Manchester City, Arsenal Face Crucial Tests as Liverpool Impresses
Manchester City, plagued by injuries, are desperate to end their losing streak in their final Premier League match before the international break. Chelsea, on the other hand, aims to worsen Arsenal’s misery.
Pep Guardiola’s City, accustomed to success, have suffered three consecutive defeats, raising concerns. Last week, they were eliminated from the League Cup by Tottenham. Their unbeaten run in the Premier League ended at Bournemouth, followed by a 4-1 defeat to Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League.
Despite being two points behind Liverpool, City is wary of losing further ground. Midfielder Bernardo Silva acknowledges the team’s injury woes but emphasizes the importance of the upcoming international break.
A positive for City was Kevin De Bruyne’s return as a late substitute against Sporting after seven weeks out.
Arsenal, meanwhile, could drop to eighth in the Premier League if results go against them. Mikel Arteta’s team has earned only one point in their last three league games and lost 1-0 to Inter Milan in the Champions League.
A defeat to Chelsea and a Liverpool win would leave Arsenal 10 points off the top spot. Thierry Henry believes Arsenal could be out of the title race if they lose.
Liverpool, under Arne Slot, has won 14 of their first 16 games in all competitions. They have taken seven points from matches against Chelsea, Arsenal, and Brighton and have a perfect record in the Champions League.
Slot downplayed the notion of Liverpool’s success being “easy,” emphasizing the intensity required to beat them. Liverpool faces a tough run of fixtures, but they have proven their mettle so far.