EPL Round-Up: Man City, Arsenal eye top spot

Manuel Pellegrini vows Manchester City will aim for another goal glut as the most prolific side in the Premier League set their sights on struggling Norwich City.

Pellegrini’s table-toppers suffered a rare blank last Sunday when they ground out a 0-0 draw at Manchester United.

That was the first time City had failed to score this season and, despite picking up a useful point away to one of their title rivals, their conservative tactics drew criticism from some quarters.

However, City manager Pellegrini has made it clear he doesn’t expect a repeat against Norwich after normal service was resumed in midweek when a 5-1 win over Crystal Palace took City into the League Cup quarter-finals.

“It is the way we normally play. Maybe it was an accident on Sunday that especially in the second half we couldn’t create chances,” Pellegrini said.

“But it is not our style, so it was very important for the team to return to score goals.”

Second-placed Arsenal will bid to erase the painful memory of their embarrassing League Cup exit against Sheffield Wednesday when they return to Premier League action at Swansea City.

Wenger’s side head to south Wales still smarting from a dismal 3-0 League Cup exit at the hands of second-tier Wednesday in midweek.

And adding to Wenger’s woes, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Theo Walcott both sustained injuries that rule them out this weekend.

Manchester United also suffered a shock League Cup defeat, losing to second-tier Middlesbrough on penalties after a lacklustre performance that added to the pressure on out-of-form striker Wayne Rooney ahead of this weekend’s trip to Crystal Palace.

Aston Villa, bottom of the table and managerless after Tim Sherwood’s sacking, visit Tottenham Hotspur on Monday.

Fixtures

Saturday (1500GMT unless stated)

Chelsea v Liverpool (1245GMT), Crystal Palace v Manchester United, Manchester City v Norwich, Newcastle v Stoke, Swansea v Arsenal, Watford v West Ham, West Brom v Leicester

Sunday

Everton v Sunderland (1330GMT), Southampton v Bournemouth (1600GMT)

Monday

Tottenham v Aston Villa (2000GMT)