with joel Crosskill

THE BATTLE lines in the BPL have been drawn in more ways than one, following game week 10.

In what was a weekend to remember, Manchester United and Chelsea raised the stakes with emphatic home wins but it was Liverpool versus Arsenal that drew everyone's attention.

Liverpool vs Arsenal

The stage was set for a fixture that had provided so richly in the past. With a history of nine hat-tricks over the course of the rivalry, all the ingredients existed for another classic.

Though it never turned into the high-scoring affair it could have been, the standard of tactics and football on display were of the highest calibre with goals from both teams' midfield icons - Cesc Fabregas and Steven Gerrard if either manager left Anfield the happier, it must have been Arsene Wenger, having seen genuine maturity from his young guns.

Chelsea vs Man City

A shell-shocked Sven-Goran Eriksson was hit for six as an overmatched Man. City melted under an inspired Chelsea. An almost flawless performance from the Blues saw them close the gap on the citizens in third. It seems its access granted for Avram Grant as a classic Chelsea display carved up the field. But with Didier Drogba scoring his 45th and 46th premiership goals, Grant has got his hands full trying to pull him out of that transfer shop window!

Man U equal record!

A truly menacing Man. U ran riot against Middlesbrough, with the link-up of Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez verging on telepathy at times. After a timid start to the season in front of goal, United have equalled a 100-year-old scoring record of four goals in four consecutive games, to take them level on points with leaders Arsenal, whom they face next.

Emirates epic

Arsenal's Francesc Fabregas - AP

The two best teams in the Premiership take centre stage this Saturday and though the Gunners may be playing the more complete football, it's the Devils that look the side most likely to end Arsenal's absolute reign at the Emirates. But with Arsenal doing the double over United last season, a repeat this season could mean all the difference to both teams' title aspirations.

Contact Joel at jcrosskill@sportsmax.tv