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SATURDAY | OCT 25, 2025

Malaysian Paper

Litmus test

PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURE S

All matches at 10pm Malaysian time unless stated. TODAY

N ewcastle vs Fulham Chelsea vs S underland TOMORROW

Isak-less Liverpool look to hit stride as City, United face formidable foes L IVERPOOL must halt their three-game Premier League losing streak with tomorrow’s visit to Brentford to remain in touch with Arsenal and in-form Manchester City. year-old the run in the side he craved. Manchester City begin the week end in second, three points off the top, and showing signs they will brush off the malaise that caused an unceremonious fall from grace last season. However, their nine-game

Man Utd vs B righton (12.30am) B rentford vs Liverpool (3am) Wolves vs B urnley B ournemouth vs N ottm Forest

After a slow start, Villa

have won three consecu tive Premier League games. Haaland’s 12-game scoring streak for club and country has masked the fact that no other City player has scored in the Premier League for nearly a month. Manchester United are aiming to build on their long-awaited victory at Anfield last weekend but face a Brighton side that

Arsenal vs Crystal Palace Aston Villa vs Man City MO N DAY (12.30am)

The loss of the Premier League’s most expensive player in Alexander Isak to a groin injury could actually help Arne Slot stumble upon the right formula to turnaround Liverpool’s fortunes. The Sweden attacker’s only goal since his £125 million (RM725m) move from Newcastle came against second tier Southampton in the Carabao Cup as a lack of pre-season conditioning has hampered his start to life at Anfield. Isak was replaced at half-time dur ing Thursday’s 5-1 Champions League win at Eintracht Frankfurt as the Reds ended a run of four con secutive defeats. With Hugo Ekitike restored as the centre forward and Florian Wirtz able to operate in his preferred role behind the striker, Liverpool sud denly clicked into gear in the second half. Wirtz, who has been dropped for the last two Premier League games, registered his first two assists since a £100 million (RM580m) move from Bayer Leverkusen. Despite Ekitike’s impressive start, that includes five goals in 11 Liverpool appearances, the Frenchman has not started in any of his side’s three Premier League defeats to Crystal Palace, Chelsea and United. Isak’s absence should give the 23

Everton vs Tottenham

unbeaten run will be tested by trip to Aston Villa, while leaders Arsenal welcome Crystal Palace to the Emirates. Pep Guardiola’s men finished a distant third behind Liverpool and Arsenal in their first trophyless sea son for eight years. Early defeats to Tottenham and Brighton suggested more of the same for Guardiola’s new-look squad. But the signing of giant Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and the unstoppable form of Erling Haaland have dragged City back into title contention once more. “I have the feeling things are coming back to what we were in the past,” said

Brighton,” said Ruben Amorim on whether United have turned a corner in the immediate aftermath of the Red Devils first win at Liverpool for nearly a decade. The most significant win of Amorim’s tenure was also the first time the Portuguese has won back-to back League games, nearly a year into the role. After Brighton cruised to a 3-1 win at Old Trafford in January, Amorim made headlines by claiming his squad was possibly the worst in the club’s history. But that was just one of three consecutive vic tories at the Theatre of Dreams for the Seagulls, since they won there for the first time ever in 2022. In total, Brighton have won six of the last seven Premier League meet ings between the sides. Victory for United would lift them into the top four for a few hours at least and provide tangible evidence finally of some progress under Amorim. – AFP

have grown used to winning at Old Trafford in recent seasons. “We will see a f t e r

Guardiola after Wednesday’s 2 0 Champions League win at Villarreal. “Last season was tough for us, the vibe and how the team are play ing now make me feel fine.”

Liverpool forward Alexander Isak. – REUTERSPIC

A trip to Villa Park, where City have lost for the past two seasons, is a litmus test of their credentials as title contenders.

Jitters in McLaren paddock

Eagle Go Ahead

Impressive outing for Hakim Danish

- Story on page 28

- Story on page 29

- Story on page 31

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