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This article was first published 11 years ago

What you must not miss in the EPL this weekend

Last updated on: August 23, 2013 14:49 IST

Image: Arsenal players (left to right) Tomas Rosicky, Jack Wilshere, Aaron Ramsey and Olivier Giroud react after conceding a third goal to Aston Villa during their Premier League match on Saturday
Photographs: Toby Melville/Reuters

Fulham vs Arsenal

When: Saturday, August 24

Time: 1715 IST

Arsenal will look to put their off-pitch woes to one side when they make the short trip to Fulham on Saturday.

Manager Arsene Wenger has been under fire for a lack of transfer activity, especially after a shock 3-1 home defeat by Aston Villa on Saturday, though he maintains reinforcements will be brought in before the transfer window shuts on September 2.

One player ruled out of the game is winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who injured his knee against Villa and could be out for three months or at least six weeks, according to Wenger.

"Gutted I'm injured so early in the season. But I'm going to be working hard to hopefully be back playing in 3 months," the player tweeted on Tuesday.

What you must not miss in the EPL this weekend


Photographs: Chris Brunskill/Getty Images

Aston Villa vs Liverpool

When: Saturday, August 24

Time: 2200 IST

Liverpool will look to consolidate on their opening day victory over Stoke City with a strong performance at Aston Villa on Saturday.

The confidence will be high as both the teams won their first game and it could be a very interesting encounter.

Benteke has been a thorn in the side of Liverpool last term.

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has warned his defence to be wary of the 22-year-old.

Liverpool are only missing defender Sebastian Coates (knee) due to injury.

What you must not miss in the EPL this weekend

Image: Jose Mourinho
Photographs: Thananuwat Srirasant/Getty Images

Manchester United vs. Chelsea

When: Monday, August 26

Time: 0030 IST

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho's pursuit of Manchester United's unsettled striker Wayne Rooney has added spice to the first big Premier League match of the season when the title rivals clash at Old Trafford on Monday.

The west London club have already tabled two bids for the England forward and have not ruled out making a third, despite new United boss David Moyes's steadfast refusal to sell.

"We have Plans B and C," Mourinho said ahead of Wednesday's home game against Aston Villa, which they won 2-1 thanks to a second-half header from Serbian Branislav Ivanovic.

"Don't ask me names because it's difficult to speak about players from other clubs. We have the conditions to try to improve our team by bringing in one more player and we are going to try that till the end."

The Blues are keen to add to their striking options of Fernando Torres, Romelu Lukaku and Demba Ba but United do not want to sell to a Premier League title challenger despite the form of Robin van Persie and Danny Welbeck, who each scored twice in an opening 4-1 win at SwanseaCity on Saturday.

Monday's match between two of the Premier League's biggest rivals sees David Moyes in charge of United at home in the league for the first time since replacing Alex Ferguson, a man whose absence the returning Mourinho said would be strange.

"It will be difficult for me, and I think all managers, to go to Old Trafford and play against Manchester United without this mythical figure waiting for us," he recently told Sky Sports.