Everton vs. Tottenham

Goodison Park, Saturday, 12:30pm Local, 7:30am Eastern

Everton are in hot water. After seemingly pulling themselves out of trouble following their points deduction, the Toffees are back in the bottom 3. While their penalty may be reduced on appeal, the club may also be facing further sanctions and Luton Town’s impressive recent performances will have supporters of the Merseyside Club sweating. Their next opponent, Tottenham, will do little to raise their hopes, especially because Sean Dyche’s team has struggled to score in recent weeks. This could well be a defense first match for the Toffees, hoping to keep Spurs in touch and begging for Dominic Calvert-Lewin to rediscover his form.

Tottenham’s narrow win over Brentford in midweek pulled the North London side back into the top 4, and - in general - there is a buzz of positivity around Ange Postecoglou’s team. Son Heung-min played the hero again for South Korea, so their star man will be away from the club even longer, but Tottenham boast a strong roster, especially in attack. Brennan Johnson, Richarlison, and Dejan Kulusevski have been able to steer the ship, and Timo Werner has looked strong with his distribution. Spurs should have more than enough to handle Everton, but Goodison Park has inspired its fair share of surprise performances in the past.

Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Crystal Palace

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

This match, an unexpected rivalry, comes at a crucial moment for both sides. Brighton seem deflated, failing to score in their last 3 league matches and coming off one of the worst defeats all season - a 4-0 thumping by Luton. Even more worrying for Seagulls supporters, this indifferent run of form has come without the added workload of European Football, which returns in March. It’s hard to imagine this side improving with a busier schedule, especially with João Pedro nursing a knock. Palace aren’t flying themselves, but Roberto De Zerbi needs his side to show some fight on Saturday afternoon.

Crystal Palace, whose campaign has been largely uninspiring, actually may have reason for hope in this bitter clash against Brighton. Not only will both Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise be available, the Eagles were also one of the few sides to make significant moves to improve in the now-closed transfer window. Adam Wharton may not be ready to feature, but it’s a jolt of positivity for a fan base that’s had little reason to cheer in the last few months. A sustained run with their first choice attackers will be key in Palace ending the season strong; their health, however, is always a concern.

Burnley vs. Fulham

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

It’s probably already too late for Burnley, and - if Vincent Kompany’s side has any hope for a run at survival - this is exactly the sort of match that the Clarets need to win to make a push. Fulham are midtable, inconsistent, and making the trip north on short rest. That said, Burnley have consistently failed to jumpstart their season. One point in their favor, however, the Clarets won 2-0 in late December in the reverse fixture - it’s just possible that Kompany can inspire his men to repeat the trick at home.

Fulham have been toothless in the new year, only netting 2 goals in 6 matches with no wins to show for it. This may largely come down to Alex Iwobi’s exploits at AFCON, where his Nigeria side has advanced to the semifinals. While the Cottagers miss both his scoring and his facilitation, help may have arrived in Armando Broja, who joins on loan from Chelsea. Broja has struggled for fitness and consistency, but he was appearing for his parent club regularly and he’s been successful when on loan previously. Fulham are safely in 13th right now, but with only 7 points separating them from the drop, a few wins would be very welcome in West London.

Newcastle United vs. Luton Town

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

Both sides come into this showdown at St. James Park having posted statement wins in midweek. Newcastle tonked Aston Villa for the second time this season, and Luton put 4 past Brighton. The Magpies look revitalized despite a heavy workload, and Anthony Gordon is steadily building a case for a spot in the England team at this summer’s European Championship. Eddie Howe’s side will look to feed off of their home field advantage and nab a critical 3 points in their chase for the European places. 

Elijah Adebayo is the man of the moment, fresh off a hat trick in Luton’s last match. While Kenilworth Road’s atmosphere gets a lot of attention, the Hatters have pulled off some results away from home as well, most recently knocking Everton out of the cup in dramatic fashion. Ross Barkley, Andros Townsend, Carlton Morris, Alfie Doughty, and - of course - Adebayo have all improved as the season’s gone on, and Luton have settled into solid form. It will be a long journey to survival, but Luton currently sit outside of the drop zone, and that’s already remarkable.

Sheffield United vs. Aston Villa

Bramall Lane, Saturday, 5:30pm Local, 12:30pm Eastern

Both sides come into this match hoping to erase recent results from their memories. But, barring a sudden advance in Eternal Sunshine-like technology, that’s unlikely to happen. Sheffield United have been far and away the worst team in the Premier League this season, and - while sandwich-hating Chris Wilder’s arrival has improved their form - they simply can’t get points on the board. It’s easy to have sympathy with Blades supporters, they must have felt this was coming when the club sold its best players in the summer without adequate replacements. One bright spot is Ben Brereton Díaz, whose arrival could be the only positive around Bramall Lane.

Aston Villa produced a truly dreary January, with their only victory coming against Championship opposition in the FA Cup. To cap that run off, the Birmingham side stank out Villa Park against Newcastle, ending a long home unbeaten run in truly unimpressive fashion. Unai Emery will need to make this result a spark for the club, as their European ambitions have taken damage over the past few weeks. Moussa Diaby in particular has struggled to impact matches, but Leon Bailey has been increasingly dangerous. Both sides need this win; Villa is far more likely to get it.

Bournemouth vs. Nottingham Forest

Vitality Stadium, Sunday, 2pm Local, 9am Eastern

Bournemouth have come back down to earth after their scintillating run at the end of last year. While they no longer look capable of batting any team aside, they’ve achieved what seems to be a comfortable and stable existence - which, it should be said, is a fantastic achievement based on how they started the season. The Cherries rely heavily on Dominic Solanke, and he’s just the sort of player that could trouble Nottingham Forest - a forward that can both pick a pass out and is clinical while leading the line. Bournemouth are well positioned to start a new winning run this weekend. 

Forest have looked brighter under Nuno Espírito Santo, but Luton Town’s recent exploits (and the potential for a points penalty) means that the Midlands club will need to translate that improvement into tangible results. Taiwo Awoniyi is officially back in the fold after a long injury absence, and the dynamic - if sometimes fragile - striker will have a massive role to play in the second half of the campaign. If he can stay healthy and score consistently, Forest should survive. If he can’t, and the team continues to be goal-shy, things could get testy very quickly.

Chelsea vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers

Stamford Bridge, Sunday, 2pm Local, 9am Eastern

While Chelsea have had a few performances approaching consistency in the last few weeks, their defeat to Liverpool was a reminder that they have a long way to go before they can challenge for top honors. On paper, Wolves should be a friendlier matchup, though the Midlands side can be almost ruthlessly competent under Gary O’Neil. Mauricio Pochettino’s men will need to show patience to create openings against what’s sure to be a diligent defense. Cole Palmer has been their most impactful signing - Chelsea’s success seems to ride nearly entirely on the young attacker.

For all the difference in the 2 clubs’ financial outlays in the summer, Wolves can leapfrog Chelsea with a victory at Stamford Bridge. Still without Hwang Hee-chan, the triumvirate of Pablo Sarabia, Matheus Cunha, and Pedro Neto have been left in charge of the Wolves attack. Sarabia and Cunha in particular have improved, showing a far more dangerous edge in recent weeks. Chelsea’s inconsistency means that you can’t count out O’Neil’s side, but they’ll still be slight underdogs going into the clash.