Football: Premier League previews for this weekend (Matchweek 26)

Man City v Newcastle

Saturday, 12.30pm, BT Sport

After last Sunday’s 2-0 Carabao Cup final loss to Manchester United, Eddie Howe acknowledged that his Newcastle team’s trip to Wembley had proven to be more of a distraction than he had hoped. Since beating Southampton to guarantee their spot, the Magpies have gone four games without a victory. If they don’t want to fall behind the top four, they need to swiftly get back on track. They are visiting a City team that, unfortunately, seems to have regained its ruthlessness.

6 – Games without a clean sheet before City’s 3-0 FA Cup win at Bristol City

Arsenal v Bournemouth

Saturday, 3pm

Regardless of how City performs, Arsenal will enter this match as the table’s top team after their convincing 4-0 victory against Everton on Wednesday. Due to a niggle, Eddie Nketiah started the last two games from the bench, and Gabriel Martinelli took full advantage by scoring two goals against the Toffees. The oddsmakers have Gary O’Neil’s team as far away as 14/1 to win here after their 4-1 loss to City at home last weekend, a result that sent them back into the relegation zone. This is an equally difficult task for Gary O’Neil’s team.

50 – Premier League goals or assists for 21-year-old Bukayo Saka

Aston Villa v Crystal Palace

Saturday, 3pm

While Villa’s mid-table finish appears secure, might Palace be slouching into trouble? This matchup may pit 11th against 12th. The general consensus seems to be that they ought to be secure. The gap between Patrick Vieira’s team and the bottom three is now just six points, despite the fact that they drew 0-0 with Liverpool last Saturday. The Eagles have missed Wilfried Zaha, who has been their talisman for so long, and their other forwards have simply not been effective in front of goal.

4-2 – Defeat for Villa in each of their last two home league games

Brighton v West Ham

Saturday, 3pm

Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi thinks 18-year-old Evan Ferguson, who scored the single goal in a midweek triumph at Stoke to secure a berth in the FA Cup quarterfinals, is a natural finisher. The hosts will be eager to get back to winning ways against a Hammers team that, although defeating Nottingham Forest 4-0 the last time, is only two points clear of the relegation zone after suffering their first loss of 2023 at home to Fulham last week. A quickfire brace highlighted how crucial it is to keep Danny Ings healthy.

400 – Seagulls appearances for stalwart defender Lewis Dunk

Chelsea v Leeds

Saturday, 3pm

Javi Gracia observed firsthand in Tuesday’s 2-0 FA Cup fifth-round loss at Fulham the lack of cutting edge that has put Leeds in relegation peril after beginning his tenure as manager with last weekend’s much-needed 1-0 win over bottom team Southampton. We are in uncharted terrain because a trip to Stamford Bridge is hardly the most difficult that west London can offer. If Gracia can make Graham Potter’s problems worse, Leeds can significantly increase their chances of surviving.

3-0 – Leeds beat Chelsea in August, the Blues’ first defeat of the season

Wolves v Tottenham

Saturday, 3pm

Tottenham’s wait for a domestic trophy will now endure another year after a 1-0 FA Cup fifth-round loss at Sheffield United on Wednesday completely destroyed the positive energy that had been created by the team’s unusual victory over Chelsea the previous Sunday. Despite the fact that Harry Kane suffered with illness, interim manager Cristian Stellini claimed they will field a much stronger team against Wolves. Wolves have only earned one point in their past three games and are still in danger of being relegated after losing 2-0 to Liverpool in midweek.

6 – Visits Spurs have made to Molineux since their last defeat, winning four

Southampton v Leicester

Saturday, 5.30pm, Sky Sports

After a 2-1 home loss to Grimsby in the FA Cup fifth round, Southampton’s season has only gotten worse. Although he made nine changes for the visit of the League Two team, it means Ruben Selles has started with back-to-back losses since being granted the position till the end of the season. Moreover, Brendan Rodgers will be missing Youri Tielemans for six weeks due to an ankle injury during Leicester’s 2-1 FA Cup loss to Blackburn.

3 – Successive league and cup losses for Leicester since beating Tottenham 4-1

Nottingham Forest v Everton

Sunday, 2pm, Sky Sports

Here are two more teams in need of a boost, with Forest and Everton both coming off 4-0 losses against West Ham and Arsenal, respectively, prior to this encounter. Sean Dyche, who frequently frequented his local club when he was off work, should have more knowledge on how to penetrate the City Ground citadel even though Steve Cooper’s Forest have been a different animal at home. If Forest wins, Everton, now in last place, would move just one point below them in the standings.

8 – Home league games without defeat for Forest, dating back to September

Liverpool v Man Utd

Sunday, 4.30pm, Sky Sports

Alisson, the goalkeeper for Liverpool, has kept four straight Premier League clean sheets, which has helped Jurgen Klopp’s team get back into the top-four mix, even though it took them until well into the second half of Wednesday’s 2-0 victory over Wolves for them to start playing like their true selves. For the first time in a long time, United enters the game against Liverpool at Anfield with more to be proud of. They hope to cap off a week that saw them win the Carabao Cup and advance to the FA Cup sixth round by defeating West Ham 3-1.

30 – Wins for United from 41 games in all competitions this season

Brentford v Fulham

Monday, 8pm, Sky Sports

Whatever happens with Chelsea’s performance on Saturday, the top two clubs in west London will square off on Monday night. As Graham Potter is fired, there are more and more rumors that Thomas Frank will be a candidate for the Blues post. Due to Joao Palhinha’s ten yellow cards and subsequent suspension, his Fulham counterpart Marco Silva, whose team defeated Leeds 2-0 in the FA Cup midweek, will be without the services of his star midfielder for this contest. Palhinha is a tremendously effective tackler for Portugal.

90th – Minute winner for Fulham in August’s 3-2 win over Brentford