AFP – Premier League leaders Liverpool must end their recent wobble to keep the chasing pack at bay this weekend.
Everton and Tottenham meet in a battle of two desperate teams, while in-form Newcastle striker Alexander Isak can move closer to a Premier League record.
AFP Sport looks at three talking points ahead of the weekend’s action:
For much of the season, Liverpool have looked set to turn the title race into a stately procession towards their first Premier League crown since 2020.
But Arne Slot’s side have finally shown a few chinks in their armour in recent weeks, drawing against Manchester United and Nottingham Forest and losing to Tottenham in the League Cup semi-final first leg.
The Reds have lost only twice in all competitions this term, but Liverpool’s title rivals will hope their unexpected vulnerability proves they can be caught. Second-placed Arsenal are four points behind the Anfield club, who have a game in hand on the north Londoners.
The weekend’s trip to Brentford, who battled back to draw with Manchester City on Tuesday, will be another test of Liverpool’s title mettle as captain Virgil van Dijk called for calm.
“Two draws doesn’t feel great but we have another opportunity on Saturday to work our socks off and get a win at Brentford and then it’s on to the next one,” Van Dijk said.
Reeling after four defeats in their last five league games, Tottenham are closer to the relegation zone than the top four as the pressure mounts on beleaguered boss Ange Postecoglou.
Wednesday’s 2-1 loss at north London rivals Arsenal was the latest blow to Postecoglou, who faces accusations of tactical naivety from frustrated fans.
Tottenham are only eight points above the relegation zone and a loss at lowly Everton today would set alarm bells ringing over their top-flight status.
“We were nowhere near the levels we needed to be at,” Postecoglou said.
“The fact we went out in the first half in such a big game and were so passive, it was unacceptable. And we paid a price for it.”
Everton are equally desperate for the points after Wednesday’s 1-0 loss at home to Aston Villa in the first game of David Moyes’ second spell as manager.
With Everton sitting just one point above the bottom three, Moyes, who replaced the sacked Sean Dyche, knows he needs to find an immediate solution to the team’s goal drought.
Everton won once in their last 12 league matches and scored one goal in their last six top-flight games.
