1. Uncertainty over Gunners duo
ARSENAL WILL ONCE again look to star names Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil when they host Stoke City on Saturday afternoon.
The pair have been instrumental for the Gunners this season — and scored four of the five goals in last weekend’s win over West Ham between them — but reports this week suggest talks over new deals have stalled with both out of contract in 18 months and Chinese clubs waiting in the wings.
Gunners fans will be desperate to keep hold of Sanchez and Ozil, who are reportedly demanding as much as £384,000 (€457,000) a-week, and Arsene Wenger has said the club would like them to remain in North London beyond 2018, but it is likely to boil down to money.
Ninth-place Stoke arrive at the Emirates with maximum points from their last two games but Arsenal have won the last 14 meetings with Mark Hughes’ side at home.
2. Man City missing suspended trio
Two clubs in Champions League action during the week face off in the Saturday’s evening late kick-off.
Leicester City and Manchester City may both have secured their places in the knockout stages of Europe’s elite club competition, but they sit at opposite ends of the Premier League table.
The Foxes, whose second-string lost 5-0 to Porto on Wednesday, are going through a difficult time and picked up just one point from their four league outings, which leaves the current champions hovering just about the drop zone.
City were undone by Chelsea last weekend and made nine changes for the dead rubber with Celtic three days later — a 1-1 draw at the Etihad. Pep Guardiola will have to plan without Sergio Aguero, Fernandinho and Nicolas Otamendi, who are all suspended.
3. Conte’s Chelsea are cruising
League leaders Chelsea can make it nine league wins on the trot at home to West Brom on Sunday.
The Blues look unstoppable under Antonio Conte at this moment and put in their most impressive display of the Italian’s short spell in charge against Manchester City.
They will be expected to brush aside the Baggies, but Tony Pulis’ men, up to seventh in the table, have the ability to frustrate opponents and come into the game on the back of three wins and a draw.
As a sidenote, West Brom’s manager has again warned James McClean that he needs to be careful and keep control his temper on the pitch after a recent incident that saw Watford midfielder Roberto Pereyra sent off.
4. Title contenders could pull clear of Man United
It’s fifth away to sixth at Old Trafford on Sunday where Manchester United need to make up lost ground.
The Red Devils are already six points adrift of Tottenham and 13 off the top of the table heading into the busy Christmas period. And while Jose Mourinho’s man have been picking up wins in the cup competitions, they have been playing reasonably well but conceding far too many late goals in the league.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan admitted a weight was lifted off his shoulders after scoring in a United shirt for the first time as they booked their place in the last-32 of the Europa League on Thursday and he is finally shining. Eric Bailly also returned and the Ivorian has been sorely-missed at the heart of their defence.
Meanwhile, Spurs will join their latest opponents in that competition after going out of the Champions League with a 3-1 victory over CSKA Moscow, in which Mauricio Pochettino welcomed back Belgian defender Toby Alderweireld.
5. Reds looking to bounce back
With no European commitments, Jurgen Klopp will have had time this week to go over what went wrong in the capitulation at Bournemouth and prepare for their trip to the Olympic Stadium on Sunday.
The Reds saw their fine form brought to an abrupt end at Dean Court as they conceded three goals in the final 15 minutes. There have been question marks over Liverpool’s goalkeeper Loris Karius and the back four, so the expected return of fit-again Joel Matip to centre-half will be a welcome sight.
West Ham are winless in five league games and, despite performing well on a personal level, Hammers and Ireland goalkeeper Darren Randolph has conceded nine goals in their last two outings.
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