Soccer on TV: The best games to watch this weekend
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The top TV action from Europe’s top leagues has Manchester United trying to stay unbeaten under new management while struggling Arsenal tries to get healthy against a Chelsea side that has traditionally given the Gunners trouble. In Germany, the Bundesliga returns from vacation with two interesting top-of-the table clashes and in Spain, Sevilla and Real Madrid play to break a tie for third in the standings.
EPL: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has won his first six games as Manchester United’s caretaker manager, the best start for a coach in the team’s 141-year history. He’ll try to make it seven straight wins Saturday when United plays host to mid-table Brighton (CNBC, 7 a.m. PT). And the odds of that happening look pretty good. Not only have the Red Devils never lost a home match to Brighton, but the Seagulls have won just one of their last seven in league play. Also on Saturday, Chelsea will invade the Emirates for a London Derby that could go a long way toward determining the EPL’s Champions League qualifiers (NBC, Universo, 9:30 a.m.) Chelsea, which has lost just two of its last 10 in all competition, is fourth in the table, six points clear of Arsenal and Manchester United, and can jump up a place with a win Saturday and a Tottenham draw or loss at Fulham on Sunday (NBCSN, 8 a.m., PT). Arsenal has two of its last three in league play and is 1-8-5 against Chelsea in the teams’ last 14 EPL meetings.
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Bundesliga: Germany’s top league returns from a nearly four-week holiday break Friday with second-place Bayern Munich, winners of five straight, traveling to Hoffenheim to meet a team that has played to ties in its last six league matches. (FS1, Unimas, 11:30 a.m. PT). Hoffenheim has won just two of 21 league matches with Bayern Munich. League-leading Borussia Dortmund plays on Saturday, hitting the road to face fourth-place Red Bull Leipzig (FS1, Fox Deportes, 9:30 a.m. PT). Both are unbeaten in their last three.
La Liga: Real Madrid has found life more difficult without Cristiano Ronaldo but the reigning European champions can take over third in the table Saturday with a win over visiting Sevilla (BeIN Sports, 7 a.m. PT). Both teams have lost two of their last five in all competition.
kevin.baxter@latimes.com | Twitter: @kbaxter11
