Manchester

Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter

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How Ruben Amorim must wish he had got his way when he asked United chief executive Omar Berrada if he could delay his arrival from Sporting until the summer.

At least the 39-year-old has not already been dismissed like his successor in Lisbon, Joao Pereira, but by the time he gets to the start of next season, Amorim will already be under scrutiny if this carries on.

For, while most would accept this current United squad is deficient in many areas when it comes to competing at the levels co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe demands, repeated failure at the most basic of English traditions is almost inexcusable.

Andre Onana has been one of his club's better performers but the Cameroon international's lapses are costly. His inability to command his penalty area at set-piece situations is reminiscent of David de Gea's early days. At Tottenham, Onana's understudy Altay Bayindir showed he was no better.

Amorim has also stuck with fellow Portuguese Bruno Fernandes as his captain but, with his team in a difficult moment and knowing he was on a booking, maybe he should have tempered his competitive instincts when he stuck out his boot and sent Nelson Semedo tumbling.

What was expected to be a season of progress under co-owner Ratcliffe at Old Trafford is in danger of spiralling rapidly out of control.

Dark humour about a relegation fight remains a joke for now but United are only eight points above the drop zone - and their next two games are against Newcastle at home and Liverpool at Anfield. The joke might be all too real after that.

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Ruben Amorim speaking after Manchester United's loss to Wolves: "Of course, when you lose, when we don't win, it's a step back. It was really hard with the sending off. The goal was similar against Tottenham. Then, we tried. Even with one less guy we tried to and I think we were near something but then Wolves scored the second one. Then, in the end, we tried everything and the transition was 2-0. For us, let's continue.

On Bruno Fernandes' red card: "I think he cannot go to the ball. He's trying to reach the ball and some guys are not even looking at the ball but I don't want to focus on that. I think the good thing is we were near the goal, even with 10 men. That is a good thing, but we lost. It's so tough to win games in this league with 11 men. With 10 men, it's more difficult. We have to focus on that."

On if United had enough in attack before the red card: "We have to improve the relationships, but we have some moments. We lack a little bit of aggression, but we don't train. We just play and try to find a better way to win games and that's it. We can't control the games like the other ones that we lost. I think we were always in control of the game, not always dominating, but in control of some things, some set-pieces. The sending off was really hard for us."

On Marcus Rashford's absence: "It's always the same reason it's going to be. We have to be the same professionals, the same guys, winning or losing. Losing, I have to be stronger. I will continue with my idea until the end."

On whether Rashford has shown anything different since being left out?: "If he's not here, you can make your mind up."

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Manchester United have lost four of their last five games in the Premier League, as many defeats as in their previous 15 matches in the competition (won seven, drew four). Ruben Amorim is the first Manchester United manager to lose as many as five of his first 10 games in charge of the club in all competitions since Walter Crickmer in January 1932.

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Shamoon Hafez
BBC Sport football news reporter

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Pep Guardiola led Manchester City to the club's greatest moment by claiming the Champions League in 2023 to seal the Treble, but he, his players and the supporters will be content just to win another game at the moment.

The ex-Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss suggested before the match that a top-four finish was "at risk" in their current form, and Thursday's performance in the 1-1 draw with Everton suggests they face a tough battle to achieve that feat.

City have competed in Europe's elite club competition for 14 consecutive campaigns and at the start of this term most would have taken it for granted for them to extend that run, but the season has not panned out in such a way and their remarkable decline continues.

Their previous slick play has turned slow and ponderous, which made it easier for Everton to sit back and play against, and their confidence ebbed away after conceding another soft goal.

It started well as Bernardo Silva's darting run caught Everton napping and his deflected effort gave City the lead, but they were unable to build on that early goal despite numerous chances - including Erling Haaland's missed penalty.

Guardiola sent on Kevin de Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan in an attempt to change his side's fortunes, but the hosts were met with a smattering of jeers at the full-time whistle, having now gained only five points since the start of November.

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Pep Guardiola spoke to Amazon Prime after Manchester City's draw against Everton: "We played really good but we are in the period right now that is what happens, we create, we concede the first time arrive. But yeah, keep going.

"The performance against that team was really good offensively and defensively. We shot a lot inside the 18 yard box but unfortunately couldn't get the result we wanted."

On the next game against Leicester: "Now is time to recover and go there with the best mentality as possible. That is what we have to do."

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Manchester City defender Manuel Akanji spoke to BBC Sport after Thursday's draw against Everton: "We had plenty of chances to score goals. Their goal came out of nowhere. Second half we had the penalty chance, we created opportunities but the ball didn't want to go in.

"We played really well. Maybe you see it differently but I think we played well compared to other matches.

"This can't happen that we nearly conceded the counterattack late on. Otherwise we defended well as a team and attacked great as a team.

"We have to keep going, the next chance is against Leicester."

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Since the start of November, Manchester City have conceded 26 goals. In that time, the only side from Europe's big-five leagues to concede more is Heidenheim (28), who are 16th in Germany's Bundesliga.

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The six-part podcast series, released on Boxing Day, delves even deeper into the story of British football's most successful manager, from his working-class roots in Glasgow to the top of European football.

Presented by Kelly Cates, with expert insight from Sunday Times chief football writer Jonathan Northcroft, key themes include Ferguson's core values, his faith in youth, his ability to rebuild, adapt and evolve and his quest for power and control over players, media, referees and rival managers.

Listen to a clip above and access all the episodes here

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