All eyes will naturally be on the clash of the titans as Liverpool host the reigning champions, Manchester City, in what feels like a title decider. Arsenal, meanwhile, have the chance to seize the top spot as they host Brentford a day earlier on Saturday. There’s also the intriguing fixture between Villa and Spurs as Unai Emery’s side looks to pull away in the fourth spot.
Focus M takes a look at the talking points for the weekend’s EPL fixtures.
Manchester United v Everton (Sat, 8.30pm)
Despite Erik Ten Hag’s post-match assertions, the Red Devils were comprehensively outplayed in the Manchester derby last week. Aside from Marcus Rashford’s wonder strike, Manchester United lacked conviction, application and the belief that they could actually pull off a result. The fact that they only had 27% possession speaks volumes about how that game went down.
The home side will certainly need to do better and should have enough quality to see off an Everton team looking jaded and bereft of ideas. Another defeat and Sean Dyche’s mean will be in the thick of a relegation scrap after the brief reprieve from a reduced points penalty for financial irregularities.
Crystal Palace v Luton Town (Sat, 11pm)
It is early days yet in Oliver Glassner’s reign at Crystal Palace but he will be acutely aware that he needs to avoid being sucked into a relegation dogfight to ensure his tenure isn’t short-lived. Luton will be desperately disappointed to lose to a late goal against Villa last week after showing great character in drawing level.
Both teams need a win badly, and neutrals might be in for a treat as both teams may just throw caution to the win in search of three points.
Bournemouth v Sheffield United (Sat, 11pm)
Sheffield United look dead and buried. Conceding five goals has become a habit, and Chris Wilder’s men have looked out of their depth for much of the season. This is the sort of deflating form that can carry over seasons and see teams drop divisions in successive campaigns.
Another big loss and Blades supporters may be thinking of the dark days of third-tier football again in the not-too-distant future. Their promotion to the Premiership has almost been an exercise in futility, as they have become the division’s veritable punching bag.
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Fulham (Sat, 11pm)
The home side is facing an injury crisis. One that is so pronounced that it forced them to name a 15-year-old on their bench for the defeat at Newcastle last weekend. Both sides are safely ensconced in midtable, with the Wanderers side just four points shy of a spot in next season’s UEFA Conference League.
Out of both cups and European football a distant dream, Fulham’s season is threatening to fizzle out, but that is surely preferable to the drama of a relegation battle.
Arsenal v Brentford (Sun 1.30am)
There is no bigger incentive for Arsenal as a win will see them go to the top of the table. Huge wins in the last five games have fattened their goal difference account and could well be the deciding factor come May. Mikael Arteta’s men have a new swagger about them, as they seem to now brush aside opponents with impunity.
Harsh lessons learned from last season seem to have toughened their resolve, and the Gunners should continue in their rich vein of form against a Brentford side languishing in 15th place.
However, Bee’s striker Ivan Toney will be keen to show his mettle and convince Arsenal to pay big money for his services next season.
Aston Villa v Tottenham Hotspurs (Sun, 9pm)
The race for the final Champions League spot heats up as five points separate fourth and fifth albeit with Spurs having played a game less. Unai Emery has transformed Villa by making them serious contenders for elite European football and they are still on track for continental silverware after a goalless draw against Ajax few days ago.
After a bright start with Spurs briefly topping the table, Ange Postecoglou’s team is now left searching for a European spot, which to be fair would have been his original brief anyway. Talk of a title tilt was premature but does reflect the massive improvement Spurs have made this season, not least in getting a misfiring Richarlison to score again.
West Ham United v Burnley (Sun, 10pm)
The Hammers currently sit in seventh, the final European spot. It is the least what their supporters expect and David Moyes has done exceedingly well to maintain momentum for the club despite losing Declan Rice in the summer to Arsenal. They remain in contention in Europe after a narrow defeat to Freiburg in midweek and the worry is that of tired legs.
Burnley, meanwhile, seems locked in a cycle of playing decent football without getting results. Like Sheffield United, Vincent Kompany’s side looks destined for the drop.
Brighton & Hove Albion v Nottingham Forest (Sun, 10pm)
Both teams will be hurting at the moment. The Seagulls were comprehensively beaten 4-0 by Roma in midweek, bringing an end to their European adventure for this season. Forest are still smarting from conceding a late goal to Liverpool last weekend and felt the referee got several decisions wrong. Robert De Zerbi will want maximum points from this home game as his side chases down a European spot.
Forest is hovering just above the drop zone and will be hoping the host is suffering from a European hangover. A couple more bad results could prove fatal in Forest’s bid to retain their Premiership status.
Liverpool v Manchester City (Sun, 11.30pm)
The standout fixture of the weekend is when two title challengers go head-to-head in what promises to be a thrilling encounter. The home side is severely depleted through injuries, with senior players such as Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Diogo Jota among the absentees. The sight of talisman striker Mo Salah taking to the field as a substitute in the 5-1 rout of Sparta Prague in midweek will have heartened Liverpool supporters.
The home team is unbeaten at Anfield in 29 games across all competitions, but the visitors have Eerling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne firing on all cylinders.
Chelsea v Newcastle (Tues, 4am)
A season that promised so much for both sides is threatening to fizzle out in spectacular fashion. After spending £1 billion in the transfer market, Chelsea are in the eleventh spot and are in danger of running foul of Financial Fair Play rules. Another season without European football will have damaging consequences for a team that once took Champions League qualification for granted.
Newcastle’s hopes of a top four finish look remote, as they are a massive 15 points behind Villa in fourth. Their supporters will be hoping for at least a spot in the Europa League or UEFA Conference League, though what they really want is a trophy of some sort to end their long barren spell. The Magpies remain in the FA Cup and a win at Wembley will end decades of hurt. – March 9, 2024
All photos credited to The Guardian
