Midweek Carabao Cup exertions concluded, it is straight back into English Premier League action this weekend, with the big six involved in some intriguing fixtures.
Not least at Old Trafford on Monday night, with Arsenal the visitors as Manchester United look to halt their slide against another club enduring a rocky spell.
Things are not particularly rosy at Tottenham Hotspur, either; Mauricio Pochettino’s side host Southampton on Saturday afternoon. Chelsea are at home against another South Coast traveller: Brighton are their opponents.
Leaders Liverpool kick the weekend off hoping to avoid a shock with a trip to Bramall Lane, while Manchester City have scored eleven goals in their past two games – Everton get the dubious pleasure of welcoming the defending champions to Goodison Park.
Here’s how we think the Premier League’s big six might line up this weekend:
Liverpool (vs Sheffield United)
It’ll likely be business as usual for Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool face Sheffield United, with Alisson his only major first team absentee.
Adrian will continue in goal, but otherwise it is likely to be a first-choice team after Klopp rotated in midweek.
That means Liverpool may well be unchanged from their win over Chelsea.
Tottenham (vs Southampton)
The Carabao Cup exit to Colchester has further compounded Mauricio Pochettino’s problems, with questions of fitness, form and desire surrounding a number of his squad.
Christian Eriksen could be dropped for the visit of Southampton, and with Giovani Lo Celso out with injury, Erik Lamela could continue as chief playmaker in a hybrid 4-2-3-1/4-1-2-1-2 diamond system.
Hugo Lloris will return in goal after missing last weekend’s defeat to Leicester due to his wife giving birth.
Chelsea (vs Brighton)
While Chelsea fell to defeat against Liverpool in their last Premier League action, things have rather turned around for Frank Lampard, and there is an air of positivity at Stamford Bridge.
Tammy Abraham is coming into his own as a Premier League striker, N’Golo Kante is fit again and Fikayo Tomori has shored up the defence. All should start against Brighton.
Emerson Palmieri is out for four weeks with a thigh issue while Andreas Christensen limped out of that Liverpool defeat, which means Marcos Alonso and Kurt Zouma are likely to come in to the starting lineup.
Manchester City (vs Everton)
Manchester City dismissed any talk of a crisis by thumping Watford last weekend, with Fernandinho looking rather comfortable in the back four as a makeshift centre-back.
Fit-again Benjamin Mendy will be looking for a long run at left-back, and seeking to put an eventful week behind him, with team mate Bernardo Silva unlikely to be taken out of the firing line after his controversial social media post about the French defender.
Raheem Sterling should return to the front three after missing out against Watford.
Manchester United (vs Arsenal)
Manchester United will be looking to get back on track after losing to West Ham, and precocious forward talent Mason Greenwood may make his first Premier League start with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer short of striking options.
Paul Pogba is a doubt for the game after taking a bang to his ankle on his return against Rochdale.
Solskjaer has suggested that neither Anthony Martial nor Marcus Rashford will be able to start, and both may be entirely absent.
Arsenal (vs Manchester United)
Arsenal may also call upon a starlet in forward areas – Bukayo Saka has impressed in the last couple of weeks and may join Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Nicolas Pepe in the front three.
Kieran Tierney finally made his Arsenal debut after a summer of injury rehab against Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup, and the Scottish left-back may start again at Old Trafford.
Callum Chambers appears to have found a home at right-back, too.
