LONDON, UK
Liverpool's faltering Premier League title challenge could suffer a fatal blow if leaders Arsenal win Sunday's marquee match-up at the Emirates Stadium.
Powered by Erling Haaland's
incredible form, Manchester City will aim for another goal spree against
Southampton, while Manchester United could turn to Brazilian midfielder
Casemiro after their derby demolition.
AFP Sport looks at some of the
key talking points ahead of this weekend's action.
Virgil van Dijk has urged
Liverpool to embrace the pressure of a potentially defining period in their
stop-start season.
Hampered by an unusually
sluggish start, Jurgen Klopp's side are already 11 points behind Arsenal and
can ill-afford to fall further adrift.
Winners of just two of their
first seven league games, Liverpool follow that crucial clash in London with a
Champions League trip to Rangers on Wednesday before Manchester City visit
Anfield on October 16.
After a damaging 3-3 draw with
Brighton last weekend, Liverpool recovered their equilibrium by beating Rangers
2-0 in midweek and Van Dijk wants his team to take that momentum into the
Arsenal game.
"It's something to look
forward to. They (Arsenal) are in a fantastic moment but if you look at our
results in the Premier League I think no one would give us a chance
there," said defender Van Dijk.
"But we know what we are
capable of, we know what is expected. They are in the best moment of their
lives, full of confidence, and it's a big game."
As defenders across Europe
struggle to sate Erling Haaland's appetite for goals, the Manchester City
striker has revealed his recipe for success.
Haaland is in such prolific
form that he was only needed for the first half of City's 5-0 rout of
Copenhagen in the Champions League on Wednesday, during which he netted twice.
The 22-year-old has scored 19
goals in 11 competitive games in a remarkable first season with City following
his £51 million ($57 million) move from Borussia Dortmund.
And the Norway star says his
dad Alfie's home-cooked lasagne has played a key role in his blistering run.
"I've had it before every
home game now and that turns out fairly well, so there has to be something
special he adds to it," said Haaland.
"I help out very little.
I mostly lie on the couch watching him. That's the way it works."
With Haaland adding the
attacking fulcrum City had lacked since Sergio Aguero's departure, the
champions have embarked on a power surge featuring 29 goals in their first
eight league games.
No wonder City boss Pep
Guardiola was quick to deny reports in Spain this week that Haaland's City
contract contains a clause that allows Real Madrid to sign him from 2024.
Erik ten Hag could finally
give Brazil midfielder Casemiro his first Premier League start as the
Manchester United manager tries to steady his side after their "reality
check" at Manchester City.
United's four-match winning
league run came to a painful end when City hammered them 6-3 last weekend.
Ten Hag believes that
chastening defeat should serve to refocus his players for Sunday's trip to
Everton, but he has a significant selection dilemma to solve first.
Since signing Casemiro from
Real Madrid for an initial £60 million in August, Ten Hag has used the
five-time Champions League winner sparingly due to Scott McTominay's solid
performances.
Casemiro has made four
substitute appearances in the Premier League, with his only starts coming in
the Europa League, but the derby meltdown could be the trigger for a sustained
promotion to the starting line-up.
"I said already before,
it had nothing to do with Casemiro, it was all to do with Scott," said Ten
Hag. "I'm sure Casemiro will play a really important role."
Fixtures
Saturday (1400 GMT unless
stated)
Bournemouth v Leicester,
Chelsea v Wolves, Manchester City v Southampton, Newcastle v Brentford,
Brighton v Tottenham (1630)
Sunday
Crystal Palace v Leeds (1300),
West Ham v Fulham (1300), Arsenal v Liverpool (1530), Everton v Manchester
United (1800)
Monday
Nottingham Forest v Aston
Villa (1900)
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