London (AFP)
In light of the postponement of the match between leaders Arsenal and Manchester City, defending champion and runner-up, due to the first involved in the match with Dutch club PSV Eindhoven in the “Europe League” competition, the focus shifts to ” Old Trafford ”stadium, where struggling Manchester United meet up with their host Tottenham, while Liverpool look to use their Sunday result against City to overtake their host West Ham.
After three consecutive victories, including two against Omonia of Cyprus in the “European League”, Manchester United had a relapse on Sunday with a 0-0 at home to Newcastle, leaving them behind in fifth place, three points behind. Chelsea IV.
The stumbling block of Dutch manager Eric Ten Hag’s side came before two tough tests against Tottenham on Wednesday and Chelsea on Saturday.
Wednesday’s match will take place in a contrasting atmosphere between the two teams, as Tottenham offers the best start to the season in its history, having collected 23 points in 10 games, getting the same distance from second Manchester City, while it is 4 points behind his neighbor, Arsenal.
The team of the Italian coach Antonio Conte hopes to take advantage of the absence of Arsenal and City from this phase, to reduce the difference with the “scorers” to a point ahead, but must get rid of the knot that has plagued him recently against United . when the “Red Devils” won their last three comparisons, between them 3-1, 3-0, 3-2, while the last Spurs victory was on October 4, 2020 at Old Trafford, with a clear 6- 1.
Despite disappointment over the draw against Newcastle in a match in which Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo started before being replaced in the 72nd minute, Ten Hag was pleased with what he saw from his side, saying: “We are frustrated not to win. because the performance was good. We pushed well along the pitch and I think we controlled. On the course of the match. Our performance was better in the second half and Garena Newcastle physically. “
He said: “In the end we were close to winning and I think we deserved it. The team deserves credit for the effort … When you perform like this, you can build on it.”
After appearing angry about his replacement on Sunday, Ronaldo is likely to restart against the team that conceded three goals in the last confrontation between the two teams.
And at the “Anfield” stadium, and after Egyptian scorer Mohamed Salah gave him the necessary moral dose, to try to launch his season with his leadership to overthrow his rival and host Manchester City 1-0 on Sunday, Liverpool are hoping to build on this by overcoming visiting West Ham, who have only won one win over “The Reds” in their last 12 games against each other in all competitions, and last season they were in London 3-2.
Sunday’s win over City was only Liverpool’s third in nine games, bringing his score to 13 points in eighth place, 14 points behind leaders Arsenal, but that doesn’t frustrate Salah, who commented on his side’s situation. , telling “Sky Sports”: “We don’t have to” I’m thinking about the title right now, but on a personal level I always like to fight for a title. In my head I will fight for the Scudetto, but we have to focus more and face each game at a time. “
He continued: “Better not to put ourselves under pressure anymore because of the difference that separates us from the first and the second, but obviously we will play for the title”.
Chelsea, fourth, 8 points behind Arsenal, with a match in hand, are hoping to continue their awakening led by their new manager, Graham Potter, and to secure their sixth consecutive national and continental victory by overcoming the obstacle of his ninth guest, Brentford.
After starting his career as the successor of Germany’s Thomas Tuchel with a Champions League draw with Austrian Red Bull Salzburg (1-1), Potter revived the London team from his second game with him and arrived with him on Sunday against Aston Villa (2-0) in their fifth consecutive victory, including two in the main continental competition over Milan 3-0 at Stamford Bridge, then 2-0 away from home.
