Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Leaders Liverpool face tough test at wounded Man United
PREMIER League leaders Liverpool face one of their toughest remaining fixtures tomorrow as they travel to face a wounded Manchester United side who will be desperate to stop their bitter rivals' title bandwagon at Old Trafford.
Liverpool's somewhat nervy 3-1 victory over bottom club Sheffield United on Thursday means they remain masters of their own destiny with eight games to play.
They have 70 points, two more than Arsenal and three more than reigning champions Manchester City who will be keeping a watchful eye on events at Old Trafford.
Before that Arsenal have the chance to return to the summit when they travel to Brighton & Hove Albion this afternoon after City take on Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
Sixth-placed United's incredible 4-3 defeat at Chelsea on Thursday, when they led until the 10th minute of stoppage time only to concede twice, put a big dent in their hopes of securing Champions League football next season.
Defeat by Liverpool would likely extinguish that possibility altogether so the clash is arguably almost as important for United boss Erik ten Hag as it is for Liverpool's Juergen Klopp.
United have struggled this season and Ten Hag's future is uncertain but they have been a thorn in Liverpool's side – drawing away in the league and claiming a 4-3 win in an unforgettable FA Cup quarter-final to end the Anfield side's hopes of an unprecedented quadruple.
The tension is also likely to be ramped up on Liverpool assuming Arsenal and City both win today, although pressure appears to be something Klopp's side thrives on. “I am happy we play on Sunday, we cannot change that,” he said. “I don't see the
problem. The game on Thursday was nothing to do with yesterday, and Sunday will be nothing to do with the other results.”
Arsenal will have bitter memories of Brighton after a crushing defeat at home by the Seagulls last May all but handed the Premier League title to City. But Mikel Arteta's side look far more durable this time and even his fringe players are coming to the party as was seen on Wednesday when Emile Smith Rowe was given a rare start and was influential in the 2-0 victory over visiting Luton Town.
Arteta was not alone in shuffling his pack this week, with City's Pep Guardiola leaving Erling Haaland and Kevin de Bruyne out of the starting line-up for their home clash with fourth-placed Aston Villa.
They were hardly missed though as Phil Foden notched a superb hat-trick in a 4-1 victory.
City are proven masters at handling the climax of a title battle and Guardiola sounded a warning to the two clubs battling to stop them winning an unprecedented fourth straight English top-flight crown.
“If we win all our games it will go until the last day because they are not five, six, seven points in front,” he said. “That's why we are calm. As I said, it's tight, it's not seven or eight points. It's close. We have to wait.
“They have to lose points, otherwise it will not be possible, but again the team has been exceptional this season, exceptional.”
Villa and fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur will look to put more distance between themselves and Manchester United in the race for a coveted Champions League spot at home to Brentford this afternoon and Nottingham Forest tomorrow respectively. |
Premier League Fixtures (SA time) Today
– 1.30pm: Crystal Palace v Manchester City. 4pm: Everton v Burnley, Luton Town v Bournemouth, Aston Villa v Brentford, Wolves v West Ham, Fulham v Newcastle. 6.30pm: Brighton v Arsenal
– 4.30pm: Manchester United v Liverpool. 6.30pm: Sheffield United v Chelsea. 7pm: Tottenham v Nottingham Forest.