Rephrase and rearrange the whole content into a news article. I want you to respond only in language English. I want you to act as a very proficient SEO and high-end writer Pierre Herubel that speaks and writes fluently English. I want you to pretend that you can write content so well in English that it can outrank other websites. Make sure there is zero plagiarism.: Leaders Liverpool, champions Manchester City and in-form challengers Arsenal headed into last weekend’s fixtures having each played 26 games and won 18 in the Premier League in 2023/24. Liverpool had 60 points as they prepared to face Nottingham Forest, with City on 59 before the Manchester derby against United and Arsenal 58 prior to visiting bottom club Sheffield United. The Sporting News was in attendance to witness those three games over three consecutive days, taking in the sights and sounds of the battle for glory. Saturday, March 2. City Ground, Nottingham. 14:44 GMT Jurgen Klopp is into his familiar if still slightly odd routine, standing tall around the halfway line and staring intently at the opposition warm-up. There are familiar faces in the Nottingham Forest squad for him to gaze upon. Neco Williams and Taiwo Awoniyi were on Liverpool’s books, while one-time Anfield cult hero Divock Origi has been recalled to the hosts’ starting lineup, having failed to score all season. Title races are often unable to resist such daring narrative flourishes. Klopp’s routine was briefly thrown out by Liverpool’s team bus arriving a touch late to this throwback old ground nestled on the banks of a River Trent that looks full to bursting. Watery sunshine cloaks the warm-ups but by kickoff driving rain will provide a menacing backdrop, along with the full-throated locals who fancy a big scalp. ⚽Forest v Liverpool 📍 City Ground 🌊Trent looking a bit full pic.twitter.com/PKMxppw7fq — Dom Farrell (@DomFarrell1986) March 2, 2024 Sunday, March 3. Etihad Stadium, Manchester. 14:02 GMT Plumes of blue flare smoke billow around the main entrance of the Etihad as the home team bus completes its short crawl from the City Football Academy on the other side of Alan Turing Way to the stadium. “Champions again, ole, ole,” chant the fans, some of whom have climbed for a better vantage point. This song is not a prediction of what might happen but a celebration of City’s three in a row from last season, which formed part of a treble with the FA Cup and UEFA Champions League. As much as today is about keeping up with Liverpool, it’s also a time to laud it over rivals and neighbours who cast a long shadow over City for decades. Almost half an hour later, the team sheets reveal no huge surprises. Pep Guardiola has not opted for anything unduly funky as he sometimes does in big games. John Stones roving from centre-back into attacking midfield is simply par for the course these days. Erik ten Hag has named the United side he pretty much has to due to injuries and a shirking core of players he can trust. Lisandro Martinez and Rasmus Hojlund turning up in club tracksuits is nothing more than derby day japery. They aren’t fit to feature. Monday, March 4. Bramall Lane, Sheffield. 17:15 GMT “I’d take a 2-1 defeat tonight, to be honest. There’s a bit of pride in that,” says one member of staff responsible for feeding and watering representatives of the media at Sheffield United. The past two games at Bramall Lane, against Aston Villa and Brighton & Hove Albion, have ended in 5-0 defeats. “No, trust me — Sheffield United win. I’m from the future,” chirps his colleague, fairly evidently not believing a word of it. Gallows humour is what sustains when things get bleak and the Blades are having one of the bleakest seasons imaginable. Arsenal have won their past two away games 6-0 and 5-0 at West Ham and Burnley. Last time out, they battered Newcastle United 4-1. Mikel Arteta’s side are in prime form, with glory in their nostrils. There is none of the spikey defiance of the City Ground in this corner of South Yorkshire, more a weary sense of duty: people going to the game because it’s what you do, no matter what the omens are. Talking of omens, the club nicknamed the Blades, and with the motto “Forged In Steel” daubed around their stadium, has run out of forks. The Sporting News tackles a hearty beef stew with a knife and a spoon. Title race triple header, part III ⚽ Sheffield United v Arsenal 📍Bramall Lane pic.twitter.com/U7A03HWFTh — Dom Farrell (@DomFarrell1986) March 4, 2024 Saturday, March 2. City Ground, Nottingham. 15:25 GMT Klopp is raging at the fourth official. Apoplectic. The main cause was the lack of an offside flag for Anthony Elanga after Forest’s former Manchester United winger sprung Liverpool’s high line but finished tamely as Caiomhin Kelleher made a fine save. Late offside flags are just a thing in the VAR age but this one never came and it was tight. So is the game. Liverpool have most of the ball but injuries and the busy recent schedule has robbed them of their sharpness. Origi has thudded just wide from 25 yards and there is a spiteful edge emanating from the terraces, where a section of the Forest faithful and their humourless anti-Scouse songs are providing the soundtrack. It’s nasty for the leaders out there. A day to endure rather than enjoy. Sunday, March 3. Etihad Stadium, Manchester. 15:49 GMT Pep Guardiola is on his knees, head in hands and contorting towards the turf. Not long ago, Marcus Rashford scored the sort of derby goal Manchester boys dream about, larruping Bruno Fernandes’ lay-off into the top corner from 25 yards. It was the first time United managed to break the sky blue wave and venture out of their half with any conviction. Now Ruben Dias has lost his footing on the halfway line and Rashford is through on goal. Guardiola has decided it’s effectively 2-0, the derby and the title slipping away. But the United star cannot get the ball under his spell and Kyle Walker darts back to pick his England teammate’s pocket. City are creating chances but they are frantic. As they build an attack from their own half, Bernardo Silva asks for the ball, takes possession and then gestures for everyone to calm down, like a gym teacher who has seen the game of dodgeball get way out of hand. He’s telling the team; he’s telling the crowd. He might well be telling his manager. Bernardo Silva is a genius and a leader. https://t.co/I1BYF0VDV1 pic.twitter.com/Bmits0dg0g — Juni🎀 (@Juniigen) March 4, 2024 Monday, March 4. Bramall Lane, Sheffield. 20:17 GMT Chris Wilder has decided to make a tactical substitution to facilitate a change in his team’s defensive shape. Oliver Norwood is making way for Ben Osborn. That would be fine if it wasn’t the 17th minute of the game with Arsenal 3-0 up. The predictions of the Bramall Lane catering staff are in tatters. The Gunners have not been able to stop themselves from scoring goals and almost scoring more. Just turning up and being this Arsenal is miles beyond Sheffield United’s capacity. It feels more like a blood sport than a football game. Bukayo Saka is twisting and darting past Auston Trusty into the inside right channel because it would be harder not to. He hit the crossbar doing this in the second minute when Declan Rice had a follow-up cleared off the line by Jack Robinson. Martin Odegaard scored after Arsenal cut down the other flank, Saka forced a Jayden Bogle own-goal and Gabriel Martinelli made it three. It’s over. It was probably over before it began. Saturday, March 2. City Ground, Nottingham. 16:15 GMT Andy Robertson has played pretty well on his return from illness but he missed Liverpool’s best chance of the match and then hurled himself, backside first, into his old pal Williams. He’s very apologetic and Klopp decides it’s probably an opportune moment for Andy to enjoy the sanctuary of the dugout. Robertson’s replacement is a man with the sort of main character syndrome this situation demands. Alongside red number 26 on the fourth official’s electronic board is a green number 9 for Darwin Nunez. “You’re just a s*** Andy Carroll!” honk the Forest fans. Why would you tempt fate in such a way? “I don’t know… I think…
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