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Premier League: Five talking points as Liverpool face Everton in derby

Elsewhere Manchester City are without Kevin De Bruyne and Fulham and Sheffield United will chase their first points.

The Premier League looks set to return from the international break with a bang.

Here, the PA news agency picks out five of the main talking points heading into this round of fixtures.

Liverpool facing derby-day test

Everton have started the season on fire
Everton have started the season on fire (Catherine Ivill/PA)

Reigning Premier League champions Liverpool can welcome back the likes of Sadio Mane and Thiago Alcantara on Saturday, but there looks no better time for Everton to end their 22-match winless streak in all competitions against their neighbours. Carlo Ancelotti's in-form side sit top of the standings after winning their first four matches of the season, with summer signing James Rodriguez hitting the ground running and newly-capped England international Dominic Calvert-Lewin leading the line with aplomb.

How will Manchester United react?

The wounds remain raw from Manchester United's 6-1 home humbling at the hands of former manager Jose Mourinho's Tottenham earlier this month. The Old Trafford giants swiftly brought in new faces but the squad still looks short in key areas, while Harry Maguire, the most expensive defender in history, is well short of his best. The United skipper, who was sent off for England in midweek, is a doubt for this weekend's crunch clash. United have not lost back-to-back league matches at Newcastle since 1987 and can ill afford to do so now.

Can Chelsea settle against Saints?

Chelsea's Kai Havertz and Timo Werner have yet to flourish in the Premier League
Chelsea's Kai Havertz and Timo Werner have yet to flourish in the Premier League (Richard Heathcote/PA)

Chelsea made the biggest splash in world football during the summer transfer market, with Timo Werner, Thiago Silva, Kai Havertz and Ben Chilwell among the throng of exciting new arrivals in west London. But Blues boss Frank Lampard has yet to get the best out of his new charges and this weekend welcomes a Southampton side looking to claim three straight Premier League wins for the first time since 2016.

Bramall Lane basement battle

Something has to give on Sunday lunchtime when 19th-placed Sheffield United welcome rock-bottom Fulham to Bramall Lane. Neither has mustered a point in their opening four matches and this clash has the potential to provide the catalyst to a much-needed change in fortunes. Scott Parker's Cottagers have faltered embarrassingly since sealing promotion back to the top flight and he will need his new signings to prove their worth against Chris Wilder's Blades, who will surely kick on soon given their fine 2019-20 season.

Will Arsenal Partey as City miss De Bruyne?

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Excited for this new adventure 🔥

A post shared by Thomas Teye Partey (@thomaspartey5) on

Manchester City will be without star turn Kevin De Bruyne through injury when Pep Guardiola's former assistant Mikel Arteta visits on Saturday. City ran out comfortable 3-0 victors against Arsenal when the Spaniard first returned to the Etihad Stadium in June, but they are a different beast now. Apprentice overcame master in the FA Cup semi-finals and Arteta went on to inspire Arsenal to glory in the final, before doing the same in the Community Shield later that month. The north Londoners have won three of their opening four fixtures and have been further bolstered by £45million deadline-day arrival Thomas Partey, who would love to mark his debut with a statement victory.

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Louis Saha pictured in November 2015
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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool14112129111835
2Chelsea1594235181731
3Arsenal1585229151429
4Manchester CityMan City158342721627
5Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest157441918125
6Aston Villa157442323025
7Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton156632522324
8Bournemouth157352320324
9Brentford157263128323
10Fulham156542220223
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1562731191220
12Newcastle UnitedNewcastle155551921-220
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd155461918119
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham155372028-818
15Everton143561421-714
16Leicester CityLeicester153572130-914
17Crystal Palace152761420-613
18Ipswich TownIpswich151681427-139
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1523102338-159
20Southampton1512121131-205


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