Liverpool FC To Defend Title This Weekend
By Tanko Bauka
Liverpool FC would put their title credentials to test again this weekend in the week 9 of the English Barclays Premier League as they travel to London to take on Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.
Liverpool FC returned to the top of the league table with 22 points courtesy of their 2-1 win over Chelsea FC on Sunday in the week 8 encounter at Anfield stadium after Manchester City has temporarily leapfrogged Liverpool to the summit, following a last minute win against Wolverhampton Wanderers, while their opponents, Arsenal suffered a 2-0 loss to AFC Bournemouth on Saturday and sit third in the league table with 17 points, falling behind Liverpool FC with a 5 points gap between them.
Liverpool flourishing so far this season under new manager, Arne Slot would be coming to the Emirates Stadium in London in a rich form without any injury woes except the goalkeeper, Allison, while Arsenal on the other hand would be going into the encounter without one of their key players, William Saliba who is on a red card, received in the match against AFC Bournemouth last weekend.
While injuries had already sideline notably their captain, Martin Odegaard, Jurrien Timber, with Bukayo Saka also a doubt for the match, though he is going to be assessed before the match.
Chelsea welcome Newcastle to Stamford bridge to continue their push for the league title after their 2-1 loss to the current league leader, Liverpool.
Machester United travel to London to lock horns with under performing West Ham as Pep Guardiola and his boys welcome another under performing team, Southampton who are yet to record any win this season to the Etihad stadium.
Elsewhere, the attention of football fans would shift to the Spanish LA Liga for the first EL-clasico between Real Madrid FC Barcelona at Santiago Bernabeu in the Spanish capital on Saturday in the late kickoff.
FC Barcelona sit atop of the Spanish LA Liga with 27 points having played 10 matches with the defending champion Real Madrid second with 24 points.
FC Barcelona has so far lost only one game in an unfashionable manner to Osasuna who hammered them 4-2 while their arch rival Real Madrid who are still unbeaten drop points on two occasions with a goalless draw against Mallorca and Las Palmas
In the Italian Serie A, there is going to be a cracker between the top 2 and 3, Inter Milan and Juventus at the San Siro while the league leader Napoli play Lacce will be seeking for the three points at stake to consolidate their grip on top of the Serie A league table.
And in the German Bundesliga VFL Bochum welcome the current league leader, Bayern Munich on Sunday as Bayern Leverkusen travel to take on Werder Bremen on Saturday.
Fixtures across Europe
English Barclays Premier League
Friday
Leicester vs Nothingham Forest
Saturday
Aston Villa vs AFC Bournemouth
Brentford vs Ipswich Town
Brighton Albion vs Wolves
Manchester City vs Southampton
Everton vs Fulham
Sunday
Chelsea vs Newcastle
Crystal Palace vs Tottenham
West Ham vs Manchester United
Arsenal vs Liverpool
Spanish LA Liga
Friday
Espanyol vs Sevilla
Saturday
Real Valladolid vs Villarreal
Rayo Vallacano vs Deportivo
Las Palmas vs Girona
Real Madrid vs Barcelona
Sunday
Laganes vs Celta Vigo
Gatafe vs Valencia
Real Betis vs Atletico Madrid
Real Sociedad vs Osasuna
Italian Serie A
Friday
Udinese vs Cagliari
Saturday
Napoli vs Lacce
Bologna vs AC Milan
Atalanta vs Hellas Verona
Sunday
Parma vs Empoli
Lazio vs Genoa
AC Monza vs Venezia
Inter Milan vs Juventus
Fiorentina vs AS Roma
German Bundesliga
Friday
Mainz 05 vs Monchenglabach
Saturday
Stuttgart vs Holstein Kiel
RB Leipzig vs SC Freiburg
FC Augsburg vs Dortmund
FC St Pauli vs Wolfsburg
Werder Bremen vs Leverkusen
Sunday
VFL Bochum vs Bayern Munich
Union Berlin vs Eintrach Frankfurt
Heidenheim vs Hoffenheim
