Stuart Pearce
Former England defender on Amazon Prime

Kevin de Bruyne is still someone who can influence things. Manchester City are still a better side with him in the team. He is the one person who can supply and score goals.

It surprises me that when asked about the recruitment, Pep Guardiola straightway said that they need players in January.

That's it Saints, you're leaving...

Image source, Reuters

James Tarkowski is making his 93rd consecutive start for Everton in the Premier League; the only outfielder to record a longer such run for the Toffees in the competition is Leighton Baines (run of 99 ending in October 2009).

Phil Jagielka
Former England defender on Amazon Prime

Everton need to be aware of the situation they are in. They need to walk before they can run. They need to do a professional job this season and get the points needed to stay in the league.

Then next season, they need to build on it and start to climb the table slowly to get where they deserve to be.

Image source, PA Media

A touch of news from Christmas Day you may have missed:

La Liga strugglers Valencia have appointed West Bromwich Albion boss Carlos Corberan as their new head coach.

Valencia paid a release clause, believed to be between £3-4m, in the 41-year-old Spaniard's contract to allow him to leave Championship club Albion.

In a statement,, external Albion said Corberan was leaving "with the club's gratitude and best wishes".

Coaches Chris Brunt, Damia Abella and Boaz Myhill will take caretaker charge of the Baggies while they search for a new coach.

Shamoon Hafez
BBC Sport football news reporter at Etihad Stadium

Image source, BBC Sport

City's stadium expansion of the North Stand will bump the capacity up to over 60,000 at Etihad Stadium.

One construction worker has decided to do some overtime today for some reason.

Can't see any of his colleagues around...

Image source, BBC Sport

Two differing takes on the City injury list...

Everton

Everton manager Sean Dyche speaking to Amazon Prime: "We had a tough start to the season clean sheet wise and that needed correcting. As a management team, it gives us great confidence. But the players are the ones who need to go out there and carry it out. It's not easy when 11 players are trying to stop you. To deliver those performances and keep that clean sheet, it's pleasing. We need to now progress it and turn those displays into wins."

On Manchester City: "To keep doing what they've been doing relentlessly year after year is a massive challenge. Every team eventually have quiet times. Be it Sir Alex Ferguson or Arsene Wenger, they've all had some quiet years. Maybe it's City's time and the manager's time to have a quiet period. But we have got to play very well to beat this side and there's no questions about that."

On Everton's new owners: "What they have come out and said is that they want stability first. It's just a clean message. They've said they are the new owners and it allows me to concentrate on what the team do."

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, PA Media

There's plenty going on all over the table today of course, and Southampton's new manager Ivan Juric says his side are capable of "something exceptional" in their fight against relegation from the Premier League.

The Saints head into Christmas rooted to the bottom of the table on six points, half a dozen adrift of Ipswich in 19th and eight away from safety.

Only four teams have ever retained their place from the same position on 25 December in 32 seasons of the Premier League - although West Brom (2004-05), Sunderland (2013-14), Leicester (2014-15) and Wolves (2022-23) had all earned 10 points at the same stage.

"It will be a very tough job and I know that in the history nobody stayed in the Premiership with this situation, but I think there are a lot of good players, and we have [to be] much better in some moments of the game," said Juric.

"I am optimistic. I'm really optimistic."

Are we?

So Pep wants to hit the January sales. Who's out there?

Manchester City

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola speaking to Amazon Prime: "We need to win games so that we can come back into the rhythm. We need to think about the next one. We cannot think further ahead and we are going to try."

"I like to be here. I love the club, the hierarchy, the people, the life in Manchester and many other things. Now more than ever. We have a lot of problems but let's turn it around. That's the target.

"When we won in the past, we had most of the squad. But now we have eight important players out. We cannot get out of this roll now. Football isn't predictable, so maybe when you think it's going to be difficult, you can win. Let's see.

"When you are winning, you think more and more on how to keep the run going. When it's not, we need to think more about what you have to do. We need to find a way. Results do help. We have played games where we were on the edge of winning, but lost. It makes it a little more difficult."

On transfer plans: "We have to add players. Definitely. Definitely. We struggle especially in the back and in the middle. I think we have to but I don't know if it's going to happen. The transfer window in winter is not easy."

On Everton: "They have held prolific teams like Arsenal and Chelsea. So they are really good. We need to try to add speed and quality up front and hopefully we will be good today."

Image source, Getty Images

Today is the first Manchester City matchday squad for a Premier League game to not feature at least one of Kyle Walker, John Stones, Ederson or Jack Grealish since May 2017.

There's a rebuild needed isn't there?

Shamoon Hafez
BBC Sport football news reporter at Etihad Stadium

Image source, Getty Images

Sports journalism is a great job, travelling around getting paid to write about sport.

But it's not as good as being a third-choice goalkeeper at Manchester City.

If things aren't going right today or Stefan Ortega comes a cropper, boss Pep Guardiola has the option of bringing Scott Carson from the bench.

The 39-year-old might finally have some work to do from his cushy position, having last made a league appearance for City back in May 2021.

Chris Sutton
BBC Sport football expert

Manchester City are finding everything difficult at the moment, including creating chances and scoring goals, but I still think it is just a matter of time until they come good again - they have to.

There is so much noise around City at the moment, about what is going wrong, but this is still a game they should win.

Everton have kept clean sheets in five of their past six games but they got thumped the last time they came to Manchester - at the start of December, when they lost 4-0 to Manchester United.

I think they will lose at Etihad Stadium too.

Sutton's prediction: 2-1

Sean Dyche has put the brakes on for Everton - defensively anyway.

Only the current top four sides of Liverpool (16), Arsenal (16), Chelsea (19) and Nottingham Forest (19) have conceded fewer Premier League goals this season than Everton (21), with Jordan Pickford registering more clean sheets than any other keeper this season (7).

Diogo Dalot is off to Molineux with Manchester United later, but the Portugal full-back has already been doing his bit to help others this festive season.

Dalot joined the volunteers at Lifeshare, Manchester’s oldest homelessness charity, on Christmas Eve to help provide with their work offering food, companionship, showers, health support and clothing to homeless and vulnerable people from across the city.

“Manchester is a city with a strong sense of community and compassion. I have lived here for over six years now and I’m proud to call this city my home.” said Dalot.

“Unfortunately, homelessness is on the rise. As a family we want to raise awareness and also directly help people wherever we can. Christmas can be a difficult time for many, and Lifeshare’s work ensures that no one is forgotten.

“The volunteers that I have met here are really inspirational. I’m really grateful that I was able to spend time with them and play a small part in helping to deliver such vital work for the people that they support.”

Image source, Lifeshare

Ben Greenwood: It's the Wythenshawe Derby today. @WythenshaweFC, external v @WTFC1946, external. If you're in Manchester and looking for a game to go to, this is worth it. Proper blood and thunder!

Shamoon Hafez
BBC Sport football news reporter at Etihad Stadium

Ederson, Walker, Dias, Stones, Rodri, Nunes, Bobb, Grealish.

That's the list of Manchester City absentees today. It's no wonder this side is struggling.