Eight talking points for the Premier League weekend

Champion Manchester City travels to Watford as it chases league leader Liverpool which hosts Chelsea on matchday 6.

Published : Sep 20, 2019 22:51 IST

Liverpool will look to maintain its 100% record in the Premier League.
Liverpool will look to maintain its 100% record in the Premier League.
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Liverpool will look to maintain its 100% record in the Premier League.

After a packed midweek with Champions League and Europa League commitments, Premier League clubs return to the league action on matchday six as Liverpool will be in focus when it travels to Chelsea on Sunday.

Defending champion Manchester City is currently five points adrift of the Reds and will look to bounce back from last weekend's shock 2-3 loss Norwich City.

1. Lampard's young guns up against Red-hot Liverpool

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Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp will look to bounce back from their 3-0 loss against Napoli.
 

All eyes will be on Tammy Abraham at Stamford Bridge as he bids to follow in Luis Suarez's footsteps by scoring at least twice in four consecutive games.

He will have his work cut out against a Liverpool side in red-hot domestic form, though. Jurgen Klopp's side has lost just once in its last 44 Premier League matches and is unbeaten in its last 22 – its longest such run in the competition's history.

2. Will Hammers dent United's recovery?

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Manchester United has not been at its best, but managed two 1-0 wins against Leciester City and Astana.
 

West Ham United has not enjoyed itself against 'big six' opposition in recent seasons, winning just three times in its last 20 Premier League matches against those sides.

The Hammers will need to be careful around the penalty area against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side. Since the start of last season, United has taken (16), scored (11) and missed (five) more penalties than any other team.

3. Mid-table's tug of war

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Mohamed Elyounoussi has been the key to Southampton's early season form.
 

Southampton hosts Bournemouth on a run of two wins in its last three Premier League games after winning just once in its previous nine in the competition.

If the Cherries are to leave St Mary's with anything, they will need Callum Wilson to maintain his fine form. Raheem Sterling (32) is the only English player to have been directly involved in more goals than Wilson (17 goals and nine assists) since the start of last season. 

4. Leicester out to compound Tottenham's woes

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Christian Eriksen's form in the recent games has been a concern for Tottenham.
 

Since Leicester returned to the Premier League in 2014-15, its top-flight games against Tottenham has seen 40 goals scored; only Arsenal v Liverpool (48) has seen more in that time.

Harry Kane will be licking his lips at the prospect of facing the Foxes. The England captain has scored 13 goals in 12 games in all competitions against Brendan Rodgers' men; more than he has against any other side in his career.

5. City slayer Norwich travels to Burnley

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Norwich City striker Teemu Pukki has been in scintillating form.
 

This will be the first ever Premier League meeting between Burnley and Norwich City. Their last encounter in the top flight was in January 1976, with Norwich winning 3-1 at Carrow Road.

Canaries striker Teemu Pukki will hope to continue his stunning start to the season. The Finland international has been directly involved in eight goals in his first five Premier League appearances (six goals, two assists).

In the competition's history, only Sergio Aguero (nine) registered more in his opening quintet of games.

6. Will bottom-placed Watford capitalise on City's shock defeat?

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Another defeat could to prove to be costly for Manchester City and Pep Guardiola.
 

City's 3-2 defeat to Norwich City last weekend was its first Premier League reverse in 19 matches, but Watford – which has yet to win this season – has a dismal recent record against the 'big six'.

It has lost its last 15 Premier League away games against those opponents by an aggregate score of 45-9, with its last such victory coming against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in January 2017.

7. Palace up against wounded Wolves

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Wolves have been in scintillating form in the Europa League this season. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES
 

Crystal Palace is unbeaten in its last four Premier League games at Selhurst Park; its longest such run since December 2017.

Wolves, meanwhile, are in woeful form and this is the sixth occasion they have failed to win any of their first five games in a top-flight season. They were relegated in each of those previous five campaigns.

8. Emery aiming to avoid last-minute meltdown

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Unai Emery needs to rectify Arsenal's problem of conceding late goals.
 

Aston Villa will travel to the Emirates Stadium boosted by Arsenal's tendency to shoot itself in the foot; a trait which cost the side dearly at Watford last weekend.

Since the start of last season, Arsenal players have made more errors leading directly to goals (14) than any other Premier League team. The Gunners have also conceded 10 goals via the penalty spot in this period; a joint-high alongside Brighton and Hove Albion.

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