Manchester City and Liverpool, the top two teams in the Premier League last season, will clash at the Etihad Stadium on Monday.

Last weekend, champions Manchester City beat Newcastle United 2-0 and Liverpool won 2-1 at home against Southampton.

The Citizens appeared more comfortable on the ball but the Reds had to sweat to earn the points at the finish.

This week striker Edin Dzeko, the favourite for many to top the marksmen’s list this season, decided to extend his contract at City whose manager, Manuel Pellegrini, is confident his title-winning team is better equipped than a year ago.

After beating Southampton, Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers again underlined his desire to reinforce the team’s options in attack before the transfer window closes.

And the club bosses are likely to respond with the signing of mercurial Italian Mario Balotelli.

Reports this week said the Milan striker had bid farewell to his team-mates at the San Siro and was bound to sign for Liverpool this weekend, even though facing his former club on Monday is not likely.

In their first outing of the season, the Reds paraded all their new signings with defender Dejan Lovren leaving a very good impression.

Rodgers’s men had a pathetic second half against the Saints, yet their work rate and character were there for all to see.

From the last ten matches between City and Liverpool in Manchester, the Blues won four to the Reds’ two.

2013: Man. City-Liverpool 2-1.
2013: Man. City-Liverpool 2-2.
2012: Man. City-Liverpool 3-0.
2010: Man. City-Liverpool 3-0.
2010: Man. City-Liverpool 0-0.
2008: Man. City-Liverpool 2-3.
2007: Man. City-Liverpool 0-0.
2007: Man. City-Liverpool 0-0.
2005: Man. City-Liverpool 0-1.
2005: Man. City-Liverpool 1-0.

After the unexpected 1-2 upset to Swansea at Old Trafford last weekend, Louis van Gaal looked stunned but he still has high hopes that Manchester United will re-pent at Sunderland tomorrow.

TV pundit Martin Keown remarked that the formation Van Gaal fielded against Swansea was a hard enough system for seasoned professionals to get right, let alone a group of youngsters.

At Sunderland, manager Gus Poyet is confident Jack Rodwell can be a star for the Black Cats this season. Sebastian Larsson was Sunderland’s saviour as he scored the equaliser in a 2-2 draw away at West Brom.

This evening Arsenal will be on their travels to play Everton at Goodison Park.

The Gunners left it late to beat Crystal Palace in the league opener and in midweek only managed a 0-0 draw at Besiktas in the first leg of the Champions League play-off round.

Arsenal will have to do without captain Mikel Arteta for today’s match after an injury against Besiktas. However, Aaron Ramsey, who got red-carded in Turkey, can become as important a player at the Emirates Stadium as former skipper Cesc Fabregas was.

Everton manager Roberto Martinez has learnt that Ross Barkley could be sidelined from four to six weeks to cure a knee injury.

After their 3-1 victory at Burnley, Chelsea clash against another promoted side today – Leicester – at Stamford Bridge.

Thibaut Courtois made his league debut for Chelsea as Jose Mourinho unleashed a new-look side against Burnley.

Tomorrow, Tottenham play Queens Park Rangers in a London derby.

The Spurs started on a right footing following a 1-0 win at West Ham. Debutant Eric Dier got Mauricio Pochettino’s managerial reign at White Hart Lane off to a perfect start after firing the winner against the Hammers.

The Spurs also did well in the Europa League qualifier on Thursday after a 2-1 comeback win away at Cyprus’s Limassol.

Fixtures and forecast

Premier League
Aston Villa-Newcastle (13:45) - X
Chelsea-Leicester - 1
Crystal Palace-West Ham - X
Everton-Arsenal (18:30) - X
Southampton-West Brom - 1
Swansea-Burnley - 1

Tomorrow:
Hull-Stoke (14:30) - X
Sunderland-Man. Utd (17:00) - 2
Tottenham-QPR (14:30) - 1

Monday:
Man. City-Liverpool (21:00) - 1

The Championship
Blackburn-Bournemouth - 1
Brentford-Birmingham - 1
Brighton-Bolton - X
Derby-Fulham - 1
Huddersfield-Charlton - 1
Ipswich-Norwich (13:15) - X
M’boro-Sheffield Wed. - 1
Millwall-Rotherham - 1
Nottm Forest-Reading - 1
Watford-Leeds - 1
Wigan-Blackpool - 1
Wolves-Cardiff - 1

League One
Barnsley-Gillingham - 1
Bradford-Peterborough - X
Colchester-Doncaster - X
Fleetwood-Chesterfield - X
Leyton Orient-Walsall - 1
MK Dons-Coventry - 1
Port Vale-Notts County - 1
Preston-Oldham - 1
Rochdale-Bristol City - 2
Sheffield Utd-Crawley - 1
Swindon-Crewe - 1
Yeovil-Scunthorpe - X

League Two
Accrington-Luton - X
AFC Wimbledon-Hartlepool - 1
Bury-Plymouth - 1
Cambridge-Morecambe - 1
Carlisle-Southend - X
Dagenham-Mansfield - X
Exeter-York - X
Newport-Burton - 2
Northampton-Shrewsbury - 1
Oxford-Portsmouth - X
Stevenage-Wycombe - 1
Tranmere-Cheltenham - 1

Hot four
Chelsea, Derby County, Middlesbrough, Wigan Athletic.

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