Liverpool face Chelsea in early title showdown, Arsenal aim to stop rot at Man City

Chelsea

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

Arsenal suffered at the hands of Chelsea last weekend as Romelu Lukaku scored on his second debut in a 2-0 win for the Blues.

The Belgian, who returned to Stamford Bridge this month for a club record £97 million ($133 million), scored his 114th Premier League goal at the Emirates, but his first for Chelsea after failing to make an impression in his first spell at the club.

Now 28, Lukaku looks the complete package and the final piece needed to turn Thomas Tuchel’s European champions into Premier League winners.

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.

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.—AFP