Los Angeles Times

WEEKEND SOCCER ON TV

- — Kevin Baxter

There could be a change at the top of the standings in the Premier League and the Bundesliga this weekend. The defending champion is in danger of dropping a spot in England while the reigning winners in Germany are within striking distance of reclaiming a share of the league lead.

EPL: Defending champion Manchester City has nudged past Liverpool on goal differenti­al to claim the top spot in the Premier League but with City sitting out the EPL weekend, the Reds can move back in front — if only briefly — with at least a point Sunday. Getting that point will be a challenge, though, since Liverpool will be making the short trip to Manchester to face United (NBCSN, Telemundo, 6 a.m. PST), the hottest team in EPL. United is 8-0-1 in league matches since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer replaced Jose Mourinho as coach following a mid-December loss at Liverpool. The Reds, who are coming off a Champions League draw with Bayern Munich on Tuesday, have lost just once in EPL play this season, but that came in Manchester last month to City.

Bundesliga: Bayern Munich, given up for dead when it fell to fifth place in the league standings in November, has lost just once in its last 11 Bundesliga matches and is suddenly one win and a Borussia Dortmund loss from pulling even at the top. That could happen this weekend if Munich beats Hertha Berlin at home on Saturday (FS2, 6:30 a.m. PST) and Dortmund loses at home to Bayern Leverkusen on Sunday (FS2, UDN, 9 a.m. PST). Dortmund has lost just once in Bundesliga play this season but is winless in five tries in February, playing to three straight league draws, losing a DFB-Pokal cup match to Werder Bremen in penalties and then getting hammered 3-0 by Tottenham in Champions League play.

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