Man United aims for hat-trick of triumphs
MANCHESTER (Reuters) – Fresh from consecutive 4-0 wins, Manchester United will be aiming for a hat-trick of victories when it faces 2015 champion Leicester City at Old Trafford on Saturday.
Jose Mourinho’s side has been the most impressive of any of the title contenders in the Premier League so far with new signing Romelu Lukaku claiming three goals from the opening two games.
Leicester, though, has also given its fans plenty of encouragement with a confident 2-0 win over promoted Brighton following on from a 4-3 defeat at Arsenal in the league’s opening game.
If United needed any reminder of the threat that Craig Shakespeare’s team poses on the break, Leicester led 3-1 at the Emirates before Arsenal’s late comeback.
Recent form in head-to-head games suggests United should have the upper hand though – it triumphed 4-1 in the corresponding fixture last season and then enjoyed a 3-0 win at the King Power Stadium.
Meanwhile, Chelsea bounced back from its opening-day shock home defeat to Burnley with victory over London rival Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley last week, but faces another tough test against Everton on Sunday.
Ronald Koeman’s Everton impressed in its 1-1 draw at Manchester City on Monday with Wayne Rooney scoring his second goal in as many games.
Spanish midfielder Cesc Fabregas is available for selection after completing his suspension but skipper Gary Cahill remains suspended after his opening-day red card.
Everton will be without French midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin, who was sent off at the Etihad on Monday, and also has to cope with a tight schedule that saw it travel to Croatia on Thursday for a second-leg Europa League tie with Hajduk Split.
Liverpool, who qualified for the Champions League group stage on Wednesday with a win over Hoffenheim, has its biggest test of the Premier League season so far when it hosts Arsenal at Anfield.
The Gunners’ Alexis Sanchez is fit to face the Reds on Sunday and is focused on giving “absolutely everything” for the team despite uncertainty over the striker’s future at the club, manager Arsene Wenger has said.
The Chilean, Arsenal’s top scorer with 24 league goals last season, has attracted plenty of interest from rival clubs as he enters the final year of his contract and missed the first two Premier League games of the season with an abdominal strain.
“Sanchez has worked hard to be back and available again,” Wenger told a news conference on Thursday. “Alexis works very hard, he’s very focused and gives absolutely everything.
“He looks ready, he has not played for long time so I will have to decide what I do with him. He could start but we have to make that decision.”
Wembley Stadium will see a repeat of the 1962 FA Cup Final when “home side” Spurs host Burnley looking to bounce back from their loss to Chelsea last week.
Promoted Huddersfield Town look to extend its 100 percent record when it hosts Southampton.