Mikel Arteta’s long, arduous journey to the apex of English Premier League football is about to undergo a stern examination. The young Basque manager Arsenal team must make full use of his injury plagued 25-man squad without losing quality when the Gunners face north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, Atalanta and Manchester City in a space of eight days.
Arsenal are without suspended midfield fulcrum Declan Rice, injured influential captain Martin Odegaard and face a late wait to find out if marquee signing Ricardo Calafiori will shrug off a bruise sustained in Italy’s Uefa Nations League victory over France. Another summer arrival, Mikel Merino, is a long term absentee with a dislocated shoulder.
Ange Posteloglu welcomes back £65m signing Dominic Solanke for the humdinger after the former Bournemouth striker missed Tottenham Hotspur’s 1-1 draw at Leicester City where they failed to convert an avalanche of goal scoring opportunities.
Twice EPL top scorer Erling Braut Haaland will be a marked man when Manchester City target maximum points at home to Brentford before the champions face Serie A leaders Inter Milan in a repeat of the 2023 Uefa Champions League final. The goal scoring behemoth continued his irresistible form when he grabbed Norway’s winner against Austria to take his tally for the season to eight goals in four games.
Match day four action begins with Manchester United facing winless Southampton in a must win game for both managers. Old Trafford boss Erik Ten Hag is seeking a swift riposte to the Red Devils 0-3 setback at home to Liverpool that once again forced the club hierarchy to publicly defend him while Saints manager Russell Martin needs his first points to prevent gloom from enveloping St Mary’s Stadium.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot will convert doubting Thomases if he can mastermind the club’s fourth consecutive victory at home to Nottingham Forest. The former Feyenoord boss won’t allow his attacking trident of Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota to take their eyes off the ball despite the Anfield club’s upcoming Uefa Champions League trip to AC Milan.
Stamford Bridge supremo Enzo Maresca would be best advised to ignore off field rumblings which have pitted club chairman Todd Boely against majority shareholders, Clearlake Capital when the west Londoners travel to Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth.
SATURDAY
Southampton v Manchester United,
Brighton v Ipswich Town,
Crystal Palace v Leicester City,
Fulham v West Ham United,
Liverpool v Nottingham Forest,
Manchester City v Brentford,
Aston Villa v Everton,
Bournemouth v Chelsea,
Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal,
Wolves
