Premier League

Kobbie Mainoo celebrated signing his new Manchester United deal with a winning goal against Liverpool at Old Trafford to secure UEFA Champions League football next season.

Former Man Utd star Michael Carrick was tasked with qualifying for the UEFA Champions League when he took over as interim head coach in January and it was fitting that the academy graduate he brought back into the team completed the job.

Mainoo, 21, admitted “it was difficult” under former United head coach Rubin Amorim, who suggested he might need to move on loan in December. He did not start a single game under Amorim, but has started 13 out of 13 since he left.

The midfielder’s extraordinary transformation has mirrored Man Utd’s under Carrick.

“He’s played a huge part, the confidence that he puts in not just me but all the players, you want to follow him, fight for him, die for him on the pitch,” Mainoo said of Carrick, a predecessor in the United midfield.

Man Utd took a two-goal lead within 14 minutes – the quickest they had done so against Liverpool in the Premier League.

But Liverpool scored twice within nine minutes of the second half as Dominik Szoboszlai continued to shine. The Hungarian scored a fine solo goal and set up Cody Gakpo, making him the club’s first midfielder to reach double figures for goals and assists since Steven Gerrard in 2014.

For a brief spell a phenomenal Man Utd run was seemingly at risk: the club had not lost a home league match they had been winning at half-time since May 1984.

But Mainoo’s goal – his first goal in the league in 718 days – settled the match and put a six-point gap between them and fourth-placed Liverpool, with only three games to play.

Watch: Mainoo's goal and highlights v Liverpool

Man Utd are due to make a permanent managerial appointment in the summer and Carrick’s audition could barely have gone better.

Since he took over, Man Utd have won 32 points – five more than the next best side, Arsenal.

Spurs moving on up

Tottenham Hotspur's players showed they are beginning to understand Roberto De Zerbi’s high-intensity system as they climbed out of the relegation zone for the first time in almost a month.

Six points from successive matches – after beating Wolverhampton Wanderers the weekend before – are more than the five they accumulated in the 14 Premier League games before them.

De Zerbi cautioned “it’s not finished yet” and does not want his players to forget how they have suffered. “Before Wolverhampton was a very sad situation,” the Italian told TNT Sport. “These memories have to stay in our head every day.”

This win remarkably means they now have the third-best away record this season, with 29 points, behind only league leaders Arsenal (32pts) and Manchester City (31pts).

West Ham’s 3-0 defeat at Brentford on Saturday handed Spurs the opportunity to escape the bottom three, though few would have predicted how well they took it.

The win moved them one point above West Ham into 17th place. And, perhaps significantly, they have a far superior goal difference to their relegation rivals: minus nine to minus 19.

Conor Gallagher picked an ideal moment to score his first Spurs goal to open the scoring – almost two years to the day since his last in the Premier League.

“It’s always a bit of a relief to get that first goal,” Gallagher told TNT Sport. “It’s exactly what we needed. It’s been a perfect night. Hopefully it’s only the start.”

Gallagher said he “can’t speak highly enough” of De Zerbi and his influence on their revival. “He's been so good. Every player in the squad has taken to him; he makes you feel so good. He brings the best out of you.”

De Zerbi returned the compliment: “When Gallagher plays well, we play with 12 players.”

Watch: Full-time reaction by Spurs' players

Villa are still six points above sixth-placed Bournemouth and are almost guaranteed fifth place and UEFA Champions League qualification.

But they struggled in the aftermath of Thursday’s UEFA Europa League semi-final first leg defeat at Nottingham Forest, becoming the first team this season not to have a touch in Spurs’ penalty area in the first 30 minutes of a match, and managing only one in over an hour.

It took until 61 minutes for a first shot and Villa fans had to wait until the sixth minute of stoppage time to see their team’s first shot on target – a goal from Emiliano Buendía.

“We still have work to do in the Premier League but we still have an advantage to get our huge target to be in the top five,” a disappointed manager Unai Emery said.

Bournemouth dreaming of Europe

A 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace means it is now in AFC Bournemouth’s hands to finish sixth, which could qualify them for next season’s Champions League in a remarkable season underpinned by the savvy recruitment of young players.

Teenagers Junior Kroupi and Rayan, both signed within the last 12 months, scored in a comfortable victory against Palace. Bournemouth are the only side to have two teenagers score in a game this season.

From having never played in Europe, UEFA’s premier competition has become a tantalising prospect after they extended their unbeaten run to 15 games.

Even if Chelsea beat Forest on Monday, Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth side will remain a point clear of seventh place.

For sixth spot to earn a Champions League place, Villa must finish in the top five and win the UEFA Europa League.

Kroupi, 19, signed from Lorient last year, scored his 12th Premier League goal of the season, equalling the record for a debutant teenager set by Robbie Fowler, at Liverpool, and Robbie Keane at Spurs.

Watch: All of Kroupi's goals this season

European qualification would be the perfect send-off for Iraola, who leaves in the summer.

Palace, back in action after a Europa Conference League first-leg semi-final victory 800 miles away in Poland against Shakhtar Donetsk on Thursday, found it difficult to get into the game.

Head coach Oliver Glasner made five changes to rest players but was frustrated by a series of errors.

“Let’s say you have a friend's birthday and your wedding [a few days later], you are more excited for the wedding. This is the same," he said. "Bournemouth’s semi-final was today — ours is Thursday."

Palace failed to have a shot in the first half for the first time in a league game in five years. Even if they had more touches in Bournemouth’s penalty area in the first 45 seconds of the second half than in 45 minutes of the first, it was not enough to get back into a match.

Indeed, Rayan, also 19, sealed it late on with his fourth goal since signing from the Brazilian side Vasco da Gama in January.

Football writer Ben McAleer looks at the talking points from Saturday’s Premier League action, including key results in the title race and battle to avoid the drop.

Arsenal had the perfect opportunity to open up a six-point lead over rivals Manchester City on Saturday evening, and it was one they grabbed with both hands. Fulham are no pushovers, but the Gunners showed why they remain in the driving seat to secure a first Premier League title in over 20 years.

Mikel Arteta needed his players to lay down a marker to pile the pressure on City. And it didn’t take long for Arsenal to take the initiative as the returning Bukayo Saka fired in a low cross for Viktor Gyokeres, who made no mistake from six yards out.

That goal was the Swede’s 20th of the season as Gyokeres became the first player to bag at least 20 goals across all competitions in their first season at the club since Alexis Sanchez in the 2014/15 season.

The roles were reversed for Arsenal’s second as Gyokeres turned provider for Saka, the winger beating goalkeeper Bernd Leno with a low-near post drive to double Arsenal’s advantage.

Watch: Gyokeres' performance v Fulham

Arteta’s side went in at the break 3-0 ahead with Gyokeres bagging his second - and the north London side’s third - by timing his run to perfection to head Leandro Trossard’s cross past Leno.

Arsenal survived a couple of hairy second-half moments, but their dominant opening 45 minutes ensured a morale-boosting victory ahead of their midweek UEFA Champions League visit of Atletico Madrid. It’s all-square at 1-1 ahead of the second-leg showdown on Tuesday with a place in the final at stake.

"I got a really good feeling on Thursday already when we had a meeting before we got on the plane [after the Atletico game], because we talked about everything that we have to do now," Arteta told the official club website.

"It's about energy and showing how much we want it, and that hunger. And the team clicked immediately, the boys delivered what we planned against a really tough opponent, and we were very efficient.

"Now we have one of the biggest games in the history of this stadium, for sure on Tuesday, in front of our people and we're going to try to make it happen."

City now also need to respond to Arsenal’s comfortable 3-0 victory, a result that improved the club’s goal difference, which could prove decisive.

Pep Guardiola’s side face Everton on Monday at Hill Dickinson Stadium, and then welcome Brentford next Saturday. They could well be level on points with Arsenal by the time Arteta’s side are next in league action.

“I think both the performance and result was important. We controlled the game very well. At this stage we have to win the games that are left,” Gyokeres said after Saturday's win.

And on the title race, he added: "We've never stopped believing and we're not going to. We will keep going.”

In a crunch relegation match, West Ham United made the short trip across the capital in one of three 15:00 BST kick-offs to face London rivals Brentford. The Hammers had a great chance to open up some daylight between themselves and the relegation zone in their bid to beat the drop.

Brentford, meanwhile, headed into their home encounter with Nuno Espirito Santo’s side on a six-game winless run. The Bees, though, delivered a hammer blow to West Ham’s hopes of avoiding relegation.

Konstantinos Mavropanos inadvertently put the ball into his own net after Michael Kayode’s initial effort cannoned off the woodwork. It was the defender’s fourth own goal in a West Ham shirt, more than any other player in the club's history.

The Greek centre-back thought he’d made amends five minutes later after powering El Hadji Malick Diouf's free-kick past Caoimhin Kelleher.

However, Mavropanos’ header was chalked off by VAR and although West Ham had chances to haul themselves level, they were made to pay 10 minutes into the second half.

Brentford's top scorer Igor Thiago made no mistake from 12 yards to bag his 22nd league goal of the season, sending 'keeper Mads Hermansen the wrong way after Dango Ouattara had been fouled by Diouf.

Watch: All of Thiago's goals this season

No player has now scored more penalties in the Premier League than the eight of Thiago since he made his debut in November 2024. The Bees have also scored a competition-high eight penalties this season.

Mikkel Damsgaard, who missed an open goal in the first half, made amends with a sweetly struck 82nd minute effort. There was a touching end to a memorable afternoon for Brentford when Josh Dasilva replaced Damsgaard in the dying embers of Saturday’s 3-0 win to make his first appearance for the Bees in over 800 days.

Watch: Dasilva's heartwarming reception from Brentford fans

“It’s going to be a big challenge for all of us with the impact of this tough day,” Nuno said after the Brentford loss. Your move, Tottenham Hotspur.

Just as Brentford ended a winless run, so too, did Newcastle United as the Magpies welcomed Brighton & Hove Albion to St James’ Park.

Newcastle were stuck on a four-game losing streak ahead of their meeting with the in-form Seagulls. However, Eddie Howe's side drew first blood on home turf as William Osula bagged his fifth league goal of the campaign following some good work by Jacob Murphy.

Murphy was brought down by goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen, who in turn committed his fourth error leading to an opposition goal, a record this season, but the winger recovered well to dig out a cross for Danish striker Osula.

Watch: Murphy's assist for Osula v Brighton

Newcastle were two goals to the good midway through the first half as Dan Burn connected superbly with Bruno Guimaraes' corner. Jack Hinselwood halved the deficit on the hour mark; however, Harvey Barnes settled the clash in second-half stoppage time to end Newcastle’s winless run.

On the 3-1 victory over the Seagulls, head coach Howe said: "A big win for us. It has felt like a run of negative results, we needed a big performance to turn that around and we did that.

"It wasn’t beautiful today, but I thought it was highly effective and I thought the players played really well."

Elsewhere, Wolverhampton Wanderers may be relegated, but they’re going down with a fight. Keen to give their fans something to cheer about in their penultimate home game of the season, Rob Edwards' side welcomed Sunderland to Molineux.

However, it was the Black Cats who struck first as Nordi Mukiele headed Granit Xhaka’s corner past Dan Bentley in the 17th minute. Seven minutes later, and the tie swung in the home side’s favour as Sunderland defender Dan Ballard received his marching orders for pulling Tolu Arokodare’s hair.

Here is your daily briefing for the latest Premier League stories on Friday 1 May.

How Carrick and set-pieces have supercharged Fernandes' assist run

Since Michael Carrick’s January appointment, Bruno Fernandes has not only been reinstated to his favoured No 10 role, but he has taken his game to another level.

Fernandes has four games left to at least match the Premier League assist record of 20 in a season, set by Thierry Henry in 2002/03 and equalled by Kevin De Bruyne in 2019/20. With four games to play, you’d expect the Manchester United maestro to trump the pair.

Carrick has granted Fernandes the freedom to drift to the right to wreak havoc in the final third. “I float a lot in that zone there now with Michael [Carrick],” Fernandes told Opta Analyst. “He doesn’t want me to just be stuck in the middle, so often asks me to find that pocket [of space].”

And it’s not just from open play where Fernandes is doing damage; the 31-year-old is a dead-ball extraordinaire.

His total of 32 chances created from set-pieces is more than any other player in the Premier League this season, and his 10 assists from set-pieces put him just one short of equalling the record for a campaign.

Most Premier League set-piece assists in a season

Player Set-piece assists Season Steven Gerrard (LIV) 11 2013/14 Bruno Fernandes (MUN) 10* 2025/26 Muzzy Izzet (LEI) 10 2003/04 Chris Brunt (WBA) 9 2014/15 Nicky Shorey (REA) 9 2007/08

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*With four matches to play

“When we talk about set-pieces and needing to hit the ball in the right space, it’s sometimes harder than a standard pass,” Fernandes explained. “The way corners and free-kicks have been, my team-mates ask me and demand where they want the ball. Sometimes I’m going to get it right, sometimes not so much.

“I will tell you that five years ago, I would go to take a corner and just put the ball into the middle of the box and let’s see if someone gets it,” he added. “And nowadays I have to hit a spot, so sometimes it’s even harder to get an assist from a set-piece than it actually is in open play.”

Fernandes has created more chances (114) than any other player in the Premier League this season. Furthermore, the Portuguese playmaker has created over 200 chances more than anyone else in the competition, since his debut in February 2020.

Hurzeler reveals Brighton's innovative MMA tactic

“I don't always want to be known as a club that is nice.”

Fabian Hurzeler was blunt on the reasoning to bring in an MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) coach to help Brighton & Hove Albion on set-pieces. “We brought him in because I think we spoke a lot about set-pieces, about blocking, new trends in the Premier League. We tried to adapt to it as well.”

It seems to have had a positive effect on the Seagulls. They’ve conceded fewer goals from set-piece situations, excluding penalties, (5) than any other team in the Premier League this season.

“There are different ways of using a block, different techniques to win one against one duels, especially at set-pieces. And an MMA fighter always has one-against-one duels,” said Hurzeler.

In a quest to gain an advantage over an opponent, teams are going to greater lengths than ever before. The use of an MMA fighter to improve set-piece proficiency means Brighton's upcoming opponents Newcastle United, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Leeds United and Man Utd could be in for a rough 90 minutes.

Why Guardiola chose Stockport over PSG v Bayern Munich

While some settled in for a nine-goal thriller between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, Pep Guardiola instead travelled to Edgeley Park to watch Stockport County fall to a 2-1 defeat to relegation-threatened Port Vale.

And ahead of the game against Everton, the Manchester City boss was asked why he favoured the League One clash.

“The day before, I saw the calendar, PSG v Bayern Munich and said, 'What a disaster game'," he quipped.

“[The] Managers are not good, Luis (Enrique), Vinny (Vincent Kompany). So, I decided to go to... I'm in love with English football, and I went to see Stockport.”

For a manager locked in a title race and with an FA Cup final looming, the Spaniard seems as relaxed as ever.

The stats that support Rice's Player of the Season chances

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta took the chance to praise key man Declan Rice ahead of his side's meeting with Fulham.

The England international has started all but two league games for the Gunners this season and is a driving force behind their title push.

And should Arsenal go the distance, the Player of the Season shouts will only grow louder.

Rice's stats compared with Arsenal team-mates, 2025/26

Stat Rice Rank in Arsenal squad Chances created 61 1st Big chances created 16 1st Tackles 63 3rd Interceptions 39 2nd Shots blocked 11 2nd Passes 1,936 1st

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"What Declan is doing again is incredible," Arteta said. "To play the amount of games, minutes with the quality that he's shown in every game is something extremely difficult to do, and he's doing it, not only this season, but the last few seasons that he's been with us.

"To show that level of consistency is extremely rare because the demands and the standards are very, very high."

If Arsenal manage to pip City to the post, then the Gunners star will surely be a leading contender for the award.

De Zerbi's hope for 'special' Maddison

Roberto De Zerbi is remaining positive in Tottenham Hotspur's bid to avoid relegation, and key to their hopes could be the fitness of James Maddison.

The creative star hasn’t played a competitive game this season having suffered an ACL injury during the club's pre-season tour of South Korea last August.

Maddison was an unused sub against Brighton and Wolves, raising hopes that he could feature in the final four games of the campaign.

"I don't know, I would like to play with him, because he's a special player, he's a different player, but we have to consider the physical condition, a lot of things," De Zerbi said. "But I think he can be important in the next three games.

"[He brings] experience, personality, calm. Because anyway, if you have much experience, you are calmer. You can consider the timing when you have to speak, when you have to say something or not.

"And I want him to stay inside even if he doesn't play, because when he will be ready to play, I want him 100 per cent inside of the plan of the team."

Football writer Alex Keble analyses where the Matchweek 35 fixtures could be won and lost, including:

- Will Arsenal take a commanding lead in the title race?

- How good will this Man City side look against middle-class opposition?

- Do West Ham need to beat Brentford to avoid the drop?

- Will Villa’s Europa League semi-final give Spurs a big chance?

- Can Brighton capitalise on Newcastle’s poor form to take charge of sixth?

- Can McFarlane end Chelsea’s losing streak or will Forest’s run continue?

- Will Leeds take a golden chance to win the final three points they need?

- Is Man Utd v Liverpool a straight shootout for third place?

- Will Vitality Stadium host the game of the weekend?

- Can Sunderland prevent their brilliant season from petering out?

Will Arsenal take a commanding lead in the title race?

Every Arsenal game is a cup final now, of course, but of the four remaining Premier League matches, this Saturday's meeting with Fulham might just feel like the most significant.

A win would put Mikel Arteta's side in a commanding position, creating a bit of breathing room and a moment to calm the anxiety in what has felt like the most high-pressured title race in a generation.

Throughout the 2025/26 campaign, Arsenal’s greatest challenge has been psychological. It would be huge, then, for the Gunners to move six points clear with them having just two more league matches left to play, piling pressure onto Manchester City at a crucial juncture in the campaign.

Man City play two days later, on Monday, meaning that for a full 48 hours Arsenal will have daylight, while their rivals will know they simply have to continue their winning streak through a run of six games in 21 days.

And it gets better for Arsenal. If they win on Saturday, they can begin to feel confident about the remaining games, too. First, it would be proof they can continue to juggle the title race alongside exhausting UEFA Champions League semi-final matches against Atletico Madrid, and second, it would arguably leave just one tough game to go.

Arsenal end the campaign at home to relegated Burnley, the most straightforward fixture of the campaign, and then away at Crystal Palace, who might be preparing for the Europa Conference League final just three days later.

How good will this Man City side look against middle-class opposition?

On paper, this is a very winnable game for Man City, unbeaten in their last 17 Premier League games against Everton (W14 D3) since a 4-0 loss in January 2017. They are also undefeated in their last 11 league games (W8 D3), winning more points (24) and conceding fewer goals (8) than anyone else during that run.

But "on paper" doesn’t mean very much during The Run In. What is of greater interest is Everton's playing style and league position.

Intriguingly, throughout Man City's recent flurry of wins, they have exclusively beaten either "Big Six" sides (Arsenal twice, Liverpool, and Chelsea) or clubs one would expect them to easily defeat (Burnley and Southampton).

The former group consists of teams happy to open up and come onto Man City, creating stretched contests that benefit dribblers like Antoine Semenyo and Jeremy Doku, while the latter group isn’t much of a test at all.

So, with four consecutive Premier League games to come against the division's "middle class" – Everton, Brentford, Palace and Bournemouth – it could be argued that Pep Guardiola’s in-form team are essentially untested for The Run In.

David Moyes' Everton side will hold a solid midblock, soaking up pressure without the ball far more readily than Man City’s "Big Six" opponents and far more effectively than Burnley. Brentford and Palace will do the same.

The result is not a foregone conclusion. How Man City play – the style and confidence, as much as the final score – will have enormous ramifications for what’s to come over the next few weeks.

Do West Ham need to beat Brentford to avoid the drop?

West Ham have won 22 points from their last 13 Premier League games, the sixth-highest tally in the division in that time. This has improved their situation from seven points behind 17th place to two points clear of the drop zone. The form guide is in their favour, and yet this weekend’s trip to Brentford feels like a must-win.

Arsenal (H) and Newcastle United (A) are clearly very difficult matches and, outside of a relegation scrap, West Ham would not realistically be expected to win either game.

It means that failure to beat Brentford on Saturday could leave the Hammers relying on the final-day clash with Leeds United for points – and, by then, even another three points against Daniel Farke's side might not be enough.

Nuno Espirito Santo won’t see it that way, of course. His counter-attacking tactical setup regularly over-performs against clubs whose supposed superiority allows Nuno teams to sit back and play as the underdogs.

However, that theory hasn’t worked in practice this season. West Ham have not won a single match against the Premier League’s current top nine (D6, L10), a record that includes a 2-0 defeat at home to Brentford in October.

That piles pressure onto the trip to the Gtech Community Stadium. Anything short of three points might prove fatal.

Will Villa’s Europa League semi-final give Spurs a big chance?

In ordinary circumstances, a visit to Villa Park would be considered Tottenham Hotspur’s most difficult remaining fixture, but that is complicated by Aston Villa’s Europa League semi-final matches either side of Sunday’s Premier League game.

Villa head coach Unai Emery has been superb at juggling both competitions throughout his career and this season has been no different: his current team have won nine and drawn one of their 12 Premier League matches immediately following a Europa League game in 2025/26.

However, Spurs can consider themselves lucky that Villa are not in good form. Emery’s side have won just two of their last seven Premier League games, losing as many (four) as in their previous 24.

Contrast that with Spurs, whose 1-0 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers could be the catalyst for a revival, and suddenly a trip to Villa Park doesn’t look quite so daunting for Roberto De Zerbi.

It is must-win. Defeat at Villa most likely means that even victory against Leeds in Matchweek 36 would leave Spurs at least level on points with West Ham when they travel to Chelsea for their penultimate fixture.

Supporters are dreading that scenario. They will be hoping Villa are physically and emotionally exhausted from their Thursday-night football.

Can Brighton capitalise on Newcastle’s poor form to take charge of sixth?

Brighton & Hove Albion are in exceptional form, winning 19 points from their last eight Premier League matches to soar up into sixth, a position that will bring Champions League qualification should Villa finish fifth and win the Europa League.

Having won six of their last eight matches, Brighton will be raring to go at St. James' Park and fans will expect their team to capitalise on Newcastle’s poor form. Eddie Howe’s side have lost their last four in a row in the Premier League, a downturn that began after the damaging 7-2 defeat against Barcelona in the Champions League.

Looking at a league table based only on results since 20 February, Brighton are top of the table and Newcastle are all the way down in 17th, on six points from eight games.

This is encouraging for Brighton, who can truly make sixth place their own, emerging head and shoulders above a crowded pack.

That’s because Brighton will have daylight if they beat Newcastle, before back-to-back games against Wolves (H) and Leeds (A) present Fabian Hurzeler’s side with an excellent opportunity of continuing the hot streak until the final day.

Can McFarlane end Chelsea’s losing streak or will Forest’s run continue?

Chelsea have lost, and have failed to score, in each of their last five Premier League games. This of course culminated in Liam Rosenior's departure and the promotion of Callum McFarlane, who promptly guided the team to a 1-0 victory over Leeds in the FA Cup semi-final last weekend.

McFarlane taking charge has brought an upturn in energy and performance levels, although a one-off cup tie at Wembley is a very different scenario to a Premier League encounter at Stamford Bridge, which is to say Monday’s game is a truer test of whether he can break Chelsea out of their poor form.

Nottingham Forest, juggling Europa League football on either side of this match, are only five points above the relegation zone and very much still scrapping for points. There is confidence in their ranks though, after scoring nine goals in their last game-and-a-half of Premier League action.

Indeed, Forest are unbeaten in their last six Premier League games and have won the second-most points in the division (12) since the beginning of March.

The contrasting recent fortunes of the two sides makes Monday’s headline game arguably the biggest of the weekend; the one contest with just as much on the line for both clubs.

Will Leeds take a golden chance to win the final three points they need?

Leeds have a lot riding on this match. They are already on 40 points, which in most seasons would be enough to survive the drop, but judging by the form of those below, this year 42 or 43 may be required.

In other words, Farke needs just one more win, and his side will not get a better chance than the visit of Burnley, particularly given their strong recent form; Leeds are unbeaten in five Premier League games.

There is a small chance Leeds slip back into trouble almost unnoticed, especially if they were to lose to Burnley, a confidence-sapping result that would make their upcoming fixtures against Spurs and West Ham six-pointers.

Lose all four matches and Leeds would finish on 40 points, while Spurs and West Ham would be guaranteed to have a minimum of 37 and 39 respectively. One more win for both, on top of beating Leeds, would likely relegate Farke’s side.

No need to catastrophise just yet. But there is pressure on this game.

Is Man Utd v Liverpool a straight shootout for third?

It’s rare this fixture has so little riding on it in terms of season targets, but Manchester United and Liverpool both appear safe in the Champions League places. Opta’s "super computer" gives Man Utd a 99.91 per cent chance of qualification and Liverpool a 96.92 per cent chance.

However, with just three points separating the two rivals, the winner of this match is likeliest to finish third. That could feel significant for both clubs, beyond winning roughly an extra £2.5 million in prize money and beyond even bragging rights,

Man Utd have won more points (29) than any other side since Michael Carrick’s arrival and his stock will only rise further if he can record a win against Liverpool and make the club the "best of the rest" behind Arsenal and Man City.

Meanwhile, Liverpool, after three consecutive league victories, would be boosted substantially by a victory at Old Trafford.

Will Vitality Stadium host the game of the weekend?

Andoni Iraola is leaving Bournemouth this summer and he could be leaving on the biggest high so far.

The Cherries have never finished above ninth and never won more than 56 points in the Premier League, the total they achieved last season. Currently in seventh, another eight points – taking them to a club-record 57 – should be enough to stay in that position, or even climb further.

Palace have won only 13 points from 13 games immediately following a Europa Conference League match, making Bournemouth slight favourites, although the only thing we can accurately predict is that it will be an excellent watch.

Palace (2.03 metres per second) and Bournemouth (1.88 metres per second) have two of the highest three direct speeds in the Premier League, and have two of the lowest five averages of open-play sequence times (8.16 seconds and 8.26 seconds respectively).

Like the 3-3 draw in the reverse fixture, this should be end to end.

Can Sunderland prevent their brilliant season from petering out?

Wolves v Sunderland is arguably the only fixture of the round with nothing major hanging on it. The story at Molineux will either be the Premier League's 20th-placed side managing to claw themselves above Burnley – which they could do with a victory – or Sunderland getting their first win in three matches.

It’s particularly important for the latter who are in danger of letting a superb campaign peter out, following their 4-3 defeat at Villa and 5-0 loss to Forest.

Remarkably, Sunderland are only six points above Leeds. It would feel disappointing to some supporters if the Black Cats did not at least finish as the best-performing promoted side.

Wolves is their most winnable remaining match. Anything less than three points would threaten to take the shine off an excellent season.

Football writer Alex Keble looks into which teams fighting to avoid relegation, on paper, have the best final four fixtures.

The battle to stay in the Premier League appears to have narrowed down to just four clubs, with Leeds United, Nottingham Forest, West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur the contenders to join Wolverhampton Wanderers and Burnley who have already had their relegation confirmed.

There will no doubt be twists or turns over the final four Matchweeks, many as dramatic and unexpected as last Saturday’s rollercoaster, when a late Spurs winner at Wolves, alongside West Ham first losing the lead against Everton and then regaining it, saw the two clubs swap back and forth in the "live" league table.

Watch: The chaotic finale in Spurs and West Ham's matches

Remaining fixtures

Matchweek Spurs West Ham Nott'm Forest Leeds 35 AVL (A) BRE (A) CHE (A) BUR (H) 36 LEE (H) ARS (H) NEW (H) TOT (A) 37 CHE (A) NEW (A) MUN (A) BHA (H) 38 EVE (H) LEE (H) BOU (H) WHU (A)

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Here, we use two different metrics to try to illuminate how the next four weeks might go: the Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR), a Fantasy Premier League tool based on a complex algorithm that generates a rank for the perceived difficulty of a team's opponent, ranked from one (easy) to five (hard) – and the average points total of each club’s remaining opponents (APO).

The results reveal that Leeds, already ahead of the pack on points, have it best, while there is theoretically little to separate the other three clubs:

Total FDR Ave. points total of opponents Leeds 10 35.00 Nott'm Forest 13 50.00 West Ham 12 50.75 Spurs 12 48.25

It goes without saying that West Ham and Spurs are in the most trouble right now, being a few points behind the rest, although judging by the form of all four clubs – over the last three rounds of games, they have collectively won seven out of 12 matches, losing only once – it looks increasingly likely that more than 40 points will be needed to avoid the drop.

All four clubs, then, need to get more wins on the board. Here’s what the FDR and APO tells us:

Leeds United have the best fixtures – and the most points

Leeds, on 40 points, most likely need just one more win, and their supporters will be encouraged by their low FDR and APO scores relative to their rivals.

In fact, Leeds are the only club who have what could be deemed a ‘‘kind’’ run of games, starting this weekend with a home game against Burnley, who have picked up just two points in their last eight Premier League games.

There’s a reason why only they, and Wolves, have an FDR rating of 1. Burnley at Elland Road is about as straightforward as Daniel Farke could ask for. Win that, and Leeds have almost certainly got enough points.

In fact, if Leeds win on Friday and Spurs lose at Aston Villa on Sunday, Farke’s side would be nine points clear with three matches to go; one point short of being mathematically safe.

Forest have the toughest run and have Europa League semi-finals to think about

Nottingham Forest fans will be looking at a difficult set of games – marginally tougher than West Ham’s and Spurs’, when both FDR and APO are taken into account – to try to find a single victory.

One win would take Forest to 42 points, enough to avoid relegation in every single Premier League season other than 2002/03 when West Ham went down on 42.

It is far from impossible we get a repeat of that scenario, however, and with games away at Chelsea and Manchester United to come, along with negotiating at least two UEFA Europa League matches, Forest are not over the line.

Things can change very quickly, after all. For example, if West Ham beat Brentford and Spurs beat Villa this weekend (and why not, after both won last Saturday?) while Forest lose at Chelsea, Forest would be just two points above the dotted line.

With a semi-final to think about too, Forest might find a lot rests on two tricky home games against Newcastle United and AFC Bournemouth.

The FDR and APO puts Forest in perhaps a surprisingly uncomfortable position. They are definitely not out of it yet.

West Ham’s tough fixtures point to a final-day battle with Leeds

With the highest overall APO and FDR ratings, Nuno Espirito Santo’s side appear to have the toughest set of games, giving hope to Spurs fans that they can bridge the two-point gap to 17th.

There is a decent chance, as we can see, that it will be a straight shootout between West Ham and Spurs, and the order of the fixtures has some relevance here.

For West Ham, a trip to Brentford is not easy and Arsenal at home is as tough as they come, meanwhile Spurs travel to Villa Park between two huge Europa League semi-finals for Aston Villa before hosting Leeds, who may be all-but safe by then.

It’s possible to imagine West Ham and Spurs trading places with two rounds to go. Whatever happens, it feels likely that West Ham’s home game against Leeds on the final day will be must-win, such is the difficulty of their other three matches.

Spurs have more winnable games – especially with added context of opposition distractions

Things do seem mildly more straightforward for Roberto De Zerbi’s team, even if their FDR is the same as West Ham’s and APO only slightly lower.

Villa’s two games against Forest in the Europa League semi-final might make Spurs' game this weekend more winnable, Leeds could be all-but mathematically safe when they arrive in north London in a fortnight, and Chelsea at Stamford Bridge comes the midweek after the FA Cup final, a priority for the Blues.

Then again, by definition no game is easy when you’re near the bottom. The stats show that Forest, West Ham, and Spurs have similarly difficult fixture lists. The battle to avoid the drop should go right to the wire.

Football writer Alex Keble analyses where this weekend's fixtures could be won and lost, including:

- Can Spurs build on their Brighton performance?

- Can Arsenal capitalise on Magpies’ poor form to reclaim top spot?

- Can Gibbs-White help Forest in one of their most winnable remaining games?

- Will Villa’s Europa League focus help Fulham recover their goalscoring touch?

- Can Liverpool get the three points they need to all-but secure UCL football?

- Can Brentford get the high-profile win they need to get back on track?

- Can West Ham afford to drop points this weekend and still avoid final-day nerves?

Can Spurs build on their Brighton performance?

It’s become a cliche to say it every Matchweek but it’s always true: this is the biggest game of Tottenham Hotspur's season so far.

The 2-2 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend saw a much-improved performance by Spurs, who pressed effectively and played with an energy befitting of a Roberto De Zerbi team.

Add to that Xavi Simons excelling on the left wing and Rodrigo Bentancur solidifying central midfield on his return, it was almost a perfect home debut for De Zerbi.

Almost. When Brighton’s stoppage-time equaliser went in, several Spurs players sank to the turf, devastated to have lost the points Spurs desperately needed to relaunch their fight against the drop.

Watch Rutter's equaliser v Spurs

Moments like that can badly affect confidence, and there is always the possibility that such a crushing blow will leave Spurs in a weakened position for the trip to Molineux.

De Zerbi is convinced that that will not happen.

“I am proud of their performance. They have to be stronger, focused and come to training ground on Monday afternoon with a smile, otherwise they go home,” De Zerbi said after the game.

“I have no time to see negative people or to see sad players or sad assistants… I don’t like people who cry and who think in negative way."

Having also told reporters that Spurs are capable of winning five out of five remaining games, it’s clear that De Zerbi believes his squad will take the positives from the performance – and carry them into this weekend’s game.

Wolverhampton Wanderers were relegated on Monday night, which could mean they're free to play without pressure. It won’t be an easy game for Spurs, but then none of them ever are these days.

Failure to beat the Premier League’s bottom club, especially coming immediately after the Brighton draw, could leave Spurs feeling low, and that’s before considering the fact that their relegation rivals are in such good form.

Leeds United, West Ham United, and Nottingham Forest have lost just one of their last 13 combined Premier League games, winning five.

Spurs still haven’t won a league game in 2026. The 15-game winless run simply has to end on Saturday.

Can Arsenal capitalise on Magpies’ poor form to reclaim top spot?

For the first time since October, Arsenal are not top of the Premier League table. That could spread panic among the supporters, especially after the 2-1 defeat at the Etihad Stadium made it one win from six in all competitions – and allowed Manchester City to reel in the Gunners.

But that negative spin on events is not how Mikel Arteta will see it. Arsenal are locked in a straight shootout with Man City now and Arsenal, despite all the noise, have two particular advantages.

First of all, their remaining fixtures look easier than City’s. Aside from a thorny trip to West Ham that comes just after the second leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-final against Atletico Madrid, Arsenal have a sequence of matches they will expect to win.

Indeed they won the reverse fixture against all five opponents earlier this campaign. So, one step at a time, Arsenal ought to be able to channel the energy, tenacity, and quality of their display at Man City into winning all of their remaining matches.

There’s a second reason for optimism: Arsenal play twice more, at home to Newcastle United and Fulham, before Man City next play in the Premier League.

If they can win – and do so comfortably, lowering the tension and the angst – then all the pressure goes onto City, who will be six points behind again.

The first part of that task ought to be the easiest.

Newcastle have lost their last four matches in all competitions and have lost five of their last seven in the Premier League.

Although, their last two wins in that time were against Manchester United and Chelsea, suggesting Eddie Howe’s side are at their best when allowed to play reactive football as the under-dogs.

Nevertheless, Arsenal should consider themselves clear favourites.

Momentum in this season’s title race has swung back and forth too many times to count. A confident win on Saturday could change the narrative once again.

Can Gibbs-White help Forest in one of their most winnable remaining games?

Morgan Gibbs-White’s hat-trick at home to Burnley last weekend, inspiring a comeback from 1-0 to a 4-1 victory, has the potential to be a famous game in the club’s recent history.

However, the magnitude of that feat depends on whether Forest use it as a launch pad to avoid the drop.

This weekend’s visit to the Stadium of Light could ultimately decide whether or not Vitor Pereira’s side stay above the dotted line.

If that sounds dramatic, then consider Forest’s remaining fixtures: Chelsea (A), Newcastle (H), Man Utd (A) and AFC Bournemouth (H).

The aim ought to be for 40 points (at least), meaning four more for Forest, and with trips to Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford to come Pereira’s team might be running out of opportunities to get that victory.

Sunderland, however, have won three of their last five Premier League games and appear to be gaining momentum over the final weeks of the campaign.

On the other hand, the ease with which Morgan Rogers and John McGinn stormed through the centre of the pitch in Aston Villa’s 4-3 win last weekend suggests Gibbs-White will find space to pick up where he left off.

Forest have gone seven games unbeaten in all competitions. With Gibbs-White in form, they have all the tools they need to claim another priceless away win and move within a point of the 40-mark.

Will Villa’s Europa League focus help Fulham recover their goalscoring touch?

Tammy Abraham’s stoppage-time winner against Sunderland has likely secured Champions League football for Villa, who hold an eight-point lead in the top five and have a game in hand.

Watch Abraham's winner v Sunderland

It would take excellent form for anyone to catch them in at this point, which perhaps allows Unai Emery to rotate his side in preparation for the UEFA Europa League semi-finals next week.

It’s a good time, then, for Fulham to be facing Villa, and a good opportunity to get back to scoring ways. Marco Silva’s side have drawn a blank in five of their last six matches, four of which were in the Premier League.

Villa’s defence collapsed spectacularly in the second half against Sunderland, hinting that Alex Iwobi, Josh King and Samuel Chukwueze – Fulham’s most lively players through this barren spell – might find the space required to play through-balls behind Emery’s backline.

Marco Silva will certainly hope so. It’s fair to say that defeat on Saturday will virtually end their European chances because, with Arsenal at Emirates Stadium next, Fulham need points on the board if they are to leapfrog four teams into eighth.

We are getting to the point of the season when what matters isn’t the opponent’s position in the league table, nor the quality they have shown over the whole season, but rather what they have left to play for and where their focus lies.

For that reason, Villa at home classes as one of Fulham’s most winnable remaining games.

Can Liverpool get the three points they need to all-but secure UCL football?

Three points behind Villa are Liverpool, who may need as little as one more victory to secure Champions League football, that is unless Chelsea, Brentford, or Bournemouth suddenly put together a long winning streak.

Liverpool are firmly in the driving seat then, despite facing a tough set of games after this weekend. Man Utd (A), Chelsea (H), Villa (A), and Brentford (H) is not easy, although Villa could be preparing for a Europa League final three days later when they meet.

Nevertheless, there aren’t too many opportunities there for three points, piling pressure onto the visit of Palace.

Oliver Glasner may choose to rotate his first XI, given that Palace play Shahktar Donetsk in the UEFA Conference League the following Thursday, but Palace have come into form at just the right time – and are always a counter-attacking threat against clubs who like to dominate possession.

Indeed, Palace are unbeaten in their last four matches against Liverpool, including a 2-1 win at Selhurst Park in the Premier League earlier this season and a 3-0 victory at Anfield in the EFL Cup.

Palace know how to navigate this fixture. But Liverpool cannot afford to drop points.

Can Brentford get the high-profile win they need to get back on track?

Five consecutive draws has left Brentford in a frustrated position.

Clearly they have not played badly of late, but they have come agonisingly close to taking a commanding position in the race for European football – only to fall short one too many times.

Keith Andrews’ side have dropped to ninth in the table, just two points shy of sixth – which could be a Champions League spot – and three points above 12th.

In order to end the campaign on a high Brentford must start claiming big scalps.

They still have to travel to Old Trafford, the Etihad and Anfield; even if they beat West Ham and Palace at home, there is a good chance Brentford will need to take points unexpectedly on their travels to take seventh or eighth.

And a win at Old Trafford could be transformative, providing a surge of energy and confidence at a crucial moment.

Can West Ham afford to drop points this weekend and still avoid final-day nerves?

Monday night’s 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace was a valuable point for West Ham. In the last 30 minutes, Nuno Espirito Santo became happy to settle for a point, introducing defensive substitutes and a cautious approach in the final stages.

It will be interesting to see whether Nuno has the same attitude on Saturday, should the scores be level in the second half.

On the one hand, West Ham’s two-point advantage over Spurs gives them some leeway.

On the other, this might be their final realistic chance of winning at home before the nerve-shredding final day showdown with Leeds.

That Leeds have moved clear of the drop zone is great news for West Ham fans, although it goes without saying that everybody wants to avoid fighting for safety on Matchweek 38.

Before then, West Ham have only Everton and Arsenal at the London Stadium.

So, fail to win on Saturday and Nuno’s side may have to rely exclusively on their away form to get out of trouble.

Football writer Ben Bloom has predicted the line-ups of Premier League clubs in action in Matchweek 32. More teams will be added throughout Friday as managers hold their pre-match press conferences.

See: Injury updates for every club and player

See: Who's suspended or close to a ban

West Ham v Wolves predicted line-ups

West Ham: West Ham have a few unknowns for this Friday night encounter, with Crysencio Summerville, Jean-Clair Todibo and Callum Wilson all requiring late assessment. Nuno Espirito Santo has suggested he is “positive” the trio will be available. Star man Summerville has not featured for a month so may well return on the bench, if at all. Konstantinos Mavropanos is clear of concussion protocol, while Aaron Wan-Bissaka is belatedly back from international duty after missing the FA Cup defeat against Leeds.

Wolves: A win here could see Wolves move off the bottom of the table. Sam Johnstone and Matt Doherty are both out, but neither would have been likely starters. Rob Edwards’ side are unbeaten in three Premier League games so few changes appear necessary. Tolu Arokodare and Angel Gomes seem the most obvious alternatives if the manager does opt for a different line-up to the last one Wolves put out before the international break.

Arsenal v Bournemouth predicted line-ups

Arsenal: Riccardo Calafiori, Bukayo Saka, Jurrien Timber and Martin Odegaard did not train with the main squad on Thursday, but Mikel Arteta suggested at Friday’s press conference that “there have been changes” since then. Asked whether that quartet will be available this weekend, he replied: “I don’t know. Some of them.” That was not particularly helpful for predicted line-up purposes, but Arteta did confirm Eberechi Eze is fit to play, while Piero Hincapie is out.

Bournemouth: Justin Kluivert and Lewis Cook are Bournemouth’s only absentees, with Tyler Adams, Ben Gannon-Doak, Julio Soler, Alex Jimenez and Eli Junior Kroupi all recovering from issues over the international break. Kroupi scored off the bench last time out and could well be battling Amine Adli for a place in the starting XI.

Burnley v Brighton predicted line-ups

Burnley: Burnley will be without two men who started their last match at Fulham, with Hannibal Mejbri injured and Josh Laurent suspended. Scott Parker must decide whether to continue with a back four or revert to the three he has often used this season. If he opts for the latter then one of Joe Worrall or Axel Tuanzebe could be recalled.

Brighton: Brighton will need to replace the suspended Lewis Dunk, with Olivier Boscagli the most likely candidate to do so. James Milner continues to keep Yasin Ayari and Carlos Baleba out of the team, and will hope to retain his spot. Jack Hinshelwood is available after withdrawing from England U21 duty with a minor knee issue. Assuming Hinshelwood starts, that could leave Yankuba Minteh and Kaoru Mitoma fighting for one spot unless Diego Gomez is benched for this last match before the accumulated yellow card tally resets; the Paraguayan is one booking away from a two-game ban.

Liverpool v Fulham predicted line-ups

Liverpool: Giorgi Mamardashvili will again deputise in goal for the injured Alisson. Mohamed Salah will be hoping for a recall after he was an unused substitute for the midweek UEFA Champions League defeat at Paris Saint-Germain, but one of him, Cody Gakpo and Florian Wirtz could miss out. Arne Slot did suggest he was “worried” about Jeremie Frimpong’s ability to play again so soon after the PSG game, which could mean a right-back return for Dominik Szoboszlai. Andy Robertson and Curtis Jones offer rotation options.

Fulham: Kenny Tete has been ruled out, which should see Timothy Castagne continue at right-back, while Calvin Bassey has been passed fit after missing the international break with a back issue. Further up the pitch, Marco Silva has a number of head-to-heads to choose between: Joshua King or Emile Smith Rowe, Oscar Bobb or Samuel Chukwueze, and Raul Jimenez or Rodrigo Muniz.

Crystal Palace v Newcastle predicted line-ups

Crystal Palace: Oliver Glasner must be tempted to make minimal changes to the team that beat Fiorentina in the UEFA Conference League on Thursday. Jean-Philippe Mateta scored in that win, but Jorgen Strand Larsen returns from suspension here and will expect to lead the line again. Yeremy Pino caught the eye off the bench so could earn a start, especially with Evann Guessand seemingly in discomfort when he departed. Adam Wharton started after recovering from the groin injury he picked up during the international break, but it remains to be seen whether he can play two games in quick succession. Will Hughes and Jefferson Lerma are alternatives.

Newcastle: Newcastle will be without Bruno Guimaraes and Fabian Schar for this match, but Lewis Miley is available again and Sven Botman is expected to play wearing a mask following a facial fracture against Sunderland. Nick Woltemade could feature behind a central striker as he has done of late, with Anthony Gordon scoring when leading the line in Newcastle’s last three Premier League games.

Nottingham Forest v Aston Villa predicted line-ups

Nottingham Forest: Vitor Pereira clearly had an eye on the quest for Premier League survival when he made nine changes for Thursday’s UEFA Europa League draw at Porto. Expect him to return to full strength here. It would be a shock if Chris Wood starts again, having played for the first time after almost six months out in midweek. Elliot Anderson was suspended for the Porto trip, but will return alongside various others who were rested. The same XI that beat Tottenham before the international break seems highly likely.

Aston Villa team news to follow

Sunderland v Spurs predicted line-ups

Sunderland: In name-checking his long-term absentees, plus Dan Ballard – all of whom remain out – Regis Le Bris implied that Robin Roefs will be fine to return in goal after missing Sunderland’s last three Premier League games. There are multiple options available along the back line, while Chris Rigg and Chemsdine Talbi could be fighting for one spot higher up the pitch.

Spurs: Roberto De Zerbi will be without Guglielmo Vicario for his first game in charge, with Antonin Kinsky set to start in goal. Spurs’ various longer-term absentees remain unavailable, including Mohammed Kudus, who may now require surgery. De Zerbi did not mention Pape Matar Sarr or Mathys Tel in his pre-match press conference after both players experienced injury issues during the international break. The new manager has a number of attacking options at his disposal, and may seek a way to start both Richarlison and Dominic Solanke.

Chelsea v Man City predicted line-ups

Chelsea: Liam Rosenior has confirmed Enzo Fernandez will be unavailable for selection due to a club-imposed suspension. Reece James, Trevoh Chalobah, Levi Colwill and Jamie Gittens are also out due to injury. Romeo Lavia has started the last two games, but will battle with Andrey Santos and Moises Caicedo for two central midfield spots. Fernandez’s absence suggests the same front four that started against Port Vale last weekend, unless Alejandro Garnacho can force his way in.

Man City: Ruben Dias has joined Josko Gvardiol on City’s list of absentees, while John Stones appears unlikely to play given Pep Guardiola said the Englishman would “maybe do partial training” on Friday. City were largely unchanged when beating Arsenal and Liverpool in their last two cup outings, and Pep Guardiola could well keep things broadly the same here. Jeremy Doku has not started a league game since January, but may do so here at the expense of Phil Foden or Omar Marmoush.

Man Utd v Leeds predicted line-ups

Man Utd: Michael Carrick faces a defensive headache, with Harry Maguire suspended after seeing red last time out. Lisandro Martinez is back in training, but has not played since February, leaving Carrick to decide between him, Ayden Heaven or asking the likes of Noussair Mazraoui or Luke Shaw to shift from their regular positions to centre-back. Further up the pitch, the perennial Amad Diallo or Benjamin Sesko dilemma remains, although Sesko and Bryan Mbeumo both withdrew from international duty so Mason Mount could also come into the equation.

Football writer Alex Keble analyses where this weekend's fixtures could be won and lost, including:

- Will De Zerbi tweak his methods to save Spurs from relegation?

- Do Arsenal’s title hopes rest on victory against Bournemouth?

- Are Man City beginning a classic spring winning streak?

- Are West Ham facing Wolves at just the wrong moment?

- Will the winner of Brentford v Everton mount a top-five challenge?

- Can in-form Brighton take control of the Europa League race?

- Will Fulham capitalise on Liverpool’s form and PSG distraction?

- Can Newcastle benefit from free midweeks and mount a European charge?

- Will Forest or Villa rediscover their pre-international break momentum?

- Are Leeds falling deeper into relegation trouble?

Will De Zerbi tweak his methods to save Spurs from relegation?

Tottenham Hotspur have have turned to Roberto De Zerbi, whose brand of adventurous attacking football marks a significant shift in style away from previous head coaches Igor Tudor and Thomas Frank and back towards – or maybe even beyond – Ange Postecoglou.

Any appointment at this stage of the campaign inevitably comes with risks and this one is no different. De Zerbi has recent experience of taking charge of a Premier League club after a season has started, arriving at Brighton & Hove Albion in 2022 with the club on four wins from their first six Premier League matches.

They didn’t win any of their opening five under De Zerbi, perhaps because of the seismic shift in training method and tactics. In an interview with The Telegraph in 2023 Brighton captain Lewis Dunk described the first couple of weeks under De Zerbi as “horrendous,” “baffling,” and “carnage.”

However, that does not mean De Zerbi and Spurs face the same fate. The new manager is likely to temper some of his more idiosyncratic methods given Spurs' predicament, possibly finding a more pragmatic or simplified way of playing to yield results faster.

His cause is helped by Sunderland losing each of their last three Premier League home games, although their decline in form in 2026 was mostly due to exhaustion, meaning Regis Le Bris’ team – who are also buoyed by beating rivals Newcastle United in their last match – may have benefitted more than most from the three-week break.

If Spurs can hit the ground running under De Zerbi they could quickly move clear of the drop zone and begin preparing for the long-term under the new manager. But if it’s a chaotic and end-to-end game at the Stadium Light, and if the result goes against them, Spurs will be under more pressure than ever.

Do Arsenal’s title hopes rest on victory against Bournemouth?

The early kick-off on Saturday is surely the weekend’s biggest game. It is no exaggeration to say that Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes could ultimately be decided here in what promises to be a sliding doors moment.

It barely feels plausible that Arsenal’s most recent Premier League match was the 2-0 victory over Everton, when Max Dowman scored that brilliant late goal. It feels like a lifetime ago, and indeed in the 28 days between the two league matches the mood regarding Arsenal has changed considerably.

Defeats in the EFL Cup and FA Cup had sparked talk of a wobble, giving fresh hope to Manchester City supporters. But as many Gunners fans have pointed out there was similar negativity from outside the club back in 2004 when Arsene Wenger’s side crashed out of the FA Cup and UEFA Champions League in consecutive matches – only for Arsenal to go on to become Invincibles.

So, there has been no great disaster yet; no genuine reason to fear that their nine-point lead in the title race is under threat. Mikel Arteta and his players will know that they can remain firmly in the driving seat.

But nerves are inevitable at this juncture and the tension will go through the roof should Arsenal fail to beat Bournemouth this weekend. Defeat would put the title race in Man City’s hands. Even a draw would feel like an enormous momentum swing.

It could well happen. Bournemouth are on an 11-game unbeaten run in the Premier League and have won two of their last three league games against Arsenal.

Are Man City beginning a classic spring winning streak?

What most stands out from Man City’s impressive victories against Arsenal in the EFL Cup final and Liverpool in the FA Cup is the tactical adjustments that Pep Guardiola has made to reinvigorate his side.

After a long season of trial and error there is a sense Man City have finally found the right formula. Bernardo Silva playing in a deeper role alongside Rodri has stabilised their central midfield and brought back control of possession, in turn creating space for Antoine Semenyo and Rayan Cherki to play in the same side.

Without Champions League distraction, Man City may now feel ready to go on a typical spring run and win all of their final eight Premier League matches, a sequence that would then require Arsenal to avoid defeat in all of their six league games that aren’t against City.

It is doable, not least because Man City are always so strong around this time of year. They have won 28 of their last 31 Premier League games in April.

Add to that Erling Haaland’s return to form with a hat-trick in the FA Cup and Arsenal fans may begin to feel worried.

Chelsea’s certainly will. Liam Rosenior’s side have won just four of their last 11 matches in all competitions – and three of those were against EFL clubs in the FA Cup.

Are West Ham facing Wolves at just the wrong moment?

On paper, this is West Ham United’s most winnable remaining game, meaning they are presented with a golden opportunity to climb out of the relegation places on Saturday and heap pressure onto Nottingham Forest and Spurs, who both play on Sunday.

West Ham have lost only one of their last six home Premier League games and could be boosted by the return of Crysensio Summerville this weekend. Optimism is relatively high considering their league position.

However, the league table does not reflect Wolverhampton Wanderers' quality. They have only lost four of their last 13 matches in the Premier League and only Arsenal (11), Man City (11), and Brighton (12) have conceded fewer goals in that time than their 15.

Wolves have also won seven points from their last three matches. The timing of this fixture is very unfortunate for the hosts.

Will the winner of Brentford v Everton mount a top-five challenge?

As Chelsea and Liverpool struggle, there are two clubs emerging with an outside chance of qualifying for the Champions League. Both are locked on 46 points, just two shy of Chelsea, and they happen to be playing each other this weekend at the Gtech Community Stadium.

It’s a huge six-pointer – yet the form guide only points one way.

Brentford have drawn each of their last three Premier League games and won just one of their last six, suggesting they are beginning to decline towards the mean, whereas Everton’s momentum just keeps building.

Since Matchweek 19 in the Premier League only Arsenal (28) and Manchester United (26) have collected more points than Everton (21), who have won three of their last four matches in the competition.

Can in-form Brighton take control of the Europa League race?

Just four points separate seventh (a guaranteed European place) and 13th and the current leader of that pack, Brentford, are just three points behind Liverpool in what looks certain to be the fifth Champions League spot.

That means there are seven non-"Big Six" clubs who will all believe they can qualify for Europe this season and, with seven matches left, it means anyone who can put a serious run together will surely make it.

Brighton have two advantages in the race. The first is that they are already on said run, having won four of their last five Premier League matches. The second is that according to the Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR), a Fantasy Premier League tool based on a complex algorithm that generates a rank for the perceived difficulty of a team's opponent, ranked from 1 (easy) to 5 (hard) – only Leeds United have an ‘easier’ set of games than Brighton.

Team Current position Points Ave. FDR per match Ave. points total of opponents Brentford 7th 46 3.4 46.1 Everton 8th 46 2.7 42.4 Fulham 9th 44 3.3 45.7 Brighton 10th 43 2.6 35.0 Sunderland 11th 43 2.7 40.3 Newcastle 12th 42 3.1 42.7 Bournemouth 13th 42 3.4 45.9

Scroll across on mobile to see the full table

The FDRs say this weekend’s trip to Burnley is the simplest of the lot. Win at Turf Moor and Fabian Hurzeler’s side will believe they can go the distance.

Will Fulham capitalise on Liverpool’s form and PSG distraction?

Liverpool are also in danger of being dragged into that enormous middle tier of clubs vying for Europe, and certainly would be had they not begun the campaign with those five wins from five, characterised by late winners.

Since (and including) Matchweek 6, Liverpool have lost (10) more league games than they’ve won (9) and 11 clubs have won more points than their 34.

One of those clubs is Fulham, who are now only five points behind Arne Slot’s side and can close the gap rapidly with a famous win at Anfield.

The chances of that happening improve significantly with the game sandwiched between two legs of a Champions League quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain.

Tiredness could be a factor, as it has been throughout the season: Liverpool rank 19th for high-intensity pressures applied in the opponent’s half in the Premier League and 20th for high-intensity pressures applied in the middle third, 289 fewer than any other side.

But Liverpool cannot afford to take their foot off the gas. A place in the Champions League, or in Europe at all, is not guaranteed.

Can Newcastle benefit from free midweeks and mount a European charge?

The three-week break since the last round of Premier League matches could have a profound impact on any number of teams, but Newcastle fans will be the most hopeful of a positive change.

Certainly nobody needed the break quite like Newcastle did. Eddie Howe’s side have lost six of their last nine Premier League games, the joint-most of any side (along with Spurs) since the start of this run on 25 January.

It is widely acknowledged that the team struggled with the demands of juggling Premier League and Champions League football: Newcastle have won 13 points from 12 Premier League matches following a Champions League game (1.1 per game), compared with 29 points from their other 19 games (1.5).

That isn’t a problem anymore. Newcastle have almost a clean bill of health following the break and no longer have any midweek cup games to think about.

Howe is left with seven matches, and free midweeks, to focus solely on propelling Newcastle back up the table. The gap to fifth is only six points, so if Newcastle can go on a run – starting at Selhurst Park – it could yet be a successful domestic campaign.

Will Forest or Villa rediscover their pre-international break momentum?

On Sunday afternoon we find two clubs who very much did not need the break. In fact, there is a danger that momentum was halted.

Both Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest enjoyed big wins three weeks ago, Villa getting their first in five Premier League matches and Forest their first in the competition under Vitor Pereira.

In the 3-0 win at Spurs it looked as though Pereira’s Forest had finally landed.

Villa’s return to form can be put down to their captain John McGinn coming back from injury. They have won 14 of their 23 Premier League games in which McGinn has started this season (61 per cent) and two of their eight when he has not (25 per cent).

Defeat for either could see all that good will evaporate.

Are Leeds falling deeper into relegation trouble?

The Monday night game looks ominous for the visitors.

Man Utd have won all five of their Premier League games at Old Trafford since Michael Carrick took charge and have taken 29 points since Christmas Day, a record bettered only by Arsenal (31).

Watch: How FOUR signings transformed Man Utd

Meanwhile Leeds have failed to score in each of their last four Premier League games.

They remain very tough to break down – conceding just twice across those four matches – but nevertheless the four-point gap to 18th could easily shorten this weekend.

Of course, each challenge is also an opportunity. The rivalry between these clubs means that a victory for Leeds at Old Trafford could be the catalyst for survival.

Football writer Alex Keble looks into which teams - on paper - have the best fixtures from now until the end of the season.

After an extended break for international fixtures and FA Cup matches, the Premier League returns this weekend with the start of The Run In – and it’s hard to recall a season when so much was on the line with so few matches remaining.

The title, the race for European places and the relegation battle are all yet to be decided.

Here, we compare each team’s remaining matches to find out who has (in theory) the best and worst set of games, using two measures: an average of the points won by each club’s remaining opponents, and the Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR), a Fantasy Premier League tool based on a complex algorithm that generates a rank for the perceived difficulty of a team's opponent, ranked from 1 (easy) to 5 (hard).

The FDR results suggest that AFC Bournemouth, Brentford, Burnley and Crystal Palace have the toughest remaining games, while Leeds United have the easiest.

Average FDR of teams' remaining matches

Team Ave. FDR per match Total FDR Current position Leeds 2.4 17 15th Wolves 2.6 18 20th Brighton 2.6 18 10th Sunderland 2.7 19 11th Everton 2.7 19 8th West Ham 2.9 20 18th Spurs 2.9 20 17th Nott'm Forest 2.9 20 16th Man Utd 2.9 20 3rd Man City* 2.9 23 2nd Aston Villa 2.9 20 4th Arsenal 2.9 20 1st Chelsea 3.0 21 6th Newcastle 3.1 22 12th Liverpool 3.3 23 5th Fulham 3.3 23 9th Crystal Palace* 3.4 27 14th Burnley 3.4 24 19th Brentford 3.4 24 7th Bournemouth 3.4 24 13th

*Man City and Crystal Palace have eight matches left, all other teams have seven

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However, calculating the average points tally of the remaining opponents of every club reveals a slightly different order. This suggests Palace have the toughest set of fixtures because their remaining opponents have the highest number of average points (48.1), closely followed by Liverpool (47.4), but Leeds still have the "easiest" remaining matches by this measure (33.7).

Average opposition points of teams' remaining matches

Club Ave. points total of opponents FDR ave. Leeds 33.7 2.4 Wolves 34.6 2.6 Brighton 35.0 2.6 Aston Villa 39.9 2.9 Arsenal 40.0 2.9 Sunderland 40.3 2.7 Spurs 40.6 2.9 West Ham 41.9 2.9 Man Utd 42.0 2.9 Everton 42.4 2.7 Newcastle 42.7 3.1 Nott'm Forest 43.4 2.9 Burnley 44.3 3.4 Chelsea 44.7 3.0 Man City 45.6 2.9 Fulham 45.7 3.3 Bournemouth 45.9 3.4 Brentford 46.1 3.4 Liverpool 47.4 3.3 Crystal Palace 48.1 3.4

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Title race: Arsenal's schedule looks more favourable than Man City's

Until recently there was a noticeable gap between Arsenal and Manchester City but the latest FDR update has reduced that to nothing, with both clubs facing a 2.9 average.

However, this is not reflected in the points totals, with Arsenal’s opponents averaging 40.0 points compared to 45.6 points for Man City. This is a significant difference, reflecting the fact that the highest-ranking club the Gunners will face, other than Man City in their head-to-head encounter on 19 April, is Fulham in ninth place.

Man City face five of the current top seven but while that would seem to be a substantially more challenging set of games, the FDR indicates the recent form guide of these clubs suggests we might want to ignore the league table.

Nevertheless, Arsenal’s current healthy lead leaves them with the advantage overall.

Race to Champions League: Villa and Man Utd appear favourites as Chelsea and Liverpool face uphill task

Aston Villa, Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool are challenging for (most likely) two Champions League places, and at the moment the FDR and average points total of their opponents (APO) reveal clear favourites.

Liverpool rank second-highest on FDR (3.3) and APO (47.4), which is discouraging considering Arne Slot’s side have won just two of their last seven matches in all competitions.

Chelsea, too, are not in the best form (four wins from 11, three of which were against lower-league opposition) and also have tough remaining games, ranking seventh for APO (44.7) and eighth for FDR (3.0).

This is good news for fans of Man Utd, who are already threatening to pull away, and especially Villa.

Only three clubs have a lower APO or FDR score than Unai Emery’s side (39.9 and 2.9 respectively) while Man Utd are in the top half on both measures (42.0 and 2.9).

Villa have some of the most straightforward games; Liverpool and Chelsea have among the most challenging. Nowhere else do the FDR and APO scores seem more instructive than in the tight race for Champions League football.

Relegation battle: Leeds are best placed in extremely close contest

Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United and Nottingham Forest all have the same FDR score (2.9) and the difference between their APO scores is fairly negligible, too, although Spurs look to be in a better position than Forest in particular.

Average opposition points of teams' remaining matches

Club Ave. points total of opponents FDR ave. Current position Leeds 33.7 2.4 15th Spurs 40.6 2.9 17th West Ham 41.9 2.9 18th Nott'm Forest 43.4 2.9 16th

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Leeds, on the other hand, appear to have a good advantage. They have the lowest score in the whole division for both categories, thanks to home games against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Burnley, as well as a six-pointer against West Ham on the final day.

Spurs, West Ham, and Forest all have one "red" fixture (the second-most difficult) and only Forest, with one, have fewer than two games against fellow relegation candidates.

It is likely to go to the wire.

Other European places: Brighton stand out in congested race

Just four points separates seventh place from 13th in the Premier League, and with seventh (and maybe even eighth) spot earning European qualification, a huge number of mid-table teams still have something to fight for.

Any club able to put together a late string of wins stands an excellent chance, meaning the FDR and APO scores could prove particularly insightful.

Average opposition points of teams' remaining matches

Club Ave. points total of opponents FDR ave. Current position Brighton 35.0 2.6 10th Sunderland 40.3 2.7 11th Everton 42.4 2.7 8th Newcastle 42.7 3.1 12th Fulham 45.7 3.3 9th Bournemouth 45.9 3.4 13th Brentford 46.1 3.4 7th

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Brighton & Hove Albion have the joint-second easiest fixtures in the competition, which suggests they can build on their recent run (four wins from five in the Premier League) to make up the three-point gap to seventh place.

At the other end, Brentford have been riding high this season but three consecutive draws has allowed others back in, and unfortunately for Keith Andrews’ side they have the joint-highest FDR score and the third-highest APO.

Elsewhere, Everton appear to have simpler games and, like Brighton, already have momentum behind them, whereas Fulham, Bournemouth, and Newcastle United face tough run-ins.

Wolves might not finish bottom of the league

The notable upturn under Rob Edwards has brought Wolves to within just three points of Burnley in 19th, and analysis of FDR and APO tells us they have a good chance of reeling Scott Parker's side in.

Only Leeds have a lower FDR or APO score than Wolves’ 2.6 and 34.6. They face four clubs currently in the relegation battle, including Burnley on the final day, giving Edwards’ team a good shot at climbing off the foot of the table.

Considering Wolves had two points from 11 games when the new head coach arrived, this is a target well worth aiming for as the club prepare for a Championship promotion battle next season… probably.

Seven wins from seven would take Wolves up to 38 points, enough to survive the drop in 25 of the 31 Premier League seasons in the 20-club era. Wolves’ fixtures are inviting. If nothing else, FDR and APO analysis increases the odds, however small, that the 2025/26 season crescendos with the greatest of all great escapes.

Also in this series

It was a big day at both ends of the Premier League as Nottingham Forest beat relegation rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa boosted their UEFA Champions League chances with a win over 18th-placed West Ham United.

Spurs remain just a point above their London neighbours, after suffering a 3-0 home defeat against Forest, which ensured Igor Tudor’s side are now 13 league games without a win.

Elsewhere, Sunderland recorded an historic 2-1 win at rivals Newcastle United with a stirring second-half comeback at St James' Park.

Forest secured a big win for their hopes of avoiding relegation with a vital victory at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Tudor is still searching for his first Premier League win since taking interim charge at Spurs as their winless league run in 2026 continued.

That result, allied with Villa's 2-0 home win over West Ham, sees Forest leapfrog Spurs and move three points clear of West Ham in the battle to avoid the drop.

With Spurs boss Tudor absent from media duties for personal reasons, coach Bruno Saltor gave the post-match analysis: "It hurts us, it is painful, really painful, but the fans were outstanding today - from before the game until the end of the game," he said.

"We need to carry on because we care, we care for Spurs, we are family and want to get out of this situation. I am 100 per cent sure we can get through this situation."

Forest’s Igor Jesus had narrowly avoided an own goal when he headed against his own post early on but he struck a vital blow at the right end when he headed in Neco Williams’ corner at the far post on the stroke of half-time.

The visitors added a second through Morgan Gibbs-White’s effort after a darting run down the left from Callum Hudson-Odoi on 62 minutes.

Watch: Gibbs-White's crucial goal v Spurs

Substitute Taiwo Awoniyi capped a memorable afternoon for Vitor Pereira’s side in the 87th minute when he volleyed in a brilliant cross from Williams at the far post.

With that delivery, Williams became only the fourth defender this season to register two or more assists in a single Premier League game.

Elliot Anderson also excelled for Forest, creating the most chances (three), completing more passes (38), winning possession more often (nine) and making more tackles (six) than any of his team-mates.

Watch: Pereira's post-match celebrations

Speaking afterwards, Pereira, who claimed his first league win as Forest head coach, hailed the spirit of his team, saying: "They have the spirit to face this kind of game. It is not just about this game, it is about the next seven games and we need to have this personality.

"We are alive, we are committed and we are ready to fight."

At Villa Park, Unai Emery’s men struck early when a cleverly worked free-kick culminated in John McGinn finishing beautifully from the edge of the area.

Watch: McGinn's pinpoint finish

West Ham were fortunate not to have been further behind at the break. Konstantinos Mavropanos bravely cleared off the line from Morgan Rogers while VAR overturned Paul Tierney’s decision to award Villa a penalty after Mavropanos had challenged Ollie Watkins.

Villa's second came when Watkins seized on the rebound after Mads Hermansen had saved Rogers’ initial effort in the 68th minute.

On the result, Watkins said: “It’s massive for us with it being the last game going into the international break and all the teams around us playing before and them dropping points. We knew the job in hand and we have taken it and maximised our opportunity to try and get into the Champions League places."

Next up for West Ham in the Premier League is a huge home match against bottom side Wolverhampton Wanderers.

A second-half turnaround with goals from Chemsdine Talbi and Brian Brobbey saw the Black Cats leapfrog Eddie Howe’s side in the Premier League table.

Sunderland, who beat Newcastle in the reverse fixture earlier in the season, are now 11 matches unbeaten against the Magpies, the longest undefeated sequence by either side in the history of this fixture.

Sunday's derby started in the worst possible way for Sunderland when Melker Ellborg and Luke O’Nien gifted possession to Nick Woltemade after 10 minutes, and he found Anthony Gordon, who clinically punished the mistake.

It was Gordon's 10th goal across all competitions for Newcastle in 2026, with only Chelsea’s Joao Pedro (11) netting more among Premier League players this year.

The Magpies were made to regret not building on their lead when Sunderland levelled early in the second half. Aaron Ramsdale was unable to get enough distance on a punch from a corner and Talbi smashed in the loose ball after Dan Burn had blocked Habib Diarra’s initial effort.

Newcastle thought they had regained the lead when Malick Thiaw headed in Hall’s corner, but the goal was disallowed, with Jacob Murphy in an offside position and impeding Ellborg’s view.

Then Brobbey dramatically struck his sixth goal of the season, converting Enzo Le Fee’s cross from close range after Ramsdale had saved his initial effort.

Watch: Brobbey's dramatic LATE winner

Timed at 89 minutes and 45 seconds, it was the latest winning goal in this fixture in Premier League history, sparking wild celebrations in the stands and at the final whistle.