Salah's future in focus as Liverpool face Brighton
Attention centres on Mohamed Salah's unclear prospects at Liverpool while Arne Slot aims to block distractions and gear up his squad for the upcoming clash with Brighton this weekend.
The Egyptian ace has suggested that Saturdays encounter at Anfield might mark his final appearance for the Premier League title holders, directing criticism at coach Slot and the clubs leadership in a contentious discussion.
Table toppers Arsenal welcome struggling Wolves, who remain without a victory and have dropped their last eight outings, sitting 13 points adrift of survival.
Manchester City, trailing the Gunners by only two points, tackle a challenging away day in London against Oliver Glasners thriving Crystal Palace.
AFP Sport examines three key discussion points before the matches kick off:
Salah under scrutiny
Finding a resolution for Mohamed Salah at Anfield seems challenging without an apology to Arne Slot and the organisation.
The attacker claimed Liverpool hung him out to dry and revealed a lack of connection with the Dutch coach following his omission from the starting lineup in last weeks 3-3 stalemate at Leeds, the third consecutive game he sat out from the off.
The 33 year old skipped Tuesdays Champions League fixture at Inter Milan, where Liverpool secured a 1-0 victory, instead sharing an image of himself training solo in a gym via social media.
Salah, gearing up to link with Egypt for the Africa Cup of Nations, has brought his relatives to the Brighton fixture.
I plan to attend Anfield to bid farewell to supporters and head to the Africa Cup, he informed journalists. I am unsure about developments during my absence.
However, in the current climate, Salah, rumoured for a switch to the Saudi Pro League, might miss the opportunity to wave goodbye.
Foreseeing the conclusion of this drama proves tricky, yet the possibility exists that the player ranking third on Liverpools historical scoring chart could don the jersey no more.
Arsenal welcome blunt Wolves
Arsenals home tie with Wolves at the Emirates looks set for a straightforward victory for the league frontrunners, who endured their initial loss since August last week.
Wolves, managing merely two points across their first 15 fixtures, appear headed for the most dismal Premier League season ever.
That grim record belongs to Derby, who wrapped up the 2007/08 term with only 11 points.
Mikel Artetas side stumbled versus Aston Villa recently, allowing Manchester City to capitalise fully.
Nevertheless, the Gunners rebounded in midweeks Champions League action, overcoming Club Brugge 3-0 to achieve six triumphs from six in Europe.
Artetas outfit has lacked both primary central defenders, Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba, over their previous four contests in various tournaments, but they should overpower Wolves regardless.
Palace target Man City encore
Crystal Palace have amassed 26 points from 15 Premier League encounters, marking their strongest opening to a top division season and twice the total from this point last year.
The peak moment of 2025 for Oliver Glasners outfit came via defeating City in Mays FA Cup final, securing a European spot.
Presently, Palace, having already triumphed over Liverpool on home soil this campaign, occupy a top four position as ambitions grow.
City have flown beneath the radar this term but are rising as Arsenals chief rivals, chasing a fifth straight success across competitions.
Pep Guardiolas charges draw encouragement from avoiding defeat at Selhurst Park since 2015.
Still, they confront a stern challenge from Palace, boasting the leagues stingiest backline outside Arsenal, having shipped just 12 goals.
Fixtures
Saturday (1500 GMT unless stated)
Chelsea v Everton, Liverpool v Brighton, Burnley v Fulham (1730), Arsenal v Wolves (2000)
Sunday (1400 unless stated)
Crystal Palace v Manchester City, Nottingham Forest v Tottenham, Sunderland v Newcastle, West Ham v Aston Villa, Brentford v Leeds (1630)
Monday (2000)
Manchester United v Bournemouth