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Heavyweight Anfield clash headlines intriguing Premier League weekend

The two most realistic title contenders go head to head on Merseyside.

The Premier League continues this weekend with a number of interesting fixtures.

Here, Press Association Sport looks at some of the main talking points.

Liverpool host Manchester City in top-of-the-table clash

Liverpool and Manchester City met four times last season
Liverpool and Manchester City met four times last season (Peter Byrne/PA)

The highlight of the weekend is Sunday’s blockbuster between the top two sides at Anfield.

The clubs were tipped as title rivals before the campaign began and their early-season form, even without either side hitting top gear, has certainly justified the hype.

It is a difficult game to call, with intriguing battles all over the field and between two inspirational managers in Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola on the touchline.

Both teams like to attack and, if last season’s ferocious encounters are anything to go by, will not compromise those philosophies. Tactical know-how and experience perhaps just favours City but history – both recent and long term – is certainly on Liverpool’s side. City have won just once at Anfield since 1981 and last season they struggled in the intense atmosphere.

All eyes on Mourinho’s next act

The pressure continues to pile on Jose Mourinho
The pressure continues to pile on Jose Mourinho (Martin Rickett/PA)

While the clash at Anfield will be eagerly anticipated, eyes will be on Old Trafford for entirely different reasons. Manchester United are in a rut.

They have slipped to 10th in the table, have not won in four games in all competitions, stories of a fractured dressing room keep surfacing and the pressure is piling on manager Jose Mourinho.

The Portuguese needs a victory to earn some relief heading into the international break. On paper, a Newcastle side in even greater turmoil should be just the opponents they need, but things are rarely straightforward when Mourinho faces old adversary Rafael Benitez.

Benitez also in need of a lift

Rafael Benitez will hope to get one over his old rival
Rafael Benitez will hope to get one over his old rival (Owen Humphreys/PA)

The Champions League duels between Benitez and Mourinho, when the pair were managers of Liverpool and Chelsea respectively, may now seem long ago but the Spaniard’s ability to outmanoeuvre his rival, even with inferior teams, is beyond question.

Steering a winless Newcastle to a result at Old Trafford may be a different thing entirely, of course, but this is nevertheless a contest he will be relishing.

The Magpies certainly need to find a spark from somewhere after a dreadful start to the season. They have claimed just two points and dissatisfaction with the ownership continues to cast a cloud.

Other sides out to end winless run

Huddersfield, like Cardiff and Newcastle, are still to win this season
Huddersfield, like Cardiff and Newcastle, are still to win this season (Mike Egerton/PA)

There are two other sides still chasing a first win in Cardiff and Huddersfield and they will be anxious to address that before the break.

In Cardiff’s case, however, it is a daunting task as they travel to Tottenham. The Welsh side have already suffered heavy losses to Chelsea and Manchester City in recent weeks and there is little relief with Liverpool coming up later in the month.

Huddersfield will hope they can battle their way to a result at Burnley but the odds may also be against them with the Clarets having won their last two after a poor start.

Test for Gunners keeper

Bernd Leno (left) will get a chance for Arsenal with Petr Cech (right) out injured
Bernd Leno (left) will get a chance for Arsenal with Petr Cech (right) out injured (Yui Mok/PA)

Arsenal have turned the corner after their disappointing start, recovering from defeats in their first two games to climb to fourth with five successive wins.

There is still much for Unai Emery to do, however, and he now faces a spell without experienced goalkeeper Petr Cech.

Summer signing Bernd Leno will now get a chance but the Premier League can be unforgiving to new keepers and the German faces a test at Fulham.

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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool31227272304273
2Arsenal311711356263062
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest31176851371457
4Chelsea31158854371753
5Newcastle UnitedNewcastle30165952391353
6Manchester CityMan City31157957401752
7Aston Villa3114984646051
8Fulham3113994742548
9Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton31121184947247
10Bournemouth311291051401145
11Crystal Palace30111093935443
12Brentford31126135147442
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd31108133741-438
14Tottenham HotspurSpurs311141658451337
15Everton31714103338-535
16West Ham UnitedWest Ham3198143552-1735
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves3195174359-1632
18Ipswich TownIpswich3148193165-3420
19Leicester CityLeicester3145222570-4517
20Southampton3124252374-5110


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