Liverpool’s Slot faces first test at Man Utd, ‘world-class’ Arsenal host Brighton

Liverpool boss Arne Slot faces his first major test with a trip to Manchester United, while Newcastle and Tottenham also face off on Sunday hoping to dispel early season doubts over their credentials for a top-four finish.

AFP Sport looks at the best of this weekend’s action in the Premier League:

Dutch duel at Old Trafford

Slot has made a perfect start to the daunting task of succeeding Jurgen Klopp with two wins from his opening two Premier League games without conceding.

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His first chance to seriously impress the Liverpool support comes at one of Klopp’s least favourite grounds as English football’s two most successful clubs face off at Old Trafford.

Despite Liverpool largely enjoying the superior league position during Klopp’s near nine-year reign, he won just two of his 11 away games to United.

That run included a 4-3 FA Cup quarter-final exit and 2-2 Premier League draw last season that precipitated a Liverpool collapse in his final few months in charge.

Yet the pressure is arguably even more on the Dutch manager in the other dugout.

Erik ten Hag was backed by those at the top of United’s new sporting structure at the end of last season despite finishing eighth – the club’s worst ever Premier League performance.

Hope of a new dawn for the Red Devils has been diminished in the opening weeks of the new campaign.

Joshua Zirkzee’s late winner on his debut at least ensured a winning start against Fulham, but a 2-1 defeat to Brighton last weekend had many of the same hallmarks that have seen United struggle previously under Ten Hag.

Another damaging defeat at home to fierce rivals will put the former Ajax boss’ future back on the agenda just three games into the new season.

Spurs’ Newcastle nightmares

Tottenham’s last two trips to St James’ Park have resulted in 6-1 and 4-0 thrashings by the Magpies.

Both sides have four points from their opening two games but have a point to prove to further their ambitions of returning to the Champions League next season.

Newcastle battled past newly-promoted Southampton 1-0 with 10 men on the opening weekend but were lucky to emerge with a point from a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth.

Eddie Howe’s men also needed penalties to get past Nottingham Forest in the League Cup in midweek and there is frustration on Tyneside at their inability to strengthen in the transfer market.

Newcastle have the financial might of the Saudi sovereign wealth fund behind them but have been restricted by the need to meet profit and sustainability rules.

Tottenham cruised past Everton 4-0 last weekend but a 1-1 draw at Leicester exposed familiar vulnerabilities for Ange Postecoglou’s men on the road as a combination of missed chances and careless defending cost them all three points.

Big-spending Brighton to trouble Arsenal?

Two of the four sides still with a perfect record meet at the Emirates as Arsenal host Brighton.

The Seagulls have become accustomed to having their best talents picked off by richer rivals in recent years but this time it is Brighton who have been one of the biggest spenders in the division.

New boss Fabian Hurzeler has been backed with a near £200 million ($264 million) spending spree on eight new signings.

That investment has been met with an immediate reward in wins over Everton and United, but 31-year-old Hurzeler is aware of the step up in class his side face on Saturday.

“They’re one of the best teams in the world at the moment,” said the youngest manager in Premier League history.

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“They don’t have a lot of weaknesses, they have quality and solutions for all phases.

“We’re going to need a really good day. We’ll need individual performances, a great togetherness. We go there to win because my squad has the potential.”

Fixtures (all times GMT)

Saturday

Arsenal v Brighton (1130), Brentford v Southampton, Everton v Bournemouth, Ipswich v Fulham, Leicester v Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest v Wolves (all 1400), West Ham v Man City (1630)

Sunday

Chelsea v Crystal Palace, Newcastle v Tottenham (both 1230), Man Utd v Liverpool (1500)