Brighton and Hove Albion boss Fabian Hurzeler believes his players need to rebuild their momentum following a two-week break after their 2-1 victory over Manchester City.

The Seagulls came back from a goal down in dramatic fashion to inflict City's fourth successive defeat in all competitions last time out.

Though the international break came at a bad time for his in-form team, Hurzeler refused to criticise the schedule ahead of their trip to the Vitality Stadium.

"You always have to work to get momentum. It's always a new game and no matter if there's a break between games or not, the game starts from zero," he told a pre-match press conference.

"You have to go into the game and do the things you can influence to the maximum.

"You can't say 'we won against Manchester City and now the momentum will keep going', it's about fighting for momentum.

"It's a new game, a different challenge and a really big challenge because Bournemouth are one of the strongest teams at the moment."

Bournemouth have also beaten City recently, with the Cherries also triumphing over Arsenal and Southampton in their last three home matches.

"They can play very intense, they run a lot, they have individual quality, they are in good shape. For me at the moment, they're one of the best teams in the league," Hurzeler said of the Cherries.

Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola, meanwhile, was keen to stress that his players need to keep their concentration against Brighton. The Cherries were beaten 3-2 away to Brentford last time out, despite having taken the lead twice.

“You never want to lose the last game before the break because at the end you remember the last feeling. We will remember this week, the actions here against Brentford," he said.

"We can prepare very well for the game against Brighton, that is going to be also very demanding.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Bournemouth – Evanilson

Evanilson has scored four goals for Bournemouth since joining the club in August. He is tied with Antoine Semenyo as the club's top scorer, although his goals have come in one fewer appearance.

The Brazilian forward has found the net in three successive matches and will become the first Bournemouth player since Callum Wilson in 2019 to score in four straight top-flight games should he do so on Saturday.

Brighton – Danny Welbeck

Danny Welbeck is Brighton's leading scorer so far this season, with six league goals – a total that includes three opening goals.

He has scored two away goals so far in the current campaign, coming on the opening day at Everton and the only goal of the game at Newcastle United last month.

MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW

Bournemouth come into this in 12th place in the Premier League on 15 points after 11 matches, having lost 3-2 to Brentford in their most recent game.

At home, though, they have taken 10 points from five matches (three wins, one draw, one loss) and come into this with three successive victories at the Vitality Stadium. They have never won four Premier League home games in a row.

Brighton have earned seven points from five away games (two wins, one draw and two losses) and, despite being six places above their hosts in the table, there are just four points between them.

While Bournemouth have won four of their five Premier League home games against Brighton, Fabian Hurzeler's side come into this in good form having won three of their last five (one draw, one loss) Premier League matches – as many victories as they managed across their previous 16 league games (six draws, seven defeats).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Bournemouth – 41.2%

Draw – 25.1%

Brighton – 33.7%

Kieran McKenna believes Ipswich Town's Premier League clash with Manchester United will be the "biggest game in world football" this weekend.

United are in action under new manager Ruben Amorim for the first time since the Portuguese officially replaced Arne Slot as head coach.

While plenty of focus is on the visitors at Portman Road, Ipswich are fired up after beating Tottenham 2-1 before the international break.

That was Ipswich's first league win of the season – and their first in the Premier League in 22 years – and now attention turns to facing United.

McKenna, who previously coached United, said at a fan event this week: "Sunday, what a game. It's one we're really, really looking forward to.

"Not for the personal connection, but as manager of Ipswich Town, to be on that stage, it's what we've worked so hard for.

"It's the biggest game in world football anywhere this weekend, the biggest game in the world in the biggest sport in the world and it's at Portman Road."

Ipswich's surprise win at Tottenham last time out moved them up to 17th, while United are 13th after beating Leicester City 3-0 in Ruud van Nistelrooy's final game in caretaker charge.

Amorim took his first training session on Monday, albeit with many first-team stars away on international duty, and the former Sporting CP boss believes his style of play will be clear to see from the off. 

"I think you will see an idea," he told the club's website. "You could like it or not, I don't know, but you will see an idea. 
 
"You will see a positioning. You will see something that we want to reach that kind of level. You will feel that. 
 
"We have to know it's [only] two trainings before the first match. This is the best league in the world. But if I have to say something to you, [it's that] you will see an idea. This I can guarantee."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Ipswich Town - Liam Delap

Delap scored what proved to be Ipswich's winner against Tottenham and has now netted six of his side's 12 Premier League goals this term.

That makes the Manchester City academy product one of only three players to have scored at least half of his side's goals in the competition this season, along with Erling Haaland at City (55%) and Chris Wood at Nottingham Forest (53%).

Manchester United - Alejandro Garnacho

Garnacho was among the scorers against Leicester two weeks ago and has now been directly involved in 20 Premier League goals for United (13 goals and seven assists).

The Argentina international is one of only two non-British players to reach that figure for United before turning 21, along with Cristiano Ronaldo (25 goals).

MATCH PREDICTION: MANCHESTER UNITED WIN

Ipswich are seeking back-to-back Premier League wins for the first time since February 2022, with that run also beginning with a 2-1 victory against Tottenham.

The Tractor Boys are the only side in the competition without a home win this season. Only five newly promoted clubs have failed to win any of their first six home matches, all of whom went back down.

United have won 17 of their past 19 Premier League games against newly promoted opponents, meanwhile, including nine wins in a row in away fixtures.

The Red Devils were 1-0 winners on their most recent league trip to Portman Road in April 2022, but only once have they won successive league games away to Ipswich.

However, the Tractor Boys have lost four of their past five league matches against Man United, failing to score in each of those losses.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Ipswich Town - 22.2%

Draw - 23%

Manchester United - 54.8%

Ruben Amorim must at least guide Manchester United back into the Europa League in his first season as the club's manager.

That is the view of ex-Manchester City defender Danny Mills, whose former side were beaten 4-1 by Amorim and Sporting CP in the Champions League earlier this month.

Amorim has been hired by Man Utd to replace Erik ten Hag after the Dutchman was sacked midway through his third season in charge at Old Trafford.

Having taken charge of his final games in Lisbon, a spell which included that famous continental win over Man City, Amorim started his work at United during the international break.

His first game at the helm comes this Sunday away at Ipswich Town and while Mills acknowledges the task of rebuilding United's team is a long-term project, he feels there is still a certain level of results Amorim needs to hit in the 2024-25 season.

"Amorim needs to figure out which players fit his mould and buy into his project," former England international Mills said to Stats Perform.

"That will take six months or so. Then he will need to move some players out and bring new ones in. 

"This season, though, they still need success. European football – Europa League – is probably mandatory. They must avoid the Conference League. 

"Without being disrespectful, third-tier European football isn’t good enough for Manchester United, so it has to be the Europa League or Champions League. 

"The Europa League is very achievable and not making it would be a huge disappointment. 

"There are still good players at the club and they have still got to aim for the Champions League, but [getting into the top four] will take good coaching, a big turnaround, and maybe a bit of luck."

Amorim is the seventh different manager to take charge of the club since Alex Ferguson's retirement in 2013. 

The 39-year-old won three Portuguese league titles with Benfica as a player while he left Sporting as head coach after guiding them to two league titles and two Taca da Liga trophies.

Sporting also started this season by winning all 11 league games under Amorim before his departure.

"The appointment of Ruben Amorim is a good one," added Mills. "You have to look at the people involved [in the appointment] as well.

"Dan Ashworth hasn’t made too many wrong decisions as a sporting or technical director. Throughout his career, at West Brom, England, Brighton, and Newcastle, his recruitment has been very good. 

"Jason Wilcox, who sits under him, did incredibly well at Manchester City. He identified many young players who, if they didn’t become stars at City, went on to become stars elsewhere.

"Recruitment will be handled well in terms of managers, coaches, and players, but that takes time and it’s going to take at least two or three transfer windows. 

"I like that Amorim came in and said, ‘Right, that’s it. A new start’. He has moved away from the Ferguson era that people keep harping on about.

"Ten-plus years ago, we knew how good Manchester United were, but football moves on. Liverpool went through a similar phase after their success in the 1980s."

Amorim takes over at United with the club 13th in the Premier League with 15 points from 11 matches and having collected just one win from four matches in the Europa League. 

Mills believes there is plenty for United fans to like about the new boss' approach on and off the pitch.

"Football has evolved faster in the last 10 years than ever before and Amorim deals with the press well," he said.

"When Sporting beat Manchester City, he admitted they played well but got a bit lucky. People appreciate that honesty. 

"Fans and pundits are more knowledgeable now than ever before, thanks to the amount of football they consume and the opinions they hear, especially on social media."

After facing Ipswich, Amorim's first two home games will see Man Utd take on Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League and Everton in the Premier League.

He will then take the Red Devils to the Emirates Stadium for a huge clash against Arsenal on 4 December.

United reached this season's Europa League by winning the FA Cup under Ten Hag and they have that potential path again this season, while they are also still in the EFL Cup, a competition in which they will play Tottenham in the quarter-finals.

Winning the Europa League itself, meanwhile, would mean qualification to the Champions League.

But while there are multiple routes open to Amorim in his bid to secure a continental spot, the Opta supercomputer does not like his chances of doing that through United's league placing.

After their poor start to the season, United have just a 13.2% chance of finishing in the top six, and a 33.1% shot at reaching the top eight.

As things stand, they are most likely to finish between ninth and 11th, meaning they are on track for their worst-ever Premier League finish unless Amorim can lead a rapid revival.

Arne Slot deserves praise for not being "arrogant" with his approach to succeeding Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool boss, according to Danny Mills.

The Dutchman has made a hugely positive start to life at Anfield since replacing long-serving Klopp ahead of the 2024-25 season.

The 28 points Slot has collected is the joint-most of any manager in their opening 11 Premier League games along with Guus Hiddink at Chelsea.

Liverpool's only blemish on an otherwise perfect start to the top-flight campaign was a 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest in September.

Indeed, only in 2019-20 (31 points) have Liverpool collected more points after 11 games of a Premier League season than their 28 this campaign.

Former Leeds United and Manchester City defender Mills has been particularly impressed by Slot's approach to a new era at Anfield.

"Arne Slot has surprised me," Mills told Stats Perform. "They did have a difficult defeat against Nottingham Forest at home. That was a defeat not many people saw that coming, but the start he's had is unbelievable. It's incredible.

"Training might be slightly different, but the style of play is very similar. The players are comfortable with it. They've been high-energy, closing people down, and playing at 100 miles an hour when they win the ball back.

"It shows managerial intelligence to understand the players' qualities and build on what they had when they were successful. He hasn't overthought it or tinkered too much. 

"He hasn’t been arrogant and said, 'I'm going to rip it up and start fresh'. It wasn't broken; it was already successful. He's just added to it."

Liverpool won a first ever Premier League title during Klopp's eight-and-a-half years in charge, as well the Champions League in 2018-19.

Klopp also lifted the FA Cup, two EFL Cups, the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup, setting a high benchmark to follow.

"Liverpool identified the man they wanted, brought him in, and he's been very clever," Mills added. "He looked at the squad and thought, 'these are good players. I don't need to change too much'. 

"That's smart because Liverpool were very successful under Klopp. If you come in and rip up the playbook and it doesn't work, players will question why they're not doing what worked under Klopp."

Liverpool have conceded just six goals in the Premier League this season – four fewer than next-best Nottingham Forest.

They are conceding at a rate of around 0.5 goals per game, compared to around 1.1 in Klopp's final season in charge (41 goals in 38 matches).

"Slot has tweaked things slightly, maybe made them more defensively solid, which they needed to really challenge," Mills said. "Championship-winning or Champions League-winning teams are built on solid defences. 

"You don't win without that. He's shored up the defence and allowed the players to continue doing what they were doing before."

Fulham boss Marco Silva is counting on Alex Iwobi to provide his best-ever Premier League season as the Nigerian looks to continue his strong start to 2024-25 versus Wolves.

Fulham signed off for the November international break with back-to-back wins over Brentford (2-1) and Crystal Palace (2-0) and currently sit seventh in the table.

They are among a host of teams within distance of the Champions League spots, with Iwobi's performances a major factor in their strong start.

He has two goals and two assists so far this term, and Silva believes he is in the form of his life.

"For me, last season was the best season from him in the Premier League, in my opinion, and I'm sure that he's going to be better this season," Silva told Fulham's website.

"It's the same thing that I've been saying to him.

"I know him very well, I brought him to Everton, and when we got the chance to have him with us here at Fulham, it was a moment for us to go to sign him.

"First, he is a really versatile player that can play in many, many positions, he can do many roles. I know where he's capable, where he feels that he can perform better.

"He likes to be around in the middle of the pitch. But now he's playing more on the right, where he's capable, like he showed against Crystal Palace."

Wolves, meanwhile, picked up their first victory of the season at the 11th attempt prior to the international break, beating Southampton 2-0 at Molineux.

That result steadied the ship after coach Gary O'Neil had seen his position come under threat, and captain Mario Lemina thinks it will also provide a much-needed confidence boost.

 "It was really hard. We just believed since day one," Lemina told the club's media channels.

"The whole city has been missing that sensation. To finish with this win, it's going to be good for our mental health. 

"To be honest, we were sad for the fans, sad for the club, but now we can build from that and try to get back. We're really in a positive mentality."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Fulham – Alex Iwobi

Only Dejan Kulusevski (25), Cole Palmer (25), and Bernardo Silva (23) have created more chances from open play in the Premier League this season than Iwobi (22).

His expected assists total from open play of 2.9 xA is the second-highest in the competition, behind James Maddison (3.2), and he has scored more than twice as many Premier League goals against Wolves (five) than he has versus any other opponent.

Wolves – Matheus Cunha

Since the start of last season, only three players have been involved in a higher proportion of their side's goals in the Premier League than Wolves' Cunha (39%; 17 goals, nine assists).

Furthermore, the Brazilian has netted in each of his last three away league games and has five goal involvements in his last five outings overall (three goals, two assists).

MATCH PREDICTION – FULHAM WIN

Fulham have won just one of their last eight Premier League games against Wolves (three draws, four losses), though it was in this exact fixture last season (3-2).

However, Silva's men enter this match in excellent form, and they could win three successive Premier League games for the first time since a run of four victories in January 2023, which is the only time they have accomplished the feat since returning to the top flight in 2022.

Wolves, meanwhile, have not won successive Premier League games since February last season and are winless in their last 11 away league matches, drawing four and losing seven while conceding 28 goals in that time.

They have also lost seven of their last 10 Premier League matches in London including both such games this season versus Arsenal and Brentford (three wins).

As well as Iwobi, Wolves will have to be particularly wary of their former striker Raul Jimenez. All six of his Premier League goal involvements this season (four goals, two assists) have put Fulham ahead, the best 100% rate managed in the competition so far this term.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Fulham – 54.8%

Wolves – 22.2%

Draw – 23%

Iliman Ndiaye feels privileged to be part of the final Everton squad to play at Goodison Park, as the Toffees prepare to resume their Premier League campaign at home to Brentford.

Everton will leave Goodison for their new 52,000-seater stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock at the end of the 2024-25 season.

A run of one defeat in seven matches (two wins, four draws) has boosted the Toffees' hopes of surviving the current campaign in the top flight, and Ndiaye – a pre-season arrival from Marseille – says being part of club history was a key attraction when he joined.

"Obviously, I wanted to be part of that history of playing in the last-ever season at Goodison Park," Ndiaye told the club's website.

"So many things have happened here, it's full of history and we are the last players to represent this club here, so it's important we give everything we have.

"Then, the new stadium that is coming, I think that excites everyone. It's seriously impressive. 

"The players who have been here for a long time and the players who have just arrived, I know we are all ready to give more than 100% to have the best season possible and go into the new stadium in a good place."

Brentford are six points clear of Everton in 11th, just three points adrift of Manchester City in third, though all their 16 points have been won on home turf.

Sepp van den Berg has played in nine of their 11 Premier League games this term after arriving from Liverpool, and the defender has heaped praise upon Thomas Frank for making him feel welcome.

"For me, Brentford was one of the first clubs interested and, as well as getting the chance to play in the Premier League and live in London, it was speaking with Thomas Frank," he said.

"The first meeting we had, he was asking me some straight questions: 'Why do you want to play for Brentford? Why do we need you at Brentford?' It was so direct, it was like a proper job interview!

"Of course, the football part has to be right as well – and it was. But Thomas just made me feel like I was really wanted here."

PLAYERS TO WATCH 

Everton – Jarrad Branthwaite 

Since the start of last season, Everton have a win percentage of 35% and have earned 1.3 points per game in the Premier League when Branthwaite starts, compared to a 17% win percentage and 0.8 points-per-game without him in their starting XI. 

Indeed, the Toffees have lost just one of the last eight league games in which he has started (five wins, two draws). The England international made his first start since August last time out in their goalless at West Ham, which was a massive boost for Dyche.

Brentford – Bryan Mbeumo 

Only Mohamed Salah (14), Erling Haaland (12), Cole Palmer (12) and Bukayo Saka (10) have been directly involved in more Premier League goals this season than Mbeumo (nine – eight goals, one assist).

He has, though, played more minutes without a goal involvement in the competition against Everton than any other side (528 – 13 shots, five chances created). He will be determined to set that record straight at Goodison Park.

MATCH PREDICTION – EVERTON WIN

This match should offer an interesting clash of styles. Only Crystal Palace (0.089) average a lower xG per shot figure than Everton (0.093) in the Premier League this season, while Brentford are the side with the highest xG per shot in 2024-25 (0.149).

The Bees have seen 44 goals scored across their 11 Premier League games so far this season (22 for, 22 against), the most of any side. 

Indeed, only Newcastle United in 1999-00 and Arsenal in 2011-12 have both scored and conceded 20+ goals in fewer games from the start of a campaign in the competition (10).

Brentford have, however, lost all five of their Premier League away games this season; only in 1924-25 and 1961-62 (both nine) have they ever lost each of their opening six or more away matches of a league campaign.

Everton have lost only two of their last 10 Premier League games at Goodison Park (six wins, two draws), while they also have three straight wins against Brentford in the competition, after failing to win any of their first three against them (one draw, two defeats).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY 

Everton – 40.5%

Brentford – 32.5%

Draw – 26.9%

Bruno Guimaraes says he is happy at Newcastle United, despite reported interest from Manchester City and Pep Guardiola.

The Magpies skipper has become a fan favourite at St James' Park since his move from Lyon in June 2022.

Guimaraes helped Newcastle qualify for the Champions League in his first full season at the club, and succeeded Kieran Trippier as team captain ahead of this term.

The all-action midfielder completed the most tackles for Newcastle in each of his first two full Premier League campaigns, while only compatriot Joelinton (28) betters his tally of 27 so far in 2024-25. 

Meanwhile, only Dan Burn (598) has made more passes for Eddie Howe's side than Guimaraes (541), who revealed he spoke with City boss Guardiola to share their mutual respect, but nothing further.

"I believe that at my club, I am an idol and I have a lot of respect," he told Brazilian newspaper Globo.

"I am the captain of Newcastle, and it is something that if you had asked me three years ago, my biggest dream would have been to play in the Premier League.

"Playing, being an idol, being captain is something wonderful. I really like Newcastle. Of course, having Manchester City's interest shows that I am at a high level, but it was nothing more than interest.

"I know that Guardiola likes my football, it is normal to have great coaches who admire your football. We have spoken once. I praised his work, he praised my work, but it was nothing more than that."

Chris Richards says Crystal Palace could compete with anyone when they are at the "top of their game" ahead of their trip to Aston Villa in the Premier League.

Palace have won just once in the league this season, a 1-0 home victory against Tottenham, and are yet to win on the road in the English top-flight, drawing two and losing three. However, they did beat the Villans 2-1 at Villa Park in the EFL Cup round of 16 at the end of October.

Richards acknowledged Palace's poor start to the campaign but remains confident in their ability to go toe-to-toe against anyone they face.

"[Oliver Glasner] told us from the jump that there was no reason we shouldn't be in a higher spot in the table, no reason why we should lose to any team," Richards told the club's in-house media.

"We could play a team winning the league – even when we played Manchester City, we were winning.

"City are City, and we lost the game, but it shows that while we were at the top of our game, we could play with any team in the league."

Meanwhile, after an impressive start to the season, Villa faltered slightly before the international break, going on a five-match winless run in all competitions, and losing the last three.

Morgan Rogers, who recently signed a new long-term extension with the club, has been a bright spark for Villa this term, netting three goals and registering two assists in the league, and he believes his form is helped by the faith shown in him by Unai Emery.

"I think any player would say that trust from a manager is the most important thing, and he gave me that from day one," he said.

"He threw me in the deep end when people were injured last season and gave me a chance to shine and develop and to become the person I am now.

"He's the perfect person for me. He demands and pushes me every day, and so do the players. I've got players around me that push me every day to improve and get better."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Aston Villa – Emiliano Martinez

Emiliano Martinez has the fourth-lowest save percentage in the Premier League this season (60.5%, minimum two games).

Only Alphonse Areola (-3.6) and Jose Sa (-2.9) have conceded more goals than expected according to Opta's expected goals on target (xGoT) model than the current Yashin Trophy holder (-2.2).

Crystal Palace – Jean-Philippe Mateta

Jean-Philippe Mateta has scored more Premier League goals (four) and recorded his joint-most assists (two) in the competition against Aston Villa than any other opponent.

The Frenchman was directly involved in four of the Eagles' five goals in their 5-0 win over the Villans on the final day of last season (three goals, one assist).  

MATCH PREDICTION: ASTON VILLA WIN

Villa have lost just one of their 12 Premier League home games against Palace (W7 D4), never conceding more than once in any of these 12 meetings (six goals conceded in total).

The away side has won just three of the 24 Premier League meetings between Villa and Palace (D6 L15), with the Eagles' only victory at Villa Park coming in December 2013 (1-0).

However, Villa have lost both of their last two Premier League games and could lose three in a row in the competition for just the second time under manager Unai Emery, also doing so in February 2023.  

Meanwhile, Palace have registered just seven points from their opening 11 league games this season (W1 D4 L6), only picking up fewer points at this stage of a Premier League campaign in 2013-14 (four) and 2017-18 (four).

A repeat of their last meeting would be a welcome sight for Oliver Glasner though. Following their 5-0 win against Villa on the final day of last season's Premier League, Palace are looking to win consecutive league meetings with the Villans for the first time since a run of three between 2005 and 2014.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Aston Villa – 57.2%

Draw – 22.3%

Crystal Palace – 20.5%

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%

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 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%

Former Manchester City defender Danny Mills believes Erling Haaland is an "enigma", which is why it is so hard to leave him out of the side.

Haaland has been a revelation since joining City in July 2023, and he has won the Premier League Golden Boot in both seasons so far, while also scooping up the Premier League Player of the Year award in his debut campaign.

He has scored 105 goals in 114 appearances in all competitions for City, netting 16 times this term already.

Haaland is averaging 1.09 goals per game in the Premier League this season, after making a record-breaking start to the campaign in which he scored 10 times in the opening six matches.

Mills, who played for City between 2004 and 2009, thinks the 24-year-old's high-scoring record comes down to the efficient way he approaches matches.

"Erling Haaland is a bit of an enigma," Mills told Stats Perform. "He's not your usual centre forward.

"We expect our centre forwards to either drop deep, be a bit of a playmaker and create chances, or put on a high press, work the channels, and have lots of touches, closing people down.

"Haaland stands in the middle of the pitch, makes the runs when he needs to, is very efficient, and puts the ball in the back of the net more often than not. He gets himself in good positions.

"We can talk about him missing big chances, but he's also scored an awful lot of goals. That's the thing — a centre forward will always say you're better off being in the position and missing the chance than not being in the position because the goals will come. Everybody misses chances."

Haaland also set the record for most Premier League goals in a single season in 2022-23, with 36, and he once again sits top of the goalscoring charts this term, though he has seen his goals dry up somewhat in recent weeks after his lightning-quick start.

The Norwegian netted his 12th Premier League goal of the campaign in City's 2-1 loss to Brighton before the international break, ending a run of three games in all competitions without a goal.

Nobody has had more shots than Haaland in the English top-flight this season (55), while only Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins (11) has missed more big chances than him (10).

Mills suggested that Haaland is held to a higher standard than other forwards in the competition, but says even when he is not scoring, he offers too much to be left out of the starting line-up.

"When we talk about patchy form for Erling Haaland, patchy form for him is still way better than most other players' form. It's better than 95% of Premier League strikers," Mills added.

"That's why he gets criticised for missing big chances, because we expect him to score every single time. But he's just different.

"I think it's very, very difficult to leave him out because he offers so much. He's so big, strong, powerful, and scores all types of weird and interesting goals at times.

"He occupies three or four defenders because they’re all worried about his pace in behind, his aerial ability, or what he's doing. Leaving him out would be a big, big call.

"It's not like he's going through a drought. An Erling Haaland drought is that he hasn't scored for two games. There are centre forwards all over the world who would love that to be their record, not their drought.

"So, I think we need to have some perspective. Yes, he might miss one or two chances, but he's a massive threat and a fantastic goalscorer."

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.

Danny Mills believes Manchester City will benefit from resolving Pep Guardiola's uncertain future at the club sooner rather than later.

Guardiola is in the final year of his contract with City and had dropped hints towards the end of last season that this could be his last on the blue side of Manchester.

However, recent reports suggest he could be signing a one-year extension to keep him at the Etihad for a 10th year.

The Spaniard joined the club in 2016 and has won 18 trophies with the club, including six Premier Leagues, winning the last four in a row, a Champions League, two FA Cups, four EFL Cups, a UEFA Super Cup, and a Club World Cup.

Mills, who played for City between 2006 and 2009, says it will be better for everyone at the club when a decision over his future has been made.

"It's very, very difficult to know what Pep is going to do. He's very much a man inside his own head," Mills told Stats Perform.

"I don't think he gives too much away about his thought process. We know he's incredibly intense. His dedication is unrivalled at times.

"He's constantly thinking about football, thinking about Manchester City. That's what he does, and he's incredibly good at it. Only he will know what the next stage of the process is."

"We saw before at Barcelona that he needed a break after three or four seasons because he was burned out. He needed a break after three seasons at Bayern. He's been at Manchester City longer than at any other club.

"He's been very, very successful in that time, remodelled the team several times, changed the style of play, dealt with players coming in and leaving, and handled all types of pressure. He's won everything there is to win in that time.

"I think he's earned the right to decide what he wants to do. If he stays, recruitment might look a little different compared to if he decides to leave. A new manager might want a slightly different style of player.

"Look at what Liverpool did with Arne Slot. The players Klopp wanted will be similar, but a new manager always wants to put their own slant on things.

"The conversations now about recruitment for January or next summer will be slightly different if Pep is involved compared to if a new manager is coming in. Some players might look at Pep and think, 'I want to play under him because we know each other, and he knows how I play'.

"A new manager with a different style might not give those players the same security. So, they'll start wondering, 'If Pep goes, where does my future lie at the club?' It just creates a bit of uncertainty. The sooner that's resolved, the better for Manchester City."

Guardiola has won 353 of his 490 games in charge of City in all competitions (D70 L63), boasting a 72.04% win rate. In that time, they have scored 1,200 goals.

The 53-year-old has seen a number of records broken while at the helm, including the record points total in a Premier League season when they won the title with 100 points in 2017-18.

Having overseen so much success in his first eight seasons, Mills admitted it would be hard to find someone to fill the gap he will leave behind.

"I think it's really difficult to find someone to replace Pep. It's a bit like replacing Alex Ferguson. It's very, very difficult," he added. "Or replacing Arsene Wenger.

"Okay, Wenger maybe stayed a little too long, but when he was in his prime period, there wasn't anyone who could replace him.

"Pep reinvented football in the Premier League, changed the way Manchester City play, and influenced how a lot of teams play."

"Who do you bring in to take that to the next level? There will be young coaches who get an opportunity. Obviously, Arteta is a big rival at the moment, but he knows the football club, so his name will be in the conversation.

"Someone like Ruben Amorim might have been mentioned, but he's now crossed to the red side of Manchester, so that rules him out.

"Manchester City used to have the people in place to ensure the succession plan was lined up. Some of those people are now moving on, which creates some uncertainty. City's planning has always been exceptional from top to bottom, from the sporting director to academy coaches, but that's been disrupted recently.

"You also throw in the 115 charges against the club. Who knows what's going to happen with that? I think a lot of the charges are spurious. Look at Forest and Everton – they got penalised for two charges, and City have 115. Some will be trivial, like not dating a piece of paper properly or signing in the wrong place.

"Still, we have to wait for the outcome of that. It doesn't affect the players now, but it could impact the team and the club going forward."

Even if Guardiola stays, there will come a time when he no longer sits in the City dugout, but Mills believes he will have a lasting legacy due to his influence over the English top-flight.

"I think Pep's legacy is incredible. What's he won at the moment? Four Premier Leagues in a row, six out of seven, which is phenomenal. Pep has only ever finished outside the top two once," Mills said.

"I think that was his first season at Manchester City. He's only finished outside the top two once in his entire career. That's unbelievable. It's a ridiculous record. He's always finished first or second, and that's part of his legacy.

"The way he changed the style of play is another key part. A lot of people doubted whether it was possible to play that way in the Premier League, playing out from the back.

"Look at what the goalkeeper position has become. Look at teams taking goal kicks and playing one-twos in their own six-yard box. That's all down to Pep. That's another part of his legacy.

"So, I think there are two parts to it. His winning legacy is phenomenal, and his success rate is unrivalled at the moment. He has to be up there with the best of all time. But also, the style of play and the way he moulded what many thought was impossible and now everybody has copied it.

"One of the biggest forms of admiration is imitation, and everybody has tried to copy Manchester City. They haven't quite managed it, certainly, not in terms of quality, but in an ideal world, everyone would want to play winning football in that style."

Manchester City still have a stronger squad than Premier League title rivals Liverpool even with their numerous injury lay-offs, according to Danny Mills.

Reigning champions City have lost their past four games in all competitions – the first time that has happened in Guardiola's illustrious managerial career – and trail league leaders Liverpool by five points.

Recently crowned Ballon d'Or winner Rodri heads City's list of absentees, which also includes Oscar Bobb, Ruben Dias, John Stones, Manuel Akanji, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Jeremy Doku and Nathan Ake.

While former City full-back Mills believes Pep Guardiola still has the best selection of players to choose from in the division, he has questioned whether the club could be doing more to prevent the injuries.

"I think you can look at the injuries and say City still have the strongest squad in the world, without a shadow of a doubt," Mills told Stats Perform. "There are two internationals for every single position on the pitch. 

"There's a part of me that then thinks, if you have that many injuries, you have to look at why you've got that many injuries. Are they all freak accidents?

"Are they all impact injuries where you had no choice in the matter? Are they muscle injuries where maybe you have to look at training? So there are lots of factors to look at.

"Is training too difficult? Are the players playing too many games? Is there not enough rotation within the squad? What does recovery look like? 

"You can't just say, 'Oh, we're unlucky, we've got injuries'. Generally, there are reasons why you get injured. You always get two or three freak injuries that there's absolutely nothing you can do about. But you also have to look within and manage those situations."

City have successfully navigated games without the likes of Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne in the past, both of whom are now back fit, but coping without holding midfielder Rodri is proving a more difficult task.

Guardiola's side have won 28 of their 36 games with Rodri in the side since the start of last season, losing none of those, while they have lost five of their 13 matches without the Spain international.

That win percentage drop-off from 77.8% with Rodri in the team to 53.8% without him also paints a clear picture, but Mills insists City can find a solution as they often have in the past.

"Every team has injuries, every single club that's ever won anything," he said. "Manchester City have done this before. They won the league without Sergio Aguero, playing a false nine at times. 

"They went through spells without Vincent Kompany, without a centre-half. They found a way, and that's what the very, very best teams do. They find a way when maybe they haven't got their preferred 11.

"It's never easy to lose one of your main players, even if you have pretty adequate replacements. Rodri makes Manchester City tick. We've seen it before with Fernandinho in that role. He was absolutely superb. 

"But you have to find a way around that. You still have Kevin De Bruyne. You still have Mateo Kovacic in there. You've still got Phil Foden that can drop into those spaces, Bernardo Silva. We've seen Ilkay Gundogan has been in there as well." 

Losing four games in a row is also a rarity for City, having last done so in August 2006 when Stuart Pearce was manager of the club.

The most recent of those defeats, a 2-1 reverse at Brighton and Hove Albion, saw the Citizens lose a league game they led at half-time for the first time since May 2021 – also away at Brighton.

Liverpool have taken full advantage of City's blip as they have collected 28 points from the first 33 on offer – only in 2019-20 (31) have they accrued more at this stage. 

However, Mills insists Guardiola's side are still more than capable of overhauling Liverpool, who they face at Anfield on 1 December.

"I don't think the title race is over by any stretch of the imagination. I know Liverpool are top at the moment, but City have been there, seen it, done it several times, with a manager who's done it as well. 

"I know the Liverpool players have done it, but the manager hasn't been in this situation. Liverpool will go through a tricky spell. How they deal with that is yet unknown."

Mills also pointed to the uncertainty surrounding the future of Guardiola as another reason behind City's drop-off.

"Pep's future is uncertain, and I don't think that helps," Mills said. "We saw it with Alex Ferguson [at Manchester United] the first time around, when he said he was going to retire at the end of the season, and United dropped off. 

"We saw it last season with Jurgen Klopp. Liverpool were top by about five points clear. I know City had a game in hand at that stage, but they ended up nine points behind Manchester City. It clearly has an effect.

"There will be the argument that Alex Ferguson won the title in his last season, but maybe after such a long time, that was just one last hurrah, and maybe that was more about the players."