Liverpool faces Chelsea in early Premier League title showdown

Liverpool and Chelsea face off in the first heavyweight clash between title contenders of the Premier League season, while Arsenal aims to get off the mark when they visit Manchester City on Saturday.

Chelsea and Liverpool are two of five teams to take maximum points from two games alongside West Ham, Tottenham and Brighton.

But of the pre-season title favourites, they have already opened up a two-point advantage over Manchester United and three-point lead on Manchester City.

Tougher test

Lukaku faces a much tougher test at a full Anfield with Liverpool rejuvenated by the return of fans and talismanic centre-back Virgil van Dijk from injury.

The Dutchman’s presence has seen Jurgen Klopp’s men keep two clean sheets in their opening games against Norwich and Burnley.

But goalkeeper Alisson Becker acknowledged that beating Chelsea would send a far stronger signal to its title rivals that Liverpool is back to its best.

More misery for Arteta?

Arsenal sits second bottom without a point or even a goal to show from its first two league games and faces a daunting trip to the defending champion if it is to break that drought before a two-week international break.

The Gunners got a morale-boosting 6-0 win over a youthful West Brom side in the League Cup in midweek to ease the pressure on manager Mikel Arteta with captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scoring a hat-trick in his first start of the season after testing positive for coronavirus.

Arteta has reportedly been given until the October international break to turn things around, but Arsenal’s recent record against City gives little cause for optimism come Saturday.

City has not lost to Arsenal in the league since 2015 and can ill-afford another slip up after losing to Tottenham on the first weekend of the season.

Homecoming for Kane

City was forced to concede another defeat to Spurs chairman Daniel Levy this week after Harry Kane announced he will be remaining at Tottenham this season.

The England captain had wanted to move to the Etihad with the aim of ending his wait to win a trophy, but City was unwilling to meet Levy’s demands of a fee well in excess of the Premier League record £100 million it paid for Jack Grealish earlier this month.

Heroes welcome

Despite the speculation over his future, Kane was given a hero’s welcome by the travelling Tottenham support away to Wolves last weekend.

After committing his future to his boyhood club, he is expected to start for the first time in the league this season when Spurs aims to keep its perfect start going at home to Watford.