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Soccer

Slot's biggest test and three winless runs looking to end - Five things to look out for as the Premier League returns

Ash Rose
Slot's biggest test and three winless runs looking to end - Five things to look out for as the Premier League returnsGetty
Two in-form teams clash in a big Sunday encounter, while there are vital points at stake at the bottom of the league.

Two weeks can be a long time in Premier League football, but the top flight is finally back this weekend after a pause for October's international break.

So, where were we? Well, Liverpool still leads the way at the top, ahead of unbeaten Arsenal and Manchester City, though the Reds arguably have greater tests ahead.

Meanwhile, Manchester United are in fourteenth amid the ongoing saga of Erik ten Hag's future, while there remain four teams still searching for that first win of the campaign. 

Here are five things to look out for in Matchday Eight.

Slot gets real

Without questioning the opposition the Dutchman has faced so far as Liverpool boss, Arne Slot arguably faces his biggest test this weekend when Chelsea visit Anfield on Sunday.

The Reds currently sit top the Premier League by a point, with a shock defeat to Nottingham Forest the lone setbackof a great domestic campaign to date.

But they come up against a team boasting the player and manager of the month for September, with the Blues fired by a red-hot Cole Palmer under Enzo Maresca.

Like Slot, his fellow manager has made a bright start to his new life in West London, and this clash will be an early indicator for where both teams sit three months into the term.

A win for Liverpool strengthens their tag as title contenders, but victory for the away side could signal their intent of having a say in this season's championship race too.

Wolves winless run hosts the champions 

When you're winless and bottom of the table, the last thing you want to see on the calendar is the looming visit of the four-time Premier League champions.

But that's exactly what Wolves will have to contend with on Sunday, as Manchester City and Pep Guardiola appear as the latest test to their top-flight credibility.

The pressure is firmly on Gary O'Neil after a run that has seen his side win just once in their last seventeen games either side of the summer break.

If he can get through the game relatively unscathed, the next eight games include fixtures against Crystal Palace, Southampton, Fulham, Everton and Ipswich.

There could be an opportunity for him to turn it around, but that depends how patient the Wolves board are as they slip deeper into the relegation scrap.

Six-pointers, already 

Talking of the battle of the bottom, is it too early to be talking about six-pointers? It may only be October, but some fixtures already feel like they could have serious ramifications.

On Saturday, Ipswich look for their first Premier League win of the season as they host an Everton side, who looked to have turned the tide after four points in their last two games.

Meanwhile on the South Coast, winless Southampton take on fellow newly-promoted side Leicester, with the Foxes fresh off their first victory last time out too.

Russell Martin is already feeling the heat in his first stint as a top-flight boss. In a relegation fight where wins are rare, every point at every stage of the season could be vital.

Bees to sting United? 

It wouldn't be a Premier League weekend without casting an eye on the drama at Old Trafford, and the latest chapter is a visit from Brentford to Old Trafford.

Historians of Ten Hag's tenure will recall an early loss to the Bees as one of the worst results of his reign, and the last thing the Dutchman needs is more pressure on his position.

The point at Villa Park last time out is hopefully a sign United can dig out results when needed because they can ill afford many more disasters - especially at home. 

They need a convincing result to ease the talk, but they must be wary of Brentford and not become the latest side to concede against Thomas Frank's side in the opening minutes. 

Capital crunch 

There's a London derby to kick things off between Tottenham and West Ham too, with each looking to take something from their prior results before the international break. 

Spurs went into the interval in the worst way possible, having blown a two-goal lead against a Brighton side that rallied to take victory after they had been the dominant force.

It will have been a tough two weeks for Ange Postecoglou to sit on and stew about, and the Australian will be demanding a response when their rivals cross the captial. 

The Hammers eased the pressure on boss Julen Lopetegui with a hefty win over Ipswich, but with no offence to the quality of their opponents, it is one they should have won.

They are still a team in transition and it will be interesting to see if they have enough in their back pocket to inflict more wounds on their London rivals.

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