Title-defining showdown between Man City & Arsenal headlines huge weekend in England

[p]Troubled [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chelsea/4fGZN2oK/"]Chelsea[/a] desperately need a win against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-united/ppjDR086/"]Manchester United[/a] in the race for Champions League qualification, while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/liverpool/lId4TMwf/"]Liverpool[/a] are also in search of a morale boost in the Merseyside derby.[/p][p][i]AFP Sport[/i] looks at three talking points ahead of the weekend's action:[/p][h2]Arsenal must improve in 'defining' moment[/h2][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rice-declan/zkQ8Cm6n/"]Declan Rice[/a] doesn't care what the critics say about [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/arsenal/hA1Zm19f/"]Arsenal[/a]'s untimely loss of form, but the midfielder is well aware they must improve to win their [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/arsenal-hA1Zm19f/manchester-city-Wtn9Stg0/?mid=U3M9iQJ6"]"title-defining" clash with Manchester City[/a].[/p][p][b]Mikel Arteta's side travel to the Etihad Stadium on Sunday nursing a six-point lead over second-placed City as they target a first English title since 2004.[/b][/p][p]Arsenal have spluttered in recent weeks, losing the EFL Cup final against City, suffering a shock FA Cup quarter-final defeat against second-tier [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/southampton/WdKOwxDM/"]Southampton[/a] and crashing to a damaging loss against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/bournemouth/OtpNdwrc/"]Bournemouth[/a] in the top-flight.[/p][image alt="Arsenal hold a six-point lead over Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table" id="bc3f32a9-7e27-4b83-868e-0c7b5ee993c3" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="9ba9e836-4cc9-4d54-bf0b-41144e3c263b" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]Even Arsenal's progress to the Champions League semi-finals came with an asterisk after they laboured to a nervy goalless draw that secured a 1-0 aggregate victory against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sporting-cp/tljXuHBC/"]Sporting[/a] on Wednesday.[/p][p]The Gunners have won just one of their last five matches in all competitions, while City are approaching top gear, having beaten Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea in their last three games.[/p][p]"There's no beating around the bush. We have to perform better than we did against Bournemouth and probably Sporting as well," Rice said.[/p][p][b]"Recently, we have made too many errors. The Etihad is the ultimate test, but it's why we play this game. So, bring it on.[/b][/p][p][b]"It's beautiful. I can't wait. When you're a kid, you're watching the Premier League, you see these big matches, these title-defining moments and it comes down to if you're going to be ready and how much do you want it?"[/b][/p][h2]Wobbling Chelsea host Man Utd[/h2][p]Rocked by a miserable run of just one win in their last seven league games, Chelsea are on the brink of falling out of the battle for Champions League places.[/p][p]Liam Rosenior's sixth-placed side have no margin for error in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/chelsea-4fGZN2oK/manchester-utd-ppjDR086/?mid=42nywR4D"]Saturday's game against third-placed Manchester United at Stamford Bridge[/a].[/p][p][b]They are seven points behind United, who lost to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/leeds/tUxUbLR2/"]Leeds[/a] in their last match, and four adrift of fifth-placed Liverpool with six games to play.[/b][/p][image alt="Chelsea are battling for Champions League qualification" id="8dc5c9bb-94cc-48e2-88ff-d2c2719bd489" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="0b236262-2e17-4fcf-ab07-ed22070d36ba" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]A defeat against United would put Chelsea's Champions League hopes in grave danger, increasing the pressure on boss Liam Rosenior after his team were booed off following last weekend's 3-0 loss to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-city/Wtn9Stg0/"]Manchester City[/a].[/p][p]Blues midfielder [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/andrey-santos/vDrVnIrd/"]Andrey Santos[/a] insisted the players are determined to turn the tide.[/p][p][b]"We understand the fans are frustrated," [/b]he said.[b] "We are frustrated too. When you talk about Chelsea, you talk about winning games, which we're not doing.[/b][/p][p][b]"It's a difficult moment but we have to work hard and keep going. Of course we believe we can finish in a Champions League place."[/b][/p][h2]Wounded Liverpool face Everton test[/h2][p]Unceremoniously dumped out of the Champions League by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/psg/CjhkPw0k/"]Paris Saint-Germain[/a] on Tuesday, Liverpool aim to make amends in their [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/everton-KluSTr9s/liverpool-lId4TMwf/?mid=GtGge8Ks"]first appearance at Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium on Sunday[/a].[/p][p]Arne Slot's side lost 4-0 on aggregate to PSG, turning the heat up on the Liverpool boss.[/p][embed guid="40dacfaf-ec12-4454-9f6c-d5c5dff89edb" url="https://x.com/LFC/status/2045034527094087908?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Slot suffered another blow this week when France striker [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ekitike-hugo/ltVXPlJU/"]Hugo Ekitike[/a] was ruled out for the rest of the season with an Achilles injury.[/p][p]But Reds midfielder [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gravenberch-ryan/Y5aFd8V4/"]Ryan Gravenberch[/a] knows beating [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/everton/KluSTr9s/"]Everton[/a] in the first Merseyside derby at their plush new arena would lift Liverpool's anxious fans and, more importantly, strengthen their bid to qualify for the Champions League.[/p][p][b]"We have to pick ourselves up as Sunday is waiting,"[/b] he said.[/p][p][b]"We just want to play in the Champions League next year. We have to give it our all."[/b][/p][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/soccer/england/premier-league/"]Follow the Premier League with Flashscore[/a][/h2]