Luton Town vs. Chelsea

Kenilworth Road, Saturday, 12:30pm Local, 7:30am Eastern

The Hatters have cranked out 2 wins in a row, and welcome Chelsea to the fiery atmosphere of Kenilworth Road. Rob Edwards’ side needed 2 own goals to top Sheffield United in their last match, but they’ve developed a solid arsenal of talent in Andros Townsend, Ross Barkely, Elijah Adebayo, and Jacob Brown. It wouldn’t be a shock if Luton pulled ahead and even held on - and that’s both a credit to the Hatters and an indictment on Chelsea’s current inconsistency.

Chelsea got a jolt of positivity with a late win, but it’s been a long time since the West London side have been able to string together results. Noni Madueke was the late hero, and it will be interesting to see if he’s rewarded with more playing time. Whoever steps up to the plate, Chelsea needs to find consistent scoring. They are still working towards finding a balance, but hopefully they’ve assembled enough talent in Raheem Sterling, Christopher Nkunku, Nicolas Jackson, and Mykhailo Mudryk to propel them to a victory against Luton.

Aston Villa vs. Burnley

Villa Park, Saturday, 3pm Local, 10am Eastern

Villa have wobbled in recent weeks, needing a late equalizer to draw with Sheffield United before letting a 2-0 lead slip away to Manchester United. The Birmingham side is still sitting in 3rd place, but they’ve lost a bit of momentum. Considering their strong form at home, you’d expect Unai Emery’s side to get back on track against Burnley even though the Clarets have played better in their last few matches. Emery’s high line should frustrate Burnley’s young forwards, and Ollie Watkins and John McGinn provide enough threat to keep Vincent Kompany’s men pinned back.

While Burnley ultimately lost 2-0, the Clarets really threatened Liverpool on Boxing Day. They’ve proven capable of sitting back for a stretch in matches and keeping a strategic reserve of energy to make a late push. This may sound like an obvious tactic, but it was just the sort of compromise Kompany didn’t seem willing to make in the heady early days of this campaign. WIlson Odobert continues to impress, and the young Frenchman is particularly dangerous from outside the box - a great wrinkle to add to any offense.

Crystal Palace vs. Brentford

Selhurst Park, Saturday, 3pm Local, 10am Eastern

It’s a South versus West London Derby at Selhurst Park - Crystal Palace host a Brentford in freefall. Palace’s last few matches haven’t ended in 3 points for the Eagles, but they’ve clocked solid performances against favored sides. As expected, the added talent of Michael Olise has elevated their level, and the skilled right-winger nearly earned Roy Hodgson’s side a draw against Chelsea. Olise and Eberechi Eze’s returns have grabbed headlines, but spare a thought for Jean-Philippe Mateta, who’s determined running has been instrumental in their recent uptick in form.

Brentford really need a break. Their injury list has been well documented, and the West London side had been able to cope until their top scorer, Bryan Mbeumo, was sidelined. Since his injury, the Bees have looked rudderless and have dropped to 14th place. Thomas Frank’s men are still 4 points above the drop (and have played a match fewer than most), but they could really do with some quick business once the transfer market opens. Earlier in the season, this would have been a match the Bees might have expected to win, but even a stodgy draw would be an improvement for Brentford.

Manchester City vs. Sheffield United

Etihad Stadium, Saturday, 3pm Local, 10am Eastern

The Champions didn’t skip a beat in their return from the Club World Cup, and City came back from a 1 nil deficit to win 3-1 against Everton. Pep Guardiola’s side may still be stuck in 4th place, but results largely went their way while they were gone, with many of the top sides dropping points and leaving them only 5 points off the top with a game in hand. Phil Foden hasn’t been widely touted this season, but he’s reestablished himself in the side after a spell where he struggled for minutes. It will be interesting to see how City approach the transfer window because - even if they’re still favorites to win the league, their squad has proven thin.

Sheffield United have definitely turned a corner under Chris Wilder, and the Blades will count themselves unlucky that they couldn’t grab anything against Luton Town. The performances may have improved, but their position hasn’t. The Blades are still rooted to the bottom of the table with only 9 points. It is difficult to see them earning consistent enough results to stay in the division, and it’s even harder to see them getting anything from a trip to the Etihad. If they were to spring a massive surprise, it would have to come from a defensive masterclass combined with a moment of quality from one of their talented - but inconsistent - attackers.

Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. Everton

Molineux, Saturday, 3pm Local, 10am Eastern

Wolves have recorded 2 wins in a row, including a 4-1 humbling of Brentford, and their mini-slide is a thing of the past. They host Everton, who have been in good form themselves, and have a chance to crack into the top 10 if other results go their way. This new look Wolves isn’t keeping as many clean sheets as previous incarnations, but they’ve improved offensively so that isn’t the achilles heel it could be for the Midlands side. Hwang Hee-chan loves playing at home, and it would not be a surprise if the Korean striker found the net.

Everton will be able to shake off their loss to the Champions, and - despite coming off of 2 straight losses - the Merseyside club has been flying in recent weeks. Sean Dyche has masterminded a turnaround that would see the Toffees in 10th place if they hadn’t received their points deduction. Wing play has been crucial to recent results, Dwight McNeil and Jack Harrison’s collective improvement has elevated the whole squad. Supporters could be forgiven for wanting to see a bit more end product from Beto and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, but anything beyond safety is a bonus for Everton this season.

Nottingham Forest vs. Manchester United

City Ground, Saturday, 5:30pm Local, 12:30pm Eastern

Forest nabbed their first victory post Steve Cooper, roundly defeating Newcastle 3-1. This Saturday they host Manchester United, who earned a fortifying victory over Aston Villa themselves. It’s a potentially sticky fixture for the Midlands club, and they’ll hope that they can avoid an early sending off, which tanked their last home match. Chris Wood netted a hat trick, and while it’s too early to tell, it’s possible that the Kiwi striker will thrive in his new manager’s system. Wood was the hero last time, but it’s possible the speed of former Red Devil Anthony Elanga might be the key to unlocking the United defense.

United have experienced their fair share of false dawns this season, but each time - at least so far - they’ve crashed back down to earth in their next match. Erik Ten Hag will need to avoid this against Forest, who are still a bit unpredictable under their new leadership. Youth may be their salvation, with Alejandro Garnacho the man in form for United and Rasmus Højlund finally opened his Premier League account. If they can consistently find the back of the net, Manchester United may have brighter days ahead.

Fulham vs. Arsenal

Craven Cottage, Sunday, 2pm Local, 9am Eastern

Fulham’s hot streak appears well and truly over. The club is winless and goalless in their last 3 matches, finding themselves outscored 8-0. Raúl Jiménez will be back, but it’s unlikely the return of one player will be enough to transform a team who lost 3-0 to Bournemouth to a side that can challenge Arsenal. It's hard to imagine the Cottagers keeping a clean sheet, and it’s equally hard to imagine them scoring more than 1 goal. However, we are only a few weeks away from Fulham’s consecutive 5-0 victories - perhaps they can recapture some of that magic at Craven Cottage this Sunday.

Arsenal fell from top spot in the table after being well and truly David Moyes’d. Their 2-0 loss to West Ham is a step backwards for the Gunners, but they remain one round of results away from returning to the pinnacle of the league. While the club is clearly performing well this season, Arsenal have shown they have trouble breaking down intentionally stubborn defenses, but Fulham don’t exactly inspire fear. Supporters of the North London club would find a goal from one of the front line a welcome tonic, in particular Bukayo Saka, who hasn’t scored since the first match of the month.

Tottenham Hotspur vs. Bournemouth

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

Tottenham’s 3 match win streak came to an end after Bournemouth battered Spurs 4-2, and now Ange Postecoglou’s side hosts one of the form teams in the league, the suddenly electric Bournemouth. The North London club will need to contain the tightly-wound counter attack of the Cherries and avoid conceding early. They have the attacking talent to make this a tough afternoon for Bournemouth, and their frontline had been firing before their last match. The injury situation at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has been well documented, and their defense has been hit hardest of all. It’s no surprise to see them heavily linked to defenders in the transfer window.

Andoni Iraola is suddenly sitting on top of the world, and it’s wild to see how quickly the Cherries have climbed up the table. Following early season struggles, something clicked on the South Coast, and Bournemouth haven’t lost since November 4th - even more significantly, only one match in that run ended in a draw. Dominic Solanke’s reliability has provided a foundation upon which other players are building, and suddenly the Cherries are not just a one man band. Alex Scott’s return from injury has been a tremendous boon, and the team seems completely aligned. A trip to Tottenham’s home patch is never easy, but - as remarkable as it sounds - a Bournemouth victory would not be a surprise.

Liverpool vs. Newcastle United

Anfield, Monday, 8pm Local, 3pm Eastern

The last time Liverpool and Newcastle faced off, Darwin Núñez smashed home two late goals to power the 10 man Merseyside club past Eddie Howe’s men The two teams are going in different directions, and their clash on New Year’s Day could really underline the disparity between the two clubs. Jürgen Klopp’s side go into the round of fixtures at the very top of the pile, while Newcastle have slipped down the table following losses to Luton Town and Nottingham Forest. Mohamed Salah and Wataru Endō are about to depart for the African Cup of Nations and the Asian Cup, respectively, and both players will be sorely missed. Salah’s value is obvious, he’s the club’s talismanic top scorer, but Wataru has also established himself in the side, proving adept at the specialist defensive midfielder role. Both players will want to sign off in style.

Injuries have taken their toll on the Tyneside club, but it should also be noted that the Magpies overperformed expectations last season, and they’re having to navigate an injury crisis on top of both reverting to the mean and dealing with improved sides challenging for the top 4. Eddie Howe has a strong enough starting 11 that they can’t be ruled out of any match, but the continued strain being placed on those players is yielding diminishing returns. Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson are both available, but the contest may be better set up for Isak, whose pace has caused Liverpool trouble in the past. Anthony Gordon’s speed and needle will likely also be key if the Magpies were to get anything from the match at Anfield.

West Ham vs. Brighton & Hove Albion

London Stadium, 7:30pm Local, 2:30pm Eastern

Both the Hammers and the Seagulls are coming off of strong results. David Moyes and the East London club humbled Arsenal the last time they played and are on a 3 match winning run in the league in which they haven’t conceded. In the first contest between these two sides, West Ham were able to expose De Zerbi’s tactics by refusing to pressure the ball high up the pitch, ultimately earning them a 3-1 win. That will likely be the strategy again, but surely Brighton’s manager will have a strategy to avoid another thumping. Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus have been revelations, but Kudus is unavailable - slightly injured and about to leave East London for the African Cup of Nations, where his Ghana side may make a deep run.

Brighton battered Tottenham 4-2 in their last match, and the 2 goals they conceded were late consolations. While the Seagulls are missing some of the spark of the early season, they’ve only lost 1 of their last 6 matches in all competitions and are working themselves back into full flow. The respite from European competitions - or, more likely, the fact that all the other clubs now also have congested schedules - may have helped them, but also younger players have grabbed their chances. Jack Hinshelwood is suddenly a mainstay in the squad and a consistent goal threat, joining a long line of highly touted South Coast youngsters. The news isn’t all good though, Kaoru Mitoma, Simon Adingra (who would have left for AFCON anyway) will both likely miss all of January, and Lewis Dunk is suspended - even Igor and Facundo Buonanotte may miss out.