BBC

Guardiola's side must deliver

Tottenham 0-0 Manchester City

Phil McNulty

BBC Sport chief football writer at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Pep Guardiola has lost more Premier League games against Spurs than any other opponents in his managerial career with eight, a sign of Manchester City's indifferent record against them in recent seasons.

Leaders Arsenal have put the pressure back on City as they bounced back from defeat at home to Manchester United by thrashing Leeds United 4-0 at Elland Road.

This means City can ill-afford any slip-ups here.

'Horrendous terrible decision'

FT: Man Utd 3-2 Fulham

Fulham

Fulham boss Marco Silva speaking to Sky Sports: "Top performance from ourselves. Second half, our team was better. The way we played and controlled the ball, they wanted to press us high but we never let them. They scored when we switched off but we kept going and scored a goal that was disallowed. It is what it is. Difficult but we have to accept it.

"The story of the game started with a horrendous terrible decision from John Brooks with the penalty he gave. Horrendous decision from that moment, big, big mistake. It was the first time we saw all the Premier League fans and us coaches and players. We have to take all this frustration to win the next one."

On the VAR: "The penalty was given by the tackle. After, because the decision was so bad, they found a different foul."

On Kevin's goal: "Great goal from Kevin and what a moment for him. he deserves these moments and is a big talent."

On decisions going against Fulham: "I feel my players, I feel our fans but we have to respect and the people in charge. I know why the penalty was given. VAR went in a completely different direction to find something to find a free-kick that was not the reason why the penalty was given."

On if he has spoken to John Brooks: "I don't want get more cards because I want to be on the touchline. I don't want to speak more."

'Thiago is selfless in the way he plays'

FT: Aston Villa 0-1 Brentford

Brentford

Brentford manager Keith Andrews speaking to Sky Sports: "This is right up there, with the circumstances going down to 10 men. The pride, performance level and the spirit of the group, it doesn't surprise me. The lads were magnificent."

On the red card for Kevin Schade: "I think we need to learn from that and not react."

On what his half-time message was: "I knew we would have to defend large parts of the game. I wanted to start the second half still being able to attack. The boys still had to dig in deep."

On Igor Thiago: "He is selfless in the way he plays. The work he does for the team and they all do. He was immense today and gave us a platform with his selfless running.

"I feel like it is a result we deserved and what we created in the second half, I thought a clean sheet was deserved."

Post

FT: Nottingham Forest 1-1 Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner, speaking to Sky Sports: "I'm really pleased with the first half, especially the reaction after going 1-0 down. We played a fantastic first half. We controlled the game for the first 10-15 minutes in the second half but we lost our nerve. I could see the effort and I learned to respect the point when I came here.

"We would have played more in their final third. We didn't defend the final balls well. The last one or two passes were not accurate enough. You could see the weight on the players' shoulders. After being 1-0 down, it was great the way we played. We are struggling with converting chances.

On the transfer window: "Everyone can contribute. Everyone who plays in the attack can contribute. We need the set plays; we are really good at set plays again, like we were last year. Let's see, I don't know what will happen. We need a striker who scores goals. Mateta is our top scorer.

"The players deserve my full focus and it's challenging for everyone when you have such a tight squad. It was pretty clear that we need great togetherness here.

Will Mateta remain at Palace? "I don't know. It is either him or someone else."

'The work rate is definitely different'

FT: Man Utd 3-2 Fulham

Manchester United

Manchester United striker Benjamin Sesko, speaking to Sky Sports after scoring the winning goal: "That was unbelievable. Scoring at home and scoring the winner is unbelievable. I've been dreaming about that and dreaming that I can do that. We all know as a team how important these results are. We are on a really great run right now and we are just hoping that we can continue to work hard like that to win games. I'm really happy that I could help the team out. We can continue our streak now."

On Michael Carrick's message to the team about playing with freedom and enjoying playing for Manchester United: "It's true, he has said these things many times to the team. That's exactly what we are doing. But it's not just that, you can see how much we work hard for each other without the ball and that also contributes to good results in the end. The work rate is definitely different. Everyone is on point and covering their spaces. In the end, that's what counts.

"The aim is to continue like this. We want to focus on our work and what we have to do. We have work hard like we are and focus in every moment. All of this is going to lead to great results."

On his team-mate Casemiro: "He is an unbelievable player, a legend. It is nice to play with him and it is also nice to listen to his advice. His work rate is unbelievable and he gives all his teams a boost. We are grateful to have him with us."

'It's an instinctive reaction from Neco'

FT: Nottingham Forest 1-1 Crystal Palace

Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest boss Sean Dyche, speaking to Sky Sports: "The half-time changes the whole feeling of the game. We had some real quality play. The mistake forces the corner. I think it's an instinctive reaction from Neco. I'm not going to question him on that.

On Matz Sels: "He's got what we think is a groin. He'll have a scan as soon as possible.

"We changed the shape and went to 4-3-2. We have good strength at the back but we did well to contain it. So many good performances today.

On Neco Williams: "I've not said much to him at all. It's one of those things. He's been terrific here. It's an instinctive reaction, he's thrown his head at it, couldn't reach it and it touched his hand. We all know the rules.

On the transfer window: "We've been linked with so many players. We'll see."

'We were due three points'

FT: Aston Villa 0-1 Brentford

Brentford

Brentford goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher speaking to Sky Sports: "It was amazing from the lads and in the second-half especially, we dug in and deserved the three points."

On the half-time message from manager Keith Andrews: "It was a message of we won't get many chances but dig in and we have defended well in the first-half, and to try and put our bodies on the line.

"Some of the blocks and challenges were amazing."

On if they needed the win: "The last two results weren't great but performance wise we were good so I think we were due three points."

'It felt like some decisions didn't go our way'

FT: Man Utd 3-2 Fulham

Fulham

Fulham's Emile Smith Rowe speaking to Sky Sports: "Really frustrating. I thought the boys fought really hard today to get back into the game. It's a bit annoying to concede straight after equalising.

On what Marco Silva has said: "We have to stick together at this moment in time. Coming here we knew it was going to be tough. We have to go again and stick together."

On if he felt decisions went against Fulham: "This is football. We can't do much, all we can do is try to perform as best we can. It felt like some decisions didn't go our way but it's football at the end of the day."

"We want to do that every game, we want to compete, fight and show our best on and off the ball. I felt we got a bit unlucky today. We still have a lot to play for. We are still in the cups and have had a good season so far."

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Man City 1-0 Chelsea

Rachel Brown-Finnis

Former England goalkeeper on BBC One

It's a decent ball from Casparij. It's never dealt with. No one presses down the line. There's a little nick off Baltimore and sloppy, pedestrian defending.

It comes off Ellie Carpenter, who's not had anything go her way.

It's a decent strike. How much have Man City missed Kerolin?

Chelsea were passive. Not the usual aggressors.

GOAL - Man City 1-0 Chelsea

Kerolin (13 mins)

City have the breakthrough!

Chelsea fail to deal with Kerstin Casparij's corner, the ball runs to Kerolin at the edge of the box and she sends a half-volley into the bottom corner, via a slight nick off Ellie Carpenter.

The Brazilian winger has now scored or assisted in each of her last six WSL appearances (four goals and three assists).

She boasts the best minutes per goal involvement rate of any player in the WSL this season

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Man City 0-0 Chelsea

Lauren Hemp goes one on one with Ellie Carpenter on the left flank and stands up a cross, but it's too deep and goes out of play.

Kerstin Casparij had got forward on the right and wanted the cross much earlier.

Post

Man City 0-0 Chelsea

Emma Sanders

BBC Sport women’s football news reporter at Etihad Stadium

The smoke from the pre-match pyros is still lingering around the stands but it's been a decent opening few minutes for Chelsea.

As many of us expected, they are already trying to get the ball in behind Rebecca Knaak and Alex Greenwood for Alyssa Thompson to chase.

Post

Man City 0-0 Chelsea

City look very confident on the ball.

After playing their way up the pitch, Kerolin backheels the ball to Khadija Shaw who then looks to flick it on to Vivianne Miedema, but Chelsea get a foot in.

That would have been some team move had it ended with a goal.

Post

Man City 0-0 Chelsea

Lauren Hemp gets on the ball and there's a roar of encouragement from the home fans.

Her cross is cut out by Naomi Girma, before the second delivery is deep and comes to nothing.

Hemp's only goal this season came at the Etihad Stadium, in City's derby day victory against Manchester United.

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Man City 0-0 Chelsea

Rachel Brown-Finnis

Former England goalkeeper on BBC One

Chelsea are about winning. They're juggling many tournaments - not something Andree Jeglertz has to worry about.

Man City are firmly in the driving seat [in the title race]. Man City know that getting something from this game, the title is pretty much in their hands.

'There's not a lot we can control'

Man City v Chelsea (14:30 GMT)

Chelsea

Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor speaking to BBC Sport: "There is not a lot we can control [in the title race]. We know all the context around the game today. The main thing is to focus on ourselves and that is what I told the players today. We know we need points and we need a good performance to achieve that.

"Manchester City are playing a home game with the support of their fans. We know they are strong team. But hopefully, we will be able to put on a strong performance and come back with some points."

'Hopefully it can all come together this season'

Man City v Chelsea (14:30 GMT)

Steph Houghton

Former Manchester City defender on BBC One

There are a lot of things happening behind the scenes in terms of recruitment and getting the tactics right. We have always been technically good at Manchester City but it is what it takes to get to that next level.

What Chelsea have done really well in the past seasons is that they know what it takes to win. But this City side have got a lot of international players who have played big games and won big trophies.

Hopefully it can all come together this year.

'It's not over yet'

Man City v Chelsea (14:30 GMT)

Manchester City

Manchester City forward Vivianne Miedema speaking to BBC Sport: "Obviously we have had a good season so far, we are chuffed with where we are. Today will be difficult, we know how good Chelsea are. It's not over [the title race].

"We know what we need to do, we need to get a result today. We just focus on every single game, the next game is the most important one.

"We know each other [Chelsea] really well, played each other loads last year. We know their quality, but we have quality too."

West Ham United vs Tottenham Hotspur: Women's Super League stats & head-to-head  BBC

Erling Haaland is back in the goals for Manchester City, and scored with a lovely finish against Galatasaray on Wednesday.

What also helps City is having Marc Guehi and Antoine Semenyo eligible for this game, after they missed out in midweek.

I spoke earlier about Arsenal getting nervous, but for that to happen City need to really put their foot down and keep the pressure on.

So this is a big game for them and while I do not think it will be easy - Spurs are a bit of a bogey team for them - Guehi will make them much more solid at the back.

Tottenham's unhappy home fans might help City get a result, too.

You can imagine the first misplaced pass by Spurs will be blamed on Thomas Frank, and those grumbles will only grow as the game goes on.

Sutton's prediction: 0-2

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Tottenham Hotspur host Manchester City on Sunday after the two clubs progressed safely to the knockout stage of the Champions League in midweek, with both bosses managing significant injury lists.

Tottenham hot and cold

Spurs' Jekyll and Hyde performances this season have left fans wondering why their European form can't be replicated on the domestic front, where they've recorded just two wins in their last 14 league games.

Such inconsistency has piled pressure on head coach Thomas Frank, but perhaps the warning signs were there before the Lilywhites lured the Dane from west London to north last summer.

Frank, whose side sit 14th, has won just four of his last 22 home league matches. Curiously, he has the exact same record in his first 11 with Spurs – won two, lost six, drawn three – as in his last 11 with Brentford. Now, though, he has three times as many people berating him at games for poor results.

With a slew of injuries in attacking positions, it's perhaps no surprise Spurs have relied on goals from elsewhere on the pitch. In fact, in Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, they boast the two Premier League defenders with the most goals in all competitions this season.

New Blues will boost City's title chase

While Pep Guardiola might not be under the same pressure as his opposite number in the dugout, there are some signs of tetchiness in the Spaniard's recent news conferences, with Manchester City trailing Arsenal by four points at the top of the table.

Last week's win over Wolves was City's first in five league games, with the signing of Antoine Semenyo looking more astute by the week. The Ghana forward has three goals in his first four games since arriving from Bournemouth and, with fellow wideman Jeremy Doku injured in midweek, his importance in the title race cannot be understated.

Another big-name January arrival, Marc Guehi, had an impressive debut at the Etihad, and he too will prove crucial in the run-in. The England centre-back will need to use all his positional nous to stifle a Spurs team who have scored more headed goals than any other in the league this season, with 10.

Guardiola won't exactly relish the trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. City lost the reverse fixture 2-0 in August and his eight league defeats against Spurs are the most he has suffered at the hands of any opponent in his managerial career.

Thomas Frank says Tottenham worked hard to try and sign Antoine Semenyo in January but conceded the transfer window is not like the game Football Manager.

Semenyo, 26, joined Manchester City - Tottenham's opponents on Sunday - for £62.5m earlier this month, but Frank has added to his squad during this window by signing Atletico Madrid midfielder Conor Gallagher for £35m and Brazil left-back Souza on a long-term deal.

"It was clear, there is no doubt, that the club wanted to sign [Antoine] Semenyo. They did everything and I think that is a clear signal that the Lewis family is very committed," said head coach Frank on Friday.

"That's the quality of players we are looking for to improve the squad."

Frank took over as Tottenham boss from Ange Postecoglou in June last year, signing a contract with the north London club until 2028.

He has come under increasing pressure during his first season at Spurs, with the club 14th in the Premier League table and without a top-flight win in five games. There have been boos by supporters in recent home matches and also chants for Frank to be sacked.

However, Wednesday's win at Eintracht Frankfurt confirmed a top-eight finish in the Champions League table to secure an automatic place in the last 16.

Frank is missing eight senior players through injury for Sunday's visit of Manchester City and the Dane said that makes his squad weaker than it was when the January transfer window opened.

But he does not want to become "obsessed with a short-term fix" because "that's not helping in the long term".

Frank said there could be a "big summer ahead" for Spurs with improvements to his squad, but added the realities of the transfer market are far more complex.

"The fans just want the best for the club, just like I, the owners, the staff, the players. Everyone wants the best for the club.

"But the transfer window is not Football Manager, unfortunately. It is not. It would be a lot easier, but also a little bit more boring.

"We would not have as many good stories to talk about."

Defender Micky van de Ven has a "minor injury" and will be "touch and go" for Sunday.

Dominic Solanke is "still building" but is now "ready to start".

On his side's form: "It has not been perfect, but the past 10 games have been more consistent. We have competed better, especially over the full 90 minutes."

Frank added that "it is a transitional season" and admitted he expected to be higher in the league.

He revealed the club tried to sign Antoine Semenyo, who joined Man City from Bournemouth for £65m this month: "It was clear the club wanted to sign Semenyo, and it is a clear signal that the Lewis family are committed. That would have been a big signing financially."

On whether more business will happen before Monday's deadline: "If we are unable to get players in, then it will be a big summer ahead. I have no doubt we will see big improvements there."

Pep Guardiola is the "best coach in the world", but Frank hopes to find areas to exploit Manchester City.

Manager Pep Guardiola is absent because of "a personal matter" and will return to Manchester today.

Jeremy Doku has a calf injury that is "similar to the last one" he sustained and it will "take time" to heal but they are hopeful the time frame will not be significant.

Ruben Dias will not travel with the squad after his home was targeted by burglars on Wednesday. Lijnders said he is being "supported" by the club and will return to team training Monday.

On opponents Tottenham: "Thomas Frank sets them up in a really clear way. They can link inside to attack through the inside, they can play balls in behind. They are quite fluid on the outside, high-pressing and man-marking team. We are really looking forward to this game."

He said they are not focusing on Arsenal's results and just on "the next game" as "you have to win your own games".

More on the title race: "You have to put pressure and chase, they have to feel us. We have to make sure we go for the maximum points. We know we cannot lose many more games. Try to push not only our points but the race."

On Erling Haaland's finish against Galatasaray: "His mentality sets him apart. For a striker it is always about the next ball and moment. We all know his quality. It is for him to keep believing that it comes. It was pure quality. We need him in good spirits like all our front players. It's only when you're laughing and smiling that you can score these goals."

He said Oscar Bobb's transfer to Fulham is "a big compliment for our academy as it's another player making a big step and who has real Premier League quality."

On whether their transfer activity for this window is completed: "I think we did excellent business. Added strength. If you can find players who can improve your first 11 then it's good business. I feel we succeeded."

The famous New York Yankee pitcher Lefty Gomez said "I'd rather be lucky than good" and with Spurs rarely good, it seems they might well be lucky.

For the second European week in a row, everything fell into place as the mighty Spurs qualified in a lofty fourth place for the Champions League last 16.

Our opponents were the familiar and accommodating Eintracht Frankfurt who rolled over so obediently for us in last season's Europa League. Their 2026 vintage were similarly weak. With their European adventure mathematically over, no manager, and the competition's leakiest defence, they offered very little threat, especially after Spurs went 1-0 up.

As results came in from across Europe, a different school of thought on Thomas Frank did start to percolate for those more trusting to the process. Ernest Hemingway was of the belief that "you make your own luck" and perhaps in that sense I'm doing the Dane a disservice. With Real Madrid, Paris St-Germain and Inter Milan all failing to finish in the top eight, Frank should be patted on the back for a job well done.

Whether the luck of the draw or not, Spurs have rolled through the league phase without ever truly being in trouble. Last night in Germany, Frank reverted to a formation from his scrapbook; a back-to-basics three or five at the back depending on possession. This allowed Spurs to bypass their issues building through the middle and utilize the ball-carrying ability of their wing-backs. Perhaps by returning to his 'Brentford playlist', Frank has finally stumbled on something he can use domestically?

However, despite the tactical tweaks, one man stood head and shoulders above all others: our captain Cuti Romero. Since his sending-off against Liverpool, he has stepped up. His influence, especially in forward areas, is priceless. His eight goal-and-assist contributions this season put many forwards to shame.

Spurs sailing through is a huge achievement. Frank is rightly reaping the rewards for a European job well done - whether lucky or well-deserving.