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Premier League talking points: Can Pukki silence City and can Klopp win again?

Premier League talking points: Can Pukki silence City and can Klopp win again?
© Reuters
Top flight returns this weekend.

Premier League action returns this weekend after the international break.

All top-flight clubs will complete their fifth round of fixtures and here the PA news agency takes a look some of the main talking points.

Red machine to march on

Liverpool and Newcastle have served up some humdingers down the years. Who can forget those two 4-3 wins for the Reds at Anfield in successive seasons in the mid-90s? But, despite Newcastle's win at Tottenham in their previous away game, few expect anything other than a fifth straight Premier League win for manager of the month Jurgen Klopp's side as they bid to maintain, or extend, their two-point lead over champions Manchester City at the top of the table. Steve Bruce's side are currently 14th, but should find themselves closer to the bottom three after Saturday's lunch-time kick-off.

Pukki versus Sterling at Carrow Road

The goals keep coming for Teemu Pukki
The goals keep coming for Teemu Pukki (Joe Giddens/PA)

City could find themselves five points adrift of Liverpool when they kick-off at tea-time against newly-promoted Norwich at Carrow Road. Finland striker Teemu Pukki has picked up where he left off for Norwich last season by scoring six goals in seven games for club and country, but the Canaries have won only one of their previous 13 games against the Premier League title-holders. Pep Guardiola's side also have a red-hot goalscorer of their own, with Raheem Sterling scoring in all bar one of his games for City and England, including a hat-trick in last month's 5-0 win at West Ham.

Sanchez Flores answers Hornets' SOS

Watford have reappointed Quique Sanchez Flores as head coach and he will take charge of his first match since returning to Vicarage Road against Arsenal on Sunday. The Spaniard, who spent one season at the club before leaving at the end of the 2015/16 campaign, faces a tough task. The Hornets are bottom after taking one point from their first four games and face Arsenal and Manchester City in their next two matches. The Gunners will be buoyed by their second-half fightback against Tottenham, which earned them a 2-2 draw before the international break.

Can Spurs re-boot for London derby?

Will Mauricio Pochettino be smiling this weekend
Will Mauricio Pochettino be smiling this weekend (Bradley Collyer/PA)

Tottenham have yet to get going this season. After their opening-day win against Aston Villa, draws against Manchester City and Arsenal have sandwiched a surprise home defeat to Newcastle. Mauricio Pochettino, who held a meeting with his players this week to help them "refocus", could include Ryan Sessegnon in his squad for the first time. The £25million summer signing  is fit again after a hamstring injury. Palace, fourth in the table, will look to maintain their canny knack of bringing down top-six sides following last month's win at Old Trafford.

In-form Foxes full of fire

Brendan Rodgers goes to Old Trafford
Brendan Rodgers goes to Old Trafford (Richard Sellers/PA)

Manchester United will come under close scrutiny against Leicester at Old Trafford on Saturday when they will be under pressure to prove their opening-day win against Chelsea was not a false dawn. United have shown little sign of progress since and a vibrant Leicester have all the tools necessary to make it another uncomfortable afternoon for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side. Harry Maguire's head-to-head with former team-mate Jamie Vardy will be an intriguing sideshow as United bid to put their recent home defeat to Crystal Palace behind them.

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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Arsenal34245582265677
2Manchester CityMan City33237380324876
3Liverpool34228475344174
4Aston Villa34206871502166
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs32186865491660
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd33165125150153
7Newcastle UnitedNewcastle331551369541550
8West Ham UnitedWest Ham34139125463-948
9Chelsea32138116157447
10Bournemouth34129134960-1145
11Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton331111115254-244
12Wolverhampton WanderersWolves34127154654-843
13Fulham34126165054-442
14Crystal Palace34109154456-1239
15Brentford3498175259-735
16Everton34118153648-1233
17Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest3479184260-1826
18Luton TownLuton3467214775-2825
19Burnley3458213769-3223
20Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd3437243392-5916


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