Southampton

Simon Rusk wants relegated Southampton to begin building momentum for next season’s promotion push when his second spell as interim manager begins against Aston Villa.

Assisted by veteran midfielder Adam Lallana, Rusk will oversee Saints’ final seven Premier League games of a dismal campaign which has so far brought just two wins and 10 points from 31 fixtures.

Former manager Ivan Juric left St Mary’s on Monday in the wake of relegation being confirmed by a 3-1 loss at Tottenham, having only replaced the sacked Russell Martin in December.

Rusk, who previously oversaw Southampton’s goalless draw at Fulham between the tenures of Martin and Juric, wants to bring back some positivity moving towards the club’s return to the Championship.

“It comes down to approaching the next seven games as professionals as if it were the first seven games of the season,” he said. “That’s certainly how I’ll be approaching this.

"It has to be: we’re building momentum into next season. That’s important."

Everton

Everton face a Nottingham Forest outfit who, after finishing 17th last season, are currently third.

Toffees manager Moyes feels their boss Nuno Espirito Santo has done an “incredible” job, and added: “We did it at West Ham – we were fighting relegation and we went on to be in Europe.

"We didn’t qualify for the Champions League, which it looks like Forest have got a great chance of doing. So great credit to them.

“They’ve done an awful lot of good things, good recruitment, good signings, and sort of brought their club back to life.

"I think it gives everybody hope that in the Premier League there is a little bit of a chance.”

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

After 12 substitute appearances, Manchester City midfielder James McAtee finally gets his chance to start a Premier League game for the Blues today.

Pep Guardiola has admitted he might have made a mistake not calling on McAtee and Nico O'Reilly more often during that woeful mid-season run that cost them any chance of defending their Premier League title.

O'Reilly has excelled at left-back in recent weeks. I wonder, with Phil Foden ruled out through injury, whether that has persuaded Guardiola to place his trust in McAtee as well.

Image source, Rex Features

Kevin de Bruyne's first ever appearance for Manchester City came against Crystal Palace as a 25th-minute substitute in September 2015.

He has since been involved in 12 goals against the Eagles, only having a hand in more against Southampton in the competition (14).

Nedum Onuoha
Former Manchester City defender

Image source, Getty Images

When Kevin de Bruyne arrived at Manchester City, criticism was levelled at the club and recruitment for bringing in someone who was essentially a Premier League flop.

To become a player who has now gone down as one of the most iconic midfielders in Premier League history, and who will be in many all time league XIs, has been absolutely astonishing. For me as a fan of the football club, to see some of the things he's done while wearing the City shirt has been an absolute joy.

My academy connections will always drag me towards academy players being some of my favourites, but De Bruyne has been one of my favourite City players in my lifetime for the way he plays and the fact he's just so good.

There's some stuff he does only he could do. When you think about how good players have to be to play at the highest level, here's somebody that is at a level above that.

Some of his passes, his movement, his goals and his leadership have been astonishing and he seems to have enjoyed every single bit of it. He's very much a Belgian Mancunian and credit to him for everything he has achieved in his time here.

He'll go down as being one of the best to ever do it and the fact he's done it for City, for me, is a real joy because I've witnessed it all.

Manchester City

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola speaking to TNT Sports about Kevin de Bruyne's first home match since announcing that he will be leaving the club at the end of the season: "Of course, it will be special. It has been 10 years here and it is special and I am sure they will show the appreciation for everything he has given here over the years."

On Crystal Palace: "They have a lot of pace and quality and are a really good team. Crystal Palace is always a difficult team for us and that is the same when Oliver is here."

Only league leaders Liverpool (23) have earned more points over their past 10 Premier League games than Crystal Palace (22). The Eagles have won four of their past five league matches and six of their past eight away from home.

Only Liverpool's Mohamed Salah (10) has scored more Premier League goals so far in 2025 than Crystal Palace's Jean-Philippe Mateta (nine).

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

Image source, Getty Images

We know Manchester City are planning to be active in the summer transfer window and with Kevin de Bruyne leaving and potentially Ilkay Gundogan as well, there will be vacancies in Pep Guardiola's midfield.

Could Adam Wharton be a target?

City looked at the Crystal Palace youngster in the summer but opted against making a move for the former Blackburn star.

But it was interesting to hear Guardiola offer praise for Wharton in his press conference yesterday.

"He is an excellent holding midfielder," said the Manchester City boss.

"He is in the national team already and his impact coming from the Championship to the Premier League has been really good. He has a brilliant left foot."

Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner speaking to TNT Sports: "Since November it has started to grow and of course, with results and performances, the belief and confidence has increased.

"I think, across the season you have games when you miss key players. We have missed Guehi, Nketiah, Eze this season at points and managed to win. We are facing a strong Man City team and it is important for us to be at our top level this season.

"Always when we started as kids, in the park or as a kid, you want to win. That is no different today."

Leicester City

Ruud van Nistelrooy admits he is hurting but is committed to turning Leicester’s fortunes around as they seek to end an eight-match Premier League losing run.

Defeat away to Brighton would see the team set an unwanted club record for consecutive losses and, with a 15-point gap to safety, their relegation back to the Championship seems already certain.

The team have lost 15 of their 16 league matches since drawing with Brighton when the two clubs last met on December 8 and hit a dispiriting new low when they were all but beaten inside 35 minutes against Newcastle, last time out.

“I’m committed to the now,” he said. “I’m doing everything I can with many people in this training ground. “When conversations take place over the future, we’ll wait and see. I will tell you more when things are happening.”

Monday’s 3-0 loss to Newcastle at the King Power Stadium saw Van Nistelrooy’s side brushed aside in the first half. They were two down after only 11 minutes to two Jacob Murphy goals before former Foxes winger Harvey Barnes returned to haunt his old side with a third before half-time.

“It’s blow after blow and it adds up,” said Van Nistelrooy. “After the Newcastle game, I was hurt. You’re always hurt when things don’t go your way and it adds up. It’s a challenge to break the cycle. We need personality. It’s going on too long. There’s only one way to break the cycle and that’s to fight, to believe we can end this cycle.”

Aston Villa

Aston Villa play at already-relegated Southampton but Villa boss Unai Emery is not taking anything for granted.

“If we are not performing well, we are at risk,” he said. "This is the most important match we are playing now. I'm here because I was successful. If I was not being successful in my career as a coach and demanding like I was, I am not here.

“They chose me, the owners, because I was as a coach more or less in my career, always getting my objectives through the clubs. Coming here is because they wanted to try to get the same, to be ambitious, to work hard, to increase our demands, to increase our objective during the process we are.

“If I am not getting it (being demanding), I am going to lose my reputation, I am going to lose my position as a coach in football and maybe I will (get the) sack again.”

Villa have won their last three matches to climb back into the race for Champions League qualification and victory against the Saints would move them into the top five, which guarantees entry into the competition.

Emery added: “We have to win. Our objective is Europe. Of course, we are dreaming to repeat Champions League, and our highest ambition we are setting is to play in Champions League, but we are not contenders. But last year, we weren’t contenders, and we got it.

“Now, we are there because we are performing in the last matches and the last demands we are trying to set collectively and individually is clear.”

Ex-Premier League striker Dion Dublin speaks with winger Anthony Elanga to discuss Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo and how he has got them "chasing greatness" this season.

Mark Chapman, Shay Given and Troy Deeney discuss the effect the video assistant referee is having on football, after Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes says it is taking the intensity out of the game.

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

It's a beautiful day in Manchester but will the sun be shining on Manchester City at the end of the game?

Pep Guardiola's side dropped out of the top five after Newcastle's win at Leicester on Monday, so they have a bit of work to do over the final seven games of the season if they are to qualify for next season's Champions League.

Guardiola has outlined his thoughts in today's match programme.

"This is the first of seven games left in the Premier League," he said. "We know the position we are in, and we know we have to win many games if we want to be back in the Champions League next season. We have to go for it."

Palace are in form and have only lost on one of their last three visits to this stadium, so it will not be easy.

Image source, BBC Sport

It's scorching in Manchester today, where Manchester City host Crystal Palace.

Image source, getty

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

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola makes three changes to the side that drew at Manchester United last Sunday.

Young midfielder James McAtee comes in for Phil Foden, who misses out with an ankle injury. Rico Lewis replaces Matheus Nunes at right-back and Nico Gonzalez comes in for Bernardo Silva, who, like Nunes, drops to the bench.

Manchester City XI: Ederson, Lewis, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly, Kovacic, Nico, Gundogan, De Bruyne, McAtee, Marmoush.

Substitutes: Ortega, Grealish, Doku, Bernardo, Reis, Savinho, Nunes, Khusanov, Bobb.

Skipper Marc Guehi and striker Eddie Nketiah miss out for Crystal Palace following their red cards in last week’s victory against Brighton.

Chris Richards comes into the back three for Guehi as manager Oliver Glasner’s only change to his starting line-up. Twenty-year-old Irish forward Franco Umeh-Chibueze is named on the bench.

Crystal Palace XI: Henderson, Richards, Lacroix, Lerma, Mitchell, Kamada, Wharton, Munoz, Eze, Sarr, Mateta.

Substitutes: Matthews, Ward, Matheus Franca, Clyne, Hughes, Chilwell, Devenny, Kporha.

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter

After trials, delays, praise and some criticism, semi-automated offside technology (SAOT) will be introduced in the Premier League this weekend.

With several high-profile lengthy video assistant referee (VAR) decisions in recent weeks, it is hoped the technology will start to reduce the delays and some debates.

Clubs voted in the technology last April, but its rollout has been pushed back from the autumn for more trials.

It is designed to make the judgement of tight offside calls easier for officials by making key parts of the review process automatic.

The Premier League says the artificial intelligence system "enhances the speed, efficiency and consistency of offside decision-making".

It is not used for other VAR involvements such as penalties, goal reviews for handballs or other fouls, red cards or mistaken identity.

The first Premier League game with the technology will be Manchester City's home match with Crystal Palace on Saturday (12:30 BST).

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