Manchester City vs. Liverpool

Etihad Stadium, Saturday, 12:30pm Local, 7:30am Eastern

The Premier League returns with a bang, going into the most grueling stretch of the season with one of the showpieces of recent campaigns. Champions - and current table-toppers - Manchester CIty host second place Liverpool at the Etihad. If there’s a winner (and provided Arsenal don’t completely blow out Brentford), the victor will end the weekend atop the table. The hosts seem to have avoided an injury crisis, despite quite a few scares over the international break. City have enjoyed a blazing start to the season, especially at home, and Pep Guardiola will hope to extend that run on Saturday morning.

There is still an air of mystery around Liverpool this season: is their comeback for real? Were last campaign’s struggles a blip or will this hot start be fleeting? Many of the Merseyside club’s stars shone brightly on international duty, but all that travel could have worn them down before the heavy December workload. A solid performance would go a long way to establishing Jürgen Klopp’s side as a real contender, and a win would certainly sharpen up the title race. The Etihad has been a harrowing visit several times in the German manager’s tenure - we’ll learn early on Saturday if it’s still a daunting proposition.

Burnley vs. West Ham United

Turf Moor, Saturday, 3pm Local, 10am Eastern

Has the international break made Vincent Kompany rethink his tactics? That is - at the risk of being unkind - really the only question with any bearing on the result of this match. The Clarets continue to find themselves overmatched over the course of 90 minutes, often allowing bright starts to erode as their inexperience shows. The hierarchy has shown little evidence that their support for the Belgian manager is waning, but it must be incredibly frustrating to be a Burnley supporter this season. It doesn’t help that West Ham are a particularly tricky proposition for the Clarets, as David Moyes will be completely comfortable letting Burnley have plenty of draining possession before launching counters. This could be a rough week in a rough season at Turf Moor.

The Hammers have had their ups and downs in the league, but should head up the country full of confidence. David Moyes will know that the East London side can perform their tactics and that should be more than enough to earn a victory. On the negative side, West Ham will be without Michail Antonio for a spell. This would have been disastrous in earlier seasons, but - unfortunately for the Jamaican international - this may just hasten a trend that’s already been building as the Hammers ease their reliance on Antonio. Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus are stepping into the spotlight, and their performances will be instrumental to West Ham’s success.

Luton Town vs. Crystal Palace

Kenilworth Road, Saturday, 3pm Local, 10am Eastern

The busy December schedule is crucial for every club in the Premier League, but the clubs near the bottom have the hardest decisions to make. If Rob Edwards and Luton Town can put together a run of solid results, survival this season is achievable - especially considering Everton’s points deduction. While the Hatters have yet to win at Kenilworth Road, this is the sort of contest where atmosphere could carry the home side. Crystal Palace have been remarkably stable this campaign, so it’s certainly not an easy proposition for Luton Town. However, Edward’s side has shown sides of improving, and even a draw would be more than welcome. 

While Crystal Palace have firmly entrenched themselves in midtable, Michael Olise finally appears fit enough to start for the Eagles, and his presence on the pitch is a potential game changer. One player’s influence can only go so far, but his offensive spark adds a welcome dynamic to Roy Hodgson’s capable but sometimes stodgy side. Olise is only one player returning to fitness for the Eagles, who may be fantasizing about a push up the table during this congested set of fixtures.

Newcastle United vs. Chelsea

St. James Park, Saturday, 3pm Local, 10am Eastern

Newcastle stumbled into the International break after a strong run of results, and there’s some concern that their European adventures may be catching up to them. The Magpies have been hit hard with injuries, so a visit from Chelsea - who put out one of their best performances of the season last time out - is a bit daunting. St. James Park is a huge asset for the Tyneside club, and the crowd will definitely have its part to play. The role players of Newcastle have largely stepped up for Eddie Howe’s side, and this weekend will be yet another opportunity for the likes of Lewis Miley and others who’ll need to contain an improving Chelsea side.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side enjoyed two significant results to close out the last slate of fixtures, defeating Tottenham and earning a late draw against Manchester City. While the Spurs result came in… unique circumstances, there was real quality about their performance against the Champions. Chelsea will need to channel that energy for this trip to the Northeast. Raheem Sterling was conspicuously absent from the England squad but has been nearly back to his best in the past few weeks - could his improved form be the difference this time out? Beyond Sterling, Nicolas Jackson has settled slightly, and Christopher Nkunku is nearing a return - so there are reasons to feel positive in West London. 

Nottingham Forest vs. Brighton & Hove Albion

City Ground, Saturday, 3pm Local, 10am Eastern

Two slightly struggling sides face off in the midlands on Saturday afternoon. Nottingham Forest are doing well for a second season club looking for survival, but the specter of their temperamental owner looms over any bad result. Steve Cooper, by all accounts, has done a fantastic job at the City Ground, keeping them in the league and seemingly having them on the same trajectory this time out. This should be enough, but Forest are always a few poor results away from a manager coming under pressure. Taiwo Awoniyi - to add another worry - is set to miss a significant stretch following surgery; his goals will be missed and the likes of Anthony Elanga, Morgan Gibbs-White, and Chris Wood are the best candidates to replace them.

Their opponent, Brighton, has been sliding down the table following their fast start in the league. Roberto De Zerbi’s squad is flailing a bit trying to cope with their added match load, and - understandably - there has been an uptick in injuries on the South Coast. The City Ground has been a tough place to go, so it’s not the friendliest proposition for the Italian manager as he attempts to get his domestic season back on track. A win for the Seagulls would be a great marker to lay down, and these are the matches they need to win to achieve their upper table ambitions.

Sheffield United vs. Bournemouth

Bramall Lane, Saturday, 3pm Local, 10am Eastern

Bramall Lane plays host to a crucial match in the relegation race on Saturday, when Sheffield United welcome Bournemouth to Yorkshire. Both clubs have - despite massive early difficulties - improved in recent match weeks. The Blades have won and drawn their last two contests respectively, and Bournemouth suddenly find themselves with 2 wins. While their form has been better, Paul Heckingbottom’s side still sits in the relegation zone, and they’ll need to show their steel again to hold a Cherries side increasing in confidence. Oli McBurnie and Oliver Norwood have stepped up and had their moments; developing consistency will be key if Sheffield United want to claw their way up the table.

Andoni Iraola rewarded his bosses’ loyalty by grabbing 2 wins in the Cherries last 3 league games, subsequently Bournemouth find themselves out of the bottom 3. If they can build on this mini-run of form (which of course contained a 6-1 defeat as well), the South Coast side may find itself clear of danger. Dominic Solanke has been the best performer for the bottom sides (with the possible exception of Thomas Kaminiski at Luton Town), and his reliability has been key for a side that’s still trying to find its feet. Another big performance from their number 9, and Bournemouth should leave Bramall Lane happy.

Brentford vs. Arsenal

Gtech Stadium, Saturday, 5:30pm Local, 12:30pm Eastern

Brentford famously opened their Premier League history with a win when Arsenal visited 2 years ago. Thomas Frank’s side will look to repeat their trick under the floodlights on Saturday evening. The Bees will have to field a makeshift backline with several more of their squad picking up injuries on International duty. It may well be a testing night for the defense, but Brentford’s midfield and attack have knitted well this season and may fancy themselves to break down Arsenal on the counter. The Gtech will be rocking, and that atmosphere will need to fuel a defensive masterclass for the Bees to come away with 3 points.

Arsenal, if results go their way, could top the table after this weekend. It’s a tasty prospect for fans, and having more than 1 or 2 clubs seriously vying for top spot this late in the season is a welcome development. David Raya is ineligible for the Gunners this weekend due to loan rules, and that means Aaron Ramsdale will make his long-awaited return to Premier League action. Also newly available is Gabriel Jesus, who played for Brazil in CONMEBOL Qualifying. Fans of the North London club will be thankful for more options in attack, as they’ll need to break down a stubborn Bees block to have any chance to end the match week atop the pile. 

Tottenham Hotspur vs. Aston Villa

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Sunday, 2pm Local, 9am Eastern

Tottenham’s ecstatic start dulled significantly in the last few weeks before the break, heaping an injury crisis on top of 2 defeats. Ange Postecoglou’s side doesn’t get much reprieve on their return to league action, with Aston Villa coming down to North London. Spurs come in hugely stretched, with van de Ven, Romero, Bissouma, Richarlison, Maddison, and potentially Sarr all missing due to injury or suspension - and those come on top of several other long term absentees. A bump in the road for this young, brash team was inevitable. Fans will now get to see exactly how this club responds to adversity, and they’ll hope they can earn a few positive results along the way.

Working slightly in Tottenham’s favor is Aston Villa’s struggles on the road this season - especially against top sides. Unai Emery’s team was turned over on trips away to Newcastle, Liverpool, and Nottingham while being nearly flawless at home. However, the Birmingham club is sitting in 5th place for a reason - and they set up wonderfully to punish Postecoglou’s infamous high line. Surely there will be some adjustment for personnel, but Ollie Watkins, Moussa Diaby, and Leon Bailey will fancy their chances to turn what’s sure to be a makeshift backline. Villa aren’t without injury concerns of their own, with many players returning from their travels with nagging complaints. That said, there’s little reason to doubt that Emery’s side can beat Spurs, which feels remarkable based on where we were a few weeks ago.

Everton vs. Manchester United

Goodison Park, Sunday, 4:30pm Local, 11:30am Eastern

Over the break Everton received confirmation of long awaited bad news, and the Merseyside club was hit with a 10 point deduction. That this doesn’t feel like a guarantee for relegation shows how much belief Sean Dyche has been able to generate around Goodison Park. The Toffees will appeal of course, but they find themselves back in the bottom three and hoping that they’re able to hop over the promoted sides (and perhaps Bournemouth) quickly. While their fate is suddenly far more up in the air than they’d like, Everton fans are sure to create a raucous atmosphere on Sunday evening. 

Much has been made of Manchester United being the form team in the league. It’s technically true, however the atmosphere around Old Trafford has been anything but rosy. But, with all the bluster about the Red Devils, they keep finding ways of winning (in the Premier League at least). While Everton have struggled in the past few seasons, Erik Ten Hag may be squaring off with the Toffees at the worst possible time. A bumping Goodison Park is sure to test the already fragile confidence of the Manchester club. It would be no shock were United to win this match, but it’s also true that they can’t keep living on a knife’s edge and scrapping late victories. Sunday’s match will be hugely consequential for the direction of their season.

Fulham vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers

Craven Cottage, Monday, 8pm Local, 3pm Eastern

Monday night brings a nightcap of two lower midtable clubs, served up at Craven Cottage. Wolves are 3 points better off than their hosts, and this match could open up some real daylight between the sides. If Fulham want to avoid slipping towards a relegation battle, these are the sort of matches that Marco Silva needs to win. The Cottagers haven’t won in the league since early October and - though they don’t seem to be in crisis yet - are beginning to look rudderless. Raúl Jiménez finally opened his Fulham account last time out, but his slow start has been a part of the West London side’s larger struggle to put away chances. If they can get a reliable source of goals, there is no reason to think Marco Silva’s side needs to languish their way into a relegation scrap.

Wolves ended their last run well, defeating Tottenham via two late goals. Gary O’Neill has taken the helm of the Midlands club well and will want to continue that form in what he’ll view as a very winnable fixture. Pedro Neto is still missing, but Wolves have coped with his absence better than many thought they would. They may still have a hard time breaking down Fulham’s defense, but Hwang Hee-Chan, Pablo Sarabia, and Matheus Cunha have all shown quality in their last few outings. O’Neill’s side likely come into the match as favorites, and - if they’re able to earn a win - they have a great opportunity to pull themselves even farther away from the chasing pack.