{"id":12087,"date":"2023-10-08T10:34:07","date_gmt":"2023-10-08T10:34:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/arsenal-target-manchester-city-scalp-the-express-tribune\/"},"modified":"2023-10-08T10:34:07","modified_gmt":"2023-10-08T10:34:07","slug":"arsenal-target-manchester-city-scalp-the-express-tribune","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/arsenal-target-manchester-city-scalp-the-express-tribune\/","title":{"rendered":"Arsenal target Manchester City scalp | The Express Tribune"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\nLONDON:
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Arsenal could leapfrog Manchester City<\/a> in an early season showdown for the Premier League title on Sunday as crisis-hit Manchester United seek some respite at home to Brentford.<\/p>\n

Tottenham have the chance to go top when they travel to Luton on Saturday thanks to a controversial win over Liverpool last weekend.<\/p>\n

The Reds are looking to channel their fury at being wronged by a VAR error at Spurs to bounce back at Brighton.<\/p>\n

AFP Sport picks out three talking points ahead of the action in the English top flight.<\/p>\n

Arsenal’s<\/a> dreams of a first Premier League title since 2004 were shattered by City’s strong finish last season.<\/p>\n

That included two victories for Pep Guardiola’s men over the Gunners and Mikel Arteta’s record against his former mentor does not read well.<\/p>\n

Arteta<\/a> has lost all seven league games against Guardiola during his time in charge at the Emirates, with the aggregate score reading a painful 19-3.<\/p>\n

Arsenal smashed their transfer record to beat City to the signing of Declan Rice with the aim of wrestling the title away from Manchester.<\/p>\n

And City gave the contenders to their crown a huge boost when the champions suffered a shock 2-1 defeat by Wolves last weekend.<\/p>\n

But the Gunners could be without the talismanic talent of Bukayo Saka for Sunday’s clash.<\/p>\n

The England winger, who has started 87 consecutive league games, limped out of the midweek Champions League defeat by Lens.<\/p>\n

City are also without one of their key men as Rodri completes a three-game ban for his red card against Nottingham Forest last month.<\/p>\n

United were supposed to be in the middle of a run of winnable fixtures that would get their season back on track.<\/p>\n

Instead, they find themselves battling to avoid a third straight defeat when Brentford visit Old Trafford on Saturday after painful home losses to Crystal Palace and Galatasaray.<\/p>\n

Erik ten Hag’s men are already seven points off the top four after losing four of their opening seven games of a Premier League season for the first time.<\/p>\n

Brentford have only beaten United once since 1938 but that came last season, when Thomas Frank’s men won 4-0 at their London ground.<\/p>\n

Ten Hag did not expect an easy ride after an encouraging first campaign at the helm but the problems are piling up.<\/p>\n

An injury-ravaged defence and error-prone goalkeeper Andre Onana continue to leak goals, while Marcus Rashford looks a shadow of the player who scored 30 goals last season.<\/p>\n

United desperately need a win to settle their restive fans and avoid their season spinning out of control.<\/p>\n

Liverpool travel to England’s south coast full of righteous anger after falling victim to an embarrassing VAR blunder last weekend.<\/p>\n

Jurgen Klopp’s men were wrongly denied an opening goal at Tottenham and went on to lose the match 2-1 \u2013 their first defeat of the season.<\/p>\n

The German manager wants a replay of that match but accepts that he is unlikely to get his wish.<\/p>\n

More likely is that he will try to channel a sense of injustice as he targets a sixth win in eight Premier League games.<\/p>\n

It is tricky to judge which Brighton team will turn up.<\/p>\n

The Seagulls beat Newcastle, Manchester United and Bournemouth by a combined score of 9-3 but have now failed to win in three games in all competitions, including a chastening 6-1 defeat at Aston Villa last week.<\/p>\n

Manager Roberto De Zerbi admits he is playing a “different sport” this season as he grapples with a crowded fixture list and growing injury concerns in the club’s debut European campaign.<\/p>\n

The Italian hopes last week’s pummelling will be a one-off after an impressive start to the season.<\/p>\n

“I don’t speak about the result, but the attitude and the passion we will show from now until the end of the season will be completely different,” he said.<\/p>\n

“The defeat against Villa was important, it could be a crucial day for us.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n