Premier League Matchday 31: Arsenal and City face relegation strugglers

Arsenal and Manchester City will continue their respective pursuits of the Premier League title against sides battling in the relegation scrap this weekend.

In-form duo Aston Villa and Newcastle face off in a huge clash in the race for European football while Liverpool travel to struggling Leeds on Monday night.

Get clued up on all 10 fixtures with our comprehensive preview.

Aston Villa vs Newcastle (Saturday, 12.30pm, BT Sport)

Unai Emery's resurgent Villa side will be given a stern test of their European credentials when they host third-placed Newcastle in Saturday's early game.

Their transformation from relegation candidates to Europa League chasers has been astonishing, with only Arsenal picking up more points (42) and winning more games (13) since the Spaniard took over (35 points, 11 wins).

Eddie Howe's Magpies are themselves enjoying a five-game winning run and were comfortable 4-0 victors over the Villans at St James' Park in October.

Red-hot striker Ollie Watkins has scored in nine of his last 11 outings, while Toon marksman Alexander Isak has found the net in his last three away games.

Chelsea vs Brighton (Saturday, 3pm)

Chelsea face a difficult task to arrest their alarming slide into the bottom half when Brighton visit Stamford Bridge.

The Blues have picked up just two points from their last four games, with Frank Lampard looking for his first win since returning to the hotseat following successive defeats to Wolves and Real Madrid.

Chelsea have never lost at home to the Seagulls in the Premier League (five wins, two draws), though the South Coast club did run out 4-1 victors in the reverse clash.

Brighton have lost just two of their last 16 games in all competitions (10 wins, four draws), though both those defeats did come against London sides (Fulham and Tottenham).

Everton vs Fulham (Saturday, 3pm)

Fulham's promising season is in danger of fizzling out after five defeats on the spin in all competitions as they head to an Everton team fighting for their lives against relegation.

Sean Dyche's Toffees are out of the bottom three on just goal difference alone after picking up a single win in their last seven games.

They have earned 10 points from their five home games under the former Burnley coach, while the Goodison Park club have lost just two of their most recent 14 league meetings with the Cottagers.

England stopper Jordan Pickford remains crucial to Everton's hopes of survival. The nine saves he made in last week's 2-0 defeat at Manchester United were the second-most of any goalkeeper in the English top flight this term. 

Southampton vs Crystal Palace (Saturday, 3pm)

Southampton are in real danger of being cut adrift at the foot of the table ahead of hosting Roy Hodgson's resurgent Crystal Palace.

The Saints are four points off safety and are winless in five games, while the 12th-placed Eagles have distanced themselves from danger with two successive wins since the 75-year-old returned.

To make matters worse for the hosts, they are without a win in three league games versus Saturday's opponents — but they did knock the South Londoners out of this season's FA Cup at the third-round stage back in January.

Skipper James Ward-Prowse has been involved in six Premier League goals against Palace (three goals, three assists), only having a hand in more versus Spurs (nine).

Tottenham vs Bournemouth (Saturday, 3pm)

Tottenham will be looking to close a three-point gap behind Newcastle and Manchester United in the top-four race in their home encounter with Bournemouth.

The Cherries have boosted their survival hopes with two wins from three games but face a Premier League fixture they have lost in each of the five times it has been played.

Strong home form has kept Spurs well in the race for Champions League football next season having won five in a row on their own turf.

Philip Billing's seven league goals this term have been worth nine precious points to Gary O'Neil's men, with Harry Kane earning his side a staggering 22 — the highest of any player in the division.

Wolves vs Brentford (Saturday, 3pm)

Wolves have amassed a four-point gap from the relegation zone ahead of facing a Brentford side pushing to qualify for Europe for the first time in their history.

A winless run of four games has halted the Bees' charge in recent weeks — the two defeats they have suffered during that run is as many as they had in their previous 19 in the league.

Wolves have not lost any of the eight games in which they have taken the lead under Julen Lopetegui (six wins, two draws). 

Brentford suffered their first ever Premier League defeat after going ahead last time out against Newcastle, dropping seven points from winning positions in their last four outings.

Manchester City vs Leicester (Saturday, 5.30pm, Sky Sports)

Manchester City can end Saturday just three points behind Arsenal if they can get the better of Leicester, who will have interim boss Dean Smith in the dugout for the first time.

The ex-Villa and Norwich manager will be under no illusions of the mammoth task that awaits him, with the East Midlands outfit suffering their 19th league defeat of the season against Bournemouth last weekend as they sit second from bottom.

A baptism of fire awaits him against Pep Guardiola's men, who have steamrolled their way to nine consecutive wins in all competitions including a 3-0 reverse of Bayern Munich in midweek.

After winning four of their first five Premier League visits to the Citizens (one defeat), the Foxes have lost five of their last six top-flight clashes at the Etihad.

West Ham vs Arsenal (Sunday, 2pm, Sky Sports)

A 1-1 draw at Gent kept West Ham's Europa Conference League hopes alive but attention will swiftly turn back to Premier League survival against leaders Arsenal on Sunday.

David Moyes' men have moved three points clear of the relegation zone as they face a Gunners side desperate to return to winning ways after being pegged back by Liverpool last weekend.

The visitors have lost only two of their last 29 Premier League games against the Irons, tasting defeat in only three of their 29 top-flight away trips to the East Londoners overall.

Mikel Arteta's title chasers have won all five of their away games against teams in the capital this term by an aggregate score of 11-0.

Nottingham Forest vs Manchester United (Sunday, 4.30pm, Sky Sports)

Manchester United will look to strengthen their grip on fourth place against a Nottingham Forest side whose hopes of survival are fading fast after a nine-game winless run.

The Red Devils are enjoying a nine-game winning streak against Forest in all competitions, including success in the reverse fixture as well as two victories in the Carabao Cup this season.

Three defeats in their last four away league games has halted Erik ten Hag's side's momentum of late as they look to get back on track at the City Ground.

This game will be Forest’s first home league clash against United since February 1999, when they lost 8-1 under Ron Atkinson with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scoring four times as a substitute.

Leeds vs Liverpool (Monday, 8pm, Sky Sports)

Despite a spirited comeback draw with Arsenal, Liverpool are without a win in five games in all competitions ahead of their trip to Leeds.

European football next season is by no means guaranteed for Jurgen Klopp's men and a contest at a raucous Elland Road could present further problems given their shaky away form this term.

The Reds have won only three league games on the road in 2022-23, losing eight. However, they are without defeat in their last seven visits to Leeds.

Javi Gracia's strugglers have won all four of their league games when starting the day in the relegation zone this term but have won only once in 23 when in safety as they kick off the weekend in 16th place.

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