Liverpool, Arsenal Face Local Tests

[Folami David]

Arsenal will be eager to show the north London balance of power has not shifted to Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool face a test of their top-four credentials against Manchester United as traditional local rivals clash in the Premier League on Sunday.
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Arsenal pipped their neighbours to a Champions League qualifying spot last season, but while Arsene Wenger's team have been thwarted in their efforts to strengthen their squad, Tottenham have liberally splashed the cash.
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Argentina international Erik Lamela is set to become Spurs' fifth transfer-window signing, taking their spending to more than £90 million, and Spurs fans are optimistic for the season ahead.
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Two wins from their opening two matches have added to the positive vibe emanating from White Hart Lane, which has not been dampened by the impending world-record transfer of Gareth Bale to Real Madrid.
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Things could not be more different at Arsenal, who have added a solitary new face to their ranks, the free transfer of Yaya Sanogo.
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Manager Arsene Wenger has been rebuffed in his efforts to bring in a marquee signing with reported efforts to recruit Liverpool's Luis Suarez and now- Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuain coming to nothing.
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Although they reached the Champions League group stage with a comfortable win over Fenerbahce and beat Fulham in the Premier League last weekend following the shock opening home loss to Aston Villa, there is still frustration among supporters.
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It is a feeling not shared by Arsenal forward Theo Walcott, who rejected suggestions that Tottenham's activity in the transfer market makes them stronger than their rivals.
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"Not at all. I feel we're very, very strong," he was quoted as saying by British media.
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"Everyone makes out our squad is very weak and there are not many of us, but we showed in the last few games that we can bounce back from a bad result, proving a lot of people wrong.
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"Every club is different and Tottenham invested their money very well. For us players we just want to do a job on Sunday, we don't care if they have brought in £30 million stars."