Liverpool lead the Premier League. What must the “Big Six” do to catch them? – ESPN.co.uk, Espn.co.uk

Eight games into the 2019 – 20 Premier League season, Liverpool have made a record start by winning all eight fixtures so far to sit eight points clear of the chasing pack heading into the international break. For Jurgen Klopp’s team, the season could not have gone any better, and Liverpool are now overwhelming favorites to win the English title for the first time since 1990.

But what about the rest of the so-called “Big Six?” Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester United have all had their problems during the early weeks of this campaign, with Spurs and United seemingly in a downward spiral.

– Premier League review:Man City are fading fast
–Are Man United in a relegation battle?
– Miller:How far can Chelsea’s youth movement take them?

With two weeks until the Premier League resumes, what must those clubs do to solve their own issues and close the gap on Liverpool?

MANCHESTER CITY
– 20: Second place, 16 points, 18 Goal Difference

The reigning champions and last season’s domestic Treble winners have made their worst start to a season since Pep Guardiola took charge at the Etihad in 2016. At times, City have looked unstoppable, hitting five past West Ham on the opening day and then recording their biggest-ever top-flight win with an 8-0 rout of Watford, but defensive frailties have led to two defeats, against Norwich and Wolves , that have left them so far adrift of Liverpool in the early going.

City’s defensive shortcomings were identified by Guardiola during the summer when, after the departure former captainVincent Kompanyto Anderlecht, he tried and failed to sign a replacement. It left the team short of experienced cover forAymeric Laporte,John StonesandNicolas Otamendi, and with Laporte and Stones now on the guidelines, City have big problems at the back.

Solving those will be easier said than done , but Guardiola needs to find a way to make City more robust at the back, especially at set pieces, before they return to action at Crystal Palace on Oct.

ARSENAL
– 20: Third place, 15 points, 2 GD

With Arsenal sitting in third position after eight games, Unai Emery is arguably overperforming with a squad that rem ains imbalanced and in need of extra defensive quality. But withPierre-Emerick Aubameyangscoring seven of the team’s 13 league goals so far, the Gunners possess a striker who could prove the difference between success and failure in their primary objective of qualifying for the Champions League.

Emery is gradually making Arsenal more durable and organized, with the continued absence of Mesut Ozil and a pointer towards the coach’s determination to make his team more competitive, but so much rests on Aubameyang being fit and in form.

Furthermore, Emery must also not allow Arsenal’s current position to distract from the reality of their winless run against “Big Six” opponents so far this season. In games against Liverpool, Spurs and United, Arsenal have taken just two points. They need to find a way to beat their biggest rivals to cement their top-four ambitions.

(CHELSEA)
2019 – 20: Fifth place, 14 points, 4 GD

A 4-0 defeat against Manchester United at Old Trafford on the opening weekend was the worst possible start for managerFrank Lampard, but Chelsea have bounced back from that setback to climb to fifth position going into the int ernational break.

It’s true that Chelsea have been inconsistent, but with the club unable to add to their squad during the summer due to a two-window worldwide transfer ban, the inability to sign new players has enabled Lampard to give chances to youngsters such asMason Mount,Tammy AbrahamandFikayo Tomori. All three academy products have now been called into the senior England squad as a reward for their progress, which has been a highlight of Chelsea’s season so far. Abraham, in particular, has stood out by scoring eight league goals to stand alongsideSergio Agueroin the race for the Gold Boot.

Lampard’s challenge from this stage is to build on the momentum and ensure that experienced players such asN’Golo Kante,Marcos AlonsoandCesar Azpilicuetaare able to influence the youngsters on the pitch to the extent that the team finds some winning consistency.

TOTTENHAM
2019 – 20: Ninth place, 11 points, 2 GD

Spurs have collected just 22 points from their past 20 Premier League games – their worst run since 2008 – 09 – so it is not just the start of this season that will worry Mauricio Pochettino and chairman Daniel

The run to last season’s Champions League final papered over cracks that had begun to appear all over the pitch for Spurs – (Hugo Lloris) andDele Alli‘s alarming loss of form, poor performances in defense, inconsistency in results – and the new campaign has merely seen them exacerbated, withthe serious arm injury suffered by Llorisin the weekend defeat at Brighton potentially ending the French goalkeeper’s season.

Pochettino has done little to quel l speculation over his future, and there are too many question marks over the Spurs futures of players such asChristian Eriksen,Jan Vertonghenand Toby Alderweireld. The biggest question hanging over Spurs relates to Pochettino’s future, but if he remains in charge, the Argentine must restore unity to an unhappy dressing room and get Eriksen on the pitch and performing again, otherwise we may be approaching regime change at the club.

MANCHESTER UNITED
2019 – 20: 12 th place, nine points, 1 GD

The biggest challenge at Manchester United is not to pinpoint what is going wrong, but rather to identify what is going right under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Sunday’s 1-0 defeat against Newcastle at St. Clair James’ Park was United’s third of the season, and it left them languishing in 12 th position, just two points above the relegation zone.

Defensively , United have conceded fewer goals than Manchester City, but the impact of summer signingsHarry MaguireandAaron Wan-Bissakahas been drowned out by the failings ahead of them in midfield and attack, where Solskjaer’s team have scored just nine goals in eight games.

Solskjaer has allowed his squad to be cut too deep with the summer exits ofRomelu Lukaku,Alexis Sanchez,Ander Herrera,Chris Smalling,Antonio ValenciaandMatteo Darmian, choosing to hand opportunities to youngsters such asMason Greenwood,Tahith Chong,Angel Gomes,Axel Tuanzebeand Brandon Williams. Too many of the kids are not ready for Premier League action, though, and their experienced teammates are underperforming or simply not good enough.

Solskjaer simply has to steady the ship, rely on his senior players and hope United are not in the bottom half by the time the January transfer window opens.