Liverpool aim to steady title charge as Spurs and Everton face crucial showdown

Premier League leaders Liverpool will look to recover from recent stumbles to maintain their edge in the title race this weekend.

Meanwhile, struggling Tottenham and Everton clash in a crucial battle to reverse their fortunes, and Newcastle's Alexander Isak eyes a potential scoring record.

Liverpool look to bounce back

Liverpool have dominated much of the season, appearing poised to secure their first Premier League title since 2020. However, a series of uncharacteristic results have offered their rivals a glimmer of hope.

Arne Slot's side have dropped points in consecutive draws against Manchester United and Nottingham Forest, alongside a League Cup semi-final first-leg defeat to Tottenham. Despite losing just twice in all competitions this season, their recent form has left Arsenal, in second place, just four points adrift—though Liverpool retain a game in hand.

This weekend, the Reds travel to Brentford, fresh off their spirited midweek draw against Manchester City. Captain Virgil van Dijk called for focus and resilience, saying, "Two draws don't feel great, but we have another opportunity on Saturday to work our socks off and get a win at Brentford."

Spurs and Everton in desperate battle

Tottenham's alarming slump has dragged them dangerously close to the relegation zone. Ange Postecoglou's team have lost four of their last five league matches, including a 2-1 defeat to north London rivals Arsenal, prompting criticism of the manager's tactics.

Spurs are now just eight points above the bottom three, and a loss to Everton on Saturday could deepen their crisis. "The first half against Arsenal was unacceptable," Postecoglou admitted. "We were nowhere near the levels we needed to be at, and we paid the price."

Everton, under new manager David Moyes, are also desperate for points. Moyes replaced Sean Dyche earlier this week, but his second tenure began with a disappointing 1-0 loss to Aston Villa. With Everton sitting just one point above the relegation zone and having scored only once in their last six league matches, Moyes acknowledged the urgency of the situation.

"I've been working non-stop to figure out how we can score more goals and get the players we need to do that," Moyes said.

Isak eyes record-breaking run

Newcastle's Alexander Isak is in red-hot form, having scored in eight consecutive Premier League matches—a first for the club. His two goals in Wednesday's 3-0 victory over Wolves helped Newcastle climb to fourth place, continuing their impressive resurgence from 12th in December.

The Swedish striker has netted 16 goals in his last 16 games across all competitions and now has his sights on Jamie Vardy's Premier League record of scoring in 11 straight matches.

"My aim is to score every game, so I'm not focused on the record," Isak said ahead of Saturday's fixture against Bournemouth. "But if I get close, it would be a great achievement."