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Liverpool's Sadio Mane. PA Archive/PA Images
Club football returns

Mane back at old St Mary's as Reds look to hold onto top spot and Premier League talking points

Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho renew an old rivalry, while there’s a London derby at White Hart Lane.

1. Mourinho and Wenger lock horns once again

THE NEXT CHAMPTER in one of the Premier League’s most volatile managerial rivalries will be written this weekend when Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal visit Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United (Saturday, 12.30pm).

Sparks often fly when the pair are obliged to share a touchline, typified by a notorious shoving match during a Chelsea-Arsenal fixture at Stamford Bridge two years ago.

Wenger has never beaten Mourinho in the league and has been branded a “specialist in failure” by his Portuguese nemesis, but with Arsenal six points above United, he currently has the upper hand.

Wenger intends to make a late check on the fitness of Alexis Sanchez, who is not due to report back from international duty with Chile until Friday.

Sanchez scored twice for Chile in a 3-1 World Cup qualifying win over Uruguay on Tuesday, despite Wenger warning beforehand it would be “suicidal” for him to play due to a hamstring problem.

Arsenal will be definitely be without right-back Hector Bellerin and central midfielder Santi Cazorla, who have ankle and Achilles problems respectively.

But Wenger’s selection problems pale by comparison beside Mourinho’s, amid reports the United manager could be without up to seven first-team players.

Centre-backs Eric Bailly and Chris Smalling will miss the game through injury, along with suspended top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

There also fitness doubts over captain Wayne Rooney, midfielder Marouane Fellaini and full-backs Antonio Valencia and Luke Shaw.

With Saturday’s game taking place at lunchtime, victory for Arsenal would lift Wenger’s side to the top of the standings and leave United a yawning nine points off the pace.

2. Reds plan to consolidate lead at the top

Liverpool, the current leaders, will look to pick up where they left off prior to the international break when they visit Southampton later on Saturday.

Jurgen Klopp’s crowd-pleasing side have won seven and drawn two of their last nine league games, culminating in a 6-1 demolition of Watford last time out.

Adam Lallana is likely to miss out for Liverpool after sustaining a groin injury during England’s 2-2 friendly draw with Spain on Tuesday, in which he scored.

Midfield playmaker Philippe Coutinho, meanwhile, has undergone a scan and could be an injury doubt following his return to Britain after featuring for Brazil in World Cup qualifying wins over Argentina and Peru.

Coutinho and Roberto Firmino were flown back by private jet with compatriots from other Premier League clubs as Liverpool shared the cost to ensure they returned quickly.

But the Reds are unlikely to risk Coutinho against the Saints if there is any concern it could exacerbate any injury concerns.

Senegalese winger Sadio Mane, who left St Mary’s to join Liverpool for £30m (€35m) in the summer, returns to face his old club a much-improved player.

3.  London derby at WHL

Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino is crossing his fingers Harry Kane will be fit enough to feature in all three of his side’s high-profile fixtures over the next week.

The Premier League’s only remaining unbeaten team host West Ham United in the Saturday evening fixture and go into battle in another London derby at Chelsea a week later.

In between is a Champions League trip to Monaco, which will also present a thorough test of Spurs’ credentials at a time when a number of key men are absent through injury.

Kane has played just one match since being sidelined by an ankle injury in September, the 1-1 draw at Arsenal immediately prior to the international break.

He did not feature in England’s 3-0 win over Scotland in World Cup qualifying last Friday and was sent back to Spurs to continue his rehabilitation prior to Tuesday’s 2-2 friendly draw with Spain.

Pochettino faces a similar dilemma with midfielder Dele Alli, who is close to recovering from a knee problem.

Defenders Toby Alderweireld and Ben Davies plus winger Erik Lamela have already been ruled out of the West Ham game on fitness grounds.

West Ham will arrive at White Hart Lane still struggling at the wrong end of the table despite suffering only one loss in their last six games.

4.  Pardew out to dent Man City’s title bid

Burnley v Crystal Palace - Premier League - Turf Moor Palace boss Alan Pardew. Dave Howarth Dave Howarth

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, currently third in the table, travel to Crystal Palace.

City have won only one of their last five league games and conceded top spot prior to the international break after a 1-1 draw at home to Middlesbrough.

Right-back Bacary Sagna, fit again after a hamstring tear, concedes it has been a frustrating time.

“The team did well. If you look back to the way we played, it was amazing,” the France international told the City website.

“We were just not clinical enough to win the games. Like against Middlesbrough. I still don’t understand how we didn’t win the game.”

Palace will be without goalkeeper Steve Mandanda against City as manager Alan Pardew looks to put a dent in Guardiola’s Premier League title aspirations.

The France goalkeeper sustained a knee injury while on international duty and will be replaced by Wayne Hennessey for Saturday’s match at Selhurst Park, while midfielder Joe Ledley (knock) is an injury doubt.

5. Awards for Chelsea’s in-form pair

Chelsea’s fine form has resulted in a trophy double in the monthly Premier League awards. Antonio Conte was named manager of the month after guiding Chelsea to four wins in October while Eden Hazard netted the player gong ahead of Sunday’s trip to the Riverside to face Middlesbrough.

Striker Diego Costa has been passed fit to face Boro as Conte’s men search for a sixth consecutive Premier League victory.

The Blues’ fine form continued prior to the international break with a 5-0 home win against Everton – a match in which the striker scored – and they travel to play Boro on Sunday.

Conte has a full squad of players to choose from, with Costa – the Premier League’s top goalscorer – fit despite suffering a groin injury which kept him out of Spain’s matches against Macedonia and England.

© AFP 2016

Originally published Friday at 18.19

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