After an international break that was longer than most, the Premier League resumes with a slate of fixtures that should quickly restore the league to centre stage. Gameweek 6 brings heavyweight meetings, difficult home tests and plenty of pressure on sides already searching for rhythm.

Arsenal’s defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion before the break ended a remarkable run and raised the question of how they would react. Five months had passed since their previous league loss, but the 3-0 reverse on the south coast was a severe setback. Leeds United now arrive at the Emirates Stadium unbeaten and sitting fifth, only three points behind the Gunners, while history still strongly favours Arsenal, who have won their last eight meetings with Leeds in all competitions.

Chelsea also need a response after being beaten 3-0 by Brentford. That result was their third consecutive league match without a win and the third time they have conceded three goals in a game this season. Bournemouth’s visit offers little comfort, especially with Chelsea waiting on late checks for João Pedro, Cole Palmer, Moisés Caicedo and Reece James. Marco Rose’s side may be winless, but they have taken points from Chelsea in four of the last six meetings.

Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur meet under clear pressure. United have managed only five points from a manageable run, with defeats to Hull City and 10-man Manchester City damaging the mood. Tottenham, meanwhile, sit bottom after two goalless draws and three defeats, and Roberto De Zerbi’s side arrive with their costly new arrivals yet to settle. The stakes are obvious for both clubs.

The weekend’s headline fixture comes at Liverpool, where Manchester City play for the first time since being found guilty of 114 breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules. After a three-year investigation, the verdict has inevitably shifted attention onto Enzo Maresca and his players, even if they had no part in the issue. City have won all five league games under Maresca, but this is a different test entirely.

Liverpool have every reason to make the occasion felt. They have twice been runners-up to City title teams since 2009 and remain one of the most persistent challengers of the last decade. With the atmosphere set to be intense, this could become one of the defining matches of the round.

Alex Scott’s future is still open to question, with Bournemouth expecting strong transfer attention to continue around the midfielder. Chelsea are said to be in the strongest position at present, while Arsenal and Liverpool remain part of the picture.

Scott underlined his qualities with a standout full debut for England in the 7-0 win over Croatia, showing the combination of athleticism, tenacity and grace that has made him such an attractive target. Chelsea’s interest is not new. They made more than one bid for him in the most recent transfer window, but Bournemouth rejected every offer. Those proposals were reportedly above $79 million (£60 million).

According to the Telegraph, Chelsea plan to revisit the pursuit over the next year and are currently leading the race. Bournemouth are understood to have ruled out a winter move, although Chelsea are prepared to wait until next summer, when Scott would have only one year left on his contract.

Arsenal are also among the clubs linked, and the appeal is obvious. The chance to join the Premier League champions would be significant, but regular playing time would not be guaranteed. Arsenal already have a strong midfield group, with Declan Rice the main figure and Myles Lewis-Skelly, Mikel Merino, Martin Ødegaard, Martín Zubimendi, Eberechi Eze and Kai Havertz all in the mix. The situation became even more competitive with the arrival of Bruno Guimarães.

That leaves Scott with a clear footballing choice to make if interest turns into a formal move. Arsenal would be an impressive destination, but the squad balance suggests he would face serious competition for minutes. Arsenal also have other areas needing attention, particularly on the left wing and at center forward, which makes Scott a valuable but not essential target.

Thomas Tuchel has spoken publicly in support of Raheem Sterling, saying he feels for the forward as his career and personal life continue to unravel. Sterling pleaded guilty to dangerous driving charges last month and remains without a club after failing to secure a move since then.

The case has already drawn significant attention. In May, Sterling crashed his Lamborghini into a metal gate after an incident on the M25 and M3. At the scene, police found six nitrous oxide canisters, and bodycam footage released in September showed him trying to move them onto the back seat after he admitted the charges.

Tuchel, who previously asked Todd Boehly to prioritise Sterling’s arrival at Stamford Bridge in 2022, believes the winger’s decline began after leaving Man City. Sterling had established himself as a major Premier League figure after breaking through at Liverpool and moving to the Cityzens in a $75 million deal in 2014. Under Pep Guardiola, he produced five straight double-digit Premier League goal returns between 2017-18 and 2021-22.

“I have a lot of sympathy for him, and I feel that he has struggled ever since he left Man City and he was at the peak of his career,” Tuchel told reporters on Friday.

Sterling scored 13 goals in his final season at the Etihad before joining Chelsea in 2022. He managed 24 Premier League goal contributions across his first two seasons in west London, but his position changed sharply after that. A loan move to Arsenal did not revive him, and he later found himself outside Enzo Maresca’s plans, spending much of his time with the Italian’s “bomb squad” before leaving the club earlier this year.

His stint at Feyenoord brought more frustration, with his own supporters mocking and jeering him. Then came the Lamborghini incident.

“It’s sad to see that someone struggles because he was a devoted father to his children and he was a family guy, a nice guy to be around,” Tuchel added.

Tuchel still believes Sterling can recover from what he called a “downward spiral”, though the evidence of the last few seasons suggests a long way back for a player who once looked destined for a far brighter end to his career.