The Football Faithful
·2 November 2024
The Football Faithful
·2 November 2024
Five wonderfully enticing fixtures to tune into this weekend, as the European calendar brings crunch clashes in the Premier League and top-of-the-table showdowns in Serie A.
Here are our five must-watch games of the weekend.
First meets third in Serie A as two teams who have upset the established order of Italian football of late meet in Naples.
Antonio Conte has had an instant impact at Napoli, who have been revitalised under the serial winner. A year on from their drought-breaking Scudetto, Napoli slumped to a 10th-place finish last season but Conte has taken Gli Azzurri back to the top of the table. It’s five straight wins for the leaders, who won 2-0 at AC Milan last weekend in their most impressive conquest to date.
Another tough test awaits on Saturday, however, as Europa League winners Atalanta arrive at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium. Summer signing Mateo Retegui has hit 10 goals in just nine games to take an early lead in the Capocannoniere race.
Nuri Sahin is under pressure at Borussia Dortmund, following an unconvincing start to the season. BVB are in seventh place after eight games and have lost their last three in all competitions, including a DFB-Pokal exit to Wolfsburg in midweek.
RB Leipzig are the visitors to the Westfalenstadion this weekend, with Marco Rose’s men in fine form. Trailing leaders Bayern Munich only on goal difference, Leipzig have conceded just three goals in the Bundesliga this season.
Arsenal aim to get their title bid back on track with a trip to face Newcastle on Saturday lunchtime.
The Gunners have fallen five points off the pace in the Premier League, having dealt with a depleted defence in recent weeks.
After a thrilling draw with Liverpool last time out, the fixture list does not get easier for Mikel Arteta’s men who face Newcastle, Inter Milan and Chelsea in successive games. The North Londoners have lost two of their last three visits to St James’ Park.
The Eredivisie’s weekend action is headlined by De Topper, as fierce rivals Ajax and PSV Eindhoven meet in the capital. Ajax have shown signs of improvement under new head coach Francesco Farioli and beat Feyenoord 2-0 last weekend to earn a fifth straight win.
However, Ajax host a PSV Eindhoven side who have looked unstoppable this season. The champions have a perfect record after 10 games, with 35 goals scored, to open up an eight-point lead in the title race.
Ruben Amorim’s imminent appointment at Manchester United could stir up the atmosphere around Old Trafford this weekend, as old rivals Chelsea visit in the Premier League.
Amorim’s reign will not begin until after November’s international break, though Ruud van Nistelrooy got off to a dream start as interim boss with a 5-2 thrashing of Leicester in midweek.
After scoring just eight goals from their nine top-flight games so far, Manchester United looked reborn to fire five past the Foxes. Chelsea, however, will be keen to burst the bubble.