The English Premier League continues its dash towards the finish line this weekend, for once sharing the domestic sporting limelight with horse racing’s Grand National.
With the betting hotting up at Aintree, there’s also plenty at stake for the runners and riders up and down the EPL.
That’s no more true than at Old Trafford on Sunday, as Manchester United go up against noisy neighbours Manchester City in their final derby of the season.
Pep Guardiola’s outgoing champions are well out of the title race this time around, but have recovered their composure since the turn of the year to remain in a strong position to keep up their Uefa Champions League credentials.
Pride is all the Red Devils have to play for in this one.
And they could certainly use some of that after tumbling to a 13th Premier League defeat of the season last time out, leaving them 13th in the table coming into the weekend.
Runaway leaders Liverpool are also in Sunday service, making the trip to London to play Fulham.
The Reds are 12 points clear at the top heading to the climax of Arne Slot’s first campaign at the helm since taking over from the legendary Jurgen Klopp.
Their Craven Cottage hosts are a model of inconsistency at the moment, as their continental charge fizzles out into mid-table mediocrity.
A London derby just down the road is also in the mix, with the visit of Chelsea to Brentford.
The Blues have won three of their last four in the league and are in prime position to secure Uefa Champions League football under coach Enzo Maresca.
Their bid to close the gap to the top three could well be boosted by the end of their game in the west of the capital, with their hosts seemingly coasting towards their summer holidays.
One more false move could prove terminal in the north of the city for Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou, meanwhile, with his side playing host to rock-bottom Southampton.
A very public falling out with his own fans in midweek has left the Australian decidedly vulnerable in his role, with anything less than three points from their Saints assignment an unthinkable prospect.
Newcastle are in fine fettle as they seek to break back into the top four, with a trip to miserable Leicester for the Monday night football their next task.
Eddie Howe’s charges are within striking distance of Chelsea and go to a Foxes team going back down to the Championship with a whimper.
The Premier League weekend kicks off on Saturday lunchtime with the game between Everton and Arsenal.
A win for the Toffees could take them above Manchester United in the EPL standings but it’s a double-edged sword, with that outcome pretty well handing the title on a plate to neighbours Liverpool.
A fascinating contest in the West Midlands could have big repercussions in the top six shake up, with a tasty battle between Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest.
What a season Nuno Espirito Santo is having on the banks of the Trent, steering his side to the brink of a return to the top tier of European football for the first time since the days of the great Brian Clough.
Villa provide the perfect inspiration thanks to their ongoing Champions League exploits, with Unai Emery’s men seventh at the start of this weekend and poised to push all the way for qualification for a second year running.
One of the more curious rivalries in English football also takes place on Saturday, as Crystal Palace go up against Brighton at Selhurst Park.
The Seagulls might be running out of form at just the wrong time as they slip down the table, while the Eagles are doing quite the opposite, with ten points from their last 12 and a Wembley date for the FA Cup semi-finals to boot.
A relegation battle between Ipswich and Wolves is a last-chance saloon job for the home side, who come into the Portman Road clash nine points adrift of their visitors.
By contrast, a third consecutive victory for the visitors would go a long way to ensuring their EPL survival for another year.
Another fixture between an out-of-sorts duo wraps up the programme when West Ham meet Bournemouth.
Everyone at the London Stadium is more than ready for an off-season reset, while the Cherries have seen their sterling form fall off the edge of a cliff in recent weeks to detonate their European hopes.
Fixtures and results
Latest table
All latest EPL Predictions
Everton v Arsenal
| Result prediction | Everton to win |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | draw / Everton to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | n/a |
Crystal Palace v Brighton & Hove Albion
| Result prediction | Crystal Palace to win |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | draw / Crystal Palace to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | J. Mateta(Crystal Palace) I. Sarr(Crystal Palace) João Pedro(Brighton & Hove Albion) |
Ipswich Town v Wolverhampton Wanderers
| Result prediction | Ipswich Town to win |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | draw / Ipswich Town to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | J. Strand Larsen(Wolverhampton Wanderers) |
West Ham United v AFC Bournemouth
| Result prediction | draw |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | draw / draw |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | n/a |
Aston Villa v Nottingham Forest
| Result prediction | Aston Villa to win |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Nottingham Forest / Aston Villa to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | Marco Asensio(Aston Villa) A. Elanga(Nottingham Forest) |
Brentford v Chelsea
| Result prediction | Brentford to win |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Brentford / Brentford to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | Y. Wissa(Brentford) |
Fulham 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 | Rodrigo Muniz(Fulham) Mohamed Salah(Liverpool) |
Tottenham Hotspur v Southampton
| Result prediction | Tottenham Hotspur to win |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | draw / Tottenham Hotspur to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | n/a |
Manchester United v Manchester City
| 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 | Bruno Fernandes(Manchester United) E. Haaland(Manchester City) |
Leicester City v Newcastle United
| Result prediction | Newcastle United to win |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Newcastle United / Newcastle United to win |
| Team to Score prediction | Newcastle United |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | A. Isak(Newcastle United) |