The Premier League returns after the international break, and we are set to witness a whole bunch of exciting games over the weekend, which includes the north London derby and the Manchester derby.
Arsenal are top of the pile and will be keen to retain their position, while Leicester City will go in search of their first win of the campaign. Without much delay, let’s take a look at the 3 things to look forward to in Matchweek 9:
#Arsenal’s test of character in the north London derby
Arsenal players left for the international break all smiles after cruising to a 3-0 victory over Brentford, which took them back to the top of the table. Mikel Arteta would have been pleased with his team’s response to the 3-1 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford, with the Gunners dominating Brentford from the first blow of the whistle to the last.
Saturday’s mouthwatering north London derby will see both Arsenal and Tottenham head to the Emirates Stadium in good spirits. Having lost to Man United, the upcoming fixture against Tottenham will be a test of character for Mikel Arteta’s boys.
How the Gunners cope with Spurs’ prospective front three of Harry Kane, Heung-min Son and Dejan Kulusevski will be intriguing to watch, and a win over their traditional foes at home would reaffirm their status this season as genuine title contenders.
#How the Man United backline copes with Erling Haaland
Sunday sees Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United take on arguably their toughest assignment of the season when they make the short journey to the Etihad Stadium to cross swords with Manchester City.
Since losing their first two matches, Ten Hag and his Man United side have answered their critics in style, winning four Premier League games in a row. Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez have been a key part of that resurgence, sitting firm at the heart of the United rearguard, which also includes Diogo Dalot and Tyrell Malacia.
So, the Red Devils will head to Etihad in high spirits but will be wary of City’s attack, spearheaded by the in-form Erling Haaland. It has taken absolutely no time for Haaland to adapt to the Premier League, with 11 goals in seven games a clear testament to his incredible talent.
The Norwegian star will be raring to make a mark in the Manchester derby and keep his goal-scoring exploits going. But Man United are not the same team they were last season or even at the beginning of this term, and their new-look backline will relish the mighty challenge posed by Haaland.
#Can Leicester City get their first win of the season?
Leicester City are the only club in the Premier League without a win on the board so far. The Foxes are bottom of the table, having taken just one point from their opening seven games with Brendan Rodgers attracting serious criticism from fans and pundits alike.
Six consecutive defeats has shot the Leicester City players’ confidence to pieces and it is going to take something monumental from Rodgers and his coaching staff to lift them up. Up next for them is an East Midlands derby against Nottingham Forest, which neither team can afford to lose with a lot at stake.
In an intense Monday-night derby against Forest, Rodgers will know anyone struggling for motivation at the King Power Stadium is in the wrong spot.
