Manchester United's midfielder Alejandro Garnacho celebrates
Manchester United face Manchester City on Sunday Image Credit: AFP
After a dramatic week of European action that brought mixed results for English clubs, the Premier League returns this weekend with an exciting set of fixtures.
From Liverpool aiming to strengthen their grip at the top of the table to a highly anticipated Manchester Derby that could go either way, Gulf News breaks down the three biggest storylines set to define this weekend’s action.
Liverpool return to Premier League action
Liverpool return to Premier League action after last week’s Merseyside Derby against Everton was postponed. The Reds remain top of the table but saw title rivals Manchester City and Arsenal drop points during their absence. Chelsea’s recent form has made them serious contenders, moving into second place and cutting Liverpool’s lead to four points.
Arne Slot’s side are back at Anfield, where they have won 12 of their last 13 home games in the league, keeping eight clean sheets in the process. Their last Premier League match ended in a 3-3 draw at Newcastle, and they followed that up with a hard-fought 1-0 win against Girona in the Champions League, leaving them in control at the top of the table.
Salah
Salah is the league's top scorer Image Credit: AFP
Fulham arrive on the back of a 1-1 draw with Arsenal, a result that helped Liverpool’s title ambitions. The Cottagers are one of only four teams to have won at Anfield in the Premier League since March 2021, but that remains their only victory in the last 14 meetings between the sides (D3, L10). Marco Silva’s team have made a strong start to the season, collecting 23 points from 15 matches, their second-best tally at this stage in Premier League history.
However, Fulham’s away form has been less consistent, with just nine points earned on the road. Silva himself has a poor record against Liverpool, managing only one win in 11 attempts across four clubs.
Forest to continue strong start?
Nottingham Forest’s strong start to the season continued with a thrilling 3-2 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford last weekend. The victory, which came just days after a 3-0 defeat to Manchester City, highlighted the progress Forest have made under manager Nuno Espírito Santo. The Tricky Trees now sit in fifth place in the Premier League, establishing themselves as potential contenders for European qualification.
This match also marks a significant milestone for Forest, as they play their 5,000th match in English Football League history, becoming only the 12th club to achieve this feat. However, their recent record against Aston Villa provides cause for caution, with just one win in their last 11 Premier League meetings (D5, L5).
Aston Villa, meanwhile, come into the game on the back of a 3-2 win over RB Leipzig in the Champions League, maintaining their strong European form. Unai Emery’s side will now look to extend their domestic winning streak to three matches. Despite their good overall record against Forest, Villa have struggled at the City Ground, failing to win a Premier League match here since January 1995 and going winless in their last five visits (D4, L1). Villa’s domestic away form has also been a concern, with three straight Premier League defeats on the road, all by at least two goals.
The Manchester Derby
Manchester City host Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, with both teams eager to turn their seasons around after difficult recent spells. For City, poor form has become a growing concern, with Pep Guardiola’s side winning just one of their last 10 matches across all competitions. Their struggles were evident again on Wednesday, as they fell to Juventus in the Champions League, leaving them in real danger of not progressing to the knockout stages.
City’s issues have been magnified since the loss of Rodri, who suffered a season-ending ACL injury against Arsenal. The absence of the Ballon d’Or winner has left a significant void in midfield, affecting both their defensive solidity and attacking rhythm. Now sitting eight points behind league leaders Liverpool, and having played a game more, City need a result to prevent further damage to their title aspirations.
Ruben Amorim
Amorim will take charge of his first Manchester derby Image Credit: AFP
For Manchester United, this derby comes at a challenging time as well. Ruben Amorim’s unbeaten start as manager ended with back-to-back losses to Arsenal and Nottingham Forest last week. United now sit in 13th place in the Premier League, and a positive result in Amorim’s first Manchester derby would be a much-needed boost.
With City’s vulnerabilities and United’s inconsistency, this derby is one of the most unpredictable in recent memory.