Leicester recovery to be tested by Man City – Premier League talking points

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Leicester Recovery To Be Tested By Man City – Premier League Talking Points
Pep Guardiola's Manchester City take on Brendan Rodgers' Leicester, © PA Archive/PA Images
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By Simon Peach, PA Chief Football Writer

The Premier League returns for gameweek 14 following a busy midweek of European fixtures.

Here, the PA news agency picks out five of the main talking points.

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Can Foxes hunt a surprise win against City?

Brendan Rodgers’ position was looking precarious at the Leicester helm until a much-needed recent uptick, which has built confidence and propelled them out of the relegation zone.

While their three wins have come against the Premier League’s current bottom three, the results have brought new hope to a side looking for a fourth successive top-flight clean sheets for the first time in three years.

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That would be some feat if they manage to do that against reigning champions City, who have scored a league high 36 goals from 11 games.

Summer signing Erling Haaland has netted 17 of them but may miss out through injury.

Spurs look for improvements on the south coast

Antonio Conte endured a frustrating midweek
Antonio Conte endured a frustrating midweek (Steven Paston/PA)


Tottenham are third in the Premier League but there is an air of frustration around the north London club.

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Fortunate to escape from Manchester United with only a 2-0 defeat, Antonio Conte’s men then slumped to a 2-1 home defeat to improving Newcastle at the weekend.

Wednesday’s 1-1 draw with Sporting in the Champions League compounded matters, especially after Harry Kane saw a late winner chalked off. Antonio Conte was sent off for his furious reaction and quickly had to regather his thoughts ahead of the trip to Bournemouth.

Still under the caretaker reign of Gary O’Neill, the Cherries are looking to bounce back from Monday’s frustrating loss at West Ham.

Under-fire Marsch lands in Liverpool

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Jesse Marsch is under pressure at struggling Leeds
Jesse Marsch is under pressure at struggling Leeds (Danny Lawson/PA)


Leeds boss Jesse Marsch is the bookmakers’ favourite to be the next Premier League manager to leave their job.

The West Yorkshire side have lost four straight games and are in the midst of an eight-match winless run as they prepare for the unenviable trip to Liverpool.

While Jurgen Klopp’s team have yet to hit the heights everyone knows they are capable of, Marsch’s men should be wary of the wounded Reds.

Liverpool won 3-0 at Ajax in the Champions League on Wednesday night but they will be desperate to bounce back from last weekend’s shock 1-0 loss at promoted Nottingham Forest when they return to Premier League action.

Forest look to shoot down Gunners

Steve Cooper's Nottingham Forest pulled off a big win last weekend
Steve Cooper’s Nottingham Forest pulled off a big win last weekend (Joe Giddens/PA)


Nottingham Forest may languish at the foot of the Premier League standings but their victory against Liverpool has given them a spring in their step.

Steve Cooper’s side will be hoping that shock triumph is the catalyst that sparks their season but Sunday’s trip to table-topping Arsenal presents a difficult challenge.

The Gunners have enjoyed a fine start to the season but things have gone slightly awry over the last week.

Mikel Arteta saw his team held to a frustrating 1-1 draw at struggling Southampton last Sunday before succumbing to a 2-0 defeat at PSV Eindhoven in the Europa League on Thursday. The Spaniard will demand a reaction.

Hammer time for United

Manchester United continued their unbeaten run in midweek
Manchester United continued their unbeaten run in midweek (Nigel French/PA)


The other English sides in continental action on Thursday go toe-to-toe at Old Trafford in Sunday’s late kick-off.

Manchester United comfortably overcame Sheriff 3-0 in the Europa League and are unbeaten in all competitions since starting a hectic October schedule with a chastening 6-3 loss at rivals Manchester City.

Erik ten Hag’s men beat Spurs and drew at Chelsea in their most recent Premier League matches and the United boss has called for a clinical edge ahead of West Ham’s arrival.

The east Londoners edged past Bournemouth on Monday and Silkeborg in the Europa Conference League three days later, with ex-United boss David Moyes now looking for a landmark win at Old Trafford.

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