BBC Radio 5 Live

We've got a real treat coming your way now on BBC Radio 5 Live as Nicky Campbell will host football journalist Guillem Balague as they talk about what's going on at Man City and a sports psychologist will also be on the show.

Click the 'watch live' tab at the top of this page to listen in!

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter

Wolves are in talks with Al-Shabab manager Vitor Pereira to replace head coach Gary O'Neil, who was sacked by the club on Sunday.

O'Neil was dismissed on Sunday morning following Saturday's 2-1 defeat at home to Ipswich which left them second bottom, four points from safety.

The Premier League strugglers are looking for a swift appointment and the money they would have to pay as compensation to secure former Porto and Olympiakos boss Pereira, around £800,000, is not believed to be an issue.

Wolves have been assessing their options and have sounded other possible replacements, including ex-West Ham and Manchester United boss David Moyes.

But club sources have told BBC Sport that Pereira is the frontrunner for the job.

Image source, Getty Images

Marcus Rashford has shown in the past how productive he can be when performing at his best.

In the 2022-23 season, the England forward scored 34 goals in 63 appearances for club and country, including three goals in five matches at the 2022 World Cup.

Rashford hit a rich vein of form on his return from Qatar, scoring in seven consecutive matches, and ended the Premier League campaign with 17 goals and five assists in 35 appearances.

Those stats dipped dramatically to seven goals in 33 league games last season.

Rashford scored the first league goal of Ruben Amorim's reign at Old Trafford, in a 1-1 draw at Ipswich, as well as two in a 4-0 win at home to Everton.

But the Portuguese boss hinted at concerns over his performance levels in training, general attitude and diet when asked about his decision to drop Rashford for the Manchester derby.

Simon Stone
BBC Sport's chief football news reporter at the Etihad Stadium

With a midweek EFL Cup trip to Tottenham, the usual Christmas rush of fixtures and a January that includes two Europa League games and a midweek Premier League game - and maybe a two-legged League Cup semi-final as well - Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho's Manchester United exile is unlikely to last too long.

However, United head coach Ruben Amorim has made his point - and come up with the biggest win of his short reign in charge.

He has clearly set a standard he wants to see matched by his players and feels Rashford and Garnacho are falling short.

By his words alone, the pair have a chance to redeem themselves. But, after years of players seemingly becoming untouchable as a succession of managers come and go, Amorim has quickly made his presence felt.

The answer lies with Rashford and Garnacho. If they don't respond positively, don't expect them to be hanging around too long.

Southampton

Here is what BBC pundit Danny Murphy had to say about Southampton sacking Russell Martin on Match of the Day 2.

"They have imploded a lot. Football is ruthless and when you are at the bottom and the hierarchy and supporters want to stay up, you are going to get moved on," Murphy said.

"Someone else is going to come in and have a hell of a job but I think it's too late.

"You have to be more flexible than he [Martin] was. Ultimately, in the Premier League if your recruitment isn't very good and you don't have a lot of Premier League experience, you are going to struggle and that is what happened."

Southampton

It's not looking good for Southampton...

The Saints have picked up just five points from their first 16 Premier League matches this season (W1 D2 L13), with Sheffield United in 2020-21 the only team to have picked up fewer points at this stage of the campaign in Premier League history (two points).

Manchester United

Image source, Getty Images

On Marcus Rashford, in particular, Ruben Amorim said that it was time to try "something different" in a bid to draw the level of performances out of a player he clearly believes is capable of much more.

"It was not a disciplinary thing, small details," he said of the England forward, who has scored seven goals in 24 appearances for Manchester United in all competitions.

"It is the performance in training, in things. Jonny Evans did everything right and he is at home, if it is disciplinary I would say it here.

"It is just I want to improve my players. For so long we try a thing with Rash, it doesn’t work, let’s continue or [try] something different?

"If they train well with the talent we have, we will be so much better with both of them [Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho]. New week, new life."

Manchester United

Image source, Getty Images

Amad Diallo's decisive impact on the Manchester derby could not have worked out better for United manager Ruben Amorim after he made the bold call to drop both Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho.

Amorim was at pains to stress - before and after the match - that his decision was NOT over a disciplinary issue, but a judgement call based on what he had seen in and around the training ground in the build-up to the game.

He was also clear what Rashford and Garnacho must work on to earn their way back into first-team reckoning.

"It is important to say why, it was not a disciplinary thing," he said. "Next game, new life, but the performance in training, the way you eat, the way you push your team-mates - everything is important in the beginning of something.

"When people in your club are losing their jobs, we have to put the standards really high. They have to fight for their place in the team and today we prove we can leave anyone out and win."

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football

After an eventful weekend of football, send BBC chief football writer Phil McNulty your questions and he will answer them throughout the day.

To send your questions in to Phil, use all of the usual channels.

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca on if his side are in a Premier League title race: "No matter how many games we win, there are things we are not ready to compete for, such as the Premier League title.

"The goal we conceded doesn't happen to a team with experience."

Steve Sutcliffe
BBC Sport

Chelsea moved within touching distance of Premier League leaders Liverpool with a narrow victory over Brentford at Stamford Bridge.

Enzo Maresca's side now sit second in the table two points behind the Reds, who have the advantage of having played a game less.

However, Chelsea's seventh consecutive win in all competitions will only serve to underline their status as genuine title contenders.

Marc Cucurella's first-half header set them on their way against Brentford, with the left-back stealing in to nod in from Noni Madueke's curling delivery from the right wing.

However, the Spaniard was later shown a second yellow card after the final whistle after appearing to shove Kevin Schade, to sour an evening when he ought to have just been celebrating his first goal since May 2022.

Chelsea's second came in the closing stages when centre forward Nicolas Jackson sprinted on to Enzo Fernandez's pass to dispatch a low shot past Bees goalkeeper Mark Flekken into the right corner.

Image source, Getty Images

Southampton

Whoever takes over the reins at Southampton has an almighty task in securing their Premier League status for next season.

The Saints are rock bottom of the table with just five points from 16 games and are already nine points from safety.

A reminder that Derby currently hold the record for lowest Premier League points at the end of the season with 11...

Danny Murphy
Former England midfielder on Match of the Day 2

Amad Diallo was outstanding. Talk about someone trying to impress a new manager.

He is competing against some really good players and now he has said to the manager 'you can't leave me out'.

He turned that game on its head.

Amad Diallo, 22, struggled for consistent minutes under Erik ten Hag, but is now shining under Ruben Amorim.

Has he got what to takes to be one of Manchester United's top wingers?

Amad Diallo had more touches in the opposition box (10) than any other player in Sunday's Manchester derby. He was also ranked top for shots on target (2), successful dribbles (5) and sprints (26) and joint-top for number of shots (10).