London, March 14 (IANS) This weekend’s Carabao Cup final between Liverpool and Newcastle United means there are just eight games to be played in the Premier League before the first title of the season is decided in England. Liverpool goes to Wembley as the big favourite to lift the Carabao Cup trophy, but coach Arne Slot has to raise his players after their painful exit to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties at Anfield on Tuesday.
Tiredness will be a factor for Liverpool, who lost full-back Trent Alexander Arnold with a knee injury on Tuesday and have his logical replacement, Conor Bradley also injured, reports Xinhua. Newcastle’s main problem is the suspension of Anthony Gordon, who serves the second of a three-match ban as he picked up a red card in the recent FA Cup defeat to Brighton.
Liverpool’s 15-point lead at the top of the Premier League means the race for the league title is all but over, but the race to qualify for the Champions League is still wide open, especially as it looks certain that the Premier League will get five places in the competition next season.
Second-placed Arsenal and fourth-ranked Chelsea play each other on Sunday, with neither side in great form, due mainly to a host of injuries in attack. Arsenal remains without Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus, and while Bukayo Saka is close to a return, he won’t be risked until after the international break.
Chelsea is without Nicolas Jackson and Marc Guiu, and this could be a game where both sides will probably have to be patient.
Nottingham Forest has a four-point cushion over Newcastle United, who currently sit sixth on the table, and Nuno Espiritu Santo’s side travels to play Ipswich Town, which sit in 18th place and without a Premier League win in 2025.
Manchester City and Brighton are two more sides very much in the hunt for a Champions League place, with Brighton travelling to Manchester after four consecutive wins have lifted them to seventh, just a point behind Pep Guardiola’s inconsistent men.
Bournemouth still have a decent chance of playing in Europe next season, but Andoni Iraola’s side needs to win its home game against Brentford to end a run of three games without a win.
Fulham and Tottenham play what should be a balanced game, although Fulham’s solid defense might give them the edge over a team that won a tough European match on Thursday.
The Europa League also brought some much-needed relief to Manchester United with a 4-1 win over Real Sociedad. United now visits struggling Leicester City, coached by former United coach’s assistant Ruud van Nistelrooy, who had a brief but successful spell as caretaker coach at Old Trafford after Ten Hag’s sacking.
–IANS
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