Overview
- Manchester City play before Arsenal in the next three league rounds, a sequence seen as a chance to apply short‑term pressure in the title race.
- Arsenal’s Gabriel Magalhaes left Brazil’s friendly with a suspected groin problem, with Riccardo Calafiori returning early from Italy duty and Martin Odegaard still some distance from a comeback.
- City face a congested run of 18 matches in 71 days but boast expanded depth after a summer outlay exceeding £350m, though Omar Marmoush and Rayan Ait‑Nouri will depart for AFCON.
- Independent fixture‑difficulty rankings point to easier near‑term schedules for Manchester United and Liverpool, while Arsenal’s next block rates comparatively tougher.
- Liverpool’s slump has left them eighth with a pronounced points drop since April, but Alexander Isak’s substitute return for Sweden signals a possible boost ahead of a gentler run of league opponents.