Nottingham Forest vs. Liverpool

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

This past week was monumental for both sides, though for very different reasons. Nottingham Forest suddenly find themselves closer to the drop after Everton gained 4 points in their appeal for breaches of the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability rules - rules which the Midlands club have also been found in violation of. This has piled pressure on the inconsistent side, who have shown flashes of brilliance under new manager Nuno Espírito Santo. Oddly for the Portuguese boss, Forest’s issues have been defensive, and it’s difficult seeing them keeping a clean sheet against the league leaders - they’ll likely have to put several goals past Liverpool’s injury ravaged squad.

Jürgen Klopp’s farewell tour cleared another hurdle in midweek, with a youth filled squad advancing to the FA Cup Quarter Finals. This comes on the heels of their Carabao Cup triumph, but there’s no doubt that the grind of the season is wearing on the Merseyside Club. Dominik Szoboszlai and Darwin Núñez seem likely to return to action, with Wataru Endō and Andy Robertson close as well. That still makes for 8 missing first team players, with a win paramount to Liverpool’s league challenge. If they can nab all 3 points, Klopp will guarantee the Reds will be in first place when Manchester City come to town next Sunday.

Brentford vs. Chelsea

Gtech Community Stadium, Saturday, 3pm Local, 10am Eastern

This edition of the West London Derby pits two sides struggling for consistency against each other. Brentford are still teetering on the precipice of the relegation zone, currently sitting just 5 points above the drop. Ivan Toney’s return provided an initial injection of positivity, but the Bees have now lost 3 in a row, with a 4-2 defeat to West Ham last time out. Thomas Frank’s side is one of the more injured outfits in the league, so there are mitigating factors, but they need to bolster their defensive stability to avoid creeping towards the Championship.

Chelsea supporters must have whiplash from all the ups and downs of the season. Everytime it seems they’ve turned a corner, a new result deflates any momentum they have. After narrowly losing the Carabao Cup final, it took a Herculean effort for Mauricio Pochettino’s men to get past second tier Leeds in the FA Cup - but we’re only a few days removed from an incredibly professional display against Manchester City. The Blues sit in 11th, with only an outside chance at one of the lower European competitions. In a season of transition, there is a real onus on their manager to prove he has the vision to lead them forward. A win over scrambling Brentford is the least he can do.

Everton vs. West Ham

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

The Toffees received a mixed bag of news in midweek. Firstly, their points penalty has been reduced from 10 to 6 on appeal, which propels the Merseyside club up to 15th. However, contained within the lengthy verdict was clear language that states that points penalties are the only acceptable punishment for such breaches, and Everton - of course - have another charge pending. Beyond the off field turmoil, Sean Dyche’s men have a conundrum on the pitch as well. They’ve become increasingly hard to beat in recent weeks, but are totally inept in front of goal. Other sides below them may be much flakier defensively, but the Toffees could get pipped if they keep drawing matches they really need to win.

It’s probably an oversimplification to say that West Ham’s recent struggles came down to one man’s absence, but Lucas Paquetá did his best to prove just that last weekend. The dynamic Brazilian midfielder returned after a long injury and immediately the Hammers looked more cohesive and far more like the club that was knocking on the door of the Champions League places earlier this season. This return to form - if David Moyes’ side can sustain it - will be crucial when West Ham’s European commitments kick back in, but for now fans of the East London club will feel confident in their side’s ability to take all 3 points away from their trip to Liverpool.

Fulham vs. Brighton & Hove Albion

Craven Cottage, Saturday, 3pm Local, 10am Eastern

Last weekend Fulham surprised many by downing Manchester United away from home. While that accomplishment isn’t wild by this season’s standards, it was significant because the Cottagers did it without João Palhinha, which was a hurdle many thought a bridge too far for Marco Silva’s men. Fulham, sitting comfortably in 12th, are unlikely to make a push towards the top 6, but it can’t be forgotten that comfortably staying up alluded the West London club for years until Silva took over. Brighton will certainly be a challenge for them, but Fulham increasingly have an identity this season which makes them hard to break down.

The Seagulls were lucky to snag a late draw against Everton, a result which doesn’t exactly inspire confidence going into this weekend. Adding to the stress on the South Coast is the news that Kaoru Mitoma will miss the remainder of the season with a back injury. With a tough round of 16 draw to Roma upcoming, it’s a very real possibility that the strains of the season are proving too much for Brighton. Earlier in the season, Seagulls supporters would have expected a high octane win in the fixture: now a narrow win or even a draw would be a good result.

Newcastle United vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers

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

Newcastle have had a rough week. First they were battered by Arsenal, looking a great distance away from challenging the Gunners, then they needed penalties to advance in the FA Cup over Championship opposition, only to then get Manchester City away in the next round. Their reward for this hardship? A visit from the deviously consistent, starkly professional Wolves, who come to St. James Park only 2 points away from 7th and a potential spot in European Competition next season. The Magpies, by contrast, sit a point behind their Midlands opponent. Eddie Howe will need to get the most out of his frontline while keeping out Wolves’ forays forward. But, teams have been consistently attacking the wings of the Tyneside club, and Pedro Neto is likely to pin Newcastle back from the opening whistle.

At the start of the season, you would have to scour the earth to find many folks confident in Wolves’ upcoming campaign. Due to financial constraints, they were unable to improve the squad and had to sell off players to balance the books. Their lauded head coach, Julen Lopetegui, left his position over their stagnation, and Gary O’Neill was parachuted in with mere days before the first match. Cut to today and things could hardly look brighter for Wolves, who are in the top half of the table with 3 wins in a row under their belts. Pedro Neto’s return, coupled with Pablo Sarabia’s improvement and defensive tenacity has made O’Neill side one of the most competent outfits in the league. It would be no shock whatsoever if Wolves came away from Newcastle with all 3 points.

Tottenham Hotspur vs. Crystal Palace

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Saturday, 3pm Local, 10am Eastern

Tottenham’s electric start to the season has long since faded, but Ange Postecoglou’s side is still in 5th position with a game in hand over the teams around them. Their last match, a disappointing league defeat to Wolves, was 2 weeks ago, so the North London side should be plenty rested going into this lesser-celebrated London Derby. Despite the rest, Richarlison has been ruled out for an extended period, but unlike many teams in the Premier League, Spurs’ injury situation actually looks largely positive, with nearly all first team options available. While Crystal Palace are a bit of a mystery under their new manager, it would signal far deeper problems if Tottenham weren’t able to nick a win from this match.

Oliver Glasner took over the Eagles following Roy Hodgson’s unsurprising departure and earned a solid, if not shocking, 3-0 win over Burnley in his first match. It’s still quick early to know what his effect will be in South London, but at the very least he jolts a fanbase who were crying out for change. Palace are still without Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze, which will certainly hamper them, but Jordan Ayew is in strong form and you can’t underestimate unpredictability. The fact remains that this season is simply about survival and the Eagles are currently 8 points away from danger. There will be more changes to come, but for now fans will just be hoping for some solid safety from Glasner.

Luton Town vs. Aston Villa

Kenilworth Road, Saturday, 5:30pm Local, 12:30pm Eastern
While Luton Town have received plaudits for their performances and stepping up to the level of the Premier League, they’ve also lost their last 4 matches and - with Everton’s semi-successful appeal - have dropped 5 points adrift from safety. Rob Edwards’ team doesn’t have an easy proposition ahead of them, as their opponents, Aston Villa, sit firmly in 4th position and have clocked some improved performances. The Hatters will need to contain the likes of Ollie Watkins and John McGinn, but their biggest challenge will be solving Leon Bailey, whose newfound offensive clinicality has troubled many teams this season. Working in the hosts’ favor, however, is Villa’s tendency to keep a very high line, which plays into Luton’s preferred counter attacking strategy.

Villa have won 3 of their last 3 in the league, and have looked more like their early season selves after a brief wobble. Unai Emery’s side should have more than enough to beat Luton, but Kenilworth Road has proven to be somewhat of a great equalizer so far this year. While the Birmingham side is still injury-ravaged, there’s a chance that Ezri Konsa will be available again, and his return could prove crucial for both this match and Villa’s upcoming schedule, which sees them restart their Europa Conference journey against Ajax.

Burnley vs. Bournemouth

Turf Moor, Sunday, 1pm Local, 8am Eastern

If Burnley want to have any chance of survival this season, this match is one of their last chances to put a run together. Despite not winning a league match 2024, Bournemouth are still a whopping 15 points better off than the Clarets, but there are precious few opportunities for Vincent Kompany’s side to nab points. If Burnley don’t find a way to win this contest, it’s safe to say their Premier League race is run, and it’s time to switch focus to planning for next years’ promotion push.

The Cherries prospects have much improved after a torrid start to the season, but Andoni Iraola’s team have not exactly inspired in the new year. This match is a perfect time to ignite a string of results and - with the state of the relegation race - a win may just be enough to keep them up. While Dominic Solanke has been the main man, the return and form of Antoine Semenyo has spread the scoring burden around and makes for an enticing proposition against Burnley’s struggling defense. For the good of the relegation scrap, neutrals may find themselves rooting for Burnley, but this match seems like Bournemouth’s to lose.

Manchester City vs. Manchester United

Etihad Stadium, Sunday, 3:30pm Local, 10:30am Eastern

The showpiece matchup of the weekend is of course the Manchester Derby, even if it seems destined to be a one-sided edition. Erling Haaland inspired further terror by netting 5 times in City’s FA Cup dismantling of Luton Town, and the Norwegian striker’s partnership with Kevin De Bruyne seems as strong as ever. It should be said that - until said dismantling - Pep Guardiola’s side had been struggling to put together convincing performances, laboring to several narrow wins in the past few weeks. While they’ve mostly a way, a stubborn United team could frustrate the Champions. In a league where none of the top 3 seem like dropping many more points, getting this win is crucial before City’s trip to Anfield next weekend.

In the build up this week, almost no one is giving the red half of Manchester any chance in the showdown, which is fair enough. They, predictably, lost momentum last weekend, losing to Fulham and dropping their goal difference back down to 0. Erik Ten Hag simply doesn’t have them playing convincingly enough to inspire confidence. That said, you only have to cast your mind back to United’s trip to Anfield to see Ten Hag’s likely strategy, which worked. The Red Devils will likely try to make this a cagey affair, with defense the name of the game. It’s a solid plan if they want to fight for a draw, but it remains to be seen if the players are up to the task.

Sheffield United vs. Arsenal

Bramall Lane, Monday, 8pm Local, 3pm Eastern

In one of the clearest mismatches of the weekend, Arsenal travel north to Bramall Lane to face off with Sheffield United. The Blades are still rooted to the bottom of the table with the worst goal difference in the league by a whopping 11. There’s little reason to think Chris Wilder’s side will surprise the Gunners, but he’ll have them set up to defend deep and weather what’s sure to be an onslaught. While Mikel Arteta’s team has been much more free scoring in recent weeks, it’s just possible - if incredibly unlikely - that Bramall Lane can blunt the North London outfit.

The Gunners have been flying high in the league, scoring 5, 6, and 4 in their last 3 contests, but they were undermined in the Champions League, walking away from their matchup with Porto with an uninspiring loss. Avoiding performances like that is key to Arteta and Arsenal’s push for the title. Adding to the pressure of keeping touch with Liverpool and Manchester City is the fact that the Gunners are up last this match week, meaning that - if the top 2 hold serve - Arteta’s men are likely to kick off the match 5 points off the top of the table. They should have more than enough, but pressure builds, and Arsenal will need to hold their nerve.