Liverpool are close to certainties to win the Premier League title however behind them the battle for Champions League locations is intensifying. Just six factors separate faltering Nottingham Forest in third place from Aston Villa in tenth, with a top-five end nearly sure to safe a spot in Europe’s high membership competitors subsequent season. Second-placed Arsenal are 13 factors behind Liverpool however with a cushion over the chasing pack and will probably be eager to pile extra distress on Manchester United after hammering PSV Eindhoven 7-1 on Tuesday. We have a look at three speaking factors forward of the weekend’s motion:
Liverpool’s good guests
Arne Slot overtly admitted solely fortune and the efficiency of goalkeeper Alisson Becker’s life had saved his aspect in a smash-and-grab 1-0 Champions League win at Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday.
With the return leg of the last-16 tie in opposition to the French champions to come back at Anfield on Tuesday, Slot couldn’t have hand picked a extra accommodating fixture this weekend to lighten the load.
Bottom-placed Southampton journey to Merseyside with simply 9 factors from 27 video games.
So determined is Saints’ place that their goal is to keep away from beating Derby’s undesirable report of 11 factors — the bottom tally in Premier League historical past.
Slot will most probably rotate his aspect, particularly after robust performances off the bench in Paris from Wataru Endo, Darwin Nunez and match-winner Harvey Elliott.
Man City face Forest crunch
Manchester City have been decreased to battling for a spot in subsequent season’s Champions League after a dismal marketing campaign, and even that normally routine goal is way from assured for Pep Guardiola’s males.
With six titles up to now seven seasons, City have not often needed to fear about their place within the Champions League within the Guardiola period.
Yet they are going to head to Forest on Saturday trying anxiously over their shoulders.
The troubled champions occupy fourth spot at current, one level behind third-placed Forest.
Fifth-placed Chelsea, only one level adrift of City, host lowly Leicester on Sunday, leaving City with little margin for error on the City Ground.
However, Guardiola’s males could also be dealing with Forest on the proper time.
The two-time European champions gained six straight Premier League matches from early December as they search to qualify for the Champions League for the primary time since 1980 however they’ve gained simply two of their previous seven league video games.
Arsenal goal to take care of objective spree
Arsenal may very well be 16 factors behind Liverpool by the point they kick off in opposition to Manchester United on Sunday.
But with their title possibilities realistically over, Mikel Arteta’s aspect will use the journey to Old Trafford as an opportunity to show they’ve rediscovered their attacking verve.
After scoring simply two objectives of their earlier 4 video games in all competitions, the Gunners’ assault lastly exploded within the Netherlands this week as they just about ensured progress to the Champions League quarter-finals.
Arsenal, who nonetheless lack a recognised striker within the absence of injured pair Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus and are lacking wingers Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, hit seven objectives for the primary time in 13 years.
Adding to their objective glut in opposition to misfiring United can be a welcome signal that they will muster the firepower required to use slightly stress to Liverpool whereas difficult for European glory.
Stuck down in 14th place within the Premier League and beset by defensive points, the troubled Red Devils may very well be superb opponents for Arteta’s males to fine-tune their makeshift assault.
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