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EPL PREVIEW: Bragging rights, momentum at stake in Manchester derby

Manchester United's Daniel James (left) battles with Manchester City's Nicolas Otamendi during their Premier League match at Old Trafford in March.
Manchester United's Daniel James (left) battles with Manchester City's Nicolas Otamendi during their Premier League match at Old Trafford in March. (PHOTO: Ashley Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)

SINGAPORE — What are the key matches and storylines to look out for in the next round of English Premier League (EPL) action? Yahoo News Singapore lists the top three:

WATCH: The Centre Circle, a weekly EPL preview show by Tampines West CSC

Manchester United vs Manchester City (Sunday, 1.30am Singapore time)

Another week, another derby. But unlike last weekend’s North London derby between high-flying Tottenham and slumping Arsenal, this weekend’s Manchester derby sees both sides climbing up the EPL table after slow starts to the season.

Manchester United are on a four-match winning streak in the league and are in sixth place with a game in hand. Meanwhile, their neighbours Manchester City are a point and a place behind – also with a game in hand – following two straightforward victories over Burnley and Fulham.

Yet, it is hard to shake the feeling that their inherent squad problems still linger, and could blow up on their title-challenging hopes at any moment.

Man United are a strange sight to watch in recent weeks: playing poorly out of the blocks, but finishing strongly with late goals to rescue early deficits. Somehow, they had always managed to click for a short burst of goals late in the match that would be sufficient for them to eke out wins.

Fans have yet to see a match this season in which the Red Devils had dominated from start to finish, and their limp exit from the Champions League in midweek is proof that, in spite of their fine form, there are still plenty of squad problems that manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer needs to address.

Not least of all, the toxic presence of Paul Pogba, whose agent Mino Raiola’s declaration that the French midfielder wants out of the club is causing unwanted ripples around the club. Pogba has underachieved for much of his years at the club, and such comments by his agent would infuriate the long-suffering fans who have been clamouring for him to go.

While Solskjaer has to fight problems on many fronts in his squad, Man City have only one glaring weakness – their defence. While Pep Guardiola’s side have not been leaking goals, their slow and ponderous defenders have cost them crucial matches such as their 0-2 defeat by Spurs.

Against Man United, this is a real problem – the Red Devils’ biggest weapon is their speed off counter-attacks with their young forward line of Marcus Rashford, Mason Greenwood and Anthony Martial ready to pounce at any opportunity to break.

SCORE PREDICTION: Manchester United 1 Manchester City 2.

Tottenham forward Son Heung-min (left) holds off Crystal Palace's Jairo Riedewald during their Premier League match at Selhurst Park In July.
Tottenham forward Son Heung-min (left) holds off Crystal Palace's Jairo Riedewald during their Premier League match at Selhurst Park In July. (PHOTO: Ian Walton/Pool via Getty Images)

Crystal Palace vs Tottenham Hotspur (Sunday, 10.15pm)

Can Tottenham maintain their perch atop the EPL table? So far, so good as they are proving to be made of sterner stuff under manager Jose Mourinho.

Last weekend’s 2-0 win over arch-rivals Arsenal was a magnificent showcase of the improvements made under Mourinho – resolute defending and astute organisation to fend off the fired-up Gunners, and deadly incisiveness in their counter-attacks to tear their opponents’ defence apart.

This weekend they face 11th-placed Crystal Palace, who on paper may seem like easy opposition. Yet, Roy Hodgson’s side are notoriously tricky to break down – with the veteran manager equally capable of setting up a well-organised side to frustrate opponents like Mourinho can.

A sparkling 5-1 win over West Bromwich Albion last Friday would have boosted the confidence of Palace players – in particular their linchpin Wilfried Zaha, who was a menace in plundering two goals.

Can Zaha trouble the fast-improving Spurs defence? Can Hodgson somehow outwit Mourinho? An upset could be on the cards, although Palace would do well just to keep the rampaging duo of Harry Kane and Son Heung-min at bay.

SCORE PREDICTION: Crystal Palace 0 Tottenham 2.

Arsenal's Nicolas Pepe (left) is closed down by Burnley's James Tarkowski during their Premier League match at Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal's Nicolas Pepe (left) is closed down by Burnley's James Tarkowski during their Premier League match at Emirates Stadium. (PHOTO: Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Arsenal vs Burnley (Monday, 3.15am)

There are rumours swirling about that, should Arsenal fail to beat Burnley this weekend, manager Mikel Arteta could lose his job just a year into his tenure.

It would be a steep fall from grace for the Spaniard, who had guided the Gunners to winning the FA Cup last season, and also clinch the Community Shield at the start of the season.

Yet, everything has gone wrong for Arteta – strikers in miserable form, tactics stifling the firepower of the team, old defensive woes resurfacing and new signings not gelling well enough.

Arsenal are mired in 15th place, with five defeats in their last seven league games. It is by far their worst start to an EPL season, and Arteta has resorted to primitive tactics to try and get his team out of their deep rut – incessant crosses against Spurs last weekend in hope of somehow converting one. (They couldn’t.)

So now they face a Burnley side also struggling in 18th place, and which recently suffered a 5-0 beating by Man City. It would be the most clear-cut opportunity for Arsenal’s misfiring squad to get their act together and stop the losing run.

Otherwise, they may be looking at yet another manager, yet another revamp, and yet another season lost too early.

SCORE PREDICTION: Arsenal 1 Burnley 1.

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