Liverpool, Manchester City seek neighbours' help in title chase

Liverpool and Manchester City will be looking for a little help from their not-so-friendly neighbours this weekend.

The Premier League front-runners face each other's local rivals when City host Everton and Liverpool take on Manchester United.

Liverpool jumped above City at the top of the table last week after the defending champions suffered their first league loss at Chelsea.

The Reds are now the league's lone unbeaten side after making their best-ever start with 13 wins from 16 games.

But that still doesn't make them a shoo-in for their first league title since 1990, according to Georginio Wijnaldum

“We know we have to do a lot to not lose games and even more to win it,” the midfielder told the Liverpool Echo.

“We know we have to give a good performance every week to continue the run we are in.

"I don't really think we are invincible and if we think that we have a manager who would put both feet on the ground.”

And though Manchester United are just sixth, albeit 16 points behind Liverpool, they are unbeaten in their last four league visits to Anfield with three consecutive clean sheets. 

City's unbeaten dreams were dashed last weekend but manager Pep Guardiola praised his team's performance, saying they played with “great personality.”

Wednesday's Champions League victory over Hoffenheim got them back on the winning track and now they shift focus to Everton, who have drawn their last three visits to the Etihad Stadium.

Tottenham Hotspur will look to build on the euphoria of a late 1-1 draw at Barcelona midweek that qualified them for the Champions League knockout stages when they host relegation-threatened Burnley. 

Spurs are six points off the top in third but have been overshadowed by Liverpool and Man City.

“Not many people have been talking about Tottenham in the Premier League but we get on with our job, tick over until the new year and then give it a push,” striker Harry Kane said.

Two teams going in opposite directions face off when Southampton host Arsenal.

The Gunners are 14 league matches without loss, and 21 overall heading into Thursday's Europa League game against Qarabag, while the Saints are winless in 12 in the league.

West Ham look to continue their resurgence by visiting last-placed Fulham.

After opening the season with four straight losses, the Hammers have climbed to 11th place. 

“If you start the table after those first four games, we could be in sixth position, just one point behind Chelsea [in fourth],” manager Manuel Pellegrini, whose side has won four of six, said.

“But those four games exist, so we need to use these next games to recover our bad start."

Chelsea look to carry the momentum of their Man City victory with them to Brighton, Crystal Palace host Leicester, Newcastle visit Huddersfield, Watford face Cardiff and Bournemouth are away to Wolverhampton in the other matches.