The Premier League’s random fixture generator has been awfully kind to us this weekend.
By Sam McGuire
The fallout from these games will likely dominate talk throughout the international break. So, with this in mind, here’s what you can look forward to across Matchday 11 in the English top-flight.
Are Manchester City under pressure?
The reigning Premier League champions are without a win in three.
Spurs knocked Manchester City out of the Carabao Cup, Bournemouth then stunned Pep Guardiola‘s team to record their first ever victory over the Citizens before Sporting ran riot in Portugal, recording a 4-1 as Rúben Amorim gave Manchester United an early present.
In the blink of an eye, City lost top spot in the Premier League, were knocked out of a domestic cup and now find themselves in 10th spot in the new look Champions League.
They’ve conceded eight goals across these three matches and the decision to not replace Julián Alvarez is now looking a little naive with Erling Haaland struggling.
City travel to the Amex on Saturday evening to face an out-of-sorts but dangerous Brighton side. The Seagulls are without a win in three and gave up the lead in two of these games. They are, however, scoring goals and will be a threat to the champions.
If they were ever going to spring a surprise, it would be this weekend.
The Mohamed Salah show
Salah is supposed to be slowing down. He didn’t get the memo.
The 32-year-old has the most goal involvements in the Premier League with 12. The Liverpool No. 11 has seven goals and five assists across 875 minutes in the English top-flight.
He has seven goal involvements in his last five starts for the Reds, including goals against Chelsea and Arsenal, and assists against RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen.
Salah is as dangerous as ever and his form coincides with Liverpool being top of the Premier League and the Champions League.
They host the team they displaced at the top of the new look Champions League, Aston Villa, on Saturday night. It is a team Salah enjoys playing having scored six and assisted three in 10 appearances.
Unai Emery‘s men had started the season well but their good form has come to an abrupt end.
They are now winless in four having drawn against Bournemouth before losing to Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup, Spurs in the Premier League and then Club Brugge in the Champions League. Defeat at Anfield could see them head into the international break down in 11th position.
Wood to haunt another former club
Chris Wood is in the form of his life.
The 32-year-old has eight goals in 10 appearances for Nottingham Forest this term as Nuno Espírito Santo’s side have shocked everyone. They’re currently third in the table ahead of the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal, Aston Villa and Spurs.
He’s already scored against one of his former side’s this term, finding the back of the net twice against Leicester City. He’s looking to repeat the trick this weekend against Newcastle United.
Wood called St James’ Park home for 12 months but struggled for form, scoring just four goals across 35 outings.
A goal this weekend would mean he’s found the back of the net in five successive Premier League matches.
If he fires Forest to a win, they’ll be seven points clear of the Magpies and third position will be guaranteed over the international break.
The Guardiola assistant derby
Arsenal travel to Stamford Bridge on Sunday looking to halt their demise.
The Gunners have won just two of their previous six outings across all competitions. Mikel Arteta masterminded wins over Shakhtar Donetsk and Preston North End. During this run, they have lost to Bournemouth, Newcastle, and Inter while also giving up the lead twice against Liverpool.
They find themselves seven points off of the top, without a clean sheet in the league since September and they have won just 50% of their games.
If they are going to live up to their pre-season hype as title contenders, they need to get back to winning ways, and quickly.
It won’t be easy. Chelsea are a completely different proposition under Enzo Maresca, the man Guardiola picked to replace Arteta as his assistant at Manchester City.
The Blues are level on points with the Gunners but have only won two of their five matches at home this season. The same number of games Arsenal have won on their travels.
It is definitely a game for the neutral.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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