This is the last weekend of football normality for the year. But it has the potential to be quite the weekend with a host of matches you are going to want to catch. With that in mind, here is your weekend preview.
By Sam McGuire, Premier League expert
A second wind for Spurs?
We kick things off at the City Ground with Nottingham Forest hosting Tottenham Hotspur on Friday evening. Pressure is mounting on manager Steve Cooper after a disappointing run of form. Forest picked up seven points from their opening five matches but have since won just one of their next 11, amassing seven points in the process.
The hosts find themselves in 16th position, five points outside of the drop zone but unless something changes quickly, their points advantage will soon disappear. They welcome a Spurs side who returned to winning ways in spectacular fashion last weekend. Before their game against Newcastle last weekend, Ange Postecoglou’s men had lost four and drawn one of their last five. Their early title challenge had come to an abrupt halt.
However, they found their groove again last Sunday, dismantling Newcastle in a 4-1 win. A win for Tottenham on Friday night lifts them to level on points with Manchester City in fourth and ensures they finish the weekend in fifth place. Momentum around this time of the season is key and Postecoglou will want that after the blip in November.
A humbling week for Newcastle
The Magpies are currently on a three-game losing streak. They have scored just two goals and conceded nine during this run of fixtures. Eddie Howe’s men have crashed out of Europe entirely after finishing bottom of their group and they currently find themselves in seventh position in the Premier League, just two points ahead of ninth-placed West Ham United.
There have been some reports that Howe could be replaced if Newcastle fail to beat Fulham on Saturday afternoon.
The Cottagers arrive at St James’ in remarkable goalscoring form. Marco Silva’s side have scored 16 goals in their last four outings. They have won their last two matches by an aggregate scoreline of 10-0 and things appear to have clicked for Fulham after a sluggish start to the campaign. For context, prior to this four-game run, they had 10 goals in 12 matches.
They are no doubt going to fancy their chances against a Newcastle side lacking confidence and goals right now. The Howe era could be coming to an end.
Dyche-ball
Sean Dyche returns to Burnley this weekend looking to pile more misery onto his former club. Vincent Kompany’s men are joint-bottom of the Premier League having collected eight points from their opening 16 matches. Only Sheffield United (41) have conceded more goals than the Clarets (34) and only two teams have scored fewer than Burnley’s 16.
Despite there being a lot of hope for this Burnley side following their promotion, they look set for an immediate return to the Championship unless there’s an incredible upturn in form, and soon.
They host an Everton team surging up the table and on a three-game winning streak. Dyche’s side have scored six and kept three clean sheets since the loss to Manchester United. Without their 10-point deduction, the Toffees would be in 10th position in the Premier League. The fact they’re already outside of the relegation zone highlights the remarkable job the former Burnley boss is doing at Goodison.
A win at Turf Moor on Saturday evening could take them as high as 15th. Everton, who are joint-fourth in the form table over the past five matches, could well leapfrog to the top of it this weekend.
Arteta versus De Zerbi
This has the potential to be one of the best tactical battles of the season as Brighton travel to the Emirates to take on Arsenal. The Seagulls are going a little under the radar this season, perhaps because of their exploits last year, but the defeat to Chelsea a few weeks back was their only loss since October.
Brighton, who topped their Europa League group, know a win on Sunday could well lift them into sixth position in the Premier League. Don’t sleep on De Zerbi’s side though. They have the same number of goals as Arsenal (33), average the most possession in the English top-flight (62.3%) and only Manchester City (6.6) are having more shots on target than them (6.5).
Arsenal are looking to reclaim top spot in the Premier League following their 1-0 loss to Aston Villa last weekend. The Gunners had been on a six-game winning streak across all competitions before their visit to Villa Park and the defeat against their former manager saw Liverpool finish the weekend ahead of them.
Arteta, who avoided a suspension this week, will want to get back to winning ways ahead of the trip to Anfield next weekend and this game against a well-organised Brighton team could be the ideal warm-up clash for the Gunners.
Fortress Anfield awaits Manchester United
On paper, this should be a routine Liverpool win. The Reds are top of the Premier League table and have a perfect record at home this season. They face an inconsistent Manchester United team on Sunday evening.
Jürgen Klopp’s side have the joint-best defensive record in the league, have racked up the highest Expected Goals total (32.6) and have created the most big chances in the Premier League (43).
United arrive at Anfield having won just one of their last five matches across all competitions. Erik Ten Hag’s side finished bottom of their Champions League group and despite being sixth in the table right now, they have a goal difference of minus three. Only five teams have scored fewer goals than the Red Devils (18).
Everything points towards the home side claiming three points and yet with United having nothing to really lose, anything can happen and this is what makes them such dangerous opposition this weekend.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
You can follow every match from the Premier League live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage and player ratings. Download the free app here.