After a two-week international break, the English Premier League roars back into action this weekend, and there is no shortage of storylines to look at.
From title challengers looking to regain momentum to under-pressure managers fighting to turn things around, every fixture comes loaded with intrigue, while entertainment is almost certainly in store.
Ange Postecoglou’s wait for a win
Postecoglou has had a disastrous start to life as Nottingham Forest manager, losing five and drawing two of his first seven games in charge, and they now face another tough test as they host Chelsea.
The pressure has started to mount on Postecoglou due to his dismal results, with rumours that Nottingham Forest may dismiss the manager if results do not quickly improve, meaning a win on Saturday is of paramount importance if he is to keep his job.
Arsenal to extend Premier League lead
Arsenal secured top spot in the English Premier League before the international break after defeating West Ham United 2-0, with Liverpool dropping points, leaving them a point clear of the current champions.
The Gunners play before their closest title rivals this weekend, giving Mikel Arteta’s side a major opportunity to pile the pressure on Liverpool by extending their lead at the top of the standings to four points.
With six wins and one draw in their last seven matches, including four straight wins heading into this one, Arsenal will be extremely confident of doing exactly that when they travel to face Fulham.
Liverpool to bounce back?
As aforementioned, Liverpool fell from first to second in the final matchday before the international break after dropping points to Chelsea.
The Reds suffered a devastating defeat in that clash with the Blues, conceding a 95th-minute winner as Estevao snatched all three points for Chelsea, and that loss marked Liverpool’s third straight defeat across all competitions.
Arne Slot’s side were similarly defeated 2-1 by Crystal Palace after a 97th-minute winner from Eddie Nketiah, followed by a 1-0 defeat to Galatasaray in the Champions League and the loss to Chelsea.
Now facing a matchup with fierce rivals Manchester United, Slot will be eager for his side to respond to their losing streak with a significantly improved performance and all three points, especially as they could be four points behind Arsenal before the game starts depending on the Gunners’ result against Fulham.
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Ruben Amorim fighting for survival
In that same game, Manchester United manager Amorim will be fighting to keep his job, with the Portuguese manager under increasing pressure after a miserable start to the 2025/26 season.
The Red Devils enjoyed a successful summer transfer window as they aimed to heavily strengthen following their worst-ever EPL finish, coming 15th in the standings, but they have failed to build on that promise on the pitch.
Man United have won three, drawn one and lost three of their seven league matches, while they were also unacceptably knocked out of the EFL Cup by Grimsby Town in the fourth round after a 12-11 penalty defeat – marking their earliest elimination from the tournament and their first-ever defeat to a fourth division side.
Sitting 10th in the standings heading into this match, Amorim will be hoping his men can build upon their 2-0 win over Sunderland prior to the international break and secure their first back-to-back league wins under the Portuguese boss.
However, with the pressure mounting on Amorim given the dismal results, an underwhelming performance and defeat could lead to the club looking for options elsewhere to lead them going forward.
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