MADRID, 17 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Liverpool seeks this weekend against Newcastle to confirm their recovery in the Premier League before hosting Real Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16, on a day in which Manchester City hopes to endorse his newly released leadership against Nottingham Forest under the watchful eye of Arsenal, who visits Aston Villa.
Before the tough appointment on Tuesday at Anfield, the ‘reds’, ninth in the standings with 32 points -seven from the European zone-, hope to endorse the reaction last Monday, when, in the derby against Everton (2- 0), put an end to a run of four league games without winning – three defeats and a draw.
Now, Jürgen Klopp’s men cling to this moral triumph against one of their eternal rivals to try to defeat a Newcastle (41) that defends its fourth place, the last access to ‘Champions’. A duel in which Liverpool will not be able to count on Thiago Alcántara, Luis Díaz, Ibrahima Konaté or Arthur, great doubts also for the clash against the madridistas.
Meanwhile, City, which opens its Champions League round of 16 tie against Leipzig in Germany next Wednesday, arrives exultant at its appointment in Nottingham after storming the Emirates (1-3); Goals from Kevin de Bruyne, Jack Grealish and Erling Haaland allowed Pep Guardiola’s men to neutralize Saka’s goal and take the lead in the Premier League with the same 51 points as the Gunners, who still have one game less.
A third consecutive victory for the ‘citizens’ would nullify the effect of any result for Mikel Arteta’s men, who have squandered the eight-point income they had over Manchester’s men in recent weeks. Two defeats and a draw in the last three days have marred the good course of the ‘gunner’ box, which now travels to Villa Park.
For their part, United (46), who drew a draw at the Camp Nou (2-2) on Thursday, hopes to establish themselves in third position at the expense of the mighty Leicester, while Tottenham (39), who occupies the last of the access places to continental competition, receives West Ham, who wants to continue moving away the shadow of relegation.
–PROGRAM OF DAY 24 OF THE PREMIER LEAGUE.
-Saturday.
Aston Villa – Arsenal.
Brentford – Crystal Palace.
Brighton – Fulham.
Chelsea – Southampton.
Everton – Leeds.
Nottingham Forest – Manchester City.
Wolverhampton – Bournemouth.
Newcastle – Liverpool.
-Domingo.
Manchester United – Leicester.
Tottenham – West Ham.