Manchester City and liverpool are set for a second Premier League title showdown however that seems likeliest to combine them at the top four this season? The 2019/20 term might be in its infancy but as matchday eight approaches, subjects have emerged to indicate an intriguing scrap below the two involving heavyweights caught in transition or fighting to balance threat with grit. Can Manchester United struggle to create the top six, let alone top ? Are Leicester the real deal in the Struggle for Champions League football? With the support of pundits and essential stats, we take a peek at the early conflict, and you can have your say. Manchester United and Arsenal played out a 1-1 draw Monday Night Football but a once-fearsome fixture involving the forces of English football served up fare. United have, in actuality, made their worst start to a Premier League year - nine points from seven matches sees them just pitched into the upper half heading into the weekend - and also their own stuttering form extends into last word; a haul of just 17 points out of the previous 16 games is the third-worst from the league, even excluding this years newcomers. The chances on Ole Gunnar Solskjaers negative finishing in the top four have slipped since the beginning of the season. They had been 5/4 using Sky Bet prior to a ball was pumped, however, to 9/4, are out after only two wins from seven. Solskjaer spent large at summer time on Harry Maguire along with Aaron Wan-Bissaka but child Dan James - more of a wildcard recruit compared to a thing - was a standout performer, scoring one third of Uniteds goals up to now. Considering that a 4-0 coming weekend rout of Chelsea, only Brighton (2), Newcastle (4) and Watford (4 ) ) have scored fewer goals than Uniteds five, with just Brighton and Watford with a worse shot-conversion rate compared to their 5.8 percent. With lingering questions over the position of Marcus Rashford along with Romelu Lukaku allowed to leave, the team of Solskjaer is undoubtedly short, with the manager himself admitting his recruitment plans will prioritise intentions and imagination. It is a worry for United moving forward, said Jamie Carragher following the Old Trafford draw, at which 12 of their 16 attempts came from outside the box. For United, who are renowned as that team of flying wingers, folks getting from the box, targets and consistently a enormous target hazard, it is a enormous stress and I do not really see it shifting. Whoever talks about them being clinical but have they really got the players with the ability to be clinical? Sky Sports Jose Mourinho, speaking after the grim defeat to West Ham, said he believed United werein trouble for not just into the top four however, the top six, while Gary Neville has surrendered the gulf but encouraged them to prioritise long-term plan. Top four along with winning a prize would be a successful season, he explained on his latest podcast. Thats where Manchester United are in. Thats unacceptable but theyre incapable - after six or seven decades - of going in to first from fifth, sixth or seventh. Being on the right track this year is more important than fifth, fourth or third. Like Man Utd, Arsenals deficiencies have been emphasized in the Old Trafford stalemate but the Gunners - appearing to seal Champions League football for the first time in five seasons - have observed their top-four chances shorten greatly from 11/8 into 10/11. Their prowess - alongside their competitions worries - are reasons for optimism. Injuries have averted Unai Emery from fielding Alexandre Lacazette, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang along with Nicolas Pepe together but Aubameyang has netted seven times this year and they have created more possibilities than Man Utd and Tottenham far. I believe Arsenal have only got the edge due to the strikers within their team, Carragher said on MNF. I believe that they will concede more objects, however, Aubameyang is best class. Hes one of the best strikers in the group, that he had been scorer last year and I would not bet against him being top scorer. They have Lacazette as well, so there are only more goals . A suspect defence stays: no other more Premier League side has generated mistakes resulting in goals since the appointment of Emery, while this term no negative has ever faced more shots in complete by Opta. Carragher, in a deeper look at the defensive flaws of Arsenal, believes Emery has work to do to make sure his backline is protected although david Luiz stays prone to lapses. A wobble against Aston Villa and A capitulation at Watford have been additional reminders of a gentle centre and Paul Merson anticipates fine margins at a nervy race. I would likely say Arsenal will make it there were two worried football teams on Monday night with a lot of pressure on them, he said. There is not going to become a whole lot between Chelsea, United and Arsenal; its not going to be like its been where the top four will be 10-15 points ahead of everybody else. Tottenham might have pushed Liverpool and City challenging last year before falling away because the race on two fronts took its toll, but also the mood has darkened drastically across north London - and that was before Tuesdays 7-2 Champions League humiliation at home to Bayern Munich. A thrashing, together with his team-mates ruthless and Robert Lewandowski, might bite but be more tolerable. Nevertheless Spurs have dropped from cup competition to Colchester, looked devoid of ideas in defeat to Newcastle and repeatedly surrendered leads; at the context of a start where Mauricio Pochettino confessed his talented squad is unsettled following a tumultuous transfer window, these are troubling times. Pochettinos side have won just 3 games out of 10 in most competitions but their dismal run could be tracked back to February; since a defeat to Burnley, they have won only 22 points in their last 19 Premier League matches. Newcastle have made. Christian Eriksen was benched back in midweek, while at Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen, Danny Rose and Serge Aurier, Tottenham fielded a backline made up of players whose futures have been or remain unclear. Hugo Lloris gaffed against Southampton however no goalkeeper has averted more league goals than the Spurs man since the beginning of last season (14), based on Optas anticipated targets on target data. Only four sides have faced over Spurs 112 shots and five points have been dropped from winning positions. Merson, talking before a win over Southampton which appeared a morale-booster, considers Spurs - 8/11 to get a end - stay the nearest challengers to the two top however believes a spark has now gone at the dugout and on the pitch. They are the third-best team in the league, in my opinion, nevertheless, Merson said. I really dont want to say eliminate Pochettino and everythings appropriate, but it is simply gone sour there. With everybody, the whole thing needs changing. Theyre a fantastic team, who arent likely to win the jackpot - . It looks a bit as the players are currently believing that. The spark has gone somewhat . Chelseas wait for a first home win in the Premier League ended in the weekend but their young negative has galvanised fans no matter results along with a growing feeling of optimism was strengthened in Lille, where Frank Lampards players handed out a stern Champions League test, albeit with the support of an elderly mind in Willian. They might be in transition but Lampard has approached the task of blooding childhood with relish in a transfer bans surface and his hope in gift is paying off. Tammy Abraham has scored eight goals this season. He, together with Mason Mount and Fikayo Tomori are in line for England call-ups. Each one of the top-flight targets of Chelsea this season have been scored or assisted by academy graduates. A group full of business currently ranks second for shots, shots on target and chances and these opportunities are good ones - only Manchester City are scoring higher in relation to aims that are expected. Theres ample area for defensive improvement - theyve just kept one clean sheet this season - and that the exertions of a lengthy season could well take their toll players adapting to life at the very top level, but Carragher has noticed enough to believe Lampards facet - 6/4 to get a top-four end - may capitalise because their rivals toil. The one team looking at [Man Utd vs Arsenal] wholl be invited would be Chelsea, Carragher mentioned in the MNF studio. In the start of the year, I believed Chelsea could struggle to get into the top . It will nonetheless be a struggle butin these early phases, they have more quality than that which we have observed from both of these teams. Brendan Rodgers might be playing down Leicesters chances -we know it is a big ask because of all of the other clubs that have been regulars there; we are just focusing on our operation levels, he said following a 5-0 beating of Newcastle, but the amounts marry with the eye evaluation. Just Liverpool and Manchester City have taken more Premier League points than Leicesters 31 since Rodgers coming, with a notable triumph over Tottenham helping them to third at the dining table that was fledgling. A vibrant, hard-pressing facet has been crafted by the former Celtic boss with James Maddison and Jamie Vardy whereas fan favorite Caglar Soyuncu and Wilfred Ndidi are playing key roles back flourishing in assault. Neville believes the Foxes - in good shape - seem together with West Ham to at least mount a top-six challenge. If West Ham and Leicester keep their squads fit, they have a really good likelihood of getting into that fifth or sixth place, he stated on the Gary Neville podcast. Youd probably swap a number of either side players into the Man Utd club or seat. There is a real possibility there. Arsenal are inconsistent, Chelsea and Man Utd are unreliable and youthful. We watched Leicester break through at the exact top miraculously a couple of years ago; it would not be a wonder to watch them break into the top five or four this time. Roy Keane also sees an opportunity:From everything I have seen recently of United and Arsenal, in case you are these other teams - West Ham, Leicester - if there is ever a chance for them to get in the top four itll be this season. Merson is amazed with what he has seen so far - but contains words of warning. Rodgers has not been at Leicester a year and he has already improved that group 10-fold, he stated in his latest column. There isnt one player who has gone backwards since his birth but theres quite a way to go, it is a big ask. In case Jamie Vardy gets hurt players need to remain healthy for these, who is going to come in? Thats the issue on a 38-game year Who are you backing to create the top four? Use the down and up arrows to shape the tables top. Teams readily available for selection are those with the shortest Sky Bet chances (right at 11am, October 3) Manchester City - 1/250 Liverpool - 1/100 Tottenham - 8/11 Arsenal - 10/11 Chelsea - 6/4 Manchester United - 9/4 Leicester - 7/2 West Ham - 16/1 Read more here: http://classicsounds.pl/?p=37502