Man City news round-up for Friday 13 November, updated 05:24 UK.

Manchester City have lost their last three league games, Marc Guéhi has pulled out of England duty with a hip injury, and the club are still waiting on the outcome of their appeal against the Premier League’s financial verdict. Enzo Maresca’s side are third in the table, six points behind Arsenal. The next match is at home to Fulham on Saturday 21 November.

Guéhi out of England squad with hip injury

Guéhi came off at half-time of the 3-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest on Saturday 7 November, and Maresca said afterwards that the centre-back had asked to be taken off. He was then ruled out of England’s Nations League games against Croatia and Spain. Newcastle’s Dan Burn was added to the squad as his replacement. Guéhi started all but one of England’s World Cup games and all four Nations League matches in September and October. BBC Sport reported that Guéhi was having a scan on the problem before he was ruled out.

For the wider picture on City’s players abroad, see the City players on international duty post.

Three defeats and a leaky defence

Maresca took over from Pep Guardiola in the summer, and City opened the season with a record seven consecutive wins. Then they lost to Aston Villa, Brighton and Forest in a row. They have conceded 13 league goals in 10 games, the most at this stage of a season since 2008-09, according to BBC Sport’s analysis.

Maresca’s explanation after Forest was blunt. “You concede transitions when you lose the ball, and when you don’t win duels.” The BBC’s tactics writer Umir Irfan argues the problem sits in midfield, where Elliot Anderson has been moulded into a deeper holding role this season. When Anderson steps out to press, opponents drag him wide and find the space in the middle. Four individual mistakes have led to goals in the last three games.

The appeal and the wait

The Premier League found City guilty of all charges linked to its financial rules on 29 September, including what the commission called “sham” sponsorship contracts that hid £830.69m of funding. The commission said some club witnesses “gave false evidence” and that the club’s sponsorship deals were disguised. The club deny any wrongdoing and have appealed. Matches have carried on in the meantime. Sports psychologist Dr Paul McCarthy, speaking to the BBC, said “uncertainty is often more stressful than bad news.”

Haaland, Dias, Gvardiol and Kovačić on duty

Erling Haaland plays for Norway against Wales on Saturday 14 November at 17:00 UK, then faces Denmark on Tuesday 17 November at 19:45. Rúben Dias is with Portugal, who play Denmark on Saturday at 19:45 and Wales on Tuesday at the same time. Joško Gvardiol and Mateo Kovačić are with Croatia, who play Czechia on Sunday 15 November at 19:45. The fixture list comes from the club’s international break guide. Gvardiol’s own fitness is covered in our Gvardiol update.

Next fixture

City have been solid at home this season. They won their first four Premier League games at the Etihad before a 1-0 defeat by Brighton, and the club’s ticket announcement confirmed the 12:30 kick-off. Fulham are managed by Álvaro Arbeloa.

Injury list