Arsenal and Manchester City will aim to maintain their perfect records going into the international break, while Michael Carrick needs a win at Fulham in the Premier League this weekend to ease the mounting pressure on troubled Manchester United.
Arsenal have made a perfect start to their bid for the club’s first back-to-back titles since the 1930s, with City emerging as their main rivals after their own flawless run.
Arsenal sit top of the table with four successive wins and City are just behind them on goal difference.
It is little surprise to see the Gunners in pole position given their dominant march to the title last season.
But City’s early success is more eye-opening in the first campaign of the post-Pep Guardiola era.
Guardiola’s successor Enzo Maresca bolstered his approval rating among City fans by masterminding a 1-0 win at Manchester United last weekend, decided by a goal that should have been ruled out for offside.
Brighton knock Manchester United out of Carabao Cup
Arsenal, who travel to Brighton on Saturday and City, who host Sunderland on Sunday, will expect to maintain their blistering form heading into the international break.
Below are the Premier League fixtures slated for the weekend:
Friday
Brentford v Chelsea
Saturday
Tottenham v Aston Villa
Brighton v Arsenal
Everton v Ipswich
Newcastle v Hull
Nottingham Forest v Coventry
Sunday
Bournemouth v Liverpool
Leeds v Crystal Palace
Manchester City v Sunderland
Fulham v Manchester United
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