CL spot in Liverpool sights
London, April 3: Liverpool visit Arsenal for a potentially definitive Premier League encounter this weekend, as the runners and riders in the race for Champions League qualification embark upon the season’s final lap.
Having had their 13- game unbeaten run ended by Manchester United before the international break, Liverpool find themselves five points below the Champions League spots with only eight games of the season remaining.
Another defeat at the Emirates Stadium could see Liverpool cut adrift, but victory would take them to within three points of their opponents, revitalising their quest for a top- four finish.
Arsenal are seeking to record a seventh league win in succession — a feat they last achieved in March 2012 — and with Manchester City not in action until Monday, victory would lift Arsene Wenger’s side up to second place.
Mathieu Debuchy, Mikel Arteta, Jack Wilshere and Abou Diaby are all back in training for Arsenal after injury, while Wenger said Danny Welbeck had a “little chance” of playing after hurting his knee on England duty.
Daniel Sturridge and Adam Lallana could both feature for Liverpool despite withdrawing from the England squad through injury, but Steven Gerrard and Martin Skrtel are suspended.
Raheem Sterling, meanwhile, is likely to find more than a few camera lenses trained on him after he confirmed that he has rejected a new contract offer and described reported interest from Arsenal as “flattering”.
United, a point behind Arsenal in fourth place, will also have designs on supplanting City ahead of a home game with relegation- threatened Aston Villa.
Louis van Gaal’s side appear to have clicked, belatedly, after stylish victories over Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool, but captain Wayne Rooney has warned that those wins will count for nought if they do not kick on.
Asked if the 2- 1 success at Anfield had been a sixpointer, the England skipper replied: “Yes it was, but that means nothing if we don’t beat Aston Villa on Saturday.
Tottenham and Southampton, both six points below the top four, have opportunities to make up ground on at least one of the teams above them.
Southampton travel to Everton on Saturday, while Spurs visit third- bottom Burnley the following day.
Six points clear with a game in hand on all their pursuers, leaders Chelsea can take another step towards the title when they welcome Stoke City to Stamford Bridge.
Jose Mourinho’s
side have stuttered in recent weeks, drawing successive home games against Burnley and Southampton, and midfielder Cesc Fabregas has urged his team- mates not to let their standards slip.
Defending champions City travel to Crystal Palace on Monday, by which time they could be in fourth place in the table and nine points below Chelsea.