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Manchester City threw down the gauntlet for the second successive weekend and Arsenal proved undaunted as they kicked off their festive fixtures with a narrow 2-1 defeat of Brighton & Hove Albion to stay as Premier League leaders on Saturday, Reuters reported. 

City won 2-1 at Nottingham Forest with Rayan Cherki grabbing a goal and an assist to briefly move top of the pile.

But Arsenal, just as they had done last week by beating Everton after City's earlier win over West Ham United, were unwavering as captain Martin Odegaard scored his first goal of the season for Mikel Arteta's side, according to Reuters. 

Coach Hugo Broos said South Africa do not fear Egypt's Premier League contingent, Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush, ahead of their Group B clash in the Africa Cup of Nations on Friday, Reuters reported. 

Manchester City forward Marmoush scored the equalizer against Zimbabwe, before a late strike from Liverpool's Salah secured a 2-1 win in their opening game in Morocco on Monday.

South Africa beat Angola by the same score in their Group B opener thanks to Lyle Foster's screamer, according to Reuters. 

Manchester United's Kobbie Mainoo has yet to start a Premier League match this season and has been linked with a loan move in the January transfer window but manager Ruben Amorim says the England midfielder is the future of the club, Reuters reported. 

Mainoo has made 12 appearances this season, with one League Cup start, and is set to miss United's game against Newcastle United later on Friday due to a calf injury.

Amorim said the 20-year-old will have to be patient but he will get his chance in the side, according to Reuters. 

Following their triumph in the Italian Super Cup, Napoli will return to the task of defending their Serie A title full of confidence when they travel to take on Cremonese this weekend, Reuters reported. 

Napoli beat AC Milan 2-0 in the semi-final and Bologna by the same scoreline in Monday's final to clinch the Super Cup for the first time since 2014 as Antonio Conte continues to find success in Naples.

Conte won the league title in his first season, and club president Aurelio De Laurentiis sees no reason why the good times should come to an end, according to Reuters.