We preview upcoming league action from England, Germany, Italy, and France. It will be a testing weekend for the big guns to have to shake off the midweek commitments of European football as they turn their attention to domestic football.

ENGLAND

Chelsea are home to Arsenal at Stamford Bridge as they attempt to further extend their dominance on this ground against the Gunners.

Arsenal have torrid memories of their last away league tie, an embarrassing and shocking defeat at Liverpool. The Blues head into the game fresher, having a two-day rest over their opponents who were in action in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday night.

This game should produce goals, but what isn’t certain is if it will be at both ends as the champions appear to be in bullish form.

Manchester United will have to deal with the threat of Wayne Rooney and his Everton teammates at Old Trafford.

The Toffees haven’t experienced the best possible start to the league season and could be in for a third successive defeat.

Romelu Lukaku should be professional enough to put sentiments and emotions aside in his attempt to lead his Manchester United team to victory against his former team, in the absence of the league’s most expensive player, Paul Pogba, who is nursing a hamstring injury.

GERMANY

Bayern Munich have a perfect opportunity to bounce back following last weekend’s shocking away defeat at Hoffenheim.

The champions will be keen to end talks of a superiority loss and comprehensively defeat a Mainz team who have equaled conceded three goals as Bayern Munich but lack the superior offensive power Carlo Ancelotti has at his disposal.

League leaders Borussia Dortmund have a date to keep with bottom club Cologne at the Wesfalenstadion. The two teams with contrasting league fortunes will certainly give the fans that avail themselves for this game value for both their money and time.

Dortmund should be too strong for a Cologne team that have scored just once this season and conceded seven times.

ITALY

Third-place Inter Milan are away at Crotone on Saturday afternoon. It has been a dream start to the season for Luciano Spalletti and his team who are on a run of three successive wins and look poised for a fourth successive victory against a winless and scoreless Crotone team.

Given the form of Mauro Icardi and Ivan Perisic, Inter Milan can be rest assured of ending the weekend on 12 points.

Leaders and champions Juventus are away at Sassuolo, with the awareness they can’t afford any slipups considering the chasing pack-Napoli and Inter Milan.

Home team Sassuolo have picked up just a solitary point, scoring an equal number of goals in what has been a disappointing start to the season for the modest team.

Juventus should put aside their midweek UEFA champions League nightmare away at Barcelona to further continue their now customary domestic dominance.

FRANCE

Champions Monaco were handed a rude awakening away at Nice last weekend, losing 4-0 to a Mario Balotelli inspired OGC Nice team.

The Principality team are home to Strasbourg and have an opportunity to keep the pressure on leaders PSG, who enjoy a two-point lead at the top. Radamel Falcao should be backed to find the back of the net in this game, as these are the kind of games the Colombian international forward and his teammates thrive in.

Radamel Falcao should be backed to find the back of the net in this game, as these are the kind of games the Colombian international forward and his teammates thrive in.

PSG are home to Lyon on Sunday at the Parc des Princes in what promises to be an entertaining game and potential first real domestic test of the season for the nouveau riche of French football.

Both teams are unbeaten in the league with Lyon two spots behind in third-place. Lyon appears to have lost some steam after a bullish start to the season, drawing successive league games before a home win at the weekend.

On the balance of play, we can only see one winner emerging from this contest.