It turns out the magic potion needed to end Aston Villa’s miserable run came in a bottle of peroxide applied to Morgan Rogers’s hair.

The England midfielder went bright blond after a trip to the barbers and could not have been happier with the results – his opening goal giving Villa lift-off as they finally won a match after going eight games without victory.

Rogers also provided an assist for Matty Cash after Ollie Watkins had scored from the penalty spot, with only Mikkel Damsgaard’s second-half goal making it slightly nervy after the interval.

“They can do whatever they like with that but, on the field, I want them committed, working tactically and with the attitude we need to play serious and compact and disciplined,” said Unai Emery, the Villa manager. “Then he can be the protagonist, not for his hair and more for his football. Scoring like he did was fantastic, because this is the way to get confidence again.”

The first 45 minutes was an emphatic answer to whether this was a mini-blip for Emery, or a more deep-rooted problem for the team who shook up the natural order in the Premier League last season by finishing in the Champions League places.

Rogers has enjoyed a stunning few weeks, making his England debut last month and backing it up with a match-winning performance just when there were suggestions of Villa heading towards crisis. Such is the competitiveness of this season, victory takes Villa within sight of the European places, despite their recent run.

“The message is to try and focus on each match and forget the table and how we were then and how we are now,” Emery added. “I don’t want to speak about what it does for the table. I spoke before about the top five, but now we have to keep calm and recover.”

Rogers’s hair was the highlight of an opening period short on quality and desperate for somebody to stamp their mark on the game, which the Villa midfielder did by running from his own half into enemy territory and then swapping passes with Watkins before curling into the top corner.

Watkins scored his seventh goal of the season with a penalty after winning the spot kick himself, getting knocked off balance by Ethan Pinnock as he ran through on goal. Young referee Lewis Smith, who made his Premier League debut last season, was backed by VAR, but it was a tight call.

Rogers provided the assist for the third goal, floated to the far post, where Cash volleyed in. Emery had made a huge call dropping Pau Torres to give Tyrone Mings his first Premier League start of the season, and first since conceding a penalty against Club Brugge with a bizarre handball when he thought the ball was dead.

Denmark midfielder Damsgaard pulled one back for Brentford but their run of failing to win away this season continued.

10:14 PM GMT

City stop the rot

10:13 PM GMT

Full-time scores from Wednesday night

All the final scores from an action-packed evening. Goal-happy Chelsea and Arsenal have cut Liverpool’s lead to seven points.

Manchester City’s seven-game winless run ended without drama at the Etihad and they’re back up to fourth, nine behind Arne Slot’s men.

At the bottom, Everton scored four to move up to 15th place. Wolves and Southampton, mired in the relegation zone, were on the receiving end of thrashings.

• Arsenal 2 Manchester United 0

• Aston Villa 3 Brentford 1

• Everton 4 Wolverhampton Wanderers 0

• Manchester City 3 Nottingham Forest 0

• Newcastle United 3 Liverpool 3

• Southampton 1 Chelsea 5

10:10 PM GMT

Full-time: Aston Villa 3 Brentford 1

Villa ran riot in the opening 35 minutes and that fierce start was more than enough to ensure all three points. They move up to seventh, passing ninth-placed Brentford. Morgan Rogers will be good for dozens more England caps, based on his influential display.

Home is where the happiness is for both Villa and Brentford. They will seek to improve their away form in coming months.

10:07 PM GMT

Full-time: Arsenal 2 Manchester United 0

Arsenal reduce the deficit to leaders Liverpool to seven points. Once again, their set-pieces made the difference.

Some lessons for Ruben Amorim. He never said it would be easy. United frustrated the home side in the first half, but Arsenal’s quality showed after the hour mark and the away side offered little of substance in attack.

10:05 PM GMT

Southampton did not stand a chance

10:03 PM GMT

90 mins: Arsenal 2 United 0

Declan Rice swings in a corner and it hits a few heads at the front post, nearly going in for another goal. No team seems able to handle Arsenal’s set-piece threat.

Four minutes of stoppage time.

09:59 PM GMT

87 mins: Arsenal 2 United 0

Sharp set-piece work from Manchester United, but no cigar. That was one straight off the training pitch. Fernandes plays it to Antony on the left after shaping to shoot from a free kick. He shot hard and straight at Raya, who collected it after Kiwior chested it down to him.

A few minutes left here and at Villa Park. Looks like both home teams will hold on.

09:56 PM GMT

When a picture is worth a thousand words...

Every time Arsenal have a corner - and they’ve had 12 - they look capable of scoring.

09:53 PM GMT

75 mins: Villa 3 Brentford 1

Tyrone Mings heads just over from a corner. Encouraging performance from the 31-year-old after a lengthy lay-out due to a knee injury. The home side look a bit less nervy.

09:47 PM GMT

GOAL! Arsenal 2 United 0 - Saliba

Yet another Arsenal goal from a set-piece. A Saka corner to the back post and Thomas Partey cannons a header in. It comes off Saliba’s derriere, with several United defenders crammed together on the goal-line. Thoughtless defending there, just when United had enjoyed a positive spell.

A Var check briefly appears to be checking for handball, but it’s over quickly.

09:39 PM GMT

66 mins: Arsenal 1 Manchester United 0

David Raya seemed to hang in the air for seconds, diving to his left to keep out a Matthijs De Ligt header from a free kick. We’ve had some goalkeeper howlers tonight, but that is top-draw from the Spaniard.

Manchester United are looking more confident and fluent as they chase an equaliser.

09:37 PM GMT

Brentford not going down without a fight

This is an important spell in the match. Villa were cruising at 3-0 but that Damsgaard goals has made it quiet around Villa Park. Brentford could make this a very nervous second half with another goal, given the run Unai Emery’s team have been on.

09:34 PM GMT

GOAL! Villa 3 Brentford 1 - Damsgaard

Twinkle-toed Rasmus Damsgaard jinks and jives around a few Villa defenders and hammers the ball into the net. The ball had been poorly headed away by Cash - well, more like headed into the Dane’s path, but he had a lot to do.

09:32 PM GMT

Full-time scores for the 7.30pm kick-offs

Arsenal have a chance to reduce Liverpool’s advantage after the leaders’ all-action draw on Tyneside. Chelsea are now seven points down on Arne Slot’s players and are the top scorers in the Premier League, with 31 goals in 14 games.

At the other end, it’s a priceless three points for Everton. The manner in which they did it will restore a lot of confidence and belief too. Few positives to take for Southampton, mind, who played most of the match with ten players.

• Everton 4 Wolverhampton Wanderers 0

• Manchester City 3 Nottingham Forest 0

• Newcastle United 3 Liverpool 3

• Southampton 1 Chelsea 5

09:27 PM GMT

GOAL! Arsenal 1 United 0 - Timber

As it ends honours even in Newcastle, Liverpool’s title rivals Arsenal are a goal to the good.

Declan Rice swung in a corner and Jurrien Timber comes through a crowded six-yard box and glances the ball home, with Onana rooted to the spot. A few suggestions of a push lead to no action from the referee.

09:23 PM GMT

90+2 mins: Newcastle 3 Liverpool 3

Big penalty shout in the dying embers as the ball strikes Dan Burn as he turns away. Nothing doing from the ref - good call.

Meanwhile, Manchester City and Chelsea are minutes away from comfortable victories.

09:21 PM GMT

GOAL! Newcastle 3 Liverpool 3 - Schar

Kelleher will be up all night thinking about that mistake. He saw a deep free kick sailing over his head and took his hands away, thinking it would go out. Big mistake. Fabian Schar slides in at the back post and converts it from an acute angle.

Fine finish, but the Liverpool goalkeeper should have claimed that.

09:18 PM GMT

GOAL! Southampton 1 Chelsea 5 - Sancho

They were queuing up, with five against three on the break. Jadon Sancho smashes home a rare goal, lashing in the ball. He seems to be enjoying his football again in a Chelsea shirt.

09:14 PM GMT

GOAL! Newcastle 2 Liverpool 3 - Salah

Sheer quality from Mo Salah. Time seems to slow down when he takes the ball. Alexander-Arnold crosses, Salah controls it with his right leg, turns in an instant and fires the ball home with his left. No wonder Slot is pumping his fists.

09:12 PM GMT

81 mins: Newcastle 2 Liverpool 2

Salah comes very close to a winner, weaving in on the right and slamming the stanchion with his shot. Nick Pope was beaten. Alexander-Arnold and Szoboslai have revitalised Slot’s men, coming off the bench.

09:10 PM GMT

GOAL! Southampton 1 Chelsea 4 - Palmer

Cole Palmer taps in from a yard out, helping on a trickling Nkunku shot which was part-blocked. It was coming. Chelsea could have had eight.

09:07 PM GMT

GOAL! Everton 4 Wolves 0 - Dawson own goal

After the famine comes the goal feast for Sean Dyche’s players. Dominic Calvert-Lewin marks his return to the starting XI with a goal, diving in with a header from a free-kick. More woe for Wolves and their leaky defence.

Well, in fact, it was a second Craig Dawson own goal.

09:05 PM GMT

Half-time scores in the 8.15pm kick-offs

Little quality to report from Arsenal v Manchester United so far. A very different story at Villa Park.

• Arsenal 0 Manchester United 0

• Aston Villa 3 Brentford 0

09:04 PM GMT

Pressure grows on O’Neil

Wolves fans are taunting Gary O’Neil and calling for his sacking.

09:02 PM GMT

72 mins: Southampton 1 Chelsea 3

It has been like shooting practice at St Mary’s. Joao Felix miscued a headed sitter and Lumley saves well with his feet from Madueke.

A dispiriting evening for the ten men of Southampton.

08:59 PM GMT

GOAL! Newcastle 2 Liverpool 2 - Salah

What a response from Arne Slot’s side. Trent Alexander-Arnold, so often the assister, fired it into the near post from the byline and Mo Salah helped it into the far corner. Cute finish, passing it through Newcastle. The away side are showing their fighting spirit.

08:56 PM GMT

GOAL! Newcastle 2 Liverpool 1 - Gordon

Anthony Gordon gives Newcastle the lead again. Isak drew Quansah in and that was all the space the England international needed. He cut inside Gomez sharply, then hit it low past Kelleher. The keeper got a hand to it, but it was not enough.

08:52 PM GMT

GOAL! Villa 3 Brentford 0 - Cash

Matty Cash bags his first goal in 20 months, hitting home from a deflected Morgan Rogers cross at the back post. He got it on target from an acute angle and it had too much heat for Flekken. Villa are purring here.

08:49 PM GMT

GOAL! City 3 Forest 0 - Doku

A Jeremy Doku special. Running from the halfway line, he bamboozles a back-tracking defender and curls the ball past Sels into the corner. Fine individual goal.

It’s looking good for City and Guardiola. Ship a little steadier?

08:46 PM GMT

GOAL! Everton 3 Wolves 0 - Dawson own goal

That ought to be three precious points in the bag. Calvert-Lewin rises highest at the back post to head in from a corner. However, it transpires that it came off Dawson’s hands. Maybe that explains the sheepish celebration from the striker.

08:44 PM GMT

GOAL! Villa 2 Brentford 0 - Watkins (pen)

Ollie Watkins was bundled over in the box by Ethan Pinnock and he pops up to roll the penalty into the back of the net - just.

Flekken guessed right, but his hand wasn’t strong enough.

08:42 PM GMT

GOAL! Newcastle 1 Liverpool 1 - Jones

On the right flank, Salah spots Curtis Jones haring into the box and picks him out perfectly. He steers it in off the crossbar on the half-volley. Pope was caught a bit flat-footed, but there was too much pace on it.

08:37 PM GMT

GOAL! Villa 1 Brentford 0 - Rogers

New haircut, same quality from bleach-blond Morgan Rogers. He made that chance too. He drove forward, got the ball back from Watkins, opened up his body and curled the ball into the top-right corner from the edge of the 18-yard box. Classy finish.

08:36 PM GMT

Reasons to be cheerful for Guardiola

08:31 PM GMT

Wolves paying the price for defensive sloppiness

Everton deservedly ahead. Wolves will be doomed if they keep setting themselves the challenge of needing to score three a game to win.

They have the capacity to create chances and might prey on home nerves as the game progresses if they can one back, but if Everton stay positive they will score more in the second half.

08:28 PM GMT

12 mins: Arsenal 0 Manchester United 0

Andre Onana nearly gave a goal away early doors by passing out to the Arsenal attack. United have barely got out of first gear, it’s all Arsenal at the moment.

08:26 PM GMT

Rogers with a new do

Villa midfielder Morgan Rogers has made an eye-catching start to the game - with his new hairstyle. The England midfielder has bleached blonde hair, which is a very different look to earlier in the season when he earned his international call-up.

08:25 PM GMT

Half-time scores

Chelsea could have had five or six goals and they trot off a man to the good against hapless Southampton. Everton are halfway to a precious three points and Manchester City’s seven-match winless run could be over in an hour’s time.

Work to do for Arne Slot and Liverpool after Alexander Isak’s sublime finish.

• Everton 2 Wolverhampton Wanderers 0

• Manchester City 2 Nottingham Forest 0

• Newcastle United 1 Liverpool 0

• Southampton 1 Chelsea 3

08:19 PM GMT

Wolves toothless at the back

Wolves’ vulnerabilities exposed again as Everton finally double their lead. The visitors just aren’t tough enough defensively. This is turning into the perfect game for Dyche to relieve pressure.

08:18 PM GMT

Arsenal v Man United kicks off

The two 8.15pm kick-offs are underway. You can follow Arsenal v Manchester United here - Maguire and Mount are starting, interesting - and Villa v Brentford has just started.

08:16 PM GMT

Southampton’s early Christmas presents to Chelsea

Chelsea don’t look comfortable defensively but Southampton have gifted them two goals. The first the result of a simple failure to defend from a corner and the second, one of the unfortunate hallmarks of their season, a calamitous attempt to play out from the back. Christopher Nkunku won’t score an easier goal than that.

08:15 PM GMT

Gvardiol at the heart of affairs

It’s been an eventful half for Gvardiol, who is notionally a left back but spending most of this game popping up in positions you’d expect of a No. 10.

He has three league goals this season and probably should have had another two tonight, heading an inviting chance wide in the 15th minute and then dragging a shot wide when one on one after being released by Haaland.

In between times, he was knocked off the ball by Jota Silva, who teed up Morgan Gibbs-White for a chance Ortega pushed wide. Attacking wise Gvardiol has been a real threat, defensively he has looked less sure.

08:14 PM GMT

39 mins: Southampton 1 Chelsea 3

It goes from bad to worse for Russell Martin and bottom-of-the-table Southampton. Jack Stephens pulls Marc Cucurella’s hair and he’s sent off. Clear as day. A silly, petulant foul. No way back for the home side now, surely.

08:10 PM GMT

GOAL! Newcastle 1 Liverpool 0 - Isak

Alexander Isak with the best goal of the evening so far. He blasts an unstoppable shot from 25 yards out after wrongfooting Virgil van Dijk, which takes some doing. Impressive power and accuracy.

08:08 PM GMT

GOAL! Everton 2 Wolves 0 - Mangala

Orel Mangala gives Everton a buffer. The ball came back to him on the edge of the box and he made no mistake, helped by a slight deflection to make it past Jose Sa.

They had not scored in the Premier League since the end of October, now two goals have come along in the first 33 minutes.

08:06 PM GMT

GOAL! Southampton 1 Chelsea 3 - Madueke

Noni Madueka has room on the right, cuts inside Manning and shoots past Lumley into the fast corner. His star continues to rise. And there are more goals coming...

08:05 PM GMT

GOAL! Manchester City 2 Forest 0 - De Bruyne

Kevin De Bruyne lashes home Manchester City’s second. Doku jinked inside and his compatriot was afforded far too much space to fire high into the corner of the net past Sels. A neatly-worked goal, it is like he has never been out of the team.

Bodes well for ending the winless run, but City have thrown away bigger leads in recent weeks...

08:02 PM GMT

29 mins: City 1 Forest 0

Chris Wood misses when through on goal. Sloppy play from De Bruyne passing back gifted it to the prolific New Zealander who charged through. Ortega dived to his left but the ball rolled wide of the right post. That’s a big let-off for Guardiola’s men.

08:01 PM GMT

Var controversy at Everton

After a prolonged VAR check, Tarkowski’s goal is disallowed for Mangala blocking Lemina during the free-kick. It’s highly contentious. It’s an escape for Wolves, but their biggest problem right now is they can’t defend.

Wolves will feel a few dodgy decisions in their favour are overdue, but not even the staunchest away fan would have complained had Tarkowski’s goal stood. It looks like the kind of unnecessary intervention Howard Webb promised would stop.

07:58 PM GMT

26 mins: Southampton 1 Chelsea 2

Lumley redeems himself a little with a smart save from Cole Palmer, palming it onto the post after the on-form Englishman was put through. From the corner, Tosin heads onto the crossbar.

Southampton need to be careful or this game will quickly get away from them.

07:56 PM GMT

Brentford missing cultured Scandi core; kick-off at 8.15

It will be interesting to see how Brentford get on without their engine room. Mathias Jensen and Christian Norgaard are out injured and the central midfielders are replaced by Yehor Yarmolyuk and Vitaly Janelt from the team that defeated Leicester 4-1.

07:54 PM GMT

We need to talk about Kevin

City have started with a bang and that man Kevin De Bruyne’s return to the starting XI seems to have given them added impetus. He picked out Erling Haaland with a pinpoint pull back that the Norway striker lashed at Matz Sels and has just played his part in City taking the lead, firing a header goalwards from Ilkay Gundogan’s cross that Bernardo poked in on the line.

07:52 PM GMT

19 mins: Everton 1 Wolves 0

James Tarkowski rises, heading a Dwight McNeil free-kick into the bottom corner to give Everton a buffer... but Var rules it out.

Orel Mangala was deemed to be offside. Nevertheless, Dyche’s men have started strongly.

07:49 PM GMT

GOAL! Southampton 1 Chelsea 2 - Nkunku

That is an early Christmas gift. No danger at all for Southampton as the defence looks to build from the back. The goalkeeper Lumley plays it slowly towards a defender, the watchful Madueke pounces and passes it to Nkunku who taps the ball into an empty net.

Joe Lumley was more like Joanna Lumley there.

07:46 PM GMT

GOAL! Everton 1 Wolves 0 - Young

The home side are in front and Everton have their first goal in four Premier League matches. Ashley Young bends in a low free-kick from 25 yards out round the outside of the Wolves wall. That is his 50th Premier League and his first for 26 months.

07:44 PM GMT

GOAL! Southampton 1 Chelsea 1 - Aribo

Game on at the South Coast. Walker-Peters waltzes into the area and plays a ball across and Joe Aribo makes amends, tapping it past Jorgenson. That’s just desserts for the dynamic way the relegation strugglers have started.

07:41 PM GMT

GOAL! Manchester City 1 Forest 0 - Bernardo Silva

Bernardo Silva pinches the opener. Gundogan made a late run and sent a well-judged dink to the back post where Kevin De Bruyne threw himself at it. His effort was goalbound, but Bernardo Silva got the final touch about 50 centimetres from the goal line. He’s nabbed that one.

Just the start Pep Guardiola wanted.

07:39 PM GMT

GOAL! Southampton 0 Chelsea 1 - Disasi

Axel Disasi nods home Enzo Fernandez’s corner at the front post. The Southampton defence were like statues. Having had a gilt-edged chance of their own, the home side are already a goal down.

07:37 PM GMT

Jack Grealish’s chance to shine

Guardiola has taken a leaf out of Lee Carsley’s book by starting Jack Grealish in midfield alongside De Bruyne and Gundogan. Grealish hasn’t scored in the league this season and City could really do with the England midfielder finding some form.

07:34 PM GMT

2 mins: Southampton 0 Chelsea 0

Joe Aribo has missed an absolute sitter from ten yards out. Well-stopped by Jorgenson but it should have been tucked well out of his reach. Goals have been hard to come by for Russell Martin’s basement dwellers and they might be made to rue that.

07:31 PM GMT

Kick-off is here

Here are the 7.30pm kick-offs about to get underway. Christmas anthems are pumping at stadiums around the country and opponents’ hands are being limply shaken: 

• Everton v Wolverhampton Wanderers

• Manchester City v Nottingham Forest

• Newcastle United v Liverpool

• Southampton v Chelsea

07:28 PM GMT

Can Calvert-Lewin help to move Everton out of danger?

The great Beto renaissance lasted just one game, sadly for the Everton striker. Dominic Calvert-Lewin returns with Sean Dyche demanding more from him.

Calvert-Lewin might be entitled to demand more service to oblige the request. Everton desperately need a win given their schedule. Wolves will sense a chance to prove they are in a false position.

07:27 PM GMT

Cole Palmer could be in the goals again

07:23 PM GMT

Chelsea make seven changes

Joao Felix, Nkunku and Madueke are up top among seven changes made by Enzo Maresca. Only Cucurella is retained at the back, while Filip Jorgensen makes his first Premier League start in goal. Well, Chelsea do have the strength-in-depth to make these kind of wholesale changes and still come out on top.

For the home side, Harwood-Bellis, Downes and Dibling are all suspended, in come Bree, Wood, Aribo and Ryan Fraser.

Southampton: Lumley; Walker-Peters, Bree, Stephens, Wood, Manning; Fernandes, Aribo; Armstrong, Archer, Fraser.

Substitutes: McCarthy, Edwards. Sugawara, Taylor, Cornet, O’Brien-Whitmarsh, Amo-Ameyaw, Brereton Diaz, Kamaldeen.

Chelsea: Jorgensen; Gusto, Disasi, Tosin, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Madueke, Palmer, Joao Felix; Nkunku.

Substitutes: Sanchez, Badiashile, Colwill, Veiga, Dewsbury-Hall, Lavia, Neto, Sancho, Jackson.

07:16 PM GMT

Aston Villa v Brentford line-ups

Tyrone Mings and Leon Bailey start in place of Pau Torres and Jaden Philogene for the home side. A pair of tweaks for Brentford too, as Yehor Yarmoliuk and Vitaly Janelt slot in for Christian Norsgaard and Mathias Jensen.

Kick off is at 8.15pm.

07:10 PM GMT

Arsenal v Man Utd teams are out; changes galore and Gabriel out

Gabriel is out injured, alongside defensive partner Riccardo Calafiori. Zinchenko and Kiwior come in at the back, while Thomas Partey gets the call ahead of Leandro Trossard on the wing.

Mikel Arteta’s fourth change to their five-goal shellacking of West Ham is opting for Thomas Partey ahead of Jorginho.

Ruben Amorim said he would rotate the squad and he has made six amendments to the starting team who won with similar comfort against Everton at the weekend. Maguire and Ugarte are in for the suspended Martinez and Mainoo. Amad makes way for Malacia.

Mount, Garnacho and Hojlund come in, with weekend scorers Rashford and Zirkzee on the bench.

Arsenal: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Zinchenko, Partey, Rice, Odegaard, Martinelli, Saka, Havertz.

Substitutes: Neto, Tierney, Heaven, Jorginho, Merino, Nwaneri, Trossard, Sterling, Jesus.

Manchester United: Onana; Mazraoui, De Ligt, Maguire; Dalot, Ugarte, Fernandes, Malacia, Mount, Garnacho, Hojlund.

Substitutes: Bayindir, Kukonki, Yoro, Casemiro, Eriksen, Amad, Antony, Rashford, Zirkzee.

07:03 PM GMT

Newcastle will be no walkovers

07:01 PM GMT

Arne Slot makes three changes; Alexander-Arnold benched

Here it is in good old black-and-white. One change for Eddie Howe’s side, as Jacob Murphy replaces Joe Willock. Alexander Isak is fit and starts.

Three for Liverpool, as Jarrell Quansah, Curtis Jones and Darwin Nunez come into the line-up. Luis Diaz, Dominik Szoboszlai and Trent Alexander-Arnold start on the bench.

Newcastle United: Pope, Livramento, Schar, Burn, Hall, Tonali, Guimaraes, Murphy, Joelinton, Isak, Gordon.

Subs: Dubravka, Wilson, Barnes, Targett, Osula, Almiron, Kelly, Willock, Longstaff.

Liverpool: Kelleher, Gomez, Van Dijk, Quansah, Robertson, Mac Allister, Jones, Gravenberch, Salah, Gakpo, Nunez.

Substitutes: Jaros, Endo, Diaz, Szoboszlai, Elliott, Nallo, Alexander-Arnold, Morton, Nyoni.

06:52 PM GMT

De Bruyne starts as captain for City, one of four changes

Kevin De Bruyne is back and pulling on the captain’s (rainbow, I expect) armband today for his first start in nearly three months. The experienced Belgian midfield magician is one of four changes to City’s starting XI in their 2-0 defeat against Liverpool.

Josko Gvardiol, Jeremy Doku and Jack Grealish are also starting. Doku gave them a little more energy and penetration when he came on in the second-half at Anfield.

Anthony Elanga is one of three changes made by Nuno Espirito Santo for Forest, alongside Dominguez and Moreno.

Manchester City: Ortega; Gvardiol, Dias, Akanji, Ake; Grealish, Doku, De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Gundogan, Haaland.

Substitutes: Ederson, Carson, Walker, Savinho, Nunes, Wright, O’Reilly, Lewis, McAtee.

Nottingham Forest: Sels, Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Moreno; Yates, Dominguez, Jota Silva, Gibbs-White, Elanga, Wood.

Substitutes: Carlos Miguel, Morato, Williams, Anderson, Awoniyi, Hudson-Odoi, Da Silva Moreira, Ward-Prowse, Sosa.

06:41 PM GMT

In the last of the 7.30pm kick-offs, the Everton v Wolves starting XIs

06:40 PM GMT

How Southampton and Chelsea line up

06:38 PM GMT

Newcastle United v Liverpool starting XIs

06:33 PM GMT

The Manchester City and Forest line-ups

06:30 PM GMT

Six scintillating matches to enjoy tonight

Good evening and welcome to Telegraph Sport’s live, minute-by-minute Premier League clockwatch.

There are six matches to get stuck into on a busy Wednesday night of action, four kicking off at 7.30pm and a brace at 8.15pm.

League leaders Liverpool are away to Newcastle United. It’s an opportune time to be visiting, as Eddie Howe’s side are experiencing an inconsistent patch of form. Can they show their best and slow down Slot and company’s saunter to the title?

In stark contrast, defending champions Manchester City have not won in seven matches, which has never happened under Pep Guardiola’s guardianship. The aura has gone, their defence has looked nervy and leaky, but surely the free-fall will end - and there will not be a seven-finger salute from their manager to away fans tonight.

“We don’t have a squad [due to injuries],” Guardiola said. Rodri and John Stones are still crocked; Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake were previously out for a significant period of time.

They go up against a very game Nottingham Forest outfit who will move ahead of them if they win at the Etihad. Who would have thought that possible four months ago?

Unbeaten in five, Enzo Maresca’s free-scoring Chelsea have an opportunity to move into second place tonight, as the Londoners travel to bottom side Southampton.

Wesley Fofana is out, nursing a hamstring injury sustained in Sunday’s win over Villa, but Southampton have a swathe of players banned or on the treatment table. They’ll be missing Tyler Dibling and Taylor Harwood-Bellis, whose bookings in their last match mean they are suspended tonight.

In a match between fellow relegation fighters, Everton play Wolves. The home team hasn’t won in five and pressure is building on Sean Dyche. If the visitors take three points, they will move above their opponents and out of the relegation zone.

The pick of the lot is 8.15pm kick-off, as Arsenal go up against rivals Manchester United. After Ipswich, Bodo/Glimt and Everton, this is Ruben Amorim’s first big test. Lisandro Martinez and Kobbie Mainoo are suspended, though the side are unbeaten in seven games.

Nevertheless, coming away from London with anything will be a big ask. Mikel Arteta’s men will be brimming with confidence after putting five past their last two opponents and United have lost seven of their last nine at the Emirates.

“I have to say it again: the storm will come,” said Amorim yesterday, who warned after the match against Ipswich that United are “going to suffer for a long period”.

“We know that we are in a different point, if you compare to Arsenal. We will try to win it and we go with confidence to win but we know that we need to play very well to win the next football match.”

Rounding out the night’s action, in a mid-table clash, eighth-placed Brentford travel to Aston Villa (12th) in the other 8.15pm GMT kick-off.

Team news coming imminently.