Image source, Getty ImagesManchester City striker Erling Haaland has been named Premier League player of the month.
The Norway international registered two hat-tricks, against West Ham and Ipswich, in the opening three games as he netted seven times.
He is the top scorer in the league, five clear of Liverpool's Mohamed Salah in second.
On the latest episode of The Devils' Advocate podcast, BBC Radio Manchester's Gaz Drinkwater discussed Manchester United's next match against Southampton on Saturday:
"Southampton play this stupid style of football which worked in the Championship. They try and be really positive on the ball with the defence and it isn't going to work in the Premier League.
"This is where we see a good example of the things that we have improved on, like pressing from the front. We are playing a team whose players are substantially weaker than ours, so we should be getting at them.
"If we don't win, Erik ten Hag is in big trouble."
Joe McGrath added: "I think we will do well, but I struggle to say where the goals come from. I think we'll have a really controlled game and win 2-0."
Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds
Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesEmployee praises bosses is not exactly unusual but when the employee is Pep Guardiola and the bosses are the people who run Manchester City, it is still significant.
Guardiola doesn't talk often about the 115 Premier League charges City are defending themselves against but when he does, he is totally supportive of the club.
It will be fascinating to see if and how he chooses to address the issue in his press conference later as I suspect he will be asked.
It is not the only topic for Guardiola to talk about though.
There is also Phil Foden's fitness as the England playmaker missed City's last two games. What will Pep have to say on Nathan Ake - who was stretchered out of the Netherlands' midweek encounter with Germany? And there's likely to be chat on confirmation Guardiola's side must play two games in three days after their EFL Cup tie with Watford was arranged for 24 September.
Dan Roan
Sports editor
Image source, Getty ImagesFinally, after years of build-up, perhaps English football's biggest and most controversial contest is set to begin.
On one side, the Premier League. On the other, its defending champions and dominant force Manchester City.
City face 115 charges for allegedly breaking the financial rules of the competition they have won for a record-breaking four consecutive seasons.
Those charges will be heard at an independent hearing, which is set to start on Monday at an unknown location, subject to any late legal delays. Billed as sport's 'trial of the century', it is expected to run for 10 weeks, with a verdict expected in early 2025.
It marks a defining stage in a legal dispute the like of which the game has never seen and which could bring seismic consequences for both sides.
This, after all, involves one of the world's most successful clubs being accused of serial cheating by the very league it has dominated for years. A club at the centre of a global network of 13 teams across five continents, owned by a billionaire member of Abu Dhabi's ruling family, whose sovereign wealth has transformed the landscape of the sport.
The case involves an unprecedented catalogue of 115 allegations spread over 14 seasons, including multiple charges of subverting the regulations by failing to provide accurate financial information.
City have always strongly denied the charges, and while the speculation is intensifying, no-one knows what the outcome - expected early next year - will be.
If found guilty of the most serious charges, City would risk being forever associated with one of the biggest financial scandals in sport. City could, in theory, face a points deduction serious enough to condemn them to relegation - or even expulsion - from the Premier League.
Such a fate would cast a long shadow over City's achievements, plunge the future of the manager and squad into uncertainty, and possibly spark claims for compensation from other clubs. It has been suggested that such a stain on the reputation of City and the club's owners could even affect Britain's relationship with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a key Gulf ally and trading partner - whose president is the brother of the club’s majority owner Sheikh Mansour.
Equally, if City are cleared following a legal battle that is already thought to have cost both sides tens of millions of pounds, major questions will be asked of the Premier League.
But whatever verdict is reached after a hearing set to last several weeks, the impact could be profound, dictating the story of this season.
Read Dan Roan's full explainer of the Premier League's case against Manchester City
Anyone for some Norwegian salmon, or raw milk?
Manchester City defender Kyle Walker says the food at the club has "gone up a notch" since Erling Haaland's arrival and the players are very grateful for it.
Listen to the latest 'You'll Never Beat Kyle Walker' podcast, available now on BBC Sounds
Who has made the most Premier League appearances for Manchester United?
Answer will be revealed at 17:00 BST
Manchester United have been handed a boost in their pursuit of Paris St-Germain winger Xavi Simons with the 21-year-old Dutch international - currently on loan at RB Leipzig - unable to see a future with the Ligue 1 club. (Teamtalk, external)
Manchester United and Arsenal have been put off signing France midfielder Adrien Rabiot, 29, who is a free agent, because of his wage demands of £220,000 a week. (GiveMeSport, external)
Manchester United shortlisted Lille's Canadian forward Jonathan David, 24, and Al-Ahli and England striker Ivan Toney, 28, as alternatives to Joshua Zirkzee if they were unable to sign the 23-year-old Dutchman from Bologna. (ESPN, external)
Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column
Liverpool have stepped up their interest in Bayern Munich attacking midfielder Jamal Musiala, 21, with Manchester City, Real Madrid and Paris St-Germain all monitoring the Germany international. (Caughtoffside, external)
Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column
Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesManchester United have lost two of their opening three Premier League games
Erik ten Hag offered up some reasons why Manchester United had struggled so far this season, then said he wasn't making excuses.
It rather begs the question of why he mentioned them? Or, in the context of talking about negative results, are excuses different to reasons?
They were all legitimate; transitional period, integrating young players, dealing with injuries. Yet are they not the same for every club?
Ten Hag said his aim during the summer was to get enough cover in each position to deal with a season he feels will turn into a 'survival of the fittest'.
There are legitimate issues - how fit is Manuel Ugarte for instance? Since his £50.2m signing from PSG he hasn't played a game or trained with his new club prior to the international break and only returned on Thursday afternoon.
But the time is soon drawing near when Ten Hag has to deliver - consistently. And no explanations or excuses will cover that.
Marissa Thomas
BBC Sport journalist
Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League trip to Southampton (kick-off 12:30 BST).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Injured duo Rasmus Hojlund and Luke Shaw are "progressing very well" but will not be ready for this match.
New signing Manuel Ugarte is available and could make his debut: "He played for Uruguay, he returned this afternoon. He was the only player who returned today, all the others returned yesterday so he is available for this game."
On Cristiano Ronaldo's criticisms of him and the club as a whole: "He is far away in Saudi, far away from Manchester. Everyone can have and is entitled to have an opinion, it is OK."
The manager was bullish when asked if his side had to win against Southampton: "We have to win all the games and that will always be the approach, it doesn't change for any game."
On how he copes with the external noise surrounding the club: "It doesn’t impact me, I know in the process where we are. We are still in a transition process, we have to integrate a lot of young players. We still have to deal with injuries and have to bring players back into the team."
He added: "Before anyone thinks about excuses, no, we have to win every game. I know that. The team knows this and it doesn't matter who is available we will focus on every game and in every game have the mindset that we have to win."
Follow all of Thursday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news
Image source, Getty ImagesWe asked for your views on what is going under the radar at Manchester City.
After winning a record-breaking fourth consecutive Premier League title last season, City have started the season as they would have hoped to have done - winning all three Premier League games. Our query each week is simple - what is one thing nobody is talking about but should be?
Here are some of your comments:
Timothy: It's a case of so far, so good. Top of the table and a great team spirit bodes well for the rest of the season. All this with Rodri not making the team sheet. Looks ominous when he's on the pitch dominating. Haaland has been majestic and clinical with his two hat-tricks. Also return of Jack Grealish along side KDB. Yes, another Premier League.
Rhiannon: Two things no one is talking about. Savinho coming and being tasked with replacing Mahrez has done his job, he arguably won us the first home game of the season challenging the goalkeeper and forcing the mistakes which led to goals - the perfect Mahrez replacement. Haaland's form already has been unstoppable. Guardiola again has carved Haaland into another being.
Abdullah: The one thing that has gone under the radar is Mateo Kovacic. He is unreal. As much as I love Gundogan and want him in the team, I didn't really think we needed him that much because of Kovacic. He is so versatile and smart. The backup for Rodri is already with us. The box-to-box midfielder that you could argue we need is already here. One to watch.
Liam: Rico Lewis. He's been absolutely exceptional so far and Kyle Walker might struggle to get his place back. The improvement in Kovacic has been important too.
Fraser: We concede too many deflected goals or own goals. All three of our Premier League losses last season had either a deflected goal or an own goal and the two goals we've conceded this season have been easily avoidable. Pep needs to sort out our closing down on the opposition or it will start to become a serious worry.
Anton: I'm surprised no one, including commentators, pick up on how poor a goalkeeper Ederson is. So many first shots on goal by the opposition get scored. Ipswich did it. United did it in the Community Shield but it was disallowed for offside. He's a really poor shot stopper.
