Premier League leaders Liverpool head to Manchester United to move one step closer to equaling their bitter rivals’ record 20 English titles. In a gripping title race, Arsenal and Manchester City will be hoping for a stumbling block for Liverpool, while the battle for the top four and relegation survival is also heating up. AFP Sport looks at three talking points ahead of this weekend’s action:
No ‘revenge’ mission for Liverpool
With the memories of their painful FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Manchester United still fresh for Alex Mac Allister and his Liverpool teammates, it would have come as no surprise if the Argentine midfielder had branded their return to Old Trafford as a revenge mission .
Jurgen Klopp’s side squandered their lead twice in a 4-3 defeat booked by Amad Diallo in the final seconds of extra time.
The end of Liverpool’s four-way bid hurt the Merseysiders, but they can make up for it by beating Erik ten Hag’s men as they try to move level with United’s record 20 top-flight titles.
Mac Allister, whose thunderous strike put Liverpool on course for a 3-1 win over Sheffield United on Thursday, insisted avenging their FA Cup loss was not the main motivation because so much was already at stake.
“I don’t know if it’s revenge, but it will definitely be an important game for us because if we want to win anything we have to win every game and that’s the goal,” said Mac Allister, whose team is two points ahead of the opponent. second-placed Arsenal with eight games remaining.
Arsenal head to Brighton to keep the pressure on Liverpool, while third-placed City – three points behind the leaders – travel to Crystal Palace.
The top four race becomes more exciting
Tottenham are not the ‘finished article’ according to boss Ange Postecoglou as his top four hopefuls face a crucial weekend in the race to qualify for the Champions League.
Postecoglou’s side were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw against West Ham on Tuesday, but Aston Villa’s 4-1 defeat at Manchester City 24 hours later kept the north Londoners firmly in contention for a place in the top four.
Fifth-placed Tottenham are two points behind fourth-placed Villa with a game in hand.
Struggling Nottingham Forest visit the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday, while Villa host Brentford.
Both sides are expected to win and a shock mistake could be a defining moment, with Postecoglou admitting his team is still a work in progress.
“I would love to have a joystick and put it where I want it, but that’s not how it works. We’re not the finished article yet and we know that,” he said.
Villa are aiming to play in the Champions League for the first time since 1983 and boss Unai Emery said his players are relishing the pressure.
“We will be playing a lot of matches in the coming weeks, starting on Saturday. It is clear that we are motivated and enthusiastic to try to be competitive,” he said.
‘The only way is up’ in the struggle for survival
Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White is confident his side will not crack as tensions mount in the battle for survival.
Gibbs-White scored as fourth-placed Forest beat Fulham 3-1 on Tuesday to boost their hopes of beating the drop with a first win in seven games in all competitions.
“Thanks to the whole team. It seems like the only way from here is hopefully the only way,” Gibbs-White said.
Forest have been deducted four points for breaching the Premier League’s profitability and sustainability rules, while Everton have been hit with a six-point penalty – reduced from 10 on appeal – for similar financial breaches.
Everton take on boss Sean Dyche’s former club Burnley in a crucial clash at Goodison Park on Saturday, when the Toffees will attempt to break a club record of 13 games without a win in the Premier League.
Dyche’s side are seven points above second-placed Burnley as they hunt for their first league win since beating the Clarets in December.
Third-bottom Luton hosts Bournemouth want to close the three-point gap on Forest.
Match schedule (all times GMT)
Saturday
Crystal Palace v Manchester City (1130), Aston Villa v Brentford, Everton v Burnley, Fulham v Newcastle, Luton v Bournemouth, Wolves v West Ham, Brighton v Arsenal (1630)
Sunday
Manchester United v Liverpool (1430), Sheffield United v Chelsea (1630), Tottenham v Nottingham Forest (1700)
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