City, Premier League

Manchester City host Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium this weekend in the latest chapter of a compelling rivalry that has dominated the Premier League for nearly a decade.

Premier League leaders Arsenal will hope their two main rivals cancel each other out at the Etihad, but a win for either City or Liverpool would be a psychological boost.

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The Gunners, meanwhile, face former captain Granit Xhaka when they travel to fourth-placed Sunderland on Saturday, while Manchester United seek revenge for their defeat in the Europa League final by Tottenham Hotspur.

Liverpool will on Sunday face a challenge of a different magnitude when they come up against Erling Haaland, who has already scored an astounding 27 goals in 17 matches for club and country this season.

The Norway forward has scored twice in each of his past four home league games. Two more on Sunday would take him to a century of Premier League goals in record time.

Arsenal, on the other hand, have won their past eight games in all competitions without conceding a goal, a joint-record for an English top-flight club.

EPL: Haaland nets brace as Man City thrash Bournemouth to go second

They are six points clear at the summit of the Premier League and joint top of the league phase table in the Champions League.

Xhaka has been a revelation since joining newly-promoted Sunderland from Bayer Leverkusen and was described by ex-Liverpool defender and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher as the “signing of the season”.

City, Newcastle

Xhaka, 33, scored his first goal for the Black Cats against Everton on Monday and also has three assists.

The Switzerland midfielder said he was looking forward to facing a club where he spent “seven amazing years”.

“We know the quality that Arsenal has. It will be an emotional game for myself,” he told Sky Sports.

However, Arsenal will hope Xhaka does not enjoy the match too much.

Below are Premier League fixtures scheduled for the weekend:

Saturday

Tottenham v Manchester United

Everton v Fulham

West Ham v Burnley

Sunderland v Arsenal

Chelsea v Wolves

Sunday

Aston Villa v Bournemouth

Brentford v Newcastle

Crystal Palace v Brighton

Nottingham Forest v Leeds

Manchester City v Liverpool

The Star

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