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Liverpool will aim to end a three-match Premier League losing streak when they visit Brentford on Saturday, hoping to keep pace with league leaders Arsenal and rejuvenated Manchester City.
Pep Guardiola’s side, unbeaten in nine games, face a tricky trip to Aston Villa, while Arsenal welcome Crystal Palace to the Emirates as they look to extend their lead at the top.
Meanwhile, Manchester United will try to build on their morale-boosting win at Anfield last weekend, though they face a stern test against a Brighton team that has enjoyed consistent success at Old Trafford in recent years.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot may find Alexander Isak’s injury to be a blessing in disguise as he seeks to rediscover a winning formula.
The Swedish forward, who joined from Newcastle for £125 million, has struggled to find form, scoring just once in the League Cup amid fitness issues.
Isak was withdrawn at half-time during Liverpool’s 5-1 Champions League triumph over Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday, a result that ended a run of four straight defeats.
His replacement, Hugo Ekitike, impressed up front, while Florian Wirtz thrived in his preferred attacking role, providing two assists — his first since a £100 million move from Bayer Leverkusen.
Despite Ekitike’s strong record of five goals in 11 appearances, he has been left out of Liverpool’s recent Premier League losses to Crystal Palace, Chelsea and Manchester United.
With Isak sidelined, the Frenchman is expected to get an extended run in the starting lineup as the Reds attempt to regain consistency.
Meanwhile, after Manchester United’s dramatic victory at Anfield — their first in nearly a decade — manager Ruben Amorim urged caution, saying, “We will see after Brighton.” The win marked his first back-to-back league success since taking charge almost a year ago.
United’s recent history against Brighton is poor, having lost six of their last seven league meetings, including three consecutive defeats at Old Trafford since 2022. In January, Brighton cruised to a 3-1 win at the Theatre of Dreams, prompting Amorim to remark that his squad might be “the worst in the club’s history.”
Victory on Saturday would temporarily lift United into the top four and offer tangible proof that Amorim’s project is finally gaining traction.
Manchester City enter the weekend second in the table, three points behind Arsenal, and appear to be regaining the dominance that deserted them last season when they finished a distant third and ended an eight-year run of silverware.
Early defeats to Tottenham and Brighton raised concerns, but the arrival of Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and Erling Haaland’s relentless scoring form have reignited City’s title hopes.
“I have the feeling things are coming back to what we were in the past,” Guardiola said after Tuesday’s 2-0 Champions League win over Villarreal. “Last season was tough, but the team’s vibe and rhythm now make me feel confident.”
However, City’s visit to Villa Park will be a genuine test — they have lost there in each of the past two seasons. Villa, resurgent after a sluggish start, have now won three league matches in a row.
While Haaland has scored in 12 consecutive games for club and country, no other City player has found the net in the league for nearly a month — a statistic Guardiola will want to change as the title race intensifies.
