another in English top-flight history.

  Overall, Bournemouth have won none of their 20 league games against Man City (D2 L18), too – it is the most one side has faced another without ever winning in English Football League history.

  The Cherries have also lost all 11 of their Premier League games against sides starting the day top of the table, the worst 100% such loss rate in the competition’s history.

  Given City are unbeaten in 28 Premier League games in 2024 as well, a feat bettered by only two sides in England's top-flight history, it is hard to imagine anything other than an away win here.

  OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

  Bournemouth win – 19.8%
  Draw – 22.2%
  Manchester City win – 57.9%

• Arteta ignores Mourinho comparison ahead of Newcastle test

  Mikel Arteta wants to keep Arsenal in the hunt for the Premier League title when they visit Newcastle United on Saturday, opting to ignore comparisons with Jose Mourinho.

  Former Liverpool and England defender Jamie Carragher likened Arsenal's manager to Mourinho, suggesting the Gunners "don't play great football".

  That verdict came after Sunday's 2-2 draw with Liverpool before Arsenal eased to a 3-0 win against Preston North End in the EFL Cup fourth round on Wednesday.

  Arteta refused to be drawn on the comparison, however, insisting his focus was solely on repaying the faith of Arsenal's board and supporters with victory away to Newcastle.

  "I don’t talk about myself. I leave him to give his opinion," Arteta started, referring to Carragher's punditry comments.

  "Nobody is un-sackable. When this happens you have earned something and you have it in the bank somehow, but we are here to win football matches – never forget that."

  Pressed on his five-year tenure at Arsenal, Arteta reiterated the same message, adding: "Very unusual. Unfortunately, it is very unusual.

  "I will carry on with my job in the best possible way and football matches are the most important thing and you have to win many of them to keep your job."

  Hosts Newcastle are winless in five league outings, slipping down to 12th in the table, and boss Eddie Howe warned no player is guaranteed selection before Wednesday's 2-0 against Chelsea in the same cup competition.

  "No one is undroppable," he said, referring to Bruno Guimaraes.

  "I think you make a valid point on Bruno’s minutes, his travelling, he’s done a lot, he’s always been there for us so we need to make sure we manage him well and manage the other players who have had a lot of minutes well."

  PLAYERS TO WATCH

  Newcastle United – Alexander Isak

  Alexander Isak averages a goal every 133 minutes in the Premier League for Newcastle – only Andrew Cole (one every 121 minutes) has a better average for the Magpies in the competition.

  The Sweden striker has also scored 11 goals in his last 11 league appearances at St James’ Park, where he will hope to continue that run of form on Saturday.

  Arsenal – Bukayo Saka

  Bukayo Saka has created more chances than any other Premier League player this season (27), while he has either scored or assisted in 10 of his last 12 league games – including seven of eight matches this campaign.

  His three goals and seven assists in 2024-25 also make him one of just four players to achieve double figures for goal involvements in the Premier League.

  MATCH PREDICTION – ARSENAL WIN

  Arsenal may be winless in their last two league games but they will be the favourites against Howe's struggling side.

  Newcastle have not tasted victory in their last five league outings, their longest winless streak since a six-match run across August and September 2022.

  Arsenal may have been beaten in their last trip to Bournemouth, too, but they have not suffered back-to-back away defeats in the league since May 2022.

  The second of those defeats did come at Newcastle, however, where the Magpies have won two of their last three home Premier League games against Arsenal.

  That is as many wins as Newcastle managed across 19 previous home league fixtures with Arsenal, who lost this exact fixture 1-0 last season thanks to Anthony Gordon's controversial winner.

  Fortunately for Arteta, Arsenal have not suffered defeat in consecutive away league games against Newcastle since their first three such visits in the Premier League between 1994 and 1996.

  OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

  Newcastle United win – 27.1%
  Draw – 25.1%
  Arsenal win – 47.8%

• Tottenham 2-1 Manchester City: Werner ends drought as Guardiola's side eliminated

  Timo Werner scored his first goal in seven months to help Tottenham eliminate Manchester City from the EFL Cup with a 2-1 victory in Wednesday's last-16 tie.

  Both teams were left to count the cost of muscle injuries come full-time of an entertaining game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, as Micky van de Ven hobbled off in tears and Savinho was also distressed as he went off on a stretcher.

  Werner also sustained a knock that forced him off, but that was long after emphatically curling away from Stefan Ortega inside five minutes after being teed up by Dejan Kulusevski down the Spurs right.

  Pape Matar Sarr tucked in a first-time finish of his own from outside the box to double the hosts' advantage 25 minutes later - an effort Ortega perhaps could have done better to keep out - but City finally woke up before half-time.

  Savinho picked out Matheus Nunes to side-volley in at the back post and that set the tone for a gripping second period - one in which Erling Haaland watched from the substitutes' bench despite his side chasing a goal.

  Ortega made three saves to keep City in the tie, with Richarlison failing to convert from a glorious position, and those misses so nearly proved costly in the closing stages.

  Yves Bissouma brilliantly denied Nico O'Reilly on the line with quick reflexes, however, to ensure Ange Postecoglou remains on course for silverware in his second season at Spurs, while inflicting a first loss of the campaign on eight-time EFL Cup winners City.

  Data Debrief: City can't handle Kulu

  Tottenham had suffered elimination from their previous three EFL Cup ties against fellow Premier League opposition - against Chelsea, Nottingham Forest and Fulham in the past three seasons - but they showed great resolve to overcome City.

  Werner and Sarr scored the goals that sent Spurs through, both of those assisted by Kulusevski in a different manner. The Sweden international created four chances in total, which was double the number of any other home player.

  Man City may have scored for the first time in four away games in the EFL Cup, but this marks their third successive away loss in the competition for the first time since August 1997.