Thank you for joining us for another frantic Friday of Premier League previews.

Here's the main headlines from today:

• Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola told his news conference: 'We will be back, I know that'
• In our tactical focus, we examined how Man City can beat Liverpool.
• Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said his side are 'not in the title race' despite their strong campaign so far.
• Leicester caretaker boss Ben Dawson said the departure of former manager Steve Cooper was a 'surprise' - and that he was playing laser tag with his family when he found out the news.

We'll have live text commentary of tonight's Premier League match between Brighton and Southampton on the BBC Sport website, make sure you tune in.

See you there.

Liverpool

Some big injury news before that Liverpool v Manchester City match on Sunday, and it's a huge blow for Arne Slot's side.

Central defender Ibrahima Konate has said this in a post on Instagram, external:

"So frustrating to pick up this injury right at the end of a great game on Wednesday night. Now we start the recovery process but one thing I promise is I will come back and be the best I can be once again. Thank you for the amazing support at Anfield. Inshallah we will keep going and I will support the team every step of the way."

The injury happened at the end of Liverpool's 2-0 win over Real Madrid as Konate challenged for the ball with Endrick.

14 managers have spoken today. Here's what you may have missed:

• Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola defended his side's style of play as he was asked if they have a yellow card problem. He said it was a symptom of "pressing aggresively".
• Mikel Arteta spoke about Martin Odegaard, with his return coinciding with Arsenal's upturn in form over the past week. Arteta said Odegaard "has been missed".
• Newcastle manager Eddie Howe takes his side to Crystal Palace this weekend and believes Palace's position in the table (19th) is not a "reflection of the strength they have".
• Ange Postecoglou spoke about Tottenham's stretched squad after their 2-2 draw with Roma and said, at his news conference, that two of his players were at school on Friday morning.
• Inevitably, Pep Guardiola was asked plenty of questions about Man City's poor form as they head to table-toppers Liverpool on Sunday. Guardiola, rather profoundly, said, "It's how many times you stand up when again and again you fall".
• Ruud van Nistelrooy hasn't yet been announced as the Leicester manager, but caretaker Ben Dawson had to take questions about him but deflected them away.
• Ruben Amorim has his first Premier League game at Old Trafford on Sunday, against Everton. He says we wants to see "different things in my team".
• Wolves captain Mario Lemina played in central defence last week in their 4-1 win at Fulham and manager Gary O'Neil said it was a "decent discovery for us".
• Are Arsenal in a title race? If you say yes, then does that mean Chelsea are too? Given their records are so similar. Well, manager Enzo Marescasays Chelsea are not fighting for the title.
• Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner spoke about how to manage his squad before the hectic festive period.
• Unai Emery's Aston Villa are struggling for form, but the manager told his news conference, "We are Aston Villa, we are in our process."
• Brentford face Leicester this weekend and manager Thomas Frank said he was "sad" to hear of Steve Cooper's sacking and he "doesn't understand" the decision.
• Everton manager Sean Dyche spoke about facing the 'new manager bounce' when he comes up against Ruben Amorim's Manchester United on Sunday.
• How will Fulham react to their 4-1 defeat to Wolves last week? Manager Marco Silva says his side have to be "brave" when they go to Tottenham.

Image source, Getty Images

It's time for the most important post of the day.

If you're wondering who to drop this weekend or want to know who's definitely in, out or who's a doubt - here is everything we've learned from this week's news conferences.

In

• Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace)
• Eddie Nketiah (Crystal Palace)
• Sanitago Bueno (Wolves)
• Pablo Sarabia (Wolves)
• Craig Dawson (Wolves)
• Malo Gusto (Chelsea)
• Pedro Neto (Chelsea)
• Dominic Solanke (Tottenham)

Doubts

• Ferdi Kadioglu (Brighton)
• Cristian Romero (Tottenham)
• Gabriel (Arsenal)
• Amadou Onana (Aston Villa)
• Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle)
• Joelinton (Newcastle)
• Jeremy Doku (Man City)
• John Stones (Man City)
• Conor Bradley (Liverpool)
• Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool)

Out

• Antoine Semenyo (Bournemouth)
• Harry Winks (Leicester)
• Jacob Ramsey (Aston Villa)
• Joachim Andersen (Fulham)
• Jorge Cuenca (Fulham)

Crystal Palace have still only won one league game all season, against Tottenham at the end of October. The Eagles got a good point at Aston Villa last weekend but their manager Oliver Glasner definitely needs more than that to provide some early Christmas cheer.

I am not sure Glasner will get much joy here, though. Although I did not expect Newcastle lose at home to West Ham on Monday, I would not be surprised to see them bounce back.

This smells of a draw to me, because I do not see Newcastle losing.

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

Aston Villa have not been firing on all cylinders recently but they were unlucky not to beat Juventus on Wednesday, after having a late winner ruled out.

I captained Villa keeper Emi Martinez in my Fantasy team last weekend because I had not kept many clean sheets and just had a gut feeling they would keep Crystal Palace out - and of course they conceded after four minutes.

Martinez is an outstanding goalkeeper, the best in the Premier League, but I cannot see him keeping a clean sheet this week either.

I am backing Chelsea to take this one. They were too strong for Leicester last weekend and while Cole Palmer did not deliver, Nicolas Jackson keeps on scoring and looks like a different player compared to last season.

Sutton's prediction: 2-1

Fara Williams
Former England midfielder for BBC Sport

The question of who is in the title race right now is a good one, but I still think it is Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal.

The reason I have not put Chelsea and Brighton alongside the other three teams as title contenders is because of the consistency of these teams over the past few years.

Those three have been up there challenging the past two or three seasons and I think that puts them ahead.

We have seen Chelsea are developing in terms of their age and have not been as consistent with their results. The same with Brighton. They put in some really good performances - but then some not so good.

With the heavy December schedule and into January, that is when we will start to see a split and those teams with a better squad depth start to break away a bit.

I hope Ipswich get absolutely pumped by Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

I should explain that Forest were my boyhood team, so that is the only reason why I am rooting for them here. Mind you, if Forest play like they did in their previous home game against Newcastle, then I will be sending my replica shirt back to the club shop, and giving up on them again.

Being serious, though, I like this Ipswich team. They have got some good players and play some good football. They deserved to beat United, and would have done if not for a couple of superb saves by Andre Onana.

Still, I expect Forest to bounce back at the City Ground after two defeats in a row. Chris Wood has to be back in the team after starting last weekend's defeat against Arsenal on the bench, but if he plays then they will come out on top.

Sutton's prediction: 2-1

• Having been winless in their first seven Premier League meetings with Southampton, Brighton have now won three of their last five against them.
• Southampton have scored in all 12 of their Premier League games against Brighton – it’s the most they’ve faced an opponent while scoring every time in the competition, while Brighton have only faced Man City more without keeping a clean sheet.
• Brighton are unbeaten in all six of their home league games this term.
• Southampton have lost each of their last nine Premier League away games – only once have they lost 10 in a row on the road in the top-flight, doing so between December 1973 and April 1974.
• Adam Armstrong has scored in each of his last three home appearances for Southampton in all competitions. The last player to score in four in a row at St Mary’s with Saints as a top-flight side was Charlie Austin in 2016.

We've been running a poll about Manchester City's huge trip to Liverpool this Sunday, asking - if they lose - is that their title hopes over? They'll be 11 points behind, but only 13 matches into the season.

Well, the results are in and you've had your say.

61% of you say yes, their hopes will be over if they lose.

39% of you say no, even with defeat, there's still hope.

Here's what Pep Guardiola had to say when he was asked about the consequences of a defeat on Sunday.

As I speak, Ruud van Nistelrooy has not been confirmed as Leicester's new manager, and whether he will be in the dugout or in the stands here.

The smart move would probably be to distance himself from this game because, with five wins and a draw so far, Brentford have got the best home record in the Premier League this season.

If you are Ruud, you jet in after the game - Heathrow Airport is not far away - and jump on the team bus for the trip home after the Foxes get pumped.

I have got some sympathy for Steve Cooper over his dismissal by the way. Leicester were always going to struggle this season.

There are all sorts of stories flying around about how the players never bought into his methods. Maybe there is an element of it where the Leicester players think they are better than they are, but they certainly need to improve their timing.

Sutton's prediction: 2-1

That's the spirit, anon...

Julen Lopetegui really needed Monday's win at Newcastle after a difficult start as West Ham boss.

He and his side will be buoyed by that but this is not a good time to be playing Arsenal, who are purring again now Martin Odegaard is back from injury.

The Gunners were not in great form without Odegaard, but he makes them a different proposition and I am going to say he will make the difference in a very tight game.

Sutton's prediction: 0-1

Brighton will go second tonight if they defeat bottom club Southampton at home.

Fabian Hurzeler's side are in great form, and have a good looking run of fixtures to come too.

In December, the Seagulls do not face a side currently in the Premier League top seven. Their highest ranking opponents next month are eighth-place Aston Villa on 30 December.

Trips to Fulham and Leicester are followed by Brighton hosting rivals Crystal Palace on 15 December, before visiting West Ham on the 21st then playing Brentford at the Amex on Boxing Day.

It wasn't quite planes, trains and automobiles for Norway to reach Northern Ireland, but it wasn't far off.

The team had planned to fly from Leeds, where they had been based, to Belfast but heavy fog on Wednesday night meant their flight was cancelled.

After some quick thinking, Gemma Grainger and her star-studded squad were on the ferry from Liverpool, and they reached their team base just outside Larne in the early hours of the morning.

"It was some unexpected team bonding, for sure," Grainger told BBC Sport NI ahead of Friday's first leg of their Euro 2025 play-off at Inver Park.

"Sleeping on a ferry was a bit of a surprise for us, but we're here now. Bunk beds and sharing with staff wasn't on the agenda but everyone really made the most of it."

"It was a late night, but good for the team and we had a lot of laughs."

Read the full story.

Michael Pearlman
BBC Sport Wales

Wales boss Rhian Wilkinson says her side are ready to make Welsh footballing history with a first major finals appearance.

While Wales’ men’s side have been qualifying for major tournaments regularly since 2016, Wales’ women have yet to qualify and are now two games away from a place at Euro 2025.

Wales are bidding to reach a first major tournament, while Republic of Ireland are trying to qualify for their first Euros.

The sides are only split by five places in the world rankings, with 24th ranked Republic of Ireland described by Wilkinson in the lead-up to the game as “beatable.”

Wales, who are ranked 29th, earned a place in the final by qualifying from their Nations League group B group and beating Slovakia in a play-off, while Republic of Ireland performed admirably in a tough Nations League A group, beating France before hammering Georgia in a one-sided play-off.

Read the full story.

Don't get caught out by tonight's 18:30 GMT deadline for Fantasy Football!

You can't ignore the form Joao Pedro is in since returning from injury: Two goals and two assists in just 87 minutes on the pitch for Brighton - and he faces the Premier League's bottom side next.

Our FPL guru Thomas Woods is so confident, he has sold Erling Haaland this week to buy Pedro and install him as captain.

You can get all our FPL tips and hints here.

Southampton actually gave Liverpool a decent game on Sunday, but that defeat means they have lost 10 of their first 12 games.

I don't mind seeing Saints boss Russell Martin stick with his game plan, and it is hard for the promoted teams anyway.

But we have seen another of the sides who came up last season, Leicester, make a managerial change this week and you have to worry for Martin if his side keep on losing.

I do have a feeling it will be defeat number 11 for Southampton this weekend, too.

Brighton got a good win at Bournemouth last time out, despite playing for half an hour with 10 men. It won't be a rout, but the Seagulls will find a way to win.

Sutton's prediction: 2-0

Brighton & Hove Albion

Image source, Getty Images

Brighton midfielder Matt O'Riley says "the demands are really high" at the club and it is that mentality that will help the Seagulls to keep pushing on this season.

O'Riley, who signed from Celtic in the summer, missed the early part of the season after injuring his ankle on his debut in August but is now returning to full match fitness.

Reflecting on Brighton's season so far, O'Riley told BBC Radio Sussex: "It is always helpful when you're winning games and we have been. Naturally you then build confidence and there becomes an element of momentum.

"The demands are really high. The intention is to win every game and that is all we can try to do. We have shown we can beat the big teams, so if we can do it a bit more consistently then we will be a proper team.

"I feel good. My body is in a good place and I feel ready to contribute more minutes."

Both sides have won two of their past five games in all competitions - Brighton beating Bournemouth and Manchester City in their last two league games; Southampton defeating Everton in the Premier League and Stoke in the EFL Cup.

The sides have met 30 times in competitive games, with Southampton winning 12 and Brighton seven.

The Seagulls however won 3-1 home and away when they were last in the Premier League together, in 2022-23.

Image source, BBC Sport