Manchester City look to bounce back, EFL updates – matchday live

12.56pm GMT Stoke 1-0 Hull: Sorba Thomas scores a fantastic volley to put his side ahead in the 17th minute. Creswell’s corner comes in and is headed by Ajayi who hits it so clean. What a season he is having! 12.49pm GMT Portsmouth 0-1 Bristol City: Mehmeti does well to rise above everyone else and head home a cross from Neto Borges for his sixth goal of the season. That is already half of his tally of 12 from last campaign. 12.45pm GMT Leicester 0-2 Sheffield United: Incredible start for the visitors who are two goals up inside five minutes. Cannon scores the first after Mavididi gives the ball away near his own box. Thomas is then nutmegged by Seriki and while Ricardo blocks O’Hare’s effort, Winks loses the ball in the follow-up, allowing the 22-year-old to score. Two minutes later, Leicester fail to clear a corner twice before O’Hare volleys it into the bottom corner, the ball taking a slight touch off Riedewald. Boos all around the King Power Stadium. Updated at 12.46pm GMT 12.33pm GMT No early Premier League match but the lunchtime EFL matches are underway and I will be bringing you any goal updates and other news until our designated clockwatch goes live. 12.31pm GMT Arsenal fan anger at Madueke pursuit made Arteta more determined to sign him Mikel Arteta says the online petition in response to Arsenal’s pursuit of Noni Madueke this summer increased his determination to make the move work for the former Chelsea winger. Madueke will make his first return to Stamford Bridge on Sunday since he made the switch across London and a hostile reception is expected for the 23-year-old. Madueke initially experienced opposition from Arsenal fans in July when the move was first speculated as #NoToMadueke trended on social media and sparked an online petition signed by 4,000 people, but it only strengthened Arteta’s desire. “If anything it gave me more conviction and more will to help him,” Arteta said. “And do everything we possibly could to make his relationship work and to prepare everything around him in the best possible way. I think that lasted a short period of time and immediately we had complete the opposite reaction which I think he valued, respected and it was like fuel to him. It did not affect him.” PA Media 12.16pm GMT Team news: MK Dons v Fleetwood (League Two) MK Dons (3-5-2): MacGillivray; Offord, Ekpiteta, Sanders; Nemane, Thompson-Sommers, Kelly, Gilbey, Tomlinson; Mendez-Laing, Paterson. Fleetwood (3-1-4-2): Lynch; Holgate, Mullarkey, Hughes; Neal; Ennis, McCann, Virtue-Thick, Helm; Coughlan, Davies. 12.13pm GMT Team news: Accrington v Oldham (League Two) Accrington (3-4-2-1): Wright; Matthews, Rawson, Ward; Love, Grant, Coyle, Heath; Whalley, Madden; Sinclair. Oldham (4-1-4-1): Hudson; Caprice, Daniels, Monthe, Robson; Woods; Payne, Pett, Hawkes, Hannant, Quigley. 12.04pm GMT Team news: Stockport v Barnsley (League One) Stockport (3-4-2-1): Hinchliffe; Olowu, Connolly, Pye; Moxon, Bailey, Andresson, Dodgson; Fevrier, Lowe; Wootton. Barnsley (4-2-3-1): Cooper; De Gevigney, Roberts, Shepherd, Watson; Kelly, Connell; Phillips, Yoganathan, Cleary; Keillor-Dunn. 11.58am GMT Team news: Blackpool v Reading (League One) Blackpool (3-1-4-2): Peacock-Farell; Ihiekwe, Horsfall, Casey; Brown; Lyons, Evans, Honeyman, Coulson; Fletcher, Bloxham. Reading (4-2-3-1): Pereira; Abrefa, O’Connor, Williams, Dorsett; Wing, Savage; Williams, Doyle; Kyerewaa, Ehibhatiomhan. 11.51am GMT Team news: Portsmouth v Bristol City (Championship) Portsmouth (4-5-1): Schmid; Williams, Poole, Knight, Swanson; Pack, Dozzell, Lang, Segecic, Murphy; Bishop. Bristol City (3-4-2-1): Vitek; Tanner, Dickie, Vyner; McCrorie, Sykes, Randell, Neto Borges; Twine, Mehmeti; Riis. Updated at 11.53am GMT 11.49am GMT Team news: Leicester v Sheffield United (Championship) Leicester (4-3-3): Begovic; Ricardo, Faes, Vestergaard, L Thomas; Winks, James, De Cordova-Reid; Fatawu, Daka, Mavididi. Sheffield United (4-4-2): Cooper; Seriki, Mee, Tanganga, Burrows; Brooks, Peck, Riedewald, O’Hare; Campbell, Cannon. Updated at 11.53am GMT 11.43am GMT Team news: Stoke v Hull (Championship) Stoke (4-2-3-1): Johansson; Tchamadeu, Phillips, Lawal, Cresswell; Seko, Pearson; Junho, Manhoef, Thomas; Bozenik. Hull (4-2-3-1): Pandur; Giles, Egan, Ajayi, Coyle; Slater, Gyabi; Crooks, Gelhardt, Destan; Ndala. Updated at 12.00pm GMT 11.31am GMT Less than an hour until those early kick-offs so let’s get some team news. 11.23am GMT A Brazilian club will lift the Copa Libertadores for the seventh year in a row when Palmeiras take on Flamengo in today’s final. The rivalry between the two clubs has dominated South America in part due to European levels of funding and player recruitment. In 2021, Palmeiras beat Flamengo to win their second of back-to-back Copa Libertadores titles. Flamengo then rebounded the next year to repeat the feat they achieved in 2019. The forwards Vitor Roque and Flaco López have become the mainstays of Palmeiras’ second half of the season. Earlier in the year only one of them would start, with Estêvão – then bound for Chelsea – the team’s standout attacking threat before his move to London after the Club World Cup. Since the teenager’s departure, Roque and López have taken on that responsibility together, giving Abel Ferreira a far more direct and dynamic front line. They have 43 goals between them this season, and López arrives in Lima as this year’s Libertadores joint top scorer with seven goals. Their form has been recognised internationally: Roque has been recalled by Carlo Ancelotti for the Brazil national team, while López has earned his first caps for Argentina, even though he has not scored in his past nine club games, his longest drought of the campaign. Roque himself epitomises Palmeiras’ financial muscle. The 20-year-old’s £22.5m move in February – arriving from Barcelona after a frustrating spell at Camp Nou and a loan at Betis – became the highest fee paid by a Brazilian club. It was part of a wider spending drive: across 2025, Palmeiras invested £100m in 12 signings, the largest outlay in a single year by any club in the country. The full preview from Caio Carrieri below. Related: How Palmeiras and Flamengo became South America’s football superpowers 11.09am GMT Wrexham has risen meteorically through the English football leagues thanks to the deep pockets of Hollywood movie star owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. Yet the club has also had £18m in help from other, unwitting backers: Welsh taxpayers. The club has received almost £18m in nonrepayable grants from the Welsh government via the local council, according to UK government state aid disclosures – far in excess of the direct aid listed for any other football club in Britain. Stefan Borson, a football finance expert and the head of sport at the law firm McCarthy Denning, said: “This looks like an £18m nonrepayable subsidy to a privately owned business now flirting with a £350m valuation. Its existing owners are US-based and very wealthy and liquid private individuals. “The club, and its owners, will benefit from the stand for the next 50 years, yet at no point would the taxpayer be repaid or directly profit from the club’s rise. “The current ownership have put Wrexham on the global map but it is hard to understand why funding this stand in this way would be a priority for the government.” Read the full story, including how Wrexham said they would use the funds, by Jasper Jolly below. Related: Wrexham AFC receives £18m from government despite Hollywood backing 10.51am GMT 'No excuses' for Manchester United's form, says Amorim Ruben Amorim feels Manchester United should be in a healthier position but says there are “no excuses” at a club that always demands success. A poor first campaign under the Portuguese was followed by a stumbling start to the new season, but things had been looking up as United won three on the bounce before securing a pair of 2-2 draws on the road. United claimed late points after blowing leads at Nottingham Forest and Tottenham, with those wasted opportunities compounded by Monday’s 1-0 home loss to 10-man Everton. The defeat made for a “really tough” buildup to Sunday’s trip to Crystal Palace, who have had little time to prepare having played in the Conference League at Strasbourg on Thursday. “In our club it’s the same thing because last year we had to win every game all the time,” Amorim said when it was put to him this was the kind of match United should be winning. “We took a lot of things, a lot of criticism because we were not winning, so in our club there is no excuses. “I said the same thing last year when we were in Europe and I said the same thing this year, the advantage and the disadvantage of not being in Europe, so there are no excuses. Last year or this year, we always have to win games.” PA Media 10.41am GMT Alternatively, lots of Arsenal chat in the matchday live inbox. Here is Sadie on being chased v being the chaser: Watching a lot of teams I thought would challenge us either collapse (Liverpool) or just be wildly inconsistent (Manchester City) while we cruise every week is … still doing my head in. I was a nervous wreck last season when we were up against the best. I am a nervous wreck now when it seems we might cruise to a title. Maybe a switch to cricket would do me good … How are England doing down under? Ummm …. Related: England plan extra training sessions in wake of howling first Ashes Test defeat And here is Krishna with a call to one of the best livebloggers in the game: A 6 point lead at the top – add a City victory today – bring on the fact that they are playing the number 2 tomorrow. A perfect time for the usual Arsenal implosion to start. And we can play this Rob Smyth favourite. Getting hopes up as an Arsenal fan. 10.34am GMT Andy Hunter’s verdict on Liverpool’s form explains how the issues may have started during the transfer window. Were last season’s champions really crying out for the addition of Florian Wirtz’s creative class at a cost of potentially £116m? Why sign Hugo Ekitiké for up to £79m plus Alexander Isak for £125m when there is so little cover on the flanks, especially after the departure of Luis Díaz? Why sign a right wing-back in Jeremie Frimpong when a bona fide full-back was required? Liverpool will be paying a considerable price for the foreseeable future if, and it remains an if given the calibre of Wirtz and Isak, they have got this one spectacularly wrong. Questions at right-back have had a destabilising effect on the Liverpool team. The club were powerless to prevent Trent Alexander-Arnold leaving on a free for Real Madrid but the consequences of his acrimonious exit have been extensive. Conor Bradley’s struggles with injury were well known before Alexander-Arnold went, hence the need for an established addition in that position. One did not arrive. Bradley, Frimpong, Joe Gomez, Curtis Jones, Calvin Ramsay and Dominik Szoboszlai have been deployed at right-back this season. The high turnover has undoubtedly affected Mohamed Salah’s form. Switching Szoboszlai to defence has also deprived the Liverpool midfield of the team’s most effective player this term. Read the full analysis below. Related: Transfer strategy and Arne Slot reduce Liverpool to ‘Brendan bad’ levels | Andy Hunter 10.26am GMT Lots of Liverpool chat below the line … should Arne Slot stay, should he go? Are the players at fault? Here are some of your thoughts. IscoBusquet 29 November 2025 8:46am The idea of Liverpool changing manager now is completely wrong.headed - that’s just not how they operate. Liverpool had an incredible season last time but we knew we had a transition period coming but we just deferred it. tops75 29 November 2025 8:15am Maybe this is the time for Stevie G to take over the good ship LFC from Mr Slot who clearly has run out of ideas. Thank you for your service, though. Fluxdeluxe 29 November 2025 9:50am The whole Liverpool thing is difficult. It depends how much influence Slot had on the signings. What is clear is that the team is fundamentally imbalanced. Frimpong is not Trent, he’s not even a right back so unless the plan was to replace Salah it seems like an insane signing. Isak is a striker that thrives off service it’s why Newcastle only played with one inverted winger in Gordon or Harvey Barnes last season, Murphy who is naturally right footed played on the right thisA) left space for Isak to roam into in the right channel and B) allows Murphy to deliver quality first time balls for him to rub onto.Ekitike is a good signing but he’s basically catching strays from the whole Isak situation, is still young so will be streaky, and also tries to occupy spaces that are filled by the inverted wingers that Liverpool employ.Wirtz is a roaming 10 he thrives off being high up the pitch, receiving the ball in tight spaces and playing intricate central link up with a more direct striker and inverted wingers. The two biggest issues here are:A) the central portion of the pitch nearest the opposition D are occupied in the premier league by physical, aggressive beasts that are highly mobile and strong, it’s not comparable to the bundesliga in terms of athleticism. B) the spaces that he wants to occupy are also the spaces that Isak or ekitike drift into.Kerkez looks lost and in need of help, he needs his confidence boosting and protected from criticism I don’t think he’s getting that and his confidence is shotThen there is Leoni who they’ve been unlucky with him.Add to this the generally aging profile of liverpools squad in key positions, changes to the dressing room dynamics, the awful situation with Jota and you have this mad perfect storm, made worse by their transfer activity and I actually don’t think Slot can bring it back.The only thing that fixes this is the January transfer window, they need a new centre half, a new right back. Although this does not fix the fundamental issues with their attack but at least they might stop leaking goals.I’m not sure how you fix that attack you’re going to have to drop someone and maybe sign someone else or change the way one of those existing players wants to play. zipfel 29 November 2025 9:53am Stick with Slot. Give him till the wnd of the seaoson to turn things around. Let tye players know that they have to quit whining and complaining and pull through this together, with their current manager. Tell Salah and Virgil they'll be released at the end of the season, and their agents should be prepared to organise a transfer. Alternatively get ready for the bomb squad next year. Aintmuch 29 November 2025 10:10am There is no question the PL is the best league in the world with at least 5 clubs considered possible title winners, every year. So, those teams need to be 100% on top of their game from the start. And thats where Liverpool started, with the worst preseason you can think of. Imagine signing for Liverpool, having to show you are worth the money they paid and find your teammates in mourning. And the topsigning only coming in after a fight with his club, missing preseason.I think English media are cruel not to understand the impact of Jotas death and forgetting if you are not 100% in the PL, you will lose games and it even gets more in your head. When I see Liverpool fans complaining, well, why not stop your tributes to Jota thus reminding the players what they lost in such a good mate. Not helping at all. Updated at 10.28am GMT 10.13am GMT On the Ball is our new daily puzzle which tests your knowledge of Premier League footballers, past and present. The rules are simple: guess the Premier League player with the fewest clues possible, and impress your pals – and yourself – by doing so. My score today was 45 – what did you get? Related: If you know your Lucas Neill and Mo Salah, the Guardian’s new football game is just for you 9.55am GMT Paris Saint-Germain head to Monaco in Ligue 1 today and the hosts’ confidence has been low. The lack of confidence within Sébastien Pocognoli’s side was clear on Wednesday, when Monaco drew 2-2 with Pafos in the Champions League, twice letting the lead slip. The eight-time French champions have won only one of its past five matches across all competitions, with Pocognoli saying he is still struggling to find the right formula since replacing Adi Hütter in October. We have too many variations in character and it’s up to me to bring that under control. I’ve been working on it for a month. I’m trying to understand [the team], push it and stimulate it, it’s something that takes time. Monaco’s defense has been porous, having already conceded 25 league goals – a worrying sign, especially with PSG coming to the Côte d’Azur on the back of a big 5-3 win against Tottenham. None of PSG’s five goals against Tottenham came from its forwards. Vitinha took on scoring duties with a hat-trick. The Portuguese midfielder, who finished third in this year’s Ballon d’Or vote, is essential to PSG, said Luis Enrique. He has been involved in 13 goals this season – scoring five and providing eight assists. Vitinha is growing and the team also. He’s so special, so different. I’m very happy for him because he deserves that. He works so hard, shows such personality. 9.50am GMT Barcelona are in action against Alavés in La Liga later today and Pedri is in the frame to make his first appearance since last month’s leg-muscle tear but the centre-back Ronald Araújo will miss the game with a stomach virus. Hansi Flick said he was happy with the way his players had reacted in training after Tuesday’s 3-0 loss at Chelsea in the Champions League as Barcelona renew their efforts to catch up with the league leaders, Real Madrid, who are one point ahead. [Pedri] will play some minutes, but [won’t be in the starting] lineup. If it’s possible, then he will come on in the second half. We’ll see. [Araújo] has a stomach virus, and he’s out for today and also for tomorrow. Flick was excited by the return of Raphinha, who has made two appearances as a second-half substitute after missing nearly two months with a hamstring injury. I missed [Raphinha]. I see him as one of the most important players in our team … he also has the hunger and the will to show how good he really is. I really appreciate what I see in training. We’re focused, we have a lot of quality. And of course, players coming back now, Pedri is back … Raphinha, Marcus [Rashford] from the cold he had. We nearly have everyone.” Flick brushed aside the on-field reactions of Lamine Yamal during the loss to Chelsea, after the 18-year-old looked visibly frustrated after his substitution at Stamford Bridge. I was also a player and maybe sometimes I did not show the right reaction. But it’s emotion. The next step for Lamine must be to show, again, it’s not about this match, forget it. Alavés is now the important thing and he has to show his best level. We’re all in a bad mood after the defeat against Chelsea. We were very disappointed about that … but it’s done. Now we’re looking forward, we’re looking positive for the next match to the end of this year. 9.37am GMT The early kick-offs in the Championship today see Leicester host Sheffield United, Portsmouth welcoming Bristol City and Hull at Stoke. Not many would have expected Leicester to be languishing in 15th while United down in 22nd at the start of the season. The visitors have seen an upturn in form though and are hoping to record successive away league wins for the first time since March last season (run of six). In his pre-match press conference Chris Wilder revealed more on his interview with Leicester in the summer and his disappointment in not getting the job. It’s mad. I spoke to Leicester City in the summer and was impressed with what they had to say. At the time I was out of work so disappointed not to get that gig but you move on and I enjoyed the interview process. I was disappointed not to get the job because I’d like to think it would be one that would’ve worked well for myself and the coaches we’d have brought in. I know a lot about the club over a number of years, I know about the players, worked with Luke Thomas, Hamza [Choudhury], Harry Souttar and talking to them they had a very positive view on the club. What Enzo [Maresca] did as well, we share the same agent. It’s a big club and I wanted to get back in to work and I thought I could’ve done a decent job for them, but it’s worked out fabulously for me to be back at my club. 9.24am GMT England are also in action today, taking on China in the first of two friendlies for the final international window of the year. The match has been billed as two continental heavyweights going head-to-head and, as Sophie Downey writes in her preview, Sarina Wiegman’s side will learn a lot against a side they last played in 2023. Traditionally, China have set up in a strong structure, operating in a mid-defensive block. They have not always looked to dominate the ball and instead have tried to exploit transitions. The Lionesses have struggled in recent years against counterattacking teams and in breaking down compact opponents, so this will be a test of how they have developed in this area. Related: Walsh takes lead role as England face new test in clash of continental champions 9.19am GMT The talk has a roundup of the best lines from Premier League managers ahead of the weekend. Enzo Maresca has teased a Cole Palmer cameo against Arsenal after a broken toe delayed his return, David Moyes lamented Everton’s rejected appeal after Idrissa Gueye saw red for slapping his own teammate and Oliver Glasner is optimistic despite Crystal Palace’s poor showing in Europe. All that and more below. Related: Premier League news: Palmer set for Chelsea return; ‘No reason’ for Gueye’s failed appeal 9.02am GMT Spurs need to adopt a “front-footed” approach in their games, said Thomas Frank, even if it ends in a loss. Frank was heavily criticised for fielding a back five for a 4-1 defeat against Arsenal and his side responded with a more ambitious display against PSG. Spurs led twice before being overwhelmed by Vitinha’s hat-trick, Over all the years I’ve been in charge, no matter if it was when I was with my under-eights team in Frederiksværk 30 years ago to now, I want to play offensive front-footed football. But probably also in those 30 years they could pick games from the under-eights at Frederiksværk to Brentford where it didn’t work for whatever reason. It didn’t work Sunday against Arsenal. The plan was to be front foot-footed. We weren’t. After Sunday I was angry, painful, hurt. [After PSG] I was irritated, but the feeling in the body was better because we really, really, really competed. There was more of the identity I want to show. Frank’s side will host an inconsistent Fulham in tonight’s Premier League London derby. Related: Frank wants Tottenham to adopt ‘front-footed’ approach even if it ends in defeat Updated at 9.03am GMT 8.45am GMT Leeds hope to also find some form at the Etihad Stadium with Daniel Farke’s position is slight jeopardy. His side are 18th in the table, and after Manchester City, a pivotal week looms for the German who, only last spring, celebrated promotion from the Championship. Will the Leeds hierarchy back him or sack him? I’ll be honest, it’s not very enjoyable at the moment; we’re getting a lot of stick. But I don’t need to hide. I was aware of how passionate this club is from the first day here. If you can’t handle the heat don’t become manager of Leeds United. I never expected this season to be an easy ride. Read Louise Taylor’s full feature below. Related: Daniel Farke happy to take flak for players as Leeds slump piles on pressure 8.28am GMT Guardiola accuses City of playing with fear in Leverkusen loss Manchester City will hope to bounce back when they host Leeds later today after losing back-to-back matches against Newcastle (Premier League) and Bayer Leverkusen (Champions League). Here is what Pep Guardiola had to say about the defeat in Europe: Maybe I think higher of them than they think about themselves. It was a good lesson for me, as experienced as I am as a manager it was a good lesson for me for the future. The Manchester City manager is likely to recall those he rested against the German team against Daniel Farke’s side. Related: Pep Guardiola accuses his Manchester City side of playing with fear in Leverkusen loss 8.14am GMT Premier League: Matchday 13 … where has the time gone? Can Manchester City get their title tilt back on track? How bleak will Rob Edwards’s winter be at Wolves? And has Estêvão put himself in starting contention against Arsenal? Our writers ponder all these talking points and more in our 10 things to look out for this weekend. Related: Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend 8.00am GMT Preamble Hello, football. A jam packed day awaits. Readers, any football plans for the day? What ground are you heading off to? How optimistic are you that your team will get the win this weekend? Let me know in the comments below the line or via our dedicated matchday live email. Join me as we get stuck in with the buildup to today’s matches and as we go through any breaking news and big stories.