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First Half: Aston Villa 0-0 Man City - live on Sky Sports

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Updates, teams and tables

Teams: Watkins starts for Villa | Foden returns for City

Man City will go top if Arsenal lose and they beat Villa

FREE in-game clips and highlights in this blog | Sky Bet

Arsenal 0-0 Palace | Bournemouth 0-0 Forest | Wolves 0-0 Burnley

Commentary by Patrick Rowe and Peter Smith

Aston Villa 0-0 Man City

Sky Sports' Andy Hinchcliffe:

"No one in a Villa shirt closes him down!"

Aston Villa 0-0 Man City

Reijnders picks the ball up outside the area and space opens up for him, with no Villa players closing the midfielder down, but his shot whistles just over the bar!

Aston Villa 0-0 Man City

Aston Villa 0-0 Man City

Silva times his run well and is found by Savinho between the lines but no one for City is there to latch onto his cut back into the box!

Aston Villa 0-0 Man City

Kamara intercepts Savinho's second cross of the day and sparks a Villa counter but Buendia's threaded pass to Watkins is mopped up by Dias.

Aston Villa 0-0 Man City

Aston Villa 0-0 Man City

First chance of the day falls to Buendia on the volley. Digne hurls a long throw into the box, which is a common theme in the Premier League this season, before it falls to the playmaker outside the area.

His effort balloons over the bar. The crowd applaud it nonehteless.

Aston Villa 0-0 Man City

Sky Sports' Andy Hinchcliffe:

"We expected Stones to play in the backline but he's playing in midfield alongside Reijnders as a midfield pair...

"He drops into the backline when Aston Villa have the ball."

Aston Villa 0-0 Man City

City look a touch frustrated that they can't move forward immediately and it leads to Gvardiol spraying a wayward pass across the field, which rolls out of play for a Villa throw.

Aston Villa 0-0 Man City

Patient play to get us started.

Aston Villa 0-0 Man City

KICK OFF!

We are under way at Villa Park, live on Sky Sports!

Can the hosts make it four league wins in a row or will City stake their claim to move to the top of the table?

Time to find out...

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Here come the players!

Aston Villa and Man City emerge from the tunnel as we approach kick-off at Villa Park...

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No Elliott for Villa today...

Sky Sports' Patrick Rowe:

"Interesting to see no Harvey Elliott in the squad for Villa today. There were high hopes from the fanbase after that loan move with an obligation to buy was completed on Deadline Day - but it just hasn't gone to plan yet."

Team news reminder!

Five minutes to go until kick-off at Villa Park...

Buendia's big impact!

No player in the Premier League this season has more goals and assists combined as a substitute than Aston Villa’s Emiliano Buendía (2 goals, 1 assist).

The Argentinian is looking to score in consecutive Premier League appearances for the very first time.

Can he make the same impact in the starting line-up?

Pep: Villa are a CL team and Emery is one of my favourite managers

Man City boss Pep Guardiola speaking to Sky Sports:

"They are a Champions League team. He [Emery] is one of my favourite managers.

"They are good. Set pieces, defensively and they play in a way that is different to 99 per cent of teams in the Premier League.

"I like Unai, his development and understanding is better and better. That is why he has had incredible success."

Today's venue...

Villa Park is ready and waiting ahead of hosting Manchester City, live on Sky Sports, today.

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Hendrie: Villa need to start performing better

Sky Sports' Lee Hendrie:

"They have been a different outfit this season. They miss players who have left the club.

"They have to start performing at a better level. Watkins has come under a lot of criticism by fans.

"I do put him having limited chances [as the reason]. He plays on his own and is reliant on the likes of Rogers, Guessand and McGinn.

"They are not players who will run past players. They miss [Jacob] Ramsey, [Moussa] Diaby and Leon Bailey."

Emery: We have beaten City but they are better now

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery speaking to Sky Sports:

"To beat City is very difficult. We can analyse how and why we did it but different moment.

"We are trying to get out structure as strong as possible, we beat them last year and two years ago. Today is a different match, they are better now.

"They are playing good and dominating. They will try and push us defensively. Of course, we are trying to avoid everything tactically that they want to do.

"With the ball, we have to try dominant sometimes and avoid their press."

On stopping Erling Haaland: "Good question! He is amazing how he is playing.

"He has started the season so good and this is our challenge, a collective challenge."

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Arsenal 0-0 Crystal Palace

Sky Sports' William Bitibiri at the Emirates:

"All this talk of Eberechi Eze pre-match but I'm looking forward to watching the other No 10, Yeremy Pino, closely this afternoon.

"The man tasked with filling Crystal Palace's Eze-shaped hole has shown flashes of moments but Eagles fans are still waiting for him to click with his teammates.

"This afternoon could be the perfect occasion."

Arsenal 0-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 0-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 0-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 0-0 Crystal Palace

Atmosphere bubbling in north London

Sky Sports' William Bitibiri at the Emirates:

"There's nothing quite like a pre-match trailer to get the juices flowing ahead of some Premier League action. And few clubs love those trailers quite like Arsenal.

"They've shown another one here at to help stoke up the atmosphere, and it's worked. Here come the players."

Teams are out!

Speaking of England internationals, Bukayo Saka and Marc Guehi lead their respective teams onto the pitch!

Kick-off is fast approaching!

Thomas Tuchel in the stands

England boss Thomas Tuchel has been spotted at the Emirates this afternoon. With several Three Lions candidates on display today, who will impress him the most?

No pressure, Adam Wharton...

Team news reminder

Arsenal: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Rice, Zubimendi, Eze; Saka, Gyokeres, Trossard.

Crystal Palace: Henderson; Muñoz, Richards, Lacroix, Guéhi, Mitchell; Wharton, Kamada; Sarr, Pino; Mateta.

Arsenal vs Crystal Palace: Match Officials

Referee: Tom Bramall

Assistant referees: Simon Bennett, Nick Greenhalgh

Fourth official: Andy Madley

VAR: Chris Kavanagh

Assistant VAR: Craig Taylor

Wharton: I want to play in Champions League and win trophies

Did you know?

Mikel Arteta has named an unchanged starting XI in the Premier League for the first time since September 2024, for a 4-2 win over Leicester. Arsenal have won nine of their last 10 Premier League games when they've named an unchanged XI (D1).

Watch FIVE PL games on Sky with multiview

The Premier League is taking over this weekend with FIVE live televised games as part of the biggest Supercharged Super Sunday yet.

It's a real takeover with Sky Sports Multiview letting you choose between watching all of - or any one of - Premier League leaders Arsenal, challengers Manchester City, plus Sean Dyche's Nottingham Forest and a relegation six-pointer between Wolves and Burnley across four 2pm kick-offs. They're all live on Sky Sports.

Sky Sports Multiview Q&A: What is it? How can I access it? Which games will be shown?

Sky Sports

Arteta: Eze reunion special but not the focus

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta claimed that while Eberechi Eze's reunion with former club Crystal Palace is special, the focus remains on the team.

Palace upset to snap winless run over Arsenal?

For all of Palace's improvement in recent times, history shows they still struggle against Arsenal.

In fact, last season's 2-2 draw in this very fixture was they haven't lost against the Gunners since they last beat them back in 2022.

April 4 2022 - Crystal Palace 3-0 Arsenal

August 5 2022 - Crystal Palace 0-2 Arsenal

March 19 2023 - Arsenal 4-1 Crystal Palace

August 21 2023 - Crystal Palace 0-1 Arsenal

January 20 2024 - Arsenal 5-0 Crystal Palace

December 18 2024 - Arsenal 3-2 Crystal Palace

December 21 2024 - Crystal Palace 1-5 Arsenal

April 23 2025 - Arsenal 2-2 Crystal Palace

Arsenal handling the heat so far...

Sky Sports' William Bitibiri at the Emirates:

"Another Liverpool slip-up means that Arsenal have another opportunity to widen the gap between them and their competition.

"A win will see Mikel Arteta's side move seven points clear of Champions Liverpool in their search for the Premier League title.

"Arsenal have risen to the occasion at each time of asking this season to pull further clear in the title race but as the weeks go by, Arteta's side will have their mettle tested.

"This afternoon offers another test. Arsenal are robust on the field and all signs point towards a greater winning mentality this term. Can Arteta's Arsenal extend their lead at the top this afternoon?"

Arteta: 'I envisioned set-piece importance 10 years ago'

Speaking ahead of Sunday's clash with Crystal Palace, Mikel Arteta claimed he could see the importance set-pieces would have in his coaching a decade ago.

Arsenal have scored 23 set-piece goals since the beginning of the 2024/2025 season, more than any team in Europe, but it has led to some claiming that Arteta's side are not so pleasing on the eye.

"Ten years ago. I wasn't here but 10 years ago, I said 'it is a massive thing to do that' and I started to have a vision, try to implement a method and try to be surrounded by the best people to deliver that," Arteta said ahead of the game.

"That's the eagerness to constantly find ways to develop your team and give your players to be more unpredictable and especially more efficient."

The ultimate game of attack vs defence

The irresistable force vs the immovable object. That's what todays London derby is shaping up to be.

Arsenal's defensive record is by far the best in the Premier League so far this season, conceding just three times, keeping five clean sheets and having an xG against of just 4.8.

However, as Oliver Glasner elluded to in his pre-match press conference, there is no team better in the final third this season than Crystal Palace.

The Eagles top the charts in shots on target, xG, and big chances. Unfortunately for them, it's finishing said chances that lets them down, as they fall down to seventh in the league in terms of goals scored with 12.

In fact, they are 5.38 goals their xG.

How Daniel Munoz transformed into PL's 'best wing-back'

Jamie Carragher believes that Daniel Munoz is the best wing-back in the Premier League right now. So, Sky Sports' Nick Wright delved into his story of rejection to one of the top performers in the division.

Daniel Munoz: Crystal Palace wing-back a unique talent who overcame rejection to become Premier League's best

Sky Sports

What's happened to Palace?

Sky Sports' William Bitibiri at the Emirates:

"Expectations at Selhurst Park have progressed so far under Oliver Glasner that their current slump has been cause for concern. Since their 19-match unbeaten run was ended by Everton just before the international break, Palace have failed to win since.

"Midweek exposed a slight flaw in their approach as perceptions of Glasner's side continue to shift. Suddenly, against the Cypriot side AEK Larnaca, they were favourites. Under the lights at Selhurst Park, the impetus was theirs to make things happen.

"The fact that they didn't muster an effort on target until the 70th minute tells the story of how they fared in that 1-0 defeat.

"This afternoon will suit them so much more. Arsenal will have the majority of the ball, while Palace will be forced to be patient and await their opportunity.

"It's a game plan Palace thrive in, and as they search for their first win in four, the Eagles may fancy their chances against the league leaders."

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Guglielmo Vicario made a string of fine saves as Tottenham hung on for a fortunate goalless draw at Monaco to remain unbeaten in this season’s Champions League.

The goalkeeper produced eight saves to help Tottenham somehow survive a Monaco onslaught, with the home side missing several good chances after having 23 shots worth an expected goals of nearly 2.5.

A passive Spurs, who mustered just two shots on target and rarely threatened, were lucky to leave the Stade Louis II with a draw - and they had Vicario to thank.

As it happened | Teams | Stats | Live CL table

CL 2025/26: How does league phase work?

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The Italian's two best saves saw him superbly deny ex-Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun in the first half, while he kept out Jordan Teze's point-blank effort in the second half.

Ex-Liverpool attacker Takumi Minamino, who came off the bench, wasted three late chances for Monaco as Spurs rode their luck to earn a fortuitous point.

It is Spurs' first goalless draw since March 2023, ending a run of 125 matches across all competitions without one.

It means Thomas Frank becomes the first Tottenham boss to go unbeaten in his first three Champions League matches, with Spurs sitting 15th in the table.

Vicario: We didn't do the basics | 'Performance has to be higher'

Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario speaking to TNT Sports:

"Not the best performance from us, so a lot to learn from this game because the level in the Champions League is very high.

"If you miss some basics, it's tough to compete against every team.

"It's not about the changes we made tonight. It's about the effort, the mentality, the awareness of danger that we need to have in some situations, and I think tonight we lacked a little bit of that.

"It's a point that we have to take. Of course, it's a tough point because we had to battle tonight, we had to suffer a lot.

"So credit to Monaco for what they showed, because also you have to understand the strength of your opponents and today they were better than us. So from this game we have to learn, because we need to do better, because we have the capability to do better.

"But we cannot lack in basics, in effort and in running and this kind of stuff. So it's a big learning, we move on.

"It's tough, especially away from home. They have a very technical side, and they put the effort in, and I think we lacked a little bit tonight. The level of performance has to be much higher than this one."

Story of the match in stats

What's coming up for Spurs?

Newcastle 0-0 Fulham

Sky Sports' Oliver Yew:

"The plan for Newcastle is simple now: get Anthony Gordon the ball at every opportunity so he can go at Kenny Tete."

Newcastle 0-0 Fulham

Sky Sports' Tim Sherwood on Soccer Saturday:

"Should have scored. A chance in the six-yard box!

"Thiaw heads it back and Woltemade's only four yards out and the big man should have scored."

Newcastle 0-0 Fulham

Newcastle 0-0 Fulham

Sky Sports' Tim Sherwood on Soccer Saturday:

"Newcastle on the front foot. They've got the ball out to Gordon twice and Tete's fouled him twice.

"Now he's in the book, how's your brains?

"If I were Newcastle, I'd get the ball to Gordon and try and force a red card."

Newcastle 0-0 Fulham

Newcastle 0-0 Fulham

Let's play.

Sherwood: Newcastle have great depth

Sky Sports' Tim Sherwood on Soccer Saturday:

"When you go to St James' you play in front of the fans expecting to win. Especially when Fulham can't win a game at the moment.

"The way I look at the game - I look at the substitutes. They have Schar, Tonali, Barnes, Ramsey - that's a quality squad. That's strength in depth.

"Woltemade has come in and started well. I expect them to have too much for Fulham, though Marco Silva's side are competitive."

Team news - reminder...

Newcastle: Pope, Trippier, Thiaw, Botman, Burn, Guimaraes, Joelinton, Miley Murphy, Woltemade, Gordon

Subs: Ramsdale, Schar, Tonali, Barnes, Krafth, Osula, Elanga, Willock, Ramsey.

Fulham: Leno, Tete, Diop, Bassey, Sessegnon, Berge, Lukic, Adama, Smith Rowe, Iwobi, Raul

Subs: Lecomte, Castagne, Amissah, Cuenca, Reed, Cairney, King, Kevin, Kusi-Asare.

'Diplomatic' Howe refuses to be drawn into 'small club' comments

Sky Sports' News' Keith Downie at Eddie Howe's pre-match press conference:

Eddie Howe was asked five different times what he thought about Arne Slot’s “smaller club” comment towards Newcastle in midweek (referencing Alexander Isak’s summer training plan) and managed to navigate past them all with a smile.

Howe was a diplomatic as ever, and a few Premier League managers could learn a thing or two from the 47-year-old. He even added towards the end that he thought “smaller club” was not exactly what the Liverpool manager said or meant.

In bigger news, Howe slipped in that Yoane Wissa will need a six-week pre-season when he returns from his knee injury in two weeks' time. The Newcastle head coach is hoping a summer of solo training for the 29-year-old does not mirror what has happened to Isak in his battle for fitness at Liverpool.

That would take Wissa up until mid-January, coincidentally when the UK-based Premier League players are set to head off to join up with their respective national teams for the Africa Cup of Nations.

Perhaps it was an early warning to DR Congo that Wissa might not be in a position to join up with them for the tournament at the return of the turn of the year.

In more pressing matters, Howe just needs a win on Saturday. He is desperate for his players to take their Champions League form (their last two games have seen them win by an aggregate of 7-0) into the Premier League.

He is scratching his head as to how this is happening, but a home win over Fulham would complete a positive week and perhaps allow him believe that his players have turned a corner.

Injury woes and Silva's uncertain future - How are Fulham looking ahead of Newcastle?

'Newcastle need to kick-start their Premier League season'

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe on balancing domestic and European football:

"That's the challenge we face this year and it's a unique one.

"To be the club that we want to be be we need to try and do it consistently.

"So, it isn't a big mental high and come down, it's trying to keep the players consistent, getting them to execute their their jobs in the best way possible.

"We need to kick-start our Premier League League season. We know that."

'Smaller club' - Howe responds to Slot's Newcastle dig after backlash

Last time out in Premier League: Newcastle...

Last time out: Fulham...

FREE MATCH HIGHLIGHTS!

Don't worry about the 3pm blackout, once the final whistle goes at St James' Park, you can watch full match highlights right here on skysports.com shortly after full-time.

They'll be available here in the match blog as well as in our match reports, so don't move a muscle.

Watch Premier League goals and highlights free online for every match in 2025/26 season

Sky Sports

Fulham's sticky patch...

Fulham have lost each of their last three Premier League games, last losing more consecutively in March/April 2023 (4).

The Cottagers have also kept just one clean sheet in their last 17 Premier League games (1-0 vs Leeds last month).

Silva impressed by Woltemade impact

Fulham boss Marco Silva praised the impact of Newcastle striker Nick Woltemade.

The German forward joined the Magpies over the summer and has so far scored four goals in five Premier League games, including a backheel flick against Brighton last weekend.

Woltemade will be looking to lead the line when Fulham and Newcastle meet on Saturday and Silva admitted he has been impressed by the striker’s start in the Premier League.

Silva told a press conference: “Very good striker. Of course, they had, last three seasons, an unbelievable striker, too. It’s not something new for them. It is a good sign, for them as a football club.

“They went for a slightly different style, but to spend the money they spent on him and the impact that he has had straightaway, I think is very good.

“One is slightly different, probably not so aggressive in the space like (Alexander) Isak was, much more a player that is very good leading the play. And, of course, inside the box he can score.

“He showed already that inside the box he can score in many different ways. The game against Brighton is a good example, the way he was able to finish in that way and score in that way.”

Can Fulham continue winning run against Newcastle?

After an eight-game winless run against Newcastle in the Premier League between 2018 and 2024, Fulham completed the league double over the Magpies last season.

They'll be hoping for some more joy at St James' park this afternoon.

'He has a bit of everything' | Howe full of praise for Tonali after contract extension

Sandro Tonali came in for praise from Eddie Howe ahead of this match but the Italy midfielder is only fit enough for the bench this afternoon.

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank believes Xavi Simons is having the same struggles as Liverpool's Florian Wirtz.

Both Simons and Wirtz joined from Bundesliga sides this summer in big-money moves, with Spurs signing Simons for £51m from RB Leipzig, while Liverpool splashed £116m on Bayer Leverkusen's Wirtz.

But both players are yet to score for their new clubs as they have struggled to adapt to life in the Premier League.

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Simons, whose only assist came on his debut in the win over West Ham, has the chance to score his first goal for Spurs on Wednesday as they face Monaco in the Champions League, with Frank believing the Dutchman is trending in the "right direction".

Asked at his pre-match press conference about Simons' difficulties using the example of Wirtz, Frank replied: "I think that's a very good question. Also, a very good comparison with Wirtz, who is also a very good player, just like Xavi.

"A very good player coming into a couple of things - new country, new club, new city. You just need to settle in, and it is part of it.

"We are all getting judged every game. But we also need to see the little bit bigger perspective and see it over time.

"I always look for glimpses and bits and pieces we are working at. So, for example, Xavi, I think there were

some good bits. I worked with him and asked him to be more arriving in the box, which, when I looked back at the game, he did.

"Was there a big eye-catching moment? No, but there were good glimpses. So I think it's constantly going a little bit in the right direction."

Frank explains stark difference in home and away form

Tottenham face Monaco on the back of Sunday's home defeat against Aston Villa, which meant Spurs have now won just three of their last 18 Premier League home games.

But their away form has been in stark contrast under Frank, with his side unbeaten on the road in all competitions this season (excluding the UEFA Super Cup defeat to PSG on neutral ground).

Asked by Sky Sports to explain the imbalance between home and away results, Frank replied: "I don't know exactly. It depends on who you are facing - that can be home and away.

"I know at home you may play in a specific way and other teams are playing in a specific way against you compared to when you go away. And then the team opens up a little bit more, so you can hit them a little bit more on the counter, so you don't have to create everything from scratch and 11 players behind the ball.

"But I just think definitely the away form has been very good in terms of what we said before. I think we've been extremely good in the foundation in football, in terms of we have a good base in the middle, low block and also very high.

"I think it's very important that we probably have the most aggressive teams in the high pressure. And I think that's a big part of why we are also quite good away from home. We need to continue tomorrow against a very good team, but we're up for that."

Frank confirms Romero and Udogie to miss Monaco game

Tottenham are aiming to remain unbeaten in the Champions League this season on Wednesday, but Frank will be without defenders Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie in Monaco.

Captain Romero missed training on Tuesday morning due to an "abductor strain" after he pulled out in the warm-up of Sunday's 2-1 home defeat to Aston Villa.

Frank said of Romero's injury at his pre-match press conference: "It's an abductor strain. We will assess it more this week before we come with any timeframe."

Asked whether fans should be concerned about the injury, Frank replied: "No, I don't think so.

"For me, it's an abductor strain. We'll assess him this week, and then we'll know more."

Spurs will also be without Udogie again after he missed Sunday's loss to Villa with a knee issue.

Frank said of the left-back: "The latest is that he got that knee irritation after the international duty.

"We are assessing and working very hard to get on top of. We will know more probably day by day or in the next week."

Dier injured for Spurs reunion with Pogba absent for Monaco

There will be no Tottenham reunion for Eric Dier, with the Monaco defender injured for Wednesday's clash.

The England international, who made 365 appearances in nine-and-a-half years at Spurs, misses out with a hamstring injury.

Asked by Sky Sports whether Dier was disappointed to miss out on facing his old club, new Monaco boss Sebastien Pocognoli replied: "Actually, it was more general disappointment to be injured because I felt he really wanted to start the journey with me on the weekend. He was really upset with the injury.

"For sure, it is deeply disappointing for him that he misses the game against Tottenham, but we didn't discuss this."

Paul Pogba will not make his long-awaited return to football against Tottenham, either.

The ex-Manchester United midfielder has suffered a setback in his comeback, having yet to feature for Monaco since joining in the summer as a free agent.

The France international is training with the squad, confirmed Pocognoli.

"I think the process for Paul is a process to make everything step by step," the Belgian said. "Yesterday, he trained with the group for the first time under my coaching.

"He was smiling, enjoying himself and interacting with the players, so for me that's the first step. This step can take days, two or three weeks, and then we can build on this through performance, the consistency.

"So that's the first step, and I'm very pleased to see him on the pitch."