Arsenal are set to be without defensive anchor Gabriel Magalhaes for Sunday’s North London derby against Tottenham Hotspur—a major blow as Manchester City look to narrow the gap at the top of the Premier League.

Pep Guardiola’s side can move to within a single point of league leaders Arsenal, at least temporarily, if they defeat Newcastle on Saturday. Meanwhile, reigning champions Liverpool are desperate to halt a worrying run of form, and Rob Edwards prepares for his first match in charge of Wolves.

AFP Sport breaks down the weekend’s key storylines:

1. Arteta’s Gabriel dilemma

Mikel Arteta faces a significant defensive puzzle as he prepares for the visit of Spurs, with Gabriel Magalhaes expected to miss out due to a thigh injury sustained during Brazil’s 2–0 friendly win over Senegal at the Emirates last weekend.

The Brazilian has been a cornerstone of Arsenal’s near-unbreakable defence, which has conceded just five goals in 11 Premier League matches. His partnership with William Saliba has been central to the Gunners’ title charge, and he remains a major threat on set pieces.

Gabriel is reportedly sidelined for several weeks, leaving Piero Hincapie or Cristhian Mosquera as the leading candidates to step in. He joins Viktor Gyokeres, Martin Ødegaard and several others on Arsenal’s growing injury list.

Despite their setback, Arsenal hold a four-point lead over Manchester City after a 2–2 draw with Sunderland snapped their run of eight consecutive clean-sheet victories in all competitions. They remain favourites to secure their first Premier League title since 2003/04 and boast an impressive home record against Spurs—losing just once in the league to their rivals at the Emirates since 1993.

However, Tottenham arrive with the league’s best away record this season: four wins and a draw from five matches.

2. Liverpool need a rapid turnaround

Liverpool’s title defence is in serious danger after five defeats in six league games left them eight points behind Arsenal.

According to Opta, the champions now have only a 7% chance of retaining the Premier League trophy following their 3–0 loss to Manchester City before the international break.

Next up is Nottingham Forest—the only club to beat Liverpool at Anfield last season—with Arne Slot’s side in desperate need of a reset.

Defense remains the Reds’ biggest concern: they have conceded at least two goals in six of their last seven Premier League matches. Former defender Jamie Carragher warned that Liverpool could miss out on Champions League football altogether unless they strengthen at the back during the January transfer window.

Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi remains a reported target after a summer move fell through, but immediate improvement is essential.

3. Howe demands a “big response” from Newcastle

Newcastle enter the weekend in 14th place with just three league wins this season and now face the unenviable task of hosting Manchester City.

“It’s been difficult to pinpoint one thing,” manager Eddie Howe told the BBC. “But we know we need to improve our general performances. We’re looking for consistency, for more goals—we’re looking for a big response right now.”

City have not lost to Newcastle in the Premier League—home or away—since 2019, making Saturday an even greater challenge for Howe’s struggling side.

While frustration is growing among some fans, Howe is still expected to retain the backing of the club’s hierarchy after last season’s achievements, including winning the League Cup and qualifying for the Champions League.