Arsenal and Tottenham have seized the early initiative in this year’s Premier League title race as the two London rivals are currently two points clear of Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool.
This weekend, both Arsenal and Tottenham face tricky tests as the Gunners travel to Swansea City while Spurs will be engaged in a London derby against Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea.
Arsene Wenger’s team have been significantly boosted by the arrival of German playmaker Mesut Ozil who last week masterminded his team’s 3-1 home win over Stoke City at the Emirates Stadium.
The French coach praised the dead-ball prowess of Ozil as the Gunners stretched their winning run to seven matches in all competitions.
Swansea come into this weekend’s match reeling from their elimination in the League Cup, a competition they won last season, after going down 3-1 to Birmingham City on Wednesday.
Manager Michael Laudrup will hope that his team maintain their recent good form in the league as they are undefeated in their last four matches, scoring nine goals and conceding two.
This will be the fifth meeting between Arsenal and Swansea. The clubs shared the honours with two wins each:
March 2013: Swansea vs Arsenal 0-2.
December 2012: Arsenal vs Swansea 0-2.
January 2012: Swansea vs l 3-2.
September 2011: Arsenal vs Swansea 1-0.
Tottenham’s title credentials will be under the spotlight this afternoon when they host Chelsea at White Hart Lane.
Spurs are enjoying one of their best starts to a league campaign with their only defeat so far coming against Arsenal. Last week they needed an injury-time goal from Brazilian midfielder Paulinho to see off a stubborn Cardiff side 1-0.
Chelsea have enjoyed a mixed start to the season. After back-to-back defeats to Everton, in the league, and Basel, in the Champions League, the Blues seem to have got back in their groove after recording identical 2-0 victories over Fulham, in the league, and Swindon in the League Cup this week.
Mourinho has defended his handling of Spanish playmaker Juan Mata who is struggling for first-team action under the Portuguese.
Nigerian midfielder John Obi Mikel finally ended his scoring drought in the Premier League as he was among the scorers in his team’s victory over Fulham, his first goal after 185 league matches.
Manchester City are buzzing at the moment.
Sunday’s impressive 4-1 win over neighbours Manchester United has catapulted the Citizens among the title chasers.
This afternoon, City, who hit five past Wigan in their midweek League Cup match, have another testing fixture when they travel to Villa Park to face Aston Villa.
Villa, with six points from their opening five matches, will be without their chief scorer Christian Benteke who has been ruled out for six weeks with a hip injury.
Champions Manchester United will be looking to put their title defence bid back on track when they host West Brom at Old Trafford.
On Wednesday, the Red Devils restored some lost pride when they edged rivals Liverpool 1-0 in the League Cup third round.
Javier Hernandez, scorer of the winner against Liverpool, may well spearhead United’s front-line this afternoon as Dutch scorer Robin van Persie is rated as doubtful with a groin injury.
West Brom arrive at Old Trafford in high spirits after last week’s fine victory over Sunderland at the Hawthorns.
Albion boss Steve Clarke said he was absolutely delighted with the efforts of the team in the game against Sunderland which earned them their first win of the season.
Sunderland continue life after the dismissal of manager Paolo Di Canio tomorrow when they host Liverpool at the Stadium of Light.
Kevin Ball has been put in charge of the team until the club finds a successor for Di Canio.
Liverpool, boosted by the return of Luis Suarez, will be looking to get back to winning ways following last weekend’s shock home defeat to Southampton and their midweek upset to Manchester United in the League Cup.
Fixtures and forecast
Premier League
Aston Villa-Man. City 2
Fulham-Cardiff 1
Hull-West Ham X
Man. United-West Brom 1
Southampton-C. Palace 1
Swansea-Arsenal (18.30) 2
Tottenham-Chelsea (13.45) X
Tomorrow:
Stoke-Norwich (14.30) X
Sunderland-Liverpool (17.00) 2
Monday:
Everton-Newcastle (21:00)1
Standings: Arsenal, Tottenham 12; Man. City, Chelsea, Liverpool 10; Everton 9; Southampton 8; Man. United, Swansea, Stoke, Hull, Newcastle 7; Aston Villa 6; West Brom, West Ham, Cardiff 5; Norwich, Fulham 4; Crystal Palace 3; Sunderland 1.
The Championship
Bolton-Yeovil 1
Bournemouth-Blackburn 1
Burnley-Charlton 1
Ipswich-Brighton X
Leicester-Barnsley 1
Millwall-Leeds 1
Nottm Forest-Derby (13.15) 1
QPR-Middlesbrough 1
Reading-Birmingham 1
Sheffield Wed.-Doncaster 1
Watford-Wigan X
League One
Bradford City-Shrewsbury 1
Bristol City-Colchester 1
Carlisle-Notts County 1
Crawley-Oldham 1
Crewe-Gillingham 1
Leyton Orient-Walsall 1
MK Dons-Stevenage 1
Preston-Swindon X
Rotherham-Peterborough X
Tranmere-Port Vale 1
Wolves-Sheffield Utd 1
Tomorrow:
Coventry-Brentford (16.00) X
League Two
Burton-Scunthorpe 1
Cheltenham-AFC Wimbledon 1
Chesterfield-Mansfield (14.00) 1
Dagenham-Bury 1
Fleetwood-Exeter 1
Hartlepool -Oxford X
Newport-Torquay 1
Northampton-Morecambe X
Plymouth-Accrington 1
Rochdale-Wycombe 1
York-Portsmouth X
Hot Four
Manchester United, Bolton, Burnley, Leicester.