Premier League Matchday 36: Toffees battle City as Gunners host Seagulls

Manchester City head to Everton for a crucial clash at the top and bottom of the Premier League table on Matchday 36.

Title challengers Arsenal host Brighton and struggling Leicester entertain in-form Liverpool, while European hopefuls Aston Villa and Tottenham go head-to-head.

We preview all 10 top-flight clashes across the Premier League weekend.

Leeds vs Newcastle (Saturday, 12.30pm, BT Sport)

Sam Allardyce manages his first game at Elland Road as Leeds boss against Newcastle after an encouraging display in their 2-1 defeat at Manchester City last weekend.

Victories for relegation foes Everton and Nottingham Forest left the Whites in serious peril ahead of the final three games, sitting two points from safety.

A top-four place for Eddie Howe's men remains well within their grasp despite defeat to Arsenal as they look to add their record of four wins in their last five away trips.

Ex-Toon boss Big Sam has won more games against Newcastle than any other side (13) and has tasted victory in his first Premier League home match in charge of five of his last eight clubs.

Aston Villa vs Tottenham (Saturday, 3pm)

Eighth-placed Villa host sixth-placed Tottenham as the battle to secure a European place heats up.

Two successive defeats for Unai Emery's men have dented their hopes of continental football but they currently boast a five-game winning run at Villa Park.

Spurs got back on track with a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace last weekend and have won on five of their last seven trips to the Villans.

Only five Premier League players have more combined goals and assists in the last three seasons than Ollie Watkins (39 goals, 13 assists). 

One of those is Harry Kane, who has netted in 23 different league games this season — one shy of Mohamed Salah's record set in 2017-18 (24).

Chelsea vs Nottingham Forest (Saturday, 3pm)

Nottingham Forest handed their hopes of survival a welcome boost by beating Southampton and will look to take another stride towards safety by getting a result at Chelsea.

Frank Lampard is finally up and running as Blues boss after beating Bournemouth last weekend but a disastrous season overall sees them languishing down in 11th.

Just one of the Reds' eight Premier League wins this season have come on the road, while they have also lost each of their last six trips to Stamford Bridge in all competitions.

Morgan Gibbs-White was in inspired form against the Saints and has been directly involved in more league goals than any other Forest player this term (12), including five in his last four games.

Crystal Palace vs Bournemouth (Saturday, 3pm)

Crystal Palace and Bournemouth face off on Saturday afternoon safe in the knowledge they will both be playing Premier League football next season.

The duo sit 10 and nine points clear of the drop zone respectively, with the Eagles picking up seven points from their last nine available at home and Gary O'Neil's men winning their last three on the road.

Having triumphed in just one of their first seven Premier League meetings with the Cherries, the Eagles have won each of their most recent four against them.

Exactly half of Eberechi Eze's top-flight appearances have come under Roy Hodgson but he has recorded 61% of his goals and assists in the competition under the 75-year-old.

Manchester United vs Wolves (Saturday, 3pm)

Manchester United will be desperate to return to form after successive defeats against Brighton and West Ham as Wolves visit Old Trafford.

Their lead over Liverpool in the hunt for a top-four place has shrunk to just one point, though they do have a game in hand over their North West rivals.

Goals might be in short supply in this clash with the last nine meetings between this pair producing just 10 goals.

The Red Devils remain unbeaten at the Theatre of Dreams since the first day of the season, not tasting defeat in 14 home games and keeping a clean sheet in each of their last five.

Southampton vs Fulham (Saturday, 3pm)

Southampton's relegation to the Championship will be confirmed if they fail to beat Fulham at St Mary's.

The Saints have enjoyed an 11-year spell in the top flight but Monday's 4-3 reverse at Nottingham Forest — their eighth defeat in nine — has all but sealed their fate.

In contrast, Fulham remain in the top half with 14 wins representing their joint-best tally in a single Premier League season.

Carlos Vinicius has been directly involved in three goals in his last three top-flight games, as many as he had in his first 23 league outings for the Cottagers.

Brentford vs West Ham (Sunday, 2pm)

West Ham can officially seal safety if they can claim victory at London rivals Brentford.

The Bees have enjoyed the far more productive Premier League campaign with European qualification not out of the question as they sit ninth on 50 points.

Brentford have won five of the last seven meetings with the Irons in all competitions, including all three of the clashes since their promotion to the top flight.

Only Erling Haaland (47% for Man City) has directly contributed to a higher proportion of a team's goals in the Premier League this season than Ivan Toney for Brentford (46%).

Everton vs Manchester City (Sunday, 2pm, Sky Sports)

Table-topping City visit a buoyant Everton after their shock 5-1 win at Brighton on Monday.

That win saw the Toffees climb out of the bottom three and two points clear but a second successive victory looks a tall order with City in the form of their lives.

Pep Guardiola's men have won each of their last 10 league games — the fifth time they have had a winning run of 10-plus matches under the Catalan coach.

Since Sean Dyche's first game in February, Dwight McNeil has been involved in more league goals than any other Toffees player (seven — five goals, two assists).

Arsenal vs Brighton (Sunday, 4.30pm)

Arsenal host Brighton at the Emirates Stadium fresh off reigniting their slim title hopes by beating Newcastle.

Mikel Arteta's men are one point adrift of the Citizens having played a game more so know there is no more margin for error in their pursuit of a first league title since 2003-04.

The Seagulls, who are still in contention for Europe, have won two of their last three games against the Gunners in all competitions.

William Saliba is expected to remain sidelined for Arsenal. They have averaged 1.9 points per game when the Frenchman has not played compared to 2.4 with him in the side.

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

Leicester face a difficult task to bounce back from their miserable 5-2 defeat at Fulham as they come up against a Liverpool side who have won their last six games.

The Foxes have slipped into the drop zone with three games to go but will be encouraged by the fact they have won their last two Premier League home clashes against the Reds.

Dean Smith's men are without a clean sheet in 2023, while they have kept just one in their last 13 meetings with the Anfield club in all competitions.

Diogo Jota has seven strikes in his last seven against the East Midlanders but has failed to net in his four games at the King Power Stadium for Porto, Wolves and Liverpool.

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