By Tobi Awodipe
Arsenal were, last week, pulled back from their march to a first English Premier League title since 2006 by an Everton side seeking a new direction under Sean Dyche. The Gunners were favourites for a win at Goodison Park, but left after suffering just their second league defeat of the season.
Following that defeat, some pundits have already started predicting that it is the beginning of the unravelling of a season, which has, so far, seen Arsenal in total control of their affairs.
This afternoon at the Emirates, the Gunners look to bounce back from that setback against a Brentford side that have shown they are equal to the challenge posed by the biggest teams in the Premiership.
It is the beginning of a crucial week for the leaders as they face defending champions and closest pursuers, Manchester City, five days later.
Mikel Arteta’s men are unbeaten in the league on their own patch this season and six points gained from their next two outings would significantly help the Gunners in their title battle with City.
Elsewhere, Chelsea face a tough trip to West Ham, with Graham Potter forced into a juggling act after an influx of expensive new players, while Manchester United take on Leeds for the second time in five days.
Graham Potter’s new-look Chelsea kick off the weekend’s Premier League action at the London Stadium with Joao Felix likely to be back in the fold after serving a three-game ban.
The forward, on loan from Atletico Madrid, was sent off in his first appearance for the Stamford Bridge club at Fulham last month.
He will return to find a very different dressing room from the one he experienced in the Fulham match, which Chelsea lost 2-1.
The club splashed the cash in spectacular style last month — bringing in eight new faces in total, including wingers Mykhailo Mudryk and Noni Madueke, and breaking the British transfer record to sign Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez.
Potter knows his team must gel quickly if they are to have any hope of closing the 10-point gap to the top four.
Other matches of the day include the Crystal Palace clash with Brighton, Fulham against Nottingham Forest, Leicester versus Tottenham, Southampton against Wolves and Bournemouth versus Newcastle.
