Manchester City produced another late show to equal the top flight record of 13 successive wins in a season with a 2-1 win over West Ham on Super Sunday.
Pep Guardiola’s men are eight points ahead of Manchester United in the title race, with the pair set to meet on Super Sunday next weekend while West Ham remain in the relegation zone after their worst start to a Premier League season.
West Ham have agreed a £25million deal with Marseille for the transfer of Dimitri Payet
Payet is expected to sign for Marseille on Sunday after the French club reached an agreement with West Ham over his transfer. It is understood the France international will take a £25,000 wage cut from his £125,000-a-week salary at West Ham to secure the switch.
The 29-year old is in France and is expected to be unveiled in the next 24 hours with a view to him figuring in the squad to face Lyon on Tuesday.
West Ham have signed Robert Snodgrass from Hull and remain in talks over Scott Hogan at Brentford.
The arrival of Hull City midfielder Snodgrass at the London Stadium means West Ham no longer have any interest in trying to hold 29-year-old Payet against his will and both clubs are keen to get a final deal in place.
West Ham have turned down two bids from Marseille for Payet but now expect the move to happen with a fee of £25m plus £5m in add-ons.
Payet told West Ham he no longer wanted to play for them earlier this month and has been training with their U23s.
His family had already returned to France.
The France international star finds himself back in his home country – but the reason should not give West Ham fans too much concern
Dimitri Payet has been linked with a January move from West Ham to Marseille – but on Saturday he will be in Lille.
The Ligue 1 club are also in the throes of a takeover, which is expected to dramatically increase their spending power, but the France attacker is in town to help Lille celebrate a Coupe de France encounter with AS Excelsior.
He will take a ceremonial kick off before the encounter at Stade Pierre Mauroy, which pits Lille against a side that hails from Reunion Island, some 9,500 kilometres away.
Payet hails from the island, which lies in the Indian Ocean nearly 200 miles to the east of Madagascar but has become its best-known footballing export and, along with the fact it was the first place the euro became legal tender, one of its great claims to fame.
A note on Lille’s Facebook page reads: “COME BACK! He will be return to Stade Pierre Mauroy to give the ceremonial kick off to Lille – Excelsior. No, we’ve not forgotten you Dimitri Payet.”
The 29-year-old spent two seasons at Lille after signing from Saint-Etienne and scored 19 goals and claimed 30 assists over the course of 95 games.
Since moving to England, he has struck 18 times and produced 25 assists in only 66 outings with West Ham, where he has established himself as a key figure.