A packed English Premier League fixture programme this weekend includes a massive derby clash in the north west on Sunday, as Manchester City host Manchester United.
The pair meet at the Etihad Stadium with the home side just a point off the top of the EPL table coming into the weekend.
Pep Guardiola’s reigning champions are in ominous form as they look to make it back-to-back titles.
The Red Devils were entertaining top four ambitions of their own until last weekend, when they slipped to a miserable Old Trafford defeat – their tenth in the league already this frustrating campaign.
Right up there with City are Arsenal, who overtook their title rivals as the second-highest goal scorers in the division last weekend out.
Mikel Arteta’s Gunners are peppering the opposition net and that spells serious danger for hosts Sheffield United on Monday night.
The Blades have the worst defensive record in the Premier League and have shipped five in each of their last two fixtures at Bramall Lane.
It’s Liverpool who top the pile and come into their Saturday trip to Nottingham Forest having won the Carabao Cup in the dying seconds of extra time at Wembley Stadium last weekend.
Outgoing boss Jurgen Klopp has his first piece of silverware of a possible four, then, with the City Ground date giving the Reds the chance to stay just out of reach of Manchester City at the summit.
Elsewhere on Saturday there are a pair of London derbies.
Chelsea were the victims of youthful Liverpool’s last-gasp glory last weekend and now face a return to their patchy league form and the short hop to Brentford.
The pressure may be greater at Stamford Bridge, but the Bees are only five points above the relegation zone and have lost their last three ahead of the arrival of Mauricio Pochettino and Co.
A new manager bounce for Oliver Glasner at Crystal Palace has contributed to that, with the Austrian sealing three points at the first attempt after replacing Roy Hodgson in the Selhurst Park dugout.
Tottenham are the next assignment, with Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs eyeing an instant return to winning ways to reignite their push for a top four finish in the north of the capital city.
Everton and West Ham meet for a fascinating Goodison Park contest, as Hammers boss David Moyes returns to the club where he made his managerial name two decades ago.
The home side are boosted by their points deduction being cut from ten points to six in the week, lifting the Toffees to five points clear of the drop zone.
There’s an unpredictable EPL fixture to be had in the north east, too, as Newcastle and Wolves go toe-to-toe at St James’ Park.
A point and a place separates the pair in midtable, with Gary O’Neill’s visitors in slightly the better form thanks to three wins in their last five.
Their West Midlands rivals Aston Villa can match that sequence, as they go to Luton bidding to maintain their top four security ahead of the chasing pack.
The home side have lost three on the spin and are in danger of being cut adrift in their attempt to extend their top flight stay beyond a single campaign.
Fulham and Brighton complete Saturday’s line up when they face off at Craven Cottage.
It’s the Seagulls who have the most to play for, with their immediate mission to retain their best-of-the-rest status alongside their continuing Uefa Europa League odyssey.
Sunday’s other match pits Burnley against Bournemouth at Turf Moor.
Neither side can buy a win at present, which is much more of an issue for the Clarets, who are nine points the wrong side of the dotted line and sinking fast despite the efforts of superstar boss Vincent Kompany.
EPL Predictions for 2 – 4 March 2024
Brentford v Chelsea
| Result prediction | Chelsea to win |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | draw / Chelsea to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | n/a |
Everton v West Ham United
| Result prediction | draw |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | West Ham United / draw |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | J. Bowen(West Ham United) |
Fulham v Brighton & Hove Albion
| Result prediction | Brighton & Hove Albion to win |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | draw / Brighton & Hove Albion to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | Rodrigo Muniz(Fulham) |
Newcastle United v Wolverhampton Wanderers
| Result prediction | Newcastle United to win |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Newcastle United / Newcastle United to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | F. Schär(Newcastle United) Pablo Sarabia(Wolverhampton Wanderers) Matheus Cunha(Wolverhampton Wanderers) |
Nottingham Forest v Liverpool
| Result prediction | Liverpool to win |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | draw / Liverpool to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | C. Hudson-Odoi(Nottingham Forest) L. Díaz(Liverpool) |
Tottenham Hotspur v Crystal Palace
| Result prediction | Tottenham Hotspur to win |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | draw / Tottenham Hotspur to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | Richarlison(Tottenham Hotspur) |
Luton Town v Aston Villa
| Result prediction | draw |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | draw / draw |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | C. Morris(Luton Town) E. Adebayo(Luton Town) O. Watkins(Aston Villa) Douglas Luiz(Aston Villa) |
Burnley v AFC Bournemouth
| Result prediction | draw |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | AFC Bournemouth / draw |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | D. Fofana(Burnley) |
Manchester City v Manchester United
| Result prediction | Manchester United to win |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Manchester United / Manchester United to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | E. Haaland(Manchester City) P. Foden(Manchester City) R. Højlund(Manchester United) |
Sheffield United v Arsenal
| Result prediction | Arsenal to win |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Arsenal / Arsenal to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | L. Trossard(Arsenal) Gabriel Magalhães(Arsenal) B. Saka(Arsenal) |