By Manchester City is putting pressure on Arsenal in the Premier League title race, with Pep Guardiola’s men aiming for a 10th consecutive victory when Leicester visits the Etihad on Saturday.
Arsenal’s six-point lead at the top of the table might be cut in half when they travel to West Ham on Sunday.
Both games will also have an impact on the struggle to avoid relegation, with only six points separating Leicester in 19th and Wolves in 13th.
When third-placed Newcastle visits Villa Park, in-form Aston Villa might force their way into the top four.
Manchester United is also hoping to get a step closer to the Champions League next season by visiting Nottingham Forest.
Man City is in top shape.
Due to the disparity in form between the two teams, Leicester appears to be lambs to the slaughter ahead of their trip to the Etihad.
Dean Smith will take over as manager of the Foxes for the first time following a nine-game winless streak that has dropped them to second bottom in the Premier League.
City, on the other hand, has scored 34 goals in their last nine victories, including a 3-0 thrashing of Bayern Munich in midweek.
Despite the deficit at the top, City has regained control of the title race because they have played one fewer game than Arsenal and will face the Gunners in their next league game after this weekend on April 26.
Erling Haaland increased his season total to 45 against Bayern on Tuesday, and the Norwegian has more records to break on Saturday.
Haaland only needs two more goals to equal Mohamed Salah’s Premier League record of 32 in 38 games.
Arsenal had stride for stride matched City’s previous run until they fell in a 2-2 draw at Liverpool last weekend, blowing the title race wide open once more.
“We know that everything is in our control, and we just have to keep going game by game,” Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka stated ahead of the encounter against West Ham.
“If we win these final eight games and achieve some excellent results, we can win the championship, so we just have to keep focused.”
Villa competes in a European race.
Newcastle United is on the verge of returning to the Champions League for the first time in 20 years, due to a five-game winning streak.
Yet, the Magpies confront one of their final remaining obstacles against a Villa side that has taken 19 points out of the previous 21 available.
When Unai Emery took over in October, his first objective was to keep the club in the Premier League, but the Spaniard currently has Villa in sixth place.
It will be good enough for a spot in the Europa League next season, which Emery has won four times with Sevilla and Villarreal.
Yet, a win over Newcastle would reduce the distance between the top four to six points.
“I’m overjoyed for the fans,” Emery remarked. “At home, we’re keeping clean sheets three times in the last three matches, scoring six goals and winning.”
Free-falling forest
Nottingham Forest has not won in two months and has dropped into the bottom three ahead of Manchester United’s visit.
Forest has spent about £200 million ($249 million) on 29 new signings in two transfer windows since getting promoted to the Premier League for the first time since 1999.
But, the dismissal of sporting director Filippo Giraldi last week demonstrated that there has been no return on investment.
Although fan support has kept manager Steve Cooper in his position, owner Evangelos Marinakis has stressed that performances must “improve immediately.”
Fixtures
Saturday (1400 GMT unless noted) (1400 GMT unless stated)
Chelsea vs. Brighton (1130), Everton vs. Fulham, Southampton vs. Crystal Palace, Tottenham vs. Bournemouth, Wolves vs. Brentford, Manchester City vs. Leicester (1630)
Sunday
West Ham vs. Arsenal (1300), Nottingham Forest vs. Manchester United (1300). (1530)
Monday
Liverpool vs. Leeds (1900)
