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City are eight points clear at the top of the table and victory at their fierce rivals could realistically end Jose Mourinho`s hopes of landing the club`s first league title since Alex Ferguson`s trophy-laden reign.
Pep Guardiola`s unbeaten City are smashing records with impunity and are already five points clear of Jose Mourinho`s United after nine wins in 10 games.
A win over Liverpool would lift Huddersfield above them and increase the pressure that is building on his great friend -- who is godfather to one of Wagner`s three children whilst the Terriers handler was best man at Klopp`s wedding -- after a disappointing start to the season domestically.
Both City and Chelsea, three points behind both Guardiola`s men and second-placed Manchester United, go into Saturday`s game on the back of midweek Champions League victories over Shakhtar Donetsk and Atletico Madrid respectively.
Only Manchester City have been able to match United`s goal blitz, with Pep Guardiola`s side sitting above Mourinho`s men on alphabetical order after compiling an identical record.
Table-toppers Manchester United and Manchester City, currently second on goal difference, both have 10 points from their opening four Premier League games.
For several players it will be a case of starting competitive life with their new club -- the transfer window having closed during the international break -- or for some a case of turning out after their team refused to sell them.
The focus may have been on Manchester last season, but the title went to the capital and the run-in was a battle between two London clubs. Third-place City finished 15 points behind champions Chelsea, with Tottenham Hotspur in second place.
With the title race settled in Chelsea`s favour, Tottenham guaranteed to finish second and the three relegation places filled by Sunderland, Middlesbrough and Hull, it is the battle for the lucrative remaining two places in Europe`s elite club competition that will command the attention on Sunday.
Reigning champions Leicester City have stumbled lately under Craig Shakespeare but a win at West Bromwich Albion on Saturday would all but guarantee their Premier League future following a 1-0 loss to Arsenal in midweek.
With just eight games remaining Chelsea are clinging to a precious seven-point lead over second-placed Tottenham, but the Blues are showing a few glimpses of vulnerability.
With Chelsea 10 points clear at the top of the table and seemingly destined for the title, five major clubs are scrapping over the three remaining Champions League berths.
Arsenal have fallen 12 points off the pace after successive losses against Watford and leaders Chelsea.
United have won their last nine games in all competitions -- their best run since an 11-match winning streak in early 2009 -- while Liverpool are still to win a game in 2017.
United go into the Old Trafford showdown in fine fettle after beating Hull in the League Cup semi-final first leg in midweek to extend their winning streak in all competitions to nine matches.
With each win, Antonio Conte`s side have looked more and more like champions-in-waiting.
Liverpool, second, host Stoke City on Tuesday, with fifth-place Tottenham Hotspur visiting Southampton the following day.
Another victory for Chelsea will leave them one win from equalling Arsenal`s 2002 record for successive wins in the same campaign, which they extended to 14 the following season.
Arsenal`s 14-game unbeaten run had lain strong foundations for a determined tilt at the festive fixure list, only for Arsene Wenger`s men to come unstuck in Tuesday`s 2-1 defeat at Everton.
With a visit to bottom side Sunderland on Wednesday, Chelsea should retain top spot ahead of next weekend's games.
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