Arsenal faces Sunderland test... for a 'temporary top spot'

Arsenal face an away test as they visit Sunderland in search of a temporary top spot, while Chelsea aim to regain their winning momentum in a tough clash against their guests, Hull City. Meanwhile, Liverpool look to secure a second consecutive victory against a wounded Fulham side in the fourth round of the English Premier League on Saturday.

In the opening match, Arsenal face Sunderland with high morale following their valuable 1-0 away win over Italian hosts Napoli to kick off the UEFA Champions League.

Manager Mikel Arteta’s side hopes to achieve a fourth consecutive win, taking their tally to 12 points to temporarily snatch the top spot from Manchester City, who face their city rivals United in the “City Derby” next Sunday.

The defending champions enter the match under pressure to convert their technical superiority into another victory, but twelfth-placed Sunderland (4 points) will not be an easy opponent, especially at their home ground and in front of their fans.

The “Blues” are well aware that any further stumble after their 1-2 loss to rivals Arsenal in the “London Derby” last round could prove costly in the race for the top positions. That defeat ended the perfect start for Spanish manager Xabi Alonso, which had consisted of three consecutive wins.

In contrast, Hull hope to continue their promising start and return with a positive result from Stamford Bridge to remain among the top teams.

The “Reds” aim to secure a second consecutive win under new Spanish manager Andoni Iraola, following their first victory against Ipswich Town 2-0, which came after two consecutive draws. The team enters the match with strong momentum after turning a 0-1 deficit against Spanish visitors Atletico Madrid into an important 2-1 win in the Champions League.

For his part, Fulham are also struggling under new Spanish manager Alvaro Arbeloa, having suffered three consecutive defeats, and they are trying to stop the bleeding of points on a difficult pitch.

Also on Saturday, Tottenham play Everton, Bournemouth face Brentford, Aston Villa take on Nottingham Forest, and Crystal Palace play Ipswich Town.

In the English League Cup, Chelsea overturned a two-goal deficit to record a crushing 6-3 victory over visitors Leeds United thanks to the brilliance of Cole Palmer and Danny Welbeck in an exciting third-round encounter.

The “Blues” were threatened with an early exit after Bosnian Tarek Muharemovic’s goal in the first half, followed by American Brenden Aaronson adding a second goal early in the second half.

However, Alonso introduced striker Palmer alongside Morgan Rogers, Portuguese Pedro Neto, and Reece James at halftime, a decision that paid off as his team staged a thrilling comeback.

Palmer scored two goals to bring the home side back into the game (53rd minute, penalty, and 55th), before Neto gave Chelsea the lead (60th), and Welbeck added a fourth goal (65th).

Chelsea have scored 16 goals in their first five matches under Alonso, a clear indication of their attacking strength. However, they have also conceded 10 goals, confirming that the defensive problems they suffered last season have not disappeared with the arrival of the Spanish manager.

Manchester City, the defending champions, will face Norwich City next week in the third round, while Arsenal will play Ipswich Town. Liverpool will also face Tottenham, while Manchester United host Brighton.