After the first round of Champions League action, we previewed the big-name clashes in this weekend's Premier League schedule.
It was a big midweek for England's four Champions League representatives, but this weekend could prove crucial as the chasers look to haul in Manchester City at the top of the Premier League.
One or both of Chelsea and Arsenal could lose further ground when the two sides meet at Stamford Bridge, while there are tasty-looking fixtures elsewhere as Southampton host Manchester United and Swansea face Everton. Meanwhile, second-place Leicester head to Stoke looking to continue their fantastic start to the season.
“The supporters have been allowed to dream this year and they will be able to continue doing that because we are going to get better.”
That was the message from Brendan Rodgers after Liverpool had narrowly missed out on the league title in 2013-14 amid weeks of fervent backing from the Anfield faithful. The feel-good factor hadn’t quite carried them to a first championship in 24 years, but there was a real hope on Merseyside that the good times were set to return.
Yet little more than a year on, the Northern Irishman is looking fearfully over his shoulder. A return to mediocrity last season had many doubting whether Rodgers would remain in the dug-out for this season, and a run of just one point from the last three games has thrown his future into question like never before.
As they continued to waste valuable possession against Manchester United at Old Trafford last week, Liverpool’s fantastic feats of two seasons past could easily have been 20 years ago. The loss of Luis Suarez has proved to be a hurdle too high to overcome thus far, and on Sunday the Reds face a Norwich side against whom the Uruguayan netted 12 goals in just five games. If only Rodgers had such a guaranteed star in his line-up these days.
New heroes need to be found, and quick, to save the manager’s skin.
Bitter managerial rivalries have characterised Premier League football throughout the competition’s existence, but none have plumbed the depths of the clash between Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho.
Sir Alex Ferguson stirred the pot against the likes of Kevin Keegan, Wenger and Rafa Benitez, yet never did it come to him physically battling an opposite number on the touchline. Mourinho, though, has taken getting under another manager’s skin to a new level, and the Arsenal boss has found it tough to ignore his Chelsea counterpart.
Chelsea have won four titles since Arsenal last lifted the Premier League trophy, but Wenger has spoken out on the Blues’ tendency to play fast and loose with the word ‘entertainment’ and claimed “giving success to stupid people can make them more stupid”. Mourinho has hit back with claims Wenger is a “voyeur” and “a specialist in failure”.
Wenger arrives at the latest clash between the two in a unique position. Arsenal stand six points above Chelsea after just five rounds, and victory could all-but end the Blues’ hopes of back-to-back titles even at this early stage. What’s more, the Frenchman goes into the game with the bragging rights over Mourinho having overseen Arsenal’s Community Shield win in August – his first success over the Portuguese’s Chelsea side in 14 attempts.
The result of Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off is likely to provide only the start of the talking points.
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