Ahead of Sunday’s trip to Manchester City, Liverpool’s push for the Premier League title has stalled, allowing Arsenal a chance to catch up to the leaders.
Manchester City, the English champions, might be missing Erling Haaland due to injury, but they demonstrated their capabilities with a 4-0 win over Newcastle. City needs points in the top-four race. According to Arne Slot, despite having some tough months, Pep Guardiola’s team has consistently performed well over the years.
Arsenal has an opportunity to increase the pressure on City when they face West Ham. Although Mikel Arteta’s side will be without a recognized striker for the rest of the season, they have secured 23 points from a possible 27 to remain in contention. Slot emphasized that focusing on other teams, like Arsenal, would not help them, especially considering the difficulty of playing at the Etihad Stadium.
Chelsea must quickly rebound from their recent slump to keep their Champions League hopes alive for next season. After briefly contending for the title in 2024, the Blues have struggled, winning only two of their last nine league games and exiting the FA Cup.
Manager Enzo Maresca criticized their 3-0 loss to Brighton, calling it the worst performance during his tenure. This setback raises concerns about retaining key player Cole Palmer, who may consider leaving without the allure of Champions League football.
On Saturday, Chelsea face Aston Villa, whose own top-four ambitions are fading. Despite pushing Liverpool hard in a recent thriller, Villa sits ninth, five points off the top four, due to an inconsistent season under Unai Emery.
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