Manchester

There are eight matches in the Premier League on Thursday, and we will bring you every moment.

• Manchester City v Everton (12:30)

• Bournemouth v Crystal Palace

• Chelsea v Fulham

• Newcastle v Aston Villa

• Nottingham Forest v Tottenham

• Southampton v West Ham

• Wolves v Manchester United (17:30)

• Liverpool v Leicester (20:00)

Kick-off time 15:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all the action and reaction here

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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is confident about turning the club's fortunes around this season.

City host Everton later on Thursday, with Toffees boss Sean Dyche yet to beat Guardiola in 17 managerial meetings.

However, City are going into the game with a record of one win in their past 12 matches and seventh in the Premier League.

"We have to do more. We cannot do the same, because the results are not going well," said Guardiola.

"Something that you have done well during these years now it doesn't work - [so] you have to do something else.

"Everyone has to do more - simple. I have to, the players have to. Even the uncomfortable things and difficult things, we have to do more.

"Of course, there are doubts - absolutely - that the decisions are not good, or how to do this or that. But I'm so positive."

Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League games this season, against a variety of guests.

This week, he takes on Eats Everything, aka DJ and producer Daniel Pearce, who is a Manchester United fan.

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

I usually get a bit of feedback on social media when I predict a Manchester United defeat but it has been very quiet since I said they would lose to Bournemouth on Sunday.

I did not think the scoreline would be 3-0 again, but the reason I went with the Cherries is because they won at Old Trafford last season and, since then, they have improved while United have gone backwards. So, was it really such a surprise?

Moving on to this game, and the same thinking applies. Why would anyone look at Ruben Amorim's side and back them to beat Wolves? I can't think of any compelling reason why anything will be different here.

I feel sorry for Amorim because he arrived with such excitement around his appointment but, only a few weeks later, he must be fully aware of how big a job he faces to turn things around.

United have wasted a fortune to build this squad and, as Amorim keeps saying, he is still trying to find his best XI. This is a trial period for him but he has got to deal with issues like Marcus Rashford's future as well. He has got a lot to sort out.

It is hard to know what Wolves will be like either, though. One of the positives from their win over Leicester in Vitor Pereira's first game was a clean sheet, but you have to remember that the Foxes are bang average.

So, as poor as United have been, I am not going for Wolves to win this either. Instead, I think this will be a tight game and it has got draw written all over it.

Eats Everything's prediction: 0-2

I was hoping our win in the derby would boost our form but obviously that wasn't the case against Bournemouth. Wolves got a good win in in Pereira's first match in charge and playing them in his first home game is going to be tough, but of course I am going to back us.

I'd like to think if Rashford or Alejandro Garnacho are on the bench then one of them will come on and be itching to do something, and make the difference.

Read the full predictions and have your say

Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League games this season, against a variety of guests.

This week, he takes on Eats Everything, aka DJ and producer Daniel Pearce.

Sutton's prediction: 2-1

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.

Eats Everything's prediction: 2-0

Everton have been drawing a lot but they have not seen much of the ball - they had less than 25% of possession against Chelsea and Arsenal - and it is going to be the same story here. Arsenal battered them really, just without scoring, and although City have been struggling I still think they will find a way through.

Read the full predictions and have your say

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In both Premier League and English Football League history, Manchester United have won more games and scored more goals on Boxing Day than any other side.

They have 22 wins and 74 goals in the Premier League era, and 54 wins and 202 goals overall.

Image source, Getty Images

Since the start of November, Manchester City have earned fewer points than any other Premier League side (four) - winning one, drawing one and losing six of their eight games in that run.

City have also shipped multiple goals in seven of those eight games - as many times as they had in their previous 40.

Manchester United are set to step up their interest in Atalanta and Brazil midfielder Ederson, but the Italian side will not sell the 25-year-old in January and want at least 60m euros (£50m). (Tuttomercatoweb - in Italian), external

Marcus Rashford is a target for Paris St-Germain but the French giants will not pay United's £50m-£60m asking price because of the forward's wages, which are believed to be in excess of £300,000 a week. (Teamtalk), external

United are monitoring the situation of France forward Randal Kolo Muani at PSG. Liverpool,Tottenham and RB Leipzig are also interested in the 26-year-old. (Sky Sports Germany), external

Leicester City boss Ruud van Nistelrooy could lean on his Old Trafford connections to land a suitable loan signing in January. (Football Insider), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

Follow gossip on BBC Sport to keep up to date with the latest transfer rumours

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For me, wherever I played, I'd always see where the first game was, where the last game was, and where we were at Christmas.

There is such a big difference between being at home on Boxing Day versus being away because, depending on what your manager is like, if you've got an away game there is a chance you're training on Christmas Day.

Some of the toughest times I had was when we had away games on Boxing Day and we had to come in to train at four or five on Christmas. That's when everything is just starting at home and everyone is really enjoying themselves and you have to leave.

If you lose you are sat in the hotel having walked away from friends and family all for no points. It's not the best feeling and as a consequence you bring home some of that disappointment with you.

But, in reality, you just know it is the busiest time of the year. The floodlights are always on for the games, the conditions get that little bit tougher, you've got games it feels like every three or four days.

I think it's an exciting part of the season because you can gain real, significant momentum but ultimately it comes down to are you winning games.

I think the Christmas period itself can be tough if you have got family but in reality it always feels nicer when you get that win on Boxing Day. The atmosphere in the stadiums is a little bit different, the atmosphere among the players is a bit different.

You're very thankful to get the chance to do what you do, but if you end up losing on Boxing Day or around that spell it is rubbish because it almost feels like it was a waste of time with all the efforts you put in.

But, I get it. The fans love it, there is a lot of clamour around it. You lose track of days just like everyone else does after Christmas and before New Year but it is great to play in front of those types of crowds and it just does feel different playing during that week or two.

Nedum Onuoha was speaking to BBC Sport's Nat Hayward

Alex Turk
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

As 2024 stumbles to a close at Manchester United, let's take a brief moment to reflect on the highs rather than anguish over the lows.

In a year of plenty of the latter, moments don't get much greater than the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium on 25 May.

United's 13th FA Cup-winning run probably produced the club's two best moments of 2024, in fact.

The 4-3 quarter-final victory against Liverpool is the most emotional match I have attended at Old Trafford since becoming a season ticket holder in 2015.

But Erik ten Hag's heavy underdogs went one better by executing the Dutchman's gameplan to perfection against Manchester City in the final.

Dread was the overwhelming feeling in the build-up. Ten Hag was expected to lose his job, and you'd likely be able to count the number of the world's punters who backed United on one hand.

Two academy graduates - Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo - netting the decisive goals in a 2-1 victory made the occasion all the more sweet.

Rich traditions overcoming modern, state-backed dominance. Days like that sunny afternoon in May are the ones that Manchester United Football Club is all about.

Tears were flowing (and not just from my eyes) as I stood in the heavens at Wembley in disbelief. Dread quickly transitioned into immense pride.

Vengeance for that agonising narrow defeat in the first-ever Manchester derby FA Cup final a year earlier.

It just went to show that no matter how bad things stoop at this incredible football club, there will always be a chance of magic.

At the start of the sixth rebuild since the days of Sir Alex Ferguson, that sparks desperately needed hope under Ruben Amorim.

Find more from Alex Turk at Stretford Paddock, external

Freddie Pye
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

In a year that is now being marred by Manchester City's torrid run of form across the last 12 matches, it is very easy to forget the endless list of memorable moments that created history not only at the Etihad Stadium, but also across English football during the second-half of last season.

You could say that the calendar year as a whole has been a tale of two halves, and that brings us to our Moment of the Year for Pep Guardiola's side; the 2-3 win over Newcastle United less than two weeks into 2024 - the ultimate tale of two halves in a football match.

This was arguably the moment the direction of the Premier League title swung in the direction of City once again. It was the moment that many of City's challengers felt that they were becoming helpless and were about to witness Pep Guardiola's players steamroll to a fourth consecutive Premier League title - and that is exactly what happened.

Kevin De Bruyne made the ultimate return from six-months out to slam home an excellent equaliser before providing a stunning assist for Oscar Bobb to score an incredible individual goal of his own and firmly break through into the first-team scene.

This was not only a glimpse at the sensational quality that Manchester City have at their disposal, capable of delivering league title after league title, but also a look towards the future, and the constant conveyor belt of world-beating talent being supplied to Pep Guardiola through the academy system.

Find more from Freddie Pye at City Xtra, external