The English Premier League is coming to the crunch and what a huge set of fixtures for fans to get stuck into this weekend, not least a showdown between the top two.
Arsenal and Manchester City have been out in front for much of the EPL season and the title race is still very much alive thanks to a shock defeat for the leaders last weekend.
It leaves Pep Guardiola’s side breathing down the necks of former protege Mikel Arteta and his Gunners, going into their massive contest at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Six points separate the pair as the clock ticks down, with City also having a potentially crucial game in hand.
The Merseyside derby between Everton and Liverpool also grabs the Sunday spotlight, as the Hill Dickinson Stadium hosts the rival clash for the first time.
There’s plenty riding on this one beyond pride, too.
Arne Slot’s stuttering fifth-placed Reds did manage a return to winning ways last weekend, with a slip up for David Moyes and Co not preventing them from going within striking distance of their visitors if they can snaffle an emotional three points on home turf.
Saturday night is essential Premier League viewing as well, thanks to the evocative fixture between Chelsea and Manchester United.
Defeats for both last time out have left plenty of work to do in the shake up for European qualification.
Indeed Stamford Bridge chief Liam Rosenior is right under the pump after seeing his side lose three league games in a row to tumble out of the Uefa Champions League reckoning at precisely the wrong time.
Speaking of pressure, it’s all on the line across London earlier in the evening when relegation-haunted Tottenham try their luck against Brighton.
It’s a high-stakes reunion for new Spurs boss Roberto de Zerbi and the Seagulls, who head to the capital off the back of a run of three wins on the spin.
De Zerbi tasted defeat on the road in his first Tottenham game, which plunged the big shots squarely into the relegation zone and with Championship football next season beginning to look like a serious proposition.
Leeds hauled themselves six points clear of Spurs and oblivion thanks to a storming cross-Pennine derby victory at Old Trafford on Monday night.
Daniel Farke’s charges now welcome Wolves to Elland Road, where a home victory would be a huge step towards securing safety as well as all but consigning the away side to the drop.
The Saturday lunchtime kick off is a west London derby between Brentford and Fulham.
It speaks volumes of the Bees’ outstanding campaign that they are seventh in the EPL table despite a sequence of four consecutive draws.
That said, their inconsistent neighbours are only three points behind them despite the five-place gap between the capital city duo.
A London derby also lights up the Monday night football in the Premier League, as Crystal Palace play West Ham.
The pressure is all on the Hammers at Selhurst Park, sitting two points above the relegation trapdoor ahead of the weekend while the Eagles cruise along in midtable.
Saturday’s other EPL fixture sees Newcastle host Bournemouth in another rumble in the midtable pack.
It was the Cherries who picked off Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium last weekend while the Toon Army, coached by their fondly-remembered former boss Eddie Howe, are under pressure after successive defeats.
Travails on Tyneside are in stark contrast to the wonderment down the road on Wearside, as promoted Sunderland continue to plot a course for shock continental qualification.
They face a stern examination on Sunday, though, with a visit to fourth-placed Aston Villa.
Unai Emery’s men were wobbling in their pursuit of a seriously high finish but have recovered with four points from their last six to keep the Champions League dream alive.
Nottingham Forest are inching to safety thanks to an unbeaten quartet of Premier League matches.
They have the chance to stick the boot into lowly Burnley when the pair meet at the City Ground, where a home win would carry huge safety significance and leave Scott Parker’s Clarets on the brink.
Nottingham Forest v Burnley
| Result prediction | Nottingham Forest to win |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Nottingham Forest / Nottingham Forest to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest) Zian Flemming (Burnley) |
Everton v Liverpool
| Result prediction | Everton to win |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | draw / Everton to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | Beto (Everton) |
Aston Villa v Sunderland
| Result prediction | draw |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Aston Villa / draw |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | n/a |
Manchester City v Arsenal
| Result prediction | Manchester City to win |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Manchester City / Manchester City to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | Nico O’Reilly (Manchester City) Viktor Gyökeres (Arsenal) |
Crystal Palace v West Ham United
| Result prediction | draw |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Crystal Palace / draw |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | Ismaila Sarr (Crystal Palace) Konstantinos Mavropanos (West Ham United) Taty Castellanos (West Ham United) |
Brighton & Hove Albion v Chelsea
| Result prediction | Brighton & Hove Albion to win |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | draw / Brighton & Hove Albion to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | Pedro Joao (Chelsea) |
AFC Bournemouth v Leeds United
| Result prediction | draw |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | draw / draw |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | Noah Okafor (Leeds United) |
Burnley v Manchester City
| Result prediction | Manchester City to win |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Manchester City / Manchester City to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | Zian Flemming (Burnley) Nico O’Reilly (Manchester City) |