One of the most hotly-contested derbies in world football lights up the English Premier League this weekend, amid a full programme of action between Saturday and Monday night.
It’s the battle between Liverpool and Manchester United that really lights the EPL powder keg on Sunday afternoon, when the north west foes meet at Anfield.
And they do so in near-identical runs of form, albeit with the home side ten points adrift of their rivals thanks to a generally misfiring season so far on Merseyside.
Both are unbeaten in four, winning three apiece in that time, with Erik ten Hag’s Red Devils third in the standings.
It leaves them awfully close to a tilt at the top two, while Jurgen Klopp’s Reds still have a job on their hands to seal European qualification for next time around.
The Premier League’s top two are both on home turf on Saturday.
Leaders Arsenal will have Bournemouth quaking as they visit the Emirates Stadium.
Three wins from three have propelled the Gunners to a five-point lead at the top, rattling in nine goals while they’ve been at it, while the Cherries are a point shy of safety while also holding the division’s worst goal difference record.
Manchester City kick off the EPL weekend at home to Newcastle, who put their ailing top flight form to one side last weekend only to lose to Manchester United in the League Cup final at Wembley.
Eddie Howe’s side go to the Etihad Stadium without a win in four league attempts, while Pep Guardiola’s reigning champions are fresh from a 4-1 thumping of Bournemouth.
The air will turn blue at Stamford Bridge, meanwhile, if Chelsea fail to fashion victory from their tense tussle with Leeds.
Graham Potter is under huge strain and can’t buy a win for his west London side, while their Yorkshire visitors sit outside the relegation zone by virtue of their six-pointer success at Elland Road last weekend.
Tottenham’s odd campaign continues with a trip to Molineux to play Wolves, off the back of successive London derby wins that preceded an FA Cup Fifth Round calamity away to Championship promotion chasers Sheffield United.
Antonio Conte’s Spurs are still fourth in the table though, while their Black Country hosts must be careful not to slip back into the relegation mire are three without a win.
The Monday night Premier League match is the west London derby between surprise pair Brentford and Fulham, who both continue their unlikely charges for continental qualification deep into the second half of the season.
Sunday’s other fixture is an altogether more tense affair, with Everton heading to the Midlands to face Nottingham Forest.
Sean Dyche continues his Toffees rescue mission at the City Ground but does so with his team back in the bottom three after back-to-back defeats and only one goal to show for their four outings since an opening victory over Arsenal at Goodison Park.
There are three other games on Saturday, ending with the evening EPL kick off between rock bottom Southampton and Leicester at St Mary’s Stadium.
The Saints were dealt a huge blow in losing at drop rivals Leeds last weekend, before collapsing in the FA Cup to fourth tier Grimsby in midweek, while the Foxes are only three points clear of trouble themselves and were also turfed out the Cup at home to Championship Blackburn.
Brighton and West Ham have plenty to play for as they meet at the Amex Stadium, with the Seagulls seeking a first win in three and the Hammers a haul of points to drag them away from the relegation zone.
No immediate concerns on that front for mid table duo Aston Villa and Crystal Palace, who are both considering a nudge towards the top half at Villa Park.
English Premier League predictions for 4 – 6 March
Prediction methodology explained: The expected win percentage is based off publicly available odds. For example, if a team’s odds are 2.30, the expected chance of winning is 43%. If the odds are 1.62 the expected chance of winning is 62% and so on. These are accurate at the time of writing but are subject to change. Where there is no value listed, the odds were not available at the time of writing.
Manchester City v Newcastle United
| 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 | n/a |
Arsenal v AFC Bournemouth
| 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 | B. Saka(Arsenal) Gabriel Martinelli(Arsenal) |
Aston Villa v Crystal Palace
| Result prediction | Aston Villa to win |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Aston Villa / Aston Villa to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | O. Watkins(Aston Villa) |
Brighton & Hove Albion 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 | S. March(Brighton & Hove Albion) |
Chelsea v Leeds United
| Result prediction | Leeds United to win |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | draw / Leeds United to win |
| Team to Score prediction | Leeds United |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | n/a |
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Tottenham Hotspur
| Result prediction | draw |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | draw / draw |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | H. Kane(Tottenham Hotspur) |
Southampton v Leicester City
| Result prediction | Leicester City to win |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Leicester City / Leicester City to win |
| Team to Score prediction | Leicester City |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | n/a |
Nottingham Forest v Everton
| Result prediction | draw |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | draw / draw |
| Team to Score prediction | Nottingham Forest |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | n/a |
Liverpool v Manchester United
| Result prediction | Manchester United to win |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | draw / Manchester United to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | M. Rashford(Manchester United) |
Brentford v Fulham
| Result prediction | Brentford to win |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Brentford / Brentford to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | M. Solomon(Fulham) |
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