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The month of June has finally arrived and the Premier League restart is only a few days away. While all the fixtures for the rest of the Premier League season will be played in empty stadiums, fans will still be waiting for the EPL restart with bated breath.
Premier League set for an exciting restart
Liverpool sits pretty on top of the Premier League table at the moment and is set to win their first EPL title in 30 years. The Merseyside giants need only two more victories to seal the Premier League trophy and will be looking forward to the EPL restart.
With as many as seven clubs vying for two spots in the EPL top four, there is still much to play for in the remainder of the Premier League season. Several nail-biting fixtures adorn the first 15 days of the restarted Premier League season and we take a look at five of the best.
#5 Everton vs Liverpool, 21st June
Come hell or high, the Merseyside derby never fails to disappoint. Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool side may be well on their way to winning the Premier League title but yet another victory in the Merseyside derby will further cement the club's place as the best team in that region.
Liverpool was in sensational form going into the break with the side's charismatic front three of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino, and Sadio Mane wreaking havoc in the EPL. Everton's form has been on the rise under Carlo Ancelotti but they still have a few issues to resolve in the midfield and the defence.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been sensational for the Toffees this season and remains Everton's only chance against Liverpool. The Reds are clear favourites going into this much-hyped Premier League fixture, but stranger things have happened in the past.
#4 Manchester City vs Arsenal, 17th June
The student goes head-to-head with his master in the first fixture of the EPL restart as Mikel Arteta meets Pep Guardiola's Manchester City in what promises to be an exciting match. Manchester City has not been at its best this season and has conceded a massive 25-point lead to Liverpool already.
Arsenal, however, are among the most underperforming teams of this Premier League season and have been unable to maintain any modicum of consistency in form. Pep Guardiola will fancy his chances going into the clash but will be wary of his former pupil Mikel Arteta.
The Gunners have improved since Mikel Arteta took charge of the Premier League side from Unai Emery. The likes of Granit Xhaka, Mesut Ozil, and the misfiring Nicolas Pepe have improved under the Spaniard and will be crucial if Arsenal is to qualify for the Champions League next season.
#3 Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester United, 19th June
Manchester United takes on Tottenham Hotspur over the first weekend of the restarted Premier League season. Both clubs have struggled to live up to expectations in 2020 and will have to tough it out to qualify for the Champions League next season.
Manchester United is in a much better position and may already be in contention for qualification if Premier League rivals Manchester City are banned from the Champions League. The Red Devils have bolstered their midfield with the acquisition of Bruno Fernandes and with the return of Paul Pogba, Old Trafford may just witness a resurgence.
Spurs, on the other hand, are in dismal form going into the Premier League restart. Jose Mourinho has failed to revive the North London club's form as the side currently occupies the eighth spot on the EPL table. With the likes of Ndombele and Dele Alli misfiring, Manchester United will be the favourite going into this fixture.
#2 Chelsea vs Manchester City, 25th June
Frank Lampard's Chelsea welcomes Manchester City to Stamford Bridge in what is set to be one of the most absorbing Premier League clashes this month. Chelsea has been this EPL season's surprise package, with Frank Lampard working wonders with young talent present in the squad.
The likes of Tammy Abraham and Mason Mount have burst on to the Premier League scene and have very quickly become a permanent fixtures in the Chelsea lineup. Pep Guardiola's tactical nous will be crucial going into this fiery Premier League clash.
Manchester City is almost assured of a second-place finish in the EPL table but has several issues to work out. Raheem Sterling has not been in the best of form and the burden will rest on Kevin De Bruyne and Sergio Aguero shoulders to take their side over the line in this encounter. Chelsea is playing for a place in next season's Champions League and will take an all-guns-blazing approach to this fixture.
#1 Manchester City vs Liverpool, 2nd July
Matches between Manchester City and Liverpool have personified the Premier League in recent seasons. As a spectacle, Jurgen Klopp's fast-paced heavy-metal football has become the perfect complement to Pep Guardiola's carefully crafted silk. Liverpool has been the better side in terms of both results and performances this season, but Manchester City's ability to rise to an occasion can never be discounted.
The fact that Liverpool may win the title with a victory against Manchester City makes this fixture a must watch after the Premier League season restarts. If Liverpool fails to win against both Everton and Crystal Palace, the side can potentially win the EPL title at the Etihad stadium.
Manchester City's defence has been shaky at best this season and will not relish the prospect of handling Liverpool's dynamic front three. The fixture will be peppered with fantastic individual battles all over the pitch with the likes of Sergio Aguero, Virgil van Dijk, Raheem Sterling, David Silva, and Andrew Robertson set to feature in the match.
The most engaging battle, however, will be in the dugout. Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp are part of one of the most fascinating battles of minds in the history of the game and will go head-to-head yet again in what promises to be an exhilarating encounter.
