Premier League preview: Liverpool and Arsenal collide, Man Utd hope for back-to-back victories
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The weekend’s biggest game: Arsenal v Liverpool
There’s nowhere to start this week except the end. The final fixture of the matchweek, at 4.30pm on Sunday, sees Arsenal host top-of-the-league Liverpool at the Emirates in a game that could put a serious dent in the Gunners’ title hopes. Mikel Arteta’s side will still be smarting from their first loss of the season last weekend against Bournemouth, after they once again went down to 10 men (this time losing William Saliba to a last-man challenge in the first half) and fell to a 2-0 away defeat.
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Hide AdMuch has been made of their apparent discipline problem, with this being their third player dismissal of the campaign - which couldn’t be more in contrast with this week’s opponents. Since Arne Slot took the reins, Liverpool have looked like a well-oiled machine; gone is the exhilarating chaos of Jurgen Klopp, replaced by a calm and steady hand that has seen them quietly climb to the top of the table.
The only blot on their record is a 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest in week four which they seem to have shaken off, taking maximum points from every other game.
Liverpool’s biggest test yet was last weekend when they beat Chelsea 2-1, and it’s about to be replaced by their new biggest test yet. If Slot’s men can get the better of Arsenal, it will cement them as serious title contenders - potentially, though it’s still early days, tipping the balance towards them as more likely challengers to City than Arteta’s side. The ‘Slot machine’ has had a clear identity so far but the only real criticisms are that their opening games haven’t seen the sort of dominant scorelines that Manchester City produce, and that they also haven’t really had the chance to throw down the gauntlet against a fellow title challenger.
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Hide AdSunday’s fixture is their chance to do the latter. For Arsenal, meanwhile, the important thing will be shaking off the label of ill-disciplined or unpredictable; having let titles slip away in agonising fashion in the last few years, a clash like this is an opportunity for Arteta to reinforce the idea that his team must be taken seriously this season.
Two key capital clashes: West Ham host Manchester United; Newcastle travel to Chelsea
Who’s that team we call United? Most of London this weekend, actually. At 2pm on Sunday, Manchester United face West Ham United at the London Stadium, while across town Newcastle United will play Chelsea. The former of the two matches will be an important day for Erik ten Hag (as we seem to say most weeks at the moment); after another disappointing result against Fenerbahce on Thursday leaves them 21st in the Europa League, anything other than three points in the domestic game this weekend would leave a pretty sour taste for fans.
That’s particularly true because victory for the hosts by a margin of two goals or more would see them leapfrog United in the table. However, it’s not all doom and gloom: a win would likely bring the Red Devils back into the top half and it would also mean consecutive league victories for the first time in the season so far. For the hosts’ part, Julen Lopetegui’s job is reportedly safe for now - but they’re in real need of something to smile about after collecting only eight points from eight games so far, and losing to crosstown rivals Tottenham last week.
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Hide AdThey have a blow to their team already in that Mohammed Kudus is suspended after his straight-red antics in that game, which boosts United’s chances somewhat. It will also be Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s first game against the Red Devils since his departure from Old Trafford in the summer. It’s fair to say there’s no real bad blood between him and the United faithful at the moment, but if he repeats his stellar performance from the FA Cup final then he could be a real thorn in United’s side in their quest to improve their dire goalscoring form.
Across the capital, meanwhile, Chelsea face an important test to their hopes of staying with the leading pack when they host Newcastle. The Magpies have made life difficult for teams above them in the table so far, only narrowly losing to Brighton and holding Manchester City to a draw - but their form away from St James’ Park leaves a lot to be desired. They have dropped points on the road at Bournemouth and Everton, which does not bode well for their visit to Stamford Bridge.
For Enzo Maresca, it’s vital that his side bounce back from last weekend’s loss to Liverpool and continue to build on the positive start that has had plenty of people eating their ‘club-in-chaos’ words. In terms of players to watch out for, Tino Livramento has a point to prove against his former club: he departed Stamford Bridge without making a senior appearance and has been a fairly consistent feature for Newcastle so far this season, earning his first England call-up. Will the fire in his belly be enough to counteract the cool of a certain Chelsea forward?
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Hide AdEverton and Ipswich’s chance to earn breathing space at the bottom
At the other end of the table, Everton and Ipswich - sitting 16th and 17th respectively - have the opportunity to put themselves clear of the bottom three, who all face significantly tougher tests than them this weekend. However, both will face a battle to do so. Everton could extend their unbeaten run to three matches when they host Fulham at 5.30pm on Saturday - but the Cottagers have started the campaign well, taking points off the likes of Newcastle United and coming close to doing so against Manchester City.
The visitors are definite favourites in this clash - but if the Toffees can build on the positives of their last two games, a result out of this encounter would be a huge confidence boost for Sean Dyche’s side.
Likewise, Ipswich face 13th-placed Brentford, a tough prospect for Kieran McKenna. The Bees are fresh from a loss to Manchester United but have developed a nasty knack for stinging opponents early, and the Tractor Boys will not want to have to claw their way back into the game. However, Ipswich have proven themselves capable of competing at the top level in draws with Brighton and Aston Villa - if they can hang on to get a result against Brentford, it could open up more space between them and the drop.
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Hide AdThis is the case for both Everton and Ipswich: the bottom three of Crystal Palace, Southampton, and Wolves all have tough opposition this weekend in Tottenham, Manchester City, and Brighton respectively. This means any points McKenna or Dyche’s teams can pick up this weekend could allow them to pull clear of the bottom (especially for Ipswich, who currently are only a point away from the relegation zone).
Elsewhere: potential bloodbath at the Etihad, test for Aston Villa, and chance for a red-hot forward to net against his former club
Fans of possession-based football will definitely want to keep an eye out for tomorrow’s game at the Etihad, because Pep Guardiola might just have met his ball-loving match in Russell Martin...
Ok, not really. Both managers are devotees to the philosophy of dominating the ball, but that’s where the similarities end in terms of results. City are having significantly more luck than Southampton with that strategy, and frustration is growing on the south coast at Martin’s absolute dedication to his principles in a league where they just don’t seem to be working.
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Hide AdSouthampton have only one point from their first eight games and a goal difference of -12, while City are second with 19 scored. Should Liverpool drop points, that means Guardiola’s side have the chance to return to the top of the table - so they will be champing at the bit tomorrow, and it’s possible that Saints fans might need to prepare for a bloodbath here.
The sheer gulf between the clubs is pretty clear from the fact that Erling Haaland has more goals so far this season than the whole of Southampton - tomorrow might be another chance for him to add to his tally as he persists in chasing down the league’s hattrick record.
Down in the midlands, Aston Villa could push into the top three this weekend. Currently level on points with Arsenal, this week could see Unai Emery’s men leapfrog them - standing in their way are Bournemouth, who of course beat the Gunners last week. Andoni Iraola’s management has provided plenty of thrills and spills for the neutral this season so far and this weekend gives them another chance to cause an upset - but the head coach has already warned his side will have to be “very close to their best” to stand a chance of getting a result at Villa Park, where the atmosphere will surely be as electric as you would expect for a team topping the Champions League table. That game kicks off at 3pm tomorrow, as does City v Southampton.
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Hide AdFinally, we end with the first fixture of the weekend: tonight at 8pm, Leicester City play host to one of this season’s dark horses in Nottingham Forest. The Trees are eighth in the table, having made waves by being the only team to take points off Arne Slot’s Liverpool, and go into the game in search of a fourth win. Leicester will not look forward to facing their former player Chris Wood, who already has five goals this season - but if the Foxes can keep him quiet, they have a chance to boost their standing in the table significantly. Though they are six places behind Forest currently, only four points separate them - so a win would see the promotees distance themselves from the bottom even more, and possibly (even if briefly) hit the top half of the table.
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