Sutton's predictions: Fulham v Man Citypublished at 08:10 GMT
08:10 GMT
I am at this game for 5 Live. We had my predictions opponent, Felix, on the FPL Podcast last week and I know he will go for a Fulham win here - I really like him, and I enjoy listening to Tailenders, but I'm sorry to say he's going to get this prediction wrong.
Fulham's home form this season probably gives Felix some hope but their record against City is absolutely awful.
City have won their past 18 meetings since 2012, which is the longest winning run by a team against any opponent in the entire history of English football, scoring 54 goals and conceding only seven.
I covered City against Leeds on Saturday and they got lucky, while away from home they have lost three times already.
With the run they are on against Fulham, however, there is no way they won't win this game.
Gossip: Trafford wants to leave Man Citypublished at 06:46 GMT
06:46 GMT
Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford is looking to leave the club in January after falling down the pecking order following the arrival of Gianluigi Donnarumma, while Stefan Ortega might also be searching for a new challenge. (Mail), external
'A tough opponent' - Guardiola on Fulhampublished at 13:17 GMT 1 December
13:17 GMT 1 December
Image source, PA Media
Manchester City have won their past 18 games against Fulham, a run which includes 15 successive Premier League victories, but City boss Pep Guardiola expects Marco Silva's side to once again be difficult opponents for his side at Craven Cottage on Tuesday.
"Marco has been there for many years and they always have been really tough games," said Guardiola.
"Their organisation is exceptional and, every year, I have a feeling that with the ball they are better. A tough, tough opponent.
"It's always so difficult for the opponent to break them up. It always has been in this beautiful stadium in London."
Guardiola confirmed Spain midfielder Rodri will not be available for Tuesday's game as he continues his recovery from a hamstring injury.
Man City 3-2 Leeds - the fans' verdictpublished at 09:05 GMT 1 December
09:05 GMT 1 December
Media caption,
We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Man City and Leeds.
Here are some of your comments:
Man City fans
Gene: After scoring early and many missed opportunities, the complacency set in and then extended to the second half. This is the issue with this team - they get too comfortable passing the ball around without any sense of urgency to add to the advantage. The quality of players on this team should never put themselves in these common situations of fighting for a win in the waning moments.
Freddie: City were great in the first half, but after a change of tactics in the second half, we looked shaky and Leeds scored two. Great late winner from Phil Foden and he was amazing. Pleased to get the three points and keep Arsenal within reach. move on to Fulham on Tuesday.
Selim: Manchester City really had to dig themselves out of a hole with Foden rescuing the points. Just what happened to Haaland is a puzzle but I suspect he only relishes being the centre of attention. He wasn't on Saturday.
Martin: City were way too unconvincing. Dominant in the first half and should have been out of sight. However, Leeds changed things at half time and City started to implode. Leeds were by far the more threatening team. Only a moment of brilliance from the excellent Foden saved the day and broke Leeds' hearts. Haaland was anonymous but received little to no service.
Leeds fans
Steve: Shocking first half. A good tactical change at half-time, but why didn't Farke set us up like that for the off? City play exactly the same way every match - we should have planned to start the way we did in the second half.
Philip: This shows if we go down we go down fighting and we go down together.
Mark: Clearly a better second half than first. We learned how to keep Haaland quiet. The manager appears to have listened with team selection and earlier intervention with subs. Calvert-Lewin can score goals. There was real fight and effort and I appreciate that a lot. Didn't expect anything, got no points, but learned a lot.
Zach: Great performance, especially the second half. The lads showed fighting spirit and togetherness, and that's exactly what we need. Another game where we've more than matched our opponents. Farke deserves a lot of credit for that second half - he was bold and nearly got something from it. Hope our luck will turn soon and we starting getting the points we deserve.
Man City 3-2 Leeds: What Guardiola and Foden saidpublished at 18:20 GMT 29 November
18:20 GMT 29 November
Media caption,
Guardiola reflects on late Manchester City victory against Leeds
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola told BBC Sport: "After Daniel [Farke] changed shape, long balls to Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha running behind, it was always a struggle. That emotion is part of the football. We had the chances, and at the end, we finally found our goal."
On what he said to Erling Haaland at the end: "He'll do it [get his 100th goal] next game. Just we talk about rest. He has a huge body. Minutes, minutes, in that moment you're fresh. Rest [is] not just the legs [pointing to his head]. It's not like Phil or Jeremy; they can rest. Erling is a big man. We need him so much."
On Phil Foden: "It's not the first time we saw that. A thousand, thousand, million times he's done it. The quality, shooting, strong. Like his goal against West Ham to win the Premier League. Phil has to be around the box. Shoot or pass. His finishing is so quick. Phil is doing a really good season."
Midfielder and match-winner Phil Foden speaking to Premier League productions: "It's up there as one of the wildest games. We had full control in the first half. They changed their system in the second half, and we couldn't get going.
"It was a frustrating half. But when there was a short break, the manager got us together, and we adapted to their formation. We had a few half-chances, and finally, I've found a bit of space and found the bottom of the net.
"There are still things we can improve. We're delighted with the result.
"The title race is never straightforward. There are always ups and downs and periods where you can't seem to get going, and we've had that.
"The belief and togetherness came through at the end.
"Hopefully, that's the case today that we can kick on from here. But you never know what to expect.
"I was so hungry today to play and prove to myself I could still score goals. I missed a few chances against Newcastle and wanted to put it right."
Did you know?
Manchester City have won each of their last six Premier League home matches, with this their longest run within the same season since winning their final 10 home games at the Etihad in 2022-23.
Manchester City conceded 2+ goals in a Premier League game against a promoted team for the first time since April 2021, which was also against Leeds United at the Etihad (2). They played 25 league games against promoted sides in between these two matches without conceding more than once.
Man City analysis: Foden saves the daypublished at 17:55 GMT 29 November
17:55 GMT 29 November
Image source, Getty Images
With 90 minutes on the clock, Pep Guardiola's Manchester City side were six points adrift of leaders Arsenal.
City were also level on points with Chelsea, with both London clubs having a game in hand.
Home frustration was growing with every attack that was repelled, and Leeds United were looking good for a remarkable point against opponents that many see as the Gunners' most likely long-term title rivals.
And then Phil Foden provided the sort of moment that underlined his ability to change a game and result in an instant.
Under pressure in the penalty area, the England international, who was excellent throughout, did not rush and delivered the coup de grace to allow City to bounce back with a victory following consecutive defeats.
While there will still be question marks over City's credentials when it comes to mounting a realistic challenge to Arsenal, given the way they failed to cope with Leeds' more direct approach, Foden ensured that debate will be for another day.
Man City v Leeds United: Team newspublished at 14:07 GMT 29 November
14:07 GMT 29 November
Manchester City make one change from their Premier League defeat to Newcastle last Saturday.
Tijjani Reijnders comes in for Rayan Cherki, while the likes of Erling Haaland and Phil Foden both start after coming on as substitutes in the Champions League loss to Bayer Leverkusen last Tuesday.
Man City XI: Donnarumma, Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O'Reilly, Foden, Gonzalez, Silva, Reijnders, Doku, Haaland.
Leeds United make five changes to the team that started their 2-1 loss to Aston Villa last weekend. Daniel James, Ao Tanaka, James Justin, Wilfried Gnonto and Ilia Gruev all come in as Gabriel Gudmundsson, Brenden Aaronson, Noah Okafor all drop to the bench with Sean Longstaff and Anton Stach missing out.
You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Sunderland v Bournemouth" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Everton v Newcastle", for instance.
Sutton's predictions: Man City v Leedspublished at 12:00 GMT 29 November
12:00 GMT 29 November
It was Leeds' home defeat to Aston Villa that cost me in my predictions last week, because I went for a draw, but I was at that game and they could easily have got something from it.
It feels like they put so much into the first half, that they were not able to maintain that intensity and, from what I saw, there must also be question marks over whether they are going to score enough goals.
I am at this game too, for Radio 5 live, but there is no way I am predicting that Leeds will get anything this time.
Their home form has been decent, but away they have struggled - and the last time they kept a clean sheet anywhere was the end of August.
Manchester City have had a bad week too, with defeats to Newcastle and Bayer Leverkusen.
City boss Pep Guardiola made 10 changes for the Leverkusen game which was a strange thing to do, and it backfired massively because now his team have got work to do to make the next round.
Before the international break, their recent form suggested they had turned the corner and were going to go on a run to really push Arsenal. Two defeats in a week in two different competitions tells a different story, though.
Even so, I don't see City having any problems here. Playing Leeds, at home, is a great opportunity for them to get back on track.
This is the game where everyone who does Fantasy Premier League, myself included, is thinking triple-captain Erling Haaland and he will score a barrel-load.
Manchester City v Leeds United: Key stats and talking pointspublished at 19:16 GMT 28 November
19:16 GMT 28 November
Jordan Butler BBC Sport journalist
Manchester City will hope for a much-improved performance and all three points as they host 18th-placed Leeds on Saturday (15:00 GMT). BBC Sport explores the key themes ahead of this clash.
'Too many changes'
It's been a week to forget for City who have suffered back-to-back defeats for the second time this season, with Pep Guardiola taking "full responsibility" for the latest of those in midweek.
Guardiola's decision to make 10 alterations to his side on his 100th Champions League game in charge of the club backfired as they were beaten 2-0 at home by Bayer Leverkusen.
"Too many changes," admitted the 54-year-old in his post-match press conference. "It was the first time in my life I've done it and it was too much."
Haaland's hundred
Erling Haaland was one of those rested on Tuesday and he will surely start this weekend as Guardiola seeks to return to winning ways. The Norwegian is one shy of 100 Premier League goals and it would be fitting if his landmark strike came against a club for which he has strong feelings.
Haaland was born in Leeds as his father, Alf-Inge, played 92 times for the West Yorkshire side between 1997 and 2000 and the City goal machine often wore a Leeds kit as a child. The 25-year-old scored twice at Elland Road in a 3-1 victory in December 2022 and his celebrations were subdued. He explained afterwards that it was due to his respect for the opposition.
Should Haaland find the net on Saturday, then he would top an illustrious list as the fastest player to reach a century of Premier League goals, achieving the feat in 14 fewer appearances than the division's all-time top scorer, Alan Shearer.
City will take confidence from the fact that they have won 23 of their past 25 Premier League games against promoted opposition, drawing the other two. However, the last time they lost to a top-flight newcomer was at home to Leeds United in April 2021.
Leeds better than results suggest
Three successive Premier League defeats and five in their past six games has increased the pressure on Leeds boss Daniel Farke.
Fans appear divided on the German coach's future and although he has credit in the bank after last season's 100-point title success in the second tier, he is swiftly using that up.
Leeds have scored first in the past two matches but have been unable to convert those leads into points and they are the second-lowest scorers in the league, with 11 goals from 12 games.
However, the underlying stats suggest that Leeds are playing like a mid-table side and, according to Opta's model, they should have scored four more Premier League goals and conceded almost six fewer.
Leeds have a better expected goals total than Tottenham, Aston Villa and Sunderland this season and lower expected goals against than Spurs and Manchester United.
Farke also has previous when it comes to defeating Guardiola's City. His newly promoted Norwich side defeated the Sky Blues 3-2 back in September 2019.
The 49-year-old could become just the second manager to beat the Citizens while in charge of two different promoted clubs following Bryan Robson, who did so twice with Middlesbrough in 1995-96 and once with West Bromwich Albion in 2004-05.
City are a different beast these days, however, and if Farke can mastermind another victory at the Etihad, it would certainly dwarf Robson's achievements.
Guardiola on Rodri, players 'not trying' and Silva futurepublished at 13:18 GMT 28 November
13:18 GMT 28 November
Nicola Pearson BBC Sport journalist
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Leeds United at Etihad Stadium (kick-off 15:00 GMT).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Guardiola confirmed midfielder Rodri remains out with the hamstring injury he suffered in October, but he is "not far" from a return.
On how he is feeling after back-to-back defeats: "Not that disappointed about Newcastle. But last one [against Bayer Leverkusen], yeah. I made decisions and we didn't try."
He added: "In football you have to try things and we didn't try. You have to rotate. I have a lot of confidence in them - I have huge value in them as football players. Maybe it is higher what I think than they do themselves."
Asked more about his comments on the team not trying, he responded: "I think they played to not make mistakes, not to do something and that is so difficult. In football, you have to play. In defence, you have to try and if you lose in your actions, you did it. They played to be safe. That is why it is difficult."
The City boss acknowledged the "distance is already there" between themselves and a "so strong" Arsenal: "We see it game by game they are getting better and better as a team."
On the future of Bernardo Silva: "I want the best from Bernardo and if he wants to stay, I will be more than delighted. But I don't talk about that subject with him. I want the best for his family. He has been here nine years and he will decide with the club what's best."
On whether he has any worries about City relying too heavily on Erling Haaland for Premier League goals: "Not the main concern but in general in the last game, we did many good things. Of course, Erling is massively important but others are as well."
Gossip: Man City join Arsenal in monitoring Mendozapublished at 07:09 GMT 28 November
07:09 GMT 28 November
Leeds United have enquired about re-signing Kalvin Phillips on loan from City but a deal is unlikely to happen, leaving the midfielder to consider offers from France, Spain and Germany. (Mirror), external
However, the Brazil forward has moved closer to signing a new contract with the La Liga club after reducing his wage demands. The 25-year-old's current deal runs until June 2027. (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish), external
Liverpool face the dilemma of making a move for Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo in January or waiting until the summer, when City are expected to join the race for the 25-year-old Ghana international. (i Paper), external
