Mark Lawrenson
BBC football expert

Watford boss Claudio Ranieri goes back to King Power Stadium with his old side Leicester struggling to find their feet.

The Hornets have been very up and down under Ranieri. They didn't build on their other big win under him, 5-2 at Everton, so I don't really fancy them to win here either - even though they did a job on Manchester United last time out.

Leicester should win, but then I have been saying that a lot about them this season.

Prediction: 3-0

Michael Emons
BBC Sport at The King Power Stadium

Image source, BBC Sport

Leicester have finished fifth in the Premier League in both the past two seasons, narrowly missing out on Champions League qualification twice.

But this season has not gone to plan, as only four wins from 12 games has left them 13th in the table, although a home victory against Claudio Ranieri’s Watford would see them jump into the top half.

This is Ranieri’s sixth game in charge of Watford and the results have certainly been up and down. A 5-0 thrashing by Liverpool was followed by a superb 5-2 win at Everton, while, last time out, the Hornets humbled Manchester United 4-1 in a result that cost Ole Gunnar Solskjaer his job as United boss.

Despite having his place secured in Leicester City folklore, Ranieri says when the game begins he will just be focused on recording a win for his current side.

“This Premier League [title] will be in my heart all my life and I’m very proud to be part of Leicester’s fairytale and history.

“But I want to write new things here in Watford. It will be a big emotion before and after the match but during I know I am an opponent and I will try to do my best.”

If Ranieri can mastermind a win over his former side, Watford will jump up from 16th and above the Foxes.

Mark Lawrenson
BBC football expert

Both of these sides are on a bad run of results, but it is Everton who I am most concerned about because they have been playing poorly too.

At least Brentford's draw at Newcastle last week was a step in the right direction after four straight losses. Yes, the Bees have started to concede a lot of goals, but Everton just don't look capable of punishing them at the moment.

Rafa Benitez's side started the season really well but injuries have taken their toll on a shallow squad. I look at them now and they are just a shadow of their former selves.

With the Merseyside derby coming up next week, Benitez needs a positive result, and fast. I don't see him getting one in west London though.

Prediction: 2-1

James Mountford
Reporter, BBC Radio Merseyside Sport

Its too early in the season for games to be 'decisive' or ‘must win’, but Everton are in desperate need of giving theirs a kick-start.

Rafa Benitez can rightly point to injuries taking their toll – up to nine senior players could miss the match at Brentford on Sunday - but one win in nine games tells a hugely disappointing picture right now.

The picture isn’t clear in January either – Rafa is hardly talking like a manager who’s been given an open cheque book and it seems likely Financial Fair Play restraints will further prevent the club doing much, if any, significant business.

Having said that, Benitez has been hurt up front. The absence of both Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison means he faces potentially starting with Salomon Rondon - who’s spent the past two years in China (minus a six-month loan spell in Russia) - or Cenk Tosun, who presumably would be out of the first-team picture if everyone were fit.

At best, he’ll have Demarai Gray there, but he is touch-and-go after his injury last weekend. And then there’s highly thought of youngster Ellis Simms, who is yet to play for Everton’s first team.

Its hardly ideal, but with Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Leicester making up four of their next five opponents after this one, it makes the match at the Brentford Community Stadium a game Everton need to do all they can to get something from.

Image source, BBC Sport

• This is the first meeting between Brentford and Everton since a League Cup match in September 2010, when the Bees won 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw at Griffin Park.
• Brentford have lost three of their past four league meetings with Everton – but this is their first league game against them since a 6-1 away loss in the second tier in February 1954.

Image source, BBC Sport

• Everton have won five of their past six Premier League games in London (lost one), as many as they had in their previous 32 visits to the capital in the competition.
• Just 31% of Brentford’s Premier League points this season have come in home games (four from 13), the lowest ratio in the competition so far this term. Indeed, the Bees are winless at home since beating Arsenal 2-0 on the opening day of the season.
• Having kept three clean sheets and conceding just two goals (0.4 per game) in their first five Premier League games, Brentford have conceded in each of their past seven in the competition (15 in total – 2.1 per game).
• Meanwhile, Everton had won 13 points from their first six Premier League games this season (won four, drawn one, lost one), leaving them in fifth place and just one point off top spot. However, since then the Toffees have earned just two more points (drawn two, lost four), fewer than any other Premier League side over the past six games.

Image source, Getty Images

Brentford manager Thomas Frank says he is “not worried” about inconsistent home form and feels his players remain in confident mood, despite a run of five league games without a victory.

The Bees host Everton– who are winless in six matches – today and Frank says he continues to stress to his players the need to be “brave” and “take risks”.

Frank said: “In general, you get confidence from three things - training very well, if you perform in games and third the results. We have been training very well throughout the season. We are performing well. In general it has been good, so we just need to keep it up.”

Frank’s side lost four straight games before a draw with Newcastle last time out.

The Danish coach says he did have one conversation with his players in pre-season where he explained occasional bad runs of form will happen in the Premier League.

“I am still surprised we lost four in a row - that’s my positive mindset,” he added. “After a loss, it is more draining the day after. The more you win, the less you have that.”

Brentford have not won at home in the league since August and Frank added: “I’d 100% like home form to be a fortress and an unbelievable difficult place to play. That’s the aim. I am not worried.

“If you want to achieve something, you need to be able to get points home and away. I think good home form is just around the corner. I think our fans have shown when they are really on it they can make a hostile environment.”

Mark Lawrenson
BBC football expert

Manchester City seem to have found a bit of rhythm since the international break - they went through the gears to beat Everton last weekend and then played very well in their win against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday.

We saw the Hammers put in a really impressive performance to beat Liverpool a couple of weeks ago, but I just wonder if they might hit a bit of a sticky patch after their good run was ended by Wolves.

They will have to be back at their best to have any chance of leaving the Etihad Stadium with anything at all. I am backing City here.

Prediction: 2-0

West Ham United

West Ham striker Michail Antonio on BBC Radio 5 Live:

"We have no fear going against anyone. We've become a consistent team, we believe we can go anywhere and get points.

"This is what people call a bonus game. It's more a psychological shift because how we've played them in the past. Before we've sometimes struggled against them, but now we're with them until the final whistle.

"You have to show them the respect they deserve because they're the champions and the players they have. We'll go in with different tactics to usual, but we'll still push and believe we can go away with something."

Michael Emons
BBC Sport at The King Power Stadium

Image source, .

We’ve already lost one game to the snow today with Burnley v Tottenham falling to the weather.

There’s heavy snow predicted in the Leicester area later, but the worst of it isn’t expected until 5pm.

No sign of any snow at the moment, just cold and cloudy with the pitch looking in great condition.

Image source, BBC Sport

Simon Stone
BBC Sport at the Etihad Stadium

The is interest from Barcelona in Manchester City forward Ferran Torres.

The 21-year-old Spain international joined City in August last year for £20.87m.

Torres has not featured for City since injuring his foot on international duty in October but it is understood he is open to the idea of returning to his homeland.

Less clear is how Barcelona would fund any deal given Torres has a contract to 2025 and they have well publicised financial issues.

It is understood a couple of Barca officials visited City on Friday, although it is not certain Torres was part of the discussions.

Manchester City tasted Carabao Cup defeat for the first time in five years back in October as West Ham edged a goalless encounter 5-3 on penalties.

Pep Guardiola's side's total dominance of the competition ended when Phil Foden fired his penalty wide and the Hammers took advantage at a raucous London Stadium.

City had 25 shots on goal but could not break down a defiant home defence, with reserve keeper Alphonse Areola in inspired form.

Since then, West Ham have beaten Liverpool and moved up to fourth in the table despite defeat at Wolves in their last game.

It is six years since West Ham took away anything from a visit to Etihad Stadium, although they did push City close in a 2-1 defeat back in February.

Image source, Getty Images

Pep Guardiola hopes Raheem Sterling's recent form can help him rediscover his confidence.

After limited game time this season, Sterling has scored twice in as many matches, with goals against Everton and Paris St-Germain.

"I’m so glad for him, he’s helped us for sure. He will fight to be better and better," said Guardiola.

“Scoring goals can give confidence but he has to do better. This is the first step for him to come back."

When asked if Sterling could end up reaching double figures like in previous seasons, Guardiola said: "We don't put pressure on with numbers.

"Try to score goals and help us win the games. The group is everyone and everyone makes contributions to the team winning games.

"He has to play like he knows he can do it. And the rest? He can do it."

Simon Stone
BBC Sport at the Etihad Stadium

West Ham’s owners David Sullivan and David Gold will make seven-figure payments back to their landlords at the London Stadium as a result of Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky’s purchase of a 27% stake in the Premier League club.

The concession agreement signed for the club to play at the taxpayer-funded London Stadium includes financial penalties if the club was sold before 2023 for more than £300m.

It is understood the deal involving Kretinsky values the club at around £700m.

BBC Sport understands West Ham have submitted all the details of the Kretinsky transaction and as a result Sullivan and Gold will make a payment of ‘several’ million pounds to E20, who run the loss-making stadium.

It was revealed in documents released on Companies House this week that the contract also contains a ‘put and call agreement’ that gives Kretinsky, through his 1890 holdings s.a holding company and his EP Investment Sarl investment company, an option to buy the Hammers for a set price should Sullivan and Gold decide to sell the remainder of their stake in the club.

The option also exists for Sullivan and Gold to purchase Kretinsky’s shares.

Carlton Cole
Former West Ham striker on BBC Radio 5 Live

What's going on right now at West Ham is that if they don't play well, they're still getting their results.

Man City are no slouches obviously but West Ham know that, they'll set up and attack. They respond to David Moyes, all his tactics.

It's set up for interesting game, an interesting battle.

Image source, BBC Sport

• Manchester City have won nine of their 10 Premier League games against West Ham under Pep Guardiola (drawn one), scoring 28 goals and conceding just five in those meetings.
• The Hammers have won just one of their last 15 Premier League away games against City, a 2-1 victory in September 2015 under Slaven Bilic.
• Having scored in 20 consecutive meetings with West Ham in all competitions, City drew 0-0 against the Hammers in their last meeting in the League Cup in October, and were knocked out on penalties.

Image source, BBC Sport

• Manchester City have kept a clean sheet in six of their past seven Premier League home games, the exception being a 2-0 defeat by Crystal Palace.
• The defeat at Wolves last time out ended West Ham's four-game winning run in the Premier League. They’ve only lost consecutive league games twice since the start of last season - in September 2020 and April 2021.
• City have recorded the most open play crosses of any team in the top flight this season (206).
• The Hammers are averaging 5.1 shots on target per game in the Premier League this season, their highest in a league campaign since 2000-01 (5.3).