Liverpool Face Chelsea Title Test, Ten Hag Fights to Avoid Sack

Premier League leaders Liverpool face the first serious test of their title credentials against Chelsea this weekend as the English top flight returns after an international break.
Elsewhere, beleaguered Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag cannot afford another flop from his troubled team when Brentford visit Old Trafford.
AFP Sport looks at the key talking points ahead of the action.
Liverpool set for Chelsea test
Liverpool are top of the table after six wins from their first seven games, but the schedule is about to get far more demanding for a team chasing their first Premier League title since 2020.
Arne Slot has started his Anfield reign with league wins over Ipswich, Brentford, Manchester United, Bournemouth, West Ham, Wolves and Crystal Palace.
The only blemish was a surprise home defeat against Nottingham Forest.
But that run of fixtures was hardly the most daunting, especially with United in turmoil, as former Feyenoord boss Slot acclimatized to English football in a relatively low-stress environment.
Slot's honeymoon period since replacing Jurgen Klopp might not last much longer, with fourth-placed Chelsea visiting Anfield on Sunday before a trip to unbeaten Arsenal next weekend.
Chelsea, undefeated in their past seven games in all competitions, are just four points behind Liverpool as new manager Enzo Maresca earns praise for quietly resetting the culture at Stamford Bridge.
While Chelsea co-owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali are reportedly jousting for control of the club behind the scenes, Maresca has taken a bloated squad that underachieved for the past two years and turned them into top-four contenders.
For both Maresca and Slot, their clash at Anfield will provide a clearer picture of just what can be achieved this season.
Pressure mounts on Ten Hag
As the walls close in on Erik ten Hag, the under-fire Manchester United manager's fate could be settled over the next week.
Ten Hag is fighting to avoid the sack after United's worst start to a top-flight season since 1989/90.
Languishing in 14th place with only two wins from seven league matches, United are without a victory in their past five games in all competitions.
After United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe sounded out Thomas Tuchel over his potential interest in replacing Ten Hag after the end of last season, the Dutchman might have breathed a sigh of relief when the former Bayern Munich and Chelsea boss accepted an offer to come England's new manager this week.
Although that removed one potential threat to Ten Hag's position, it is unlikely to prevent Ratcliffe dismissing the 54-year-old if results do not improve drastically.
Brentford's habit of scoring within seconds of kick-off this season makes them a serious danger to a team with United's habit of shooting themselves in the foot.
And even if Ten Hag survives Brentford's visit, Fenerbahce boss Jose Mourinho will surely relish the chance to add to his old club's problems in Thursday's Europa League tie in Turkey.
Assuming Ten Hag is still in charge by then, United finish a testing week with a trip to lowly West Ham, where defeat could well prove the final straw for the former Ajax boss.
Strugglers eye first win
Champagne-soaked celebrations are already a distant memory for Ipswich and Southampton, who have failed to record a single win since earning promotion from the Championship last season.
But this could be the weekend for both teams to break their duck as fourth-bottom Ipswich host fellow strugglers Everton, while second-bottom Southampton welcome 15th-placed Leicester to St Mary's.
Crystal Palace, also in the relegation zone, travel to Nottingham Forest in search of their first victory and Wolves -- bottom of the table with only one point -- hope to defy all expectations by shocking champions Manchester City at Molineux.
Fixtures
Saturday (1400 GMT unless stated)
Tottenham v West Ham (1130), Fulham v Aston Villa, Ipswich v Everton, Manchester United v Brentford, Newcastle v Brighton, Southampton v Leicester, Bournemouth v Arsenal (1630)
Sunday
Wolves v Manchester City (1300), Liverpool v Chelsea (1530)
Monday
Nottingham Forest v Crystal Palace (1900)

Israel Vázquez, the Mexican fighter who won three bantamweight world titles, has died at 46.
World Boxing Council president Mauricio Sulaiman announced the death on Tuesday.
The boxer nicknamed “El Magnifico” revealed on Nov. 10 he had sarcoma, a cancer, The Associated Press reported.
“Israel is finally resting in peace. May God provide his family with strength we extend all the support to his wife Laura, his kids, family and friends during this difficult time,” Sulaiman said on X. “Thanks champion for leaving a special footprint. You will always be 'El Magnifico.'"
Vázquez debuted in 1995 and will be most remembered for his four fights against countryman Rafael Márquez from 2007-10. They split the series, and the 2007 and 2008 duels received fight of the year awards.
After winning in 2008, Vázquez suffered a detached retina and eventually lost his right eye after his retirement. He stopped fighting in May 2010 after the fourth fight against Marquez, who won by a knockout.
Vázquez won the vacant IBF super bantmanweight title in 2004 against Jose Luis Valbuena and successfully defended it twice. Then he took the WBC belt from titleholder Oscar Larios with a third-round stoppage in 2005.
He held the WBC belt until the first meeting with Márquez, against whom he retired in the seventh round after struggling to breathe through a broken nose. In a rematch five months later, Vázquez regained the title despite cuts over both eyes, by knocking out Márquez in the sixth round.
Vázquez won their third bout in early 2008 by a split decision after being knocked down himself. But the eye injury meant he didn't fight for the rest of the year and was stripped of the WBC title.
After three surgeries, he was cleared to fight and fought Márquez a fourth time in Los Angeles and suffered a third-round knockout.
Vázquez finished with a record of 44-5, with 32 knockouts.

Liverpool Face Chelsea Title Test, Ten Hag Fights to Avoid Sack