Football Focus

We're live on BBC One right now for Football Focus. Dan Walker is back with all the reaction to Unai Emery's departure at Arsenal, as well discussing under-pressure Everton boss Marco Silva.

The players are out to warm up in Newcastle. It looks freezing! Jonjo Shelvey is pulling his scarf over his ears as much as he can but John Stones is walking around in shorts! He has just put some gloves on though.

I don't envy our man Saj. I'm nice and warm in the office with a brew.

Tottenham and Jose Mourinho still doesn't sound right, does it?

Image source, Getty Images

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham head coach Jose Mourinho: "We needed these two wins, we needed the points in the league, we needed to kill the situation in the Champions League. It's very important for us, but independent of the results, it's also very very important my feelings, and day after day my feelings are better.

"It's not like you arrive and you have a nice impact and then you realise it's not as beautiful as you thought. Yes it's really, really good, I'm very happy with what the club is giving me."

Image source, Rex Features

Winger Matt Ritchie scored the winner from the penalty spot as Newcastle beat Manchester City 2-1 in the corresponding fixture last season.

But Ritchie won't be involved today.

The 30-year-old isn't back in action until January after having a second operation on the ankle he injured in August.

Ritchie was initially expected to miss only two months after sustaining ligament damage in a tackle by Leicester's Hamza Choudhury.

However, surgery in October was followed by another operation this month.

Bonkers stat this.

Image source, BBC Sport

Tottenham have confirmed defender Ben Davies will be out for an "extended period" because of the ankle injury he suffered against West Ham.

Erik Lamela, Hugo Lloris and Michel Vorm remain on the sidelines.

Bournemouth's Josh King is again absent due to a hamstring problem, while Ryan Fraser is a doubt with a dead leg.

Simon Francis and Philip Billing are both suspended, but Dominic Solanke has been given the all-clear after a scan on his hamstring.

A lot has been made of Liverpool's packed December programme but just have a look at what Manchester City have coming up in the final month of 2019...

3 Dec: Burnley (A - Premier League)

7 Dec: Man Utd (H - Premier League)

11 Dec: Dinamo Zagreb (A - Champions League)

15 Dec: Arsenal (A - Premier League)

18 Dec: Oxford United (A - Carabao Cup)

21 Dec: Leicester City (H - Premier League)

27 Dec: Wolves (A - Premier League)

29 Dec: Sheff Utd (H - Premier League)

Manchester City

Riyad Mahrez has scored 49 Premier League goals, netting the winner for Manchester City against Chelsea last time out. He could become the 110th overall, ninth African and first Algerian player to reach 50 in the competition.

Image source, Rex Features

Burnley midfielder Ashley Westwood is suspended after accumulating five yellow cards.

His absence could mean that fit-again Danny Drinkwater is named in a match-day squad for the first time since August.

Crystal Palace defender Joel Ward will be out until the new year with a knee injury, so Martin Kelly is set to deputise at right-back.

Centre-back Gary Cahill is a doubt because of a minor knee problem.

Newcastle United

Newcastle are unbeaten in five home league games since defeat against Arsenal on the opening weekend. Only Leicester (3) have conceded fewer home goals in the Premier League this season than the Magpies (4).

Image source, Getty Images

Saj Chowdhury
BBC Sport at St James' Park

Newcastle make just the one change to the side that lost 2-0 at Aston Villa last Monday with Javier Manquillo in for fellow full-back DeAndre Yedlin, who is injured.

Newcastle XI: Dubravka, Clark, Dummett, Shelvey, Joelinton, Saint-Maximin, Hayden, Willems, Fernandez, Manquillo, Almiron

Subs: Darlow, Schar, Gayle, Krafth, Atsu, S Longstaff, M Longstaff

Image source, BBC Sport

Manchester City make five changes to the side that drew with Shakhtar Donetsk in midweek.

Right-back Kyle Walker and centre-back John Stones return to the backline, as does full-back Benjamin Mendy.

David Silva and Riyad Mahrez are also back in the team.

Manchester City XI: Ederson, Walker, Stones, Sterling, Gundogan, Jesus, De Bruyne, Silva, Mendy, Fernandinho, Mahrez

Subs: Bravo, Angelino, Rodri, Bernardo, Cancelo, Otamendi, Foden

Image source, BBC Sport

Team news from St James' Park dropping very shortly...

Chelsea will face West Ham without leading goalscorer Tammy Abraham, who was forced off at Valencia after landing awkwardly on his hip.

Antonio Rudiger and Ross Barkley are back in training following lay-offs, while Callum Hudson-Odoi will also be monitored after a hamstring injury.

West Ham's Issa Diop is banned after accumulating five cautions, while Jack Wilshere and Manuel Lanzini remain out.

Third-choice goalkeeper David Martin could make his Premier League debut. Regular number one Lukasz Fabianski is still injured, and understudy Roberto has made several errors recently.

Saj Chowdhury
BBC Sport at St James' Park

Newcastle boss Steve Bruce, in today's match programme, commented on the "beauty of the Premier League" in reaction to his side's two-match winning run coming to a ugly end at Villa Park last Monday.

I was there and I'm pretty sure the fans who travelled to Midlands saw no beauty in a side who let Jack Grealish run the show.

City's attack is packed with players of his quality so the Magpies will need to improve tenfold.

Image source, .

How big of a loss is Fabinho's injury to Liverpool? He's been their best midfielder this season. It will be interesting to see how Jurgen Klopp sets up the midfield without him. Lots of rotation I'd imagine!

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool midfielder Fabinho has been ruled out until the New Year after injuring his ankle against Napoli.

Naby Keita missed that match due to illness but will return to the squad.

Brighton may be without Solly March, who is nursing a groin problem, but striker Aaron Connolly has recovered from a similar issue.

Captain Lewis Dunk returns from the suspension which ruled him out of last Saturday's defeat by Leicester.

Guy Mowbray
Match of the Day commentator at St James' Park

'Crisis'. An over and wrongly used word in football that we need to apply some relative reality to.

Granted, Newcastle have always got some form of one going on, but I wouldn't say they're even close in on-field terms.

Yes, the forwards' lack of goals is at least a worry, but one day Miguel Almiron will score - and when he does I'm selling T-shirts.

It's the sort of season where this might be that day.

Meanwhile, Manchester City 'struggle along' nine points behind Liverpool, having progressed in the Champions League and received a £389m investment boost this week.

They lost this fixture last season. If they do so again it would be a... problem.

Image source, Rex Features

Southampton midfielder Sofiane Boufal is expected to miss today's late game after stubbing his big toe on the kitchen table at home.

Stuart Armstrong has been ruled out because of a hamstring problem but Jannik Vestergaard is in contention following illness.

Craig Dawson is Watford's latest defensive casualty, having needed stitches in a head wound last weekend.

Roberto Pereyra has overcome a thigh strain but might not start.

Christian Kabasele, Daryl Janmaat, Sebastian Prodl, Tom Cleverley, Danny Welbeck and Daniel Bachmann remain out.

Image source, Getty Images

Michael Brown
Former Manchester City midfielder

I understand why some Manchester City fans will always want to see them win the Premier League above anything else. The recent domestic success they have seen, particularly over the past couple of seasons, has been amazing and something no English club has managed before.

However, a first Champions League title would be so valuable because, globally, it would see City grow even more than they have done in the past decade.

Image source, Rex Features