it is great to have your company here on bbc news and thatis company here on bbc news and that is kicked off in the premier league for manchester city endured another torrid afternoon losing 2—1 to aston villa as it continued in the west midlands the defeat leaves them sixth in the table, nine points by any hopes of a fixed—rate title look like they are fading fast. patrick reports. it's the time of year for novelty items but nothing looked strange are the manchester city's form. no disguising one when aston villa was hanging on by the fingertips. once the team saw

trouble, they now saw opportunity against city gaps. and goals. john made use of his time in the champions once famously relentless not played only in fits and starts in search of something, anything. the love and look for their own consistency of the season but a lot of the space to work through it. morgan rogers gave them full control, something city have long lost. they did not lose until late october but now they are scrambling and this was phil's goal of the season and they cannot alter the tale of this match. the world wondered if manchester city could be stopped and i manchester city wonder when this will end. nine defeats now for manchester city conceding two or more and eight straight away games. the

first time that is happening under pep guardiola, they could see the beleaguered city boss. it was just one reason and there is a lot of legal factors a lot of legalfactors in a lot of legal factors in that position and strong team leader standpoint and the champions league, the done really well enough to think of positivity and some have incredible pride and some have incredible pride and the desire to do it and we have to find a way and our latest step in terms of coming back. i think we played better and i want — i think we played better and i want to— i think we played better and i want to try to get the positioning manchester city has been _ positioning manchester city has been very difficult and the second _ been very difficult and the second half, ithink been very difficult and the second half, i think more or less— second half, i think more or less we _

second half, i think more or less we were playing and getting confidence to dominate and more position as well, and avoiding — and more position as well, and avoiding chances because in the second — avoiding chances because in the second half, we impose and we decided — second half, we impose and we decided to when and through our domination of them. nottingham forest are up to third in the table after becoming the first side to win at brentford all season. they beat them 2—nil — ola aina and anthony elanga the scorers. it puts forest a point above arsenal who have just kicked—off at crystal palace. we are playing against a team thatis we are playing against a team that is for the third in the table and i think we dominated on top of the game throughout the game and may be the last quality or edge offensively and they got that goal and probably needed to hang onto and created the mistake i made the mistake

making it a bit more difficult for us. it making it a bit more difficult for us. , ., for us. it is about en'oying the moment i for us. it is about en'oying the moment and _ for us. it is about enjoying the moment and realising| for us. it is about enjoying - the moment and realising that we have — the moment and realising that we have not achieved it and it's a — we have not achieved it and it's a difficult competition you — it's a difficult competition you can _ it's a difficult competition you can see that by the results happening and the thing is i would — happening and the thing is i would go home and recover and prepare — would go home and recover and prepare very well for the next one and — prepare very well for the next one and improve and tried to give — one and improve and tried to give the _ one and improve and tried to give the players detailed information and push them, stay humble — information and push them, stay humble because this is how you build _ humble because this is how you build something. tea m team third top to third bottom. ipswich, it doesn't help when you can see inside 26 seconds, concede against newcastle and with a hat—trick, the first in the premier league for five years and there were 3—0 up and rounded up the scoring with nine minutes after half—time and newcastle climb to seven and newcastle climb to seven and they are a point behind manchester city and ipswich remains in the bottom three. we

have to remains in the bottom three. - have to tweak a number of little things and we've had to look a lot better than the last few weeks and creative players are back to what is always been, free scoring and looking like we can create at any time. the contribution of the whole team and we can be sublime one week in the next week, we can be frustrated with ourselves but i think the last three games so we can focus on is the future, the last three games been a big step forward. difficult day for us and the opponent was stronger than us today— opponent was stronger than us today and scored the goal in the first— today and scored the goal in the first second which makes it difficult — the first second which makes it difficult and we had moments in the first— difficult and we had moments in the first half where the baltimore match to play through and out — baltimore match to play through and out of threat and yeah, i don't — and out of threat and yeah, i don't think our management in general— don't think our management in general was good enough and we did not— general was good enough and we did not fill the periods and we accept — did not fill the periods and we accept that for a very good side, — accept that for a very good side, we _ accept that for a very good side, we needed to show more resilience _ nothing separating in brighton

and it was a subdued first half and it was a subdued first half and after the interval, matt grabbed and had only four to having his third of the season and brighton and ninth, west end 14. �* ., ., end 14. and looking for to the next, it end 14. and looking for to the next. it is _ end 14. and looking for to the next, it is very _ end 14. and looking for to the next, it is very difficult - next, it is very difficult to win and it still, we have to keep with the positive and to improve the situation and the next challenge against tottenham. it next challenge against tottenham.— next challenge against tottenham. , , , ,, tottenham. it is the business that we have _ tottenham. it is the business that we have to _ tottenham. it is the business that we have to get _ tottenham. it is the business that we have to get results i tottenham. it is the business that we have to get results if| that we have to get results if you want _ that we have to get results if you want to achieve something and be — you want to achieve something and be able to do so in the last— and be able to do so in the last game and we have to analyse _ last game and we have to analyse it again and be honest with— analyse it again and be honest with each— analyse it again and be honest with each other and do we invest— with each other and do we invest in— with each other and do we invest in the highest level we can do— invest in the highest level we can do suggest average and at the moment, it average and

having — the moment, it average and having the. late kick—off and going back into third place with when the crystal palace and the second half now and they are leading three goals— one and scoring twice and with the third for arsenal just twice and with the third for arsenaljust before half—time it's just the start with crystal palace and the goal as well. southampton take on fulham some newsjust in — southampton have confirmed that ivanjuric is their new manager. the former croatia international hasn't managed outside of italy before and was recently sacked by roma afterjust two months. but he had success at torino and has a reputation for improving teams. southampton are currently bottom of the premier league with just one win this season.

the top four winning and ship filled three points clear in both goals in their victory at cardiff city in leeds or maine second after thrashing oxford united and burn the one and sunderland came from behind to beat norwich by the same score in the stadium of light. earlier, put some the relegation places and spectacular style as they beat coventry city 4—1 and scoring all four goals becoming the first player to do so since 20 years ago. and in other news, whole city taking on swansea and two goals— one. rangers moved into second place in the scottish premiership

in the scottish premiership, rangers are up to second, 8 points behind leaders celtic. their rise though is at the expense of aberdeen who have been in freefall, losing again today, beaten by hibernian. premiership leaders and a breathless competition, no fewer than 12 tries on a record—breaking day in bristol running out before 24 winners and watch this. the away dressing room has felt a lot like home for bristol recently and one more victory on their travels will give them ten in a row to the premiership record. in full voice and leicester tigers roared early through and then silenced and dramatic fashion. first by gabriel who scored twice by bears and a dominant position and then by

bristol in complete control. so much so that by the time gabriel went over, they had six first tries and i4 gabriel went over, they had six first tries and 14 the first half points. leicester then showed some christmas spirit by gifting bristol another and the recipient and then finishing things off in style in the distance between him and the tigers defence during the distance between the two sides. 54 points conceded for leicester and for them, a championship record, ten away wins for bristol and in all premiership record. a remarkable game. two late kick—offs above bristol with the wind at the second bottom of newcastle and they're on course to do so as things stand in the falcons 21 at half—time thanks in part to this and

three tries in the first and no further points scored. winless exeter and an eighth match for this one and including this from joe, the second season also into the second at the bell leading 14 — three. keeping it local in the united rugby championships today, all five matches seeing sites in the same country playing in swansea and the second bottom of osprey and in the western wales derby. and the visitors were ahead and a great trade for scarlet at half—time and leading 20 to just over 15 minutes to go on that one. taking you through some of the other scores, wins for stormers and for sharks and leaving at

14-0 in and for sharks and leaving at 14—0 in dublin. let us take you through some of the other stories and there was a brilliant finish in the long walk home and frugal o'brien just managing to keep the nose in front to win the race for a second year in a row. england of the lead going into the final round of the world tour and third round 69 and south africa. a shock on 11 under. lindsay, first world cup for six years and finishing in the 2026 winter olympics and taking the victory. and australia's new test over as sydney thunder site lost by five wickets to the sydney sixers in the big bash league and lasting just

three balls. let's head to saudi arabia and react, the setting for one of boston's blockbuster classes. —— boxing. we're about 5 hours away now from the big heavyweight boxing rematch where britain's tyson fury says he plans to inflict a whole lot of pain on oleksandr usyk in saudi arabia. usyk ended fury�*s unbeaten record back in may. this time, fury is at his heaviest ever fighting weight, at over 20 stone — that's four stone heavier than his ukrainian opponent. the two camps are also in dispute over the length of fury�*s beard. another box office about the saudi capital. tyson furey has beenin saudi capital. tyson furey has been in many events, 2015, he became the unified champion and the trilogy fight against deontay wilder but in the context where he is in his career, this feels like a massive fight alongside me is

former world champion george groves. it wouldn't be a big occasion without gro