Man City vs. Liverpool Summit Showdown while Everton Hunts for Survival

Liverpool will be challenging Manchester City at the Etihad fortress this weekend while Everton is focused on Premier League survival following a 10-point deduction for breaching financial regulations.

Arsenal has the chance to take the top spot in the table, while Tottenham will host high-flying Aston Villa.

AFP Sport highlights three talking points ahead of the return of English top flight following the international break.

Liverpool aims to end Man City’s dominance

Liverpool, under Jurgen Klopp’s tenure, have been the only consistent challengers to Manchester City in recent years, winning 10 out of 23 matches in all competitions. The two teams had battles in the 2018/19 and 2021/22 seasons, with City edging out their rivals by just a single point on both occasions. However, Liverpool revitalized after a below-par campaign last season and has not won a league game at the Etihad since 2015.

Erling Haaland is one goal away from breaking the Premier League record for the fastest player to reach 50 goals, while former Newcastle and Manchester United forward Andrew Cole currently holds the record.

Will a 10-point penalty ignite Everton?

Sean Dyche’s Everton has shown improvement in recent weeks, winning three of their last five games. However, a 10-point deduction for breaching financial rules has put them in a tough spot. Despite the setback, the nine-time English champions are just two points away from safety.

Spurs aims to halt Aston Villa’s in-form run

Tottenham’s manager Ange Postecoglou had a great start to the season but has slipped in the rankings due to consecutive defeats. One of the challenges is the injury of playmaker James Maddison. Aston Villa, on the other hand, has shown rapid progress, sitting just a point behind Tottenham.

Fixtures for the upcoming matches have been scheduled, with some notable games such as Manchester City v Liverpool, Everton v Manchester United, and Fulham v Wolves coming up.