Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. Burnley

Molineux, Tuesday, 7:30pm Local, 2:30pm Eastern

Wolves host Burnley on Tuesday night under the lights at Molineux. Wolves’ opponents are coming in off their best result of their season, a 5-0 pummeling of Sheffield United. While the hosts were outplayed by Arsenal last time out, the outlook for this match is certainly different. It’s possible the Clarets ride the momentum of their big win, but it’s more likely that Wolves are able to bring them back down to earth. Gary O’Neill’s side expects to have José Sá back after he was forced off last match, which is a huge boost especially considering the fast turnaround. Hwang Hee-chan and Matheus Cunha will look to provide the scoring, and Hwang in particular has been dangerous at Molineux.

The Clarets had an all too rare moment of euphoria on Saturday, and Vincent Kompany will hope his team can harness that momentum. The task at hand is much harder for the Clarets, however, as Wolves have consistently shown that they’re no pushovers. It will be critical for the young Burnley side to generate some of the same danger in attack that they did against Sheffield United without exposing themselves too much on the break. Zeki Amdouni and Luca Koleosho looked particularly dangerous in their last victory; these young attackers may benefit from a jolt of confidence. More important than earning a victory this time out, Burnley needs to show that they’re moving in a positive direction - at the very least not slipping back into some of their bad habits.

Luton Town vs. Arsenal

Kenilworth Road, Tuesday, 8:15pm Local, 3:15pm Eastern

The Hatters host the Gunners at Kenilworth Road, the first visit of a top 4 club since Luton held Liverpool to a 1-1 draw in early November. Rob Edwards lost ground in the relegation battle last time out, and any points they accrue are hugely valuable - even if they seem unlikely to earn any against the North London side. Jacob Brown has improved, and the veteran presence of Ross Barkley and Andros Townsend has steadied the team. Add that to the overall quality of Thomas Kaminski in goal, and you have a very faint case for the Hatters to surprise the table-toppers on Tuesday night. The odds may be slim, but perhaps Luton have another surprise up their sleeve.

Arsenal are in an enviable position - keep winning and they stay on top of the table. They’ll be favored to do just that at the Kenny, but will need to avoid their tendency to allow matches to stay alive. The Gunners thoroughly dominated Wolves last time out, but were forced into a nervy ending by not converting more chances. Mikel Arteta will hope his side can close the door on Luton early and avoid the same struggles. Their frontline is back to full strength, and Gabriel Jesus’ chemistry with his fellow forwards could be key to honing the side’s clinicality. The campaign is hitting the stage where some results will simply need to be ground out; this Arsenal side is more than capable of doing so comfortably against Luton Town.

Sheffield United vs. Liverpool

Bramall Lane, Wednesday, 7:30pm Local, 2:30pm Eastern

It’s been an eventful few days for Sheffield United. After their 5-0 defeat to Burnley, the Blades higher-ups made the move many thought was coming and relieved Paul Heckingbottom of his position, immediately replacing him with Chris Wilder. It’s the first sacking of the season, and Heckingbottom may feel that he was given a nearly impossible task in taking over this side that not only didn’t hugely invest, but sold many of his key players in the summer. Wilder - though he’s had some rocky gigs in between - knows the club extremely well, having previously guided them to promotion and survival. How quickly he can instill his philosophy remains to be seen, and a new manager doesn’t fix the underlying issues with injuries and squad depth. He’s already taken to the training ground and will be in the dugout on Wednesday. Perhaps his arrival will mean a new manager bounce for the Blades.

Liverpool’s players may still have residual adrenaline in their veins after Sunday’s late comeback win over Fulham, especially considering Manchester City’s draw later that evening. While Jürgen Klopp’s side should have enough quality to outmaneuver Sheffield United, the German manager will be forced to rip up his game plan and adjust on the fly to Wilder’s tactics. The Reds also received less than encouraging news about Joël Matip’s injury, and the defender is set to miss an extended period. Liverpool have depth in the position, but losing one of the most experienced members of their squad right at the beginning of the busiest stretch of the season is not exactly ideal. Cody Gakpo may be in line for a start after an encouraging late cameo, and the likes of Wataru Endō and Curtis Jones could get a chance from the opening whistle. The match became more unpredictable after Heckingbottom’s sacking, but Liverpool will still back themselves to spoil Wilder’s homecoming.

Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Brentford

Amex Stadium, Wednesday, 7:30pm Local, 2:30pm Eastern

The birds and the bees square off on the South Coast, and the home team is looking to reverse their fortunes. Brighton were narrowly beaten by Chelsea on Sunday but will feel that they should have earned at least a point. Roberto De Zerbi’s side remains stretched to its limit, but the matches keep coming regardless, so the Seagulls will need to find a way to get results without all their options available. This could be another contest where De Zerbi’s team struggles to play its preferred gameplan as Brentford are likely to be happy sitting off and forcing the Seagulls to create their own momentum. Evan Ferguson, Kaoru Mitoma, and Simon Adingra may have heavy lifting to do to break down their stubborn opponents.

Brentford clocked a comfortable win last time out against Luton and enter the midweek slate of fixtures in 11th place. Thomas Frank’s side will feel that they deserve to be a top half team, and a win against Brighton would be a huge step in that direction. Neal Maupay’s goal against Luton could potentially ignite the Frenchman’s season - even though he’s looked much more comfortable since his return to the West London club. Their opponents haven’t exactly been defensive juggernauts, so it will be the Bees’ task to carve out opportunities without opening themselves up to Brighton’s incisive attacks. It’s a finely poised contest, and a score draw would not be a farfetched result. 

Crystal Palace vs. Bournemouth

Selhurst Park, Wednesday, 7:30pm Local, 2:30pm Eastern

Both clubs drew in their last matches, and both will feel that they can win this contest. Crystal Palace’s statue-like steadiness keeps on keeping on, and the Eagles go into the week in a solid 12th. Eberechi Eze is still missing, but Jeffrey Schlupp looks set to return. Hodgson expressed in his pre match interview that he wanted Selhurst Park to become a “fortress.” If that’s his desire, these matches against clubs lower in the table than Palace are must win. Their opponents have been growing in confidence, particularly in attack. The Eagles have shown that they can weather waves of pressure but have rarely put that together with a consistent offense of their own. A night match with their home fans behind them is a great chance to do just that.

Bournemouth’s mini-winning run came to an end against Aston Villa, but that result is still a major improvement on their early season returns. Improved play from full-back has been key to their climb up the table, with Milos Kerkez really beginning to shine. He assisted the talismanic Dominic Solanke in their last match and in general appears to have settled in on the South Coast. How Andoni Iraola approaches a team like Palace - who are unlikely to leave gaps with an extravagant press - is an intriguing question, and it’s unclear how effective his counter attacking strategy will be. Solanke is sure to be a threat, but it’s Antoine Semenyo who has caught the eye in recent contests, showing poise and consistency in front of goal. Things are looking up for the Cherries, and beating Palace would show that they’re ready to make a push up the table. 

Fulham vs. Nottingham Forest

Craven Cottage, Wednesday, 7:30pm Local, 2:30pm Eastern

Fulham suffered a last minute defeat on Sunday, losing to Liverpool courtesy of two late goals. While that will still sting, the performance was a significant improvement on recent outings. The Cottagers have struggled for goals but scored 3 against a vaunted defense. Their next opponents haven’t been defensive juggernauts, so Marco Silva will expect to see his team on the scoresheet. Bobby De Cordova-Reid and Harry Wilson have stepped up, and Raúl Jiménez - though he hasn’t caught fire - seems more settled. The West London side is still comfortably away from the relegation scrap, and they will feel that Forest - especially away from home - are manageable opponents.

Steve Cooper is under pressure at Nottingham Forest, but he is still in place going into this midweek clash at Craven Cottage. The English manager has been wonderful for the club, and the pressure he’s under may feel somewhat unfair, but unfortunately that’s Cooper’s reality. It’s unclear if a victory away to Fulham would turn the tide, but it would certainly ease concerns about a slide into the relegation zone. The forwards - Morgan Gibbs-White, Chris Wood, Anthony Elanga, and Divock Origi - need to step up while Taiwo Awoniyi is missing. A good run of form from any of them could see Forest get their campaign back on track; continued struggles will almost certainly spell the end of the Cooper era in Nottingham.

Aston Villa vs. Manchester City

Villa Park, Wednesday, 8:15pm Local, 3:15pm Eastern

Villa Park plays host to a top 4 clash, when the Champions (currently in 3rd) visit 4th place Aston Villa. Unai Emery’s side are coming off a somewhat disappointing draw away to Bournemouth and are feeling the strain of their European campaign. That said, Villa are a side dedicated to counter attacking football, and they have the personnel to trouble City - especially a City missing Rodri (who misses out due to yellow card accumulation). Moussa Diaby, Leon Bailey, and Ollie Watkins will all be dangerous and more than capable of exploiting the space behind City’s somewhat struggling backline. 

Pep Guardiola’s side was clearly aggrieved at the manner of their draw to Spurs, so much so that the FA has charged the team for failing to control their players in the wake of Simon Hooper’s confusing whistle. But a bigger issue for the Champions than any dubious call is their huge drop off in defense. The Manchester side has conceded 8 goals in their last 3 league matches, which is 50% of their total allowed this season. This may be a minor blip or indicative of a greater flaw in the system, but either way Guardiola will be looking to solve this problem quickly. Villa are a difficult proposition, but they aren’t exactly water-tight either, having let in the joint most (tied with Tottenham) goals in the top 7. The City of last campaign (or even earlier this season) would go into this match fully expecting a win - things are less certain this time around.

Manchester United vs. Chelsea

Old Trafford, Wednesday, 8:15pm Local, 3:15pm Eastern

Two historical powerhouses with unsteady foundations square off at Old Trafford in a showpiece match on Wednesday night. Manchester United were roundly dominated by Newcastle over the weekend, even if the final scoreline didn’t reflect how much Erik Ten Hag’s side was outplayed. So far this season, the Red Devils have accumulated solid results (if not always strong performances) against teams lower down the table but have reliably struggled against the stronger sides. The good news for the Manchester club is that where Chelsea falls in those categories is a total enigma. Marcus Rashford has been coming under massive pressure, and a high-profile home showdown would be a perfect chance to reignite his season.

Chelsea came out on the right side of an odd 3-2 against Brighton over the weekend, but it wasn’t exactly a win that filled their supporters with confidence. Ill-discipline, defensive fragility, and wild fluctuations in their attacking prowess have made this campaign a roller coaster for fans of the West London side. Enzo Fernández notched two goals in his last outing, finally opening his Premier League account for Chelsea. If he can start to boss matches in the way he’s capable of doing, he could build momentum for Mauricio Pochettino’s side. Christopher Nkunku is nearing a return, and Mykhailo Mudryk has shown signs of improvement. Chelsea has plenty of reasons to be positive; putting one over Manchester United would make their outlook feel much more bright.

Everton vs. Newcastle United

Goodison Park, Thursday, 7:30pm Local, 2:30pm Eastern

Everton got a much needed win in their last match with Nottingham Forest, boosting their case to pull themselves out of the relegation zone even with their points deduction. Newcastle are a much different prospect than Forest, however, and the Merseyside Club will need to post one of their strongest performances of the season to add to their tally. Dwight McNeil scored over the weekend, and his combination of skill on the ball and finishing could be crucial to taking advantage of a thinned out Geordie squad. Abdoulaye Doucouré’s skill from slightly farther back - both as facilitator and scorer - could also be a key factor in any positive Everton result. A win might be enough to pull Sean Dyche’s side out of the relegation zone, and they’d be very hard to pull back in should they get a run of form going.

Eddie Howe’s side delivered a mature and dominant victory over Manchester United in front of their home crowd; they’ll be confident they can do the same away at Goodison Park. Anthony Gordon has been a revelation this season, and he seems like the kind of player who’ll relish a return to his old club. His form, plus the danger that Alexander Isak poses, could well be too much for the improving but still fragile Toffees. Supporters of the Magpies will make the trek west assured that their side is capable of grabbing all 3 points - though this busy schedule could very well continue to wreak havoc on their squad.

Tottenham Hotspur vs. West Ham United

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, 8:15pm Local, 3:15pm Eastern

Ange Postecoglou’s side recorded an action packed 3-3 draw with Manchester City on Sunday night and are rewarded with a London Derby against the tough - if inconsistent - Hammers of East London. Spurs are another side that’s had its depth stretched to the limit, but their Australian manager has shown that he can make slight tweaks to his personnel without sacrificing the core of his bold tactical strategy. Dejan Kulusevski has been asked to be more of a creative force, taking up some of the positions that James Maddison does when healthy. This matchup won’t exactly be easy for the North London side, but there have been encouraging signs from Spurs even if results haven’t completely turned around. It must be noted, however, that West Ham’s style will be very tricky to deal with for a team reliant on exploiting space.

David Moyes’ side hasn’t been exactly lighting the league alight with scintillating play in recent contests, and their match against Palace was a dull affair. It’s a long season, and the Hammers seem content to ride the ebbs and flows as long as they can maintain their form in Europe while not slipping down the table. Without a doubt, this is a good time to face Spurs, and (as mentioned above) this is a great opportunity for West Ham to play style-spoiler by sitting deep and ceding possession. It worked for them against Brighton, and it could very well work again. Jarrod Bowen’s quicker than expected return is a huge boost, and his quality gives the Hammers a way into any match. Add him to the continually improving Mohammed Kudus, and there’s a very easy case to make for a road result for the East London club.