The big weekend preview: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on fire; Barcelona poised to leapfrog Real Madrid

European club football returns following the international break with derbies in Madrid, Milan and London while Arsenal visit Manchester United in one of English football’s classics.

Thomas Woods looks at key talking points and games to watch.

Is Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang the hottest striker in Europe?

The Gabon striker's future at Borussia Dortmund appeared uncertain two weeks ago when he was suspended by manager Thomas Tuchel for the 1-0 Uefa Champions League win at home to Sporting of Lisbon after he flew to Milan in a private jet with friends 48 hours before the game.

The ban has not affected his form, though. If anything, Aubameyang has become even more prolific.

The 27-year-old striker is one of the hottest properties in Europe and he may just be playing the best football of any front player at the moment.

His goals return has increased in each of his three seasons with Dortmund since arriving from Saint-Etienne. In 2013/14 he netted 13 Bundesliga goals, then 16 and 25 the following seasons.

At his current rate he might hit 50 in 2016/17. Aubameyang has struck 11 times in nine league games, four of them against Hamburg last week.

That has prompted speculation of a move to one of Europe’s bigger clubs, with an exorbitant fee attached: A £60 million (Dh274m) move to Arsenal, £70m to Manchester City, £80m to Real Madrid.

This likely will be Aubameyang's last season at Dortmund - could he go out with a bang by firing them to the Bundesliga title? They are currently fifth, six points off the leaders, but Bayern Munich's less-than-dominant form makes it a possibility.

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Will injuries halt Chelsea’s surge?

Chelsea are the form team in Europe on current form: Five games, five wins, no goals conceded, 16 scored.

Antonio Conte’s side’s incredible form is based on a rock-solid defence, the midfield axis of N’Golo Kante and Nemanja Matic and the star turns of Eden Hazard and Diego Costa up front.

Hazard, however, limped out of Belgium's 2018 World Cup qualifier on Sunday, while Costa pulled out of Spain's squad to face England at Wembley on Tuesday with a groin injury.

Both are slight doubts for Sunday's Premier League trip to Middlesbrough but the concern must be that one or both of them breaks down and misses matches.

Chelsea have quality players in their squad who can step in but Hazard and Costa are special and that much harder to replace. Without them, Chelsea are not so formidable.

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Are Nice the new Leicester City?

The Premier League is going to be won by an established name, the usual suspects are in the title hunt in Spain and Juventus are in pole position to secure a sixth-straight scudetto in Italy.

But fans love an underdog, and a glance at the Ligue 1 table in France offers hope of an upset.

Nice, led by a rejuvenated Mario Balotelli, head the table by three points from AS Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain. They have conceded only nine goals in 12 games and have matched PSG's goal tally of 24.

Last season Nice had a good run near the top of the table before tailing off. Neutrals will hope they can keep it going this season and break PSG’s stranglehold on the title.

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Games to watch

English Premier League

Saturday

Manchester United v Arsenal, 4.30pm (UAE)

Manchester United performed well in the 0-0 draw at high-scoring Liverpool, but they have failed every other test against title rivals. A home defeat to Manchester City and a 4-0 thrashing at Chelsea were major confidence blows and they will be worried about the visit of Arsenal. Arsene Wenger's side have the potential to rip United's patched up defence apart, especially if Alexis Sanchez continues to play as well as he has been doing.

Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United, 9.30pm

If results go Tottenham’s way this weekend, they could leapfrog rivals Arsenal into the top four. It shows what a fluid situation the top of the Premier League table is: Spurs have not won in four games (they have not lost any, either), have beaten third-placed Manchester City and drawn with leaders Liverpool, remain the Premier League’s only unbeaten team, and yet are only fifth. The 1-1 draw at Arsenal last time out could be the result that kick-starts their season again. On paper they are favourites against London rivals West Ham United, owners of the worst defence and attack outside the bottom three. Things are rarely that simple though.

Bundesliga

Borussia Dortmund v Bayern Munich, 9.30pm

This is a huge chance for Dortmund to put themselves back in the German title race. They are six points behind their biggest rivals and have been hit by an injury crisis in recent weeks. The tie is loaded with subplots. The biggest ones are Bayern’s Matts Hummels and Dortmund’s Mario Gotze facing their former clubs as well as the face off between the league’s two best strikers: Robert Lewandowski and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Primera Liga

Atletico Madrid v Real Madrid, 11.45pm

It could be the week that Barcelona overtake Real Madrid at the top of the Primera Liga in Spain. Why? Real Madid are winless against neighbours Atletico in their last 10 domestic games. Last season, Atletico won once and the other two meetings ended in draws. In 2014/15, Real failed to score on four trips to the Vicente Calderon. The omens are not good for Zinedine Zidane's side with Barca – two points behind them – facing Malaga at home.

Sunday

Serie A

AC Milan v Inter Milan, 11.45pm

Juventus lead the way with 32 Italian titles, but Inter and AC Milan are tied on 18 championships in the struggle for dominance in one of football’s great cities. The derby comes at a vital time for both: Inter, following a woeful start to the season, have a new manager in Stefano Pioli while Milan have started the season well. They sit third, a point behind Roma and five back from Juve. Milan have a great chance of inflicting more misery on their neighbours and grabbing Milanese bragging rights.

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Plan your weekend

Best games on TV (All games on BeIN Sports, times in UAE)

Friday

Bundesliga

• Bayer Leverkusen v RB Leipzig, 11.30pm

Ligue 1

• Lille v Lyon, 11.45pm

Scottish Premiership

• Kilmarnock v Celtic, 11.45pm

Saturday

Primera Liga

• Deportivo La Coruna v Sevilla, 4pm

Premier League

• Manchester United v Arsenal, 4.30pm

• Crystal Palace v Manchester City, 7pm

• Southampton v Liverpool, 7pm

Scottish Premiership

• Rangers v Dundee, 7pm

Primera Liga

• Barcelona v Malaga, 7.15pm

Bundesliga

• PSG v Nantes, 8pm

Serie A

• Udinese v Napoli, 9pm

Premier League

• Tottenham v West Ham, 9.30pm

Bundesliga

• Borussia Dortmund v Bayern Munich, 9.30pm

Serie A

• Juventus v Pescara, 11.45pm

Primera Liga

Atletico Madrid v Real Madrid, 11.45pm

Sunday

Serie A

• Atlanta v Roma, 6pm

Premier League

• Middlesbrough v Chelsea, 8pm

Serie A

• AC Milan v Inter Milan, 11.45pm

Primera Liga

• Bilbao v Villarreal, 11.45pm

Monday

Premier League

• West Bromwich Albion v Burnley, midnight

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