Premier League leaders Manchester United have an acid test this weekend as they travel to London to play guests to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners are in fourth place, three points adrift of United.

Arsene Wenger laughed off Jose Mourinho’s jibes about being the only manager free from the threat of the sack by insisting he is focused on his side improving.

Arsenal can carry a significant title threat now Alexis Sanchez has returned to goalscoring form.

The Chilean scored a hat-trick in the 5-2 win at Leicester last week, becoming the third Premier League player to claim a treble after Steven Naismith, of Everton, and Bourne-mouth’s Callum Wilson.

Wenger believes Sanchez’s involvement in the Copa America in summer had prevented the Gunners ace from hitting form earlier in the season.

The performance at Leicester was impressive with the likes of Mesut Ozil and Theo Walcott also displaying fine form.

Wenger believes at Leicester it was Arsenal’s best showing of the season. However, in the Champions League it was shambles again as on Tuesday the Gunners lost at home to Olympiakos 2-3.

At Old Trafford, Bastian Schweinsteiger toasted Manchester United’s return to the top of the standings by taking to social media to celebrate after his team beat Sunderland in their last league match.

In midweek, United put their Champions League campaign back on track after a 2-1 win at home to Wolfsburg.

In the last ten outings at Arsenal’s home ground in the Premier League the balance is even – three wins for the north Londoners and three for Manchester United.

2014: Arsenal-United - 1-2
2014: Arsenal-United - 0-0
2013: Arsenal-United - 1-1
2012: Arsenal-United - 1-2
2011: Arsenal-United - 1-0
2010: Arsenal-United - 1-3
2008: Arsenal-United - 2-1
2007: Arsenal-United - 2-2
2007: Arsenal-United - 2-1
2006: Arsenal-United - 0-0

Manchester City, having let their grasp at the top slip, should return to winning form at home to Newcastle United today.

Manuel Pellegrini showed his first signs of cracking last Saturday when he stormed out of a press conference as Bacary Sagna reckoned City were too slow to kill off Tottenham in their 4-1 defeat at White Hart Lane.

Silva’s calf problem saw him sit out on Saturday but the Citizens succeeded in breaking their duck in the Champions League, winning 2-1 at Borussia Moenchengladbach in midweek.

After failing to win in the last four outings, scoring a mere goal in the process, Swansea have high hopes to turn the corner at the Liberty Stadium against Tottenham.

The Welsh side produced another poor performance and gifted Southampton all three points at St Mary’s Stadium in their last outing. Swansea boss Garry Monk says there has been an overreaction to his side’s recent dip in form and insists he remains unconcerned.

Tottenham have won their last three league matches and Harry Kane is back in the groove. Despite that pressure, or perhaps because of it, it took until his ninth appearance of the season for Kane to get off the mark.

In tomorrow’s early kick-off at Goodison Park, Everton play Liverpool in the first Merseyside derby of the current season.

Toffees midfielder James McCarthy insists the club are on course to challenge for European places this season and striker Romelu Lukaku believes Everton made a statement by keeping John Stones at the club over the summer.

Liverpool’s stand-in captain James Milner insists criticism of their recent performances galvanise the squad.

Manager Brendan Rodgers has borne the brunt of the scrutiny with his future at the club being called into question but the players, too, have to shoulder their fair share of blame for some insipid displays.

Chelsea, languishing in the lower half of the standings, play Southampton at home.

Mourinho admitted that his team would not only lose their Premier League crown but also every remaining game they play this season if they make a habit of repeating their showing at Newcastle.

On Tuesday, Chelsea continued with the negative trend and lost 2-1 at Porto in the Champions League.

Fixtures

Premier League
Aston Villa-Stoke City
Bournemouth-Watford
Chelsea-Southampton - 18:30
C. Palace-West Brom - 13:45
Man. City-Newcastle
Norwich-Leicester City
Sunderland-West Ham

Tomorrow:
Arsenal-Man. United - 17:00
Everton-Liverpool - 14:30
Swansea-Tottenham - 17:00

Standings: Man. United 16; Manchester City 15; West Ham, Arsenal 13; Everton, Tottenham, Crystal Palace, Leicester 12; Liverpool 11; Southampton, Swansea; Norwich, Watford 9; Chelsea, West Brom 8; Bournemouth 7; Stoke 6; Aston Villa 4; Newcastle 3; Sunderland 2.

The Championship
Blackburn-Ipswich
Brighton-Cardiff
Bristol City-MK Dons
Derby County-Brentford
Leeds-Birmingham
Nottm Forest-Hull
QPR-Bolton
Reading-Middlesbrough
Sheffield Wed.-Preston
Wolves-Huddersfield - 13:30

Tomorrow:
Charlton-Fulham - 13:00

League One
Blackpool-Swindon
Burton-Southend United
Colchester-Bury
Coventry-Shrewsbury
Crewe-Chesterfield
Doncaster-Barnsley
Gillingham-Oldham
Peterborough-Millwall
Port Vale-Sheffield United
Rochdale-Bradford City
Scunthorpe-Fleetwood
Wigan-Walsall

League Two
Accrington-Oxford
AFC Wimbledon-Barnet
Dagenham-Mansfield
Hartlepool-Luton
Leyton Orient-Notts County
Morecambe-Bristol Rovers
Newport-Exeter
Plymouth-Crawley
Portsmouth-Yeovil
Stevenage-Carlisle
Wycombe-Northampton
York City-Cambridge

Scottish Premiership
Aberdeen-St Johnstone
Dundee FC-Motherwell
Hearts-Kilmarnock
Partick Thistle-Dundee United
Ross County-Inverness CT
Hamilton-Celtic (tomorrow) - 13:30

Scottish Championship
Dumbarton-Livingston
Queen of South-Hibernian
Raith Rovers-G Morton
Rangers-Falkirk
St Mirren-Alloa Athletic

League One
Airdrieonians-Stranraer
Ayr United-Cowdenbeath
Dunfermline-Albion
Peterhead-Forfar
Stenhousemuir-Brechin

League Two
Arbroath-Annan
Berwick-E Stirlingshire
East Fife-Stirling Albion
Elgin City-Clyde
Queen’s Park-Montrose

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