The BIG match
ARSENAL TAKE ON LIVERPOOL TONIGHT IN THE PICK OF THIS WEEKEND’S GAMES
THE Premier League is back this weekend after a two-week “international break”.
The majority of teams now have nine games left to play.
Five teams are going for one Champions League place while Fulham and Newcastle look set to battle it out to escape relegation.
All 10 games are on television with no fans still in attendance and there are four today, four tomorrow and a two on Monday.
The Arsenal v Liverpool game today comes as Jürgen Klopp’s champions travel to north London to take on Arsenal.
Defeat here would possibly end Liverpool’s already faint hopes of finishing in the Champions League places but their form before the international break showed some promising signs.
After the chastening defeat by Fulham at Anfield on March 7, Liverpool responded with back-toback wins over RB Leipzig and Wolves that offered some hope they were turning a corner.
Having his South American group remain on Merseyside during the international break was a boost for Klopp, too.
Ozan Kabak and Nat Phillips will reunite in the centre of defence and Fabinho’s return at the base of midfield has been a huge boost in their last two games.
But the Reds have not won at the Emirates since August 2016 and Mikel Arteta’s side come into the game off the back of a rousing 3-3 comeback at West Ham and a north London derby win over Tottenham.
The Gunners are also just four points behind Liverpool and will see a win over Klopp’s side as a potential springboard for a chance of finishing in the Europa League spots.
Jose Mourinho’s tumultuous reign at Spurs plunged to new depths after he presided over the defeat by rivals Arsenal and then saw his team crash out of the Europa League in humiliating
fashion at Dinamo Zagreb.
Harry Kane looks back to his goalscoring best but it will be Mourinho’s leaky defence that will determine if they can leave St James’ Park with three points.
Newcastle are officially in crisis mode after their weak surrender at fellow strugglers Brighton before the international break.
They have now won only a staggering two matches in 20 and are two points outside the relegation zone with nine games remaining.
Leicester take on unstoppable Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City today.
Brendan Rodgers’ side are in third place, a point behind Manchester
United in second and seven clear of West Ham in fifth.
Leicester went into the international break on a high, beating Manchester United to book a place in the FA Cup semi-finals.
Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish has been out of action since the middle of February with a leg injury but has been using the international break to regain fitness and work towards a return to action.
The 25-year-old was back in first-team training earlier this week and Dean Smith will be hoping his captain is ready for selection against Fulham tomorrow.
The first game today sees a surely doomed West Brom side travel to play Chelsea, who need to keep picking up points to ensure they hold on to fourth place.
Tuchel is still unbeaten as Chelsea boss since replacing Frank Lampard and has got his side playing a possession-based style that is not blowing teams away but is definitely getting results.
West Brom, meanwhile, need a miracle to get out of danger now. They are 10 points behind Newcastle and look destined for the Championship next season.
With a Yorkshire derby at Elland Road, Marcelo Bielsa will be licking his lips at the thought of his all-action Leeds side playing Sheffield United today.
Leeds are safe from relegation and are now eyeing a tophalf finish that would cap an impressive return to top-flight football.
They have won plenty of plaudits for the frantic, attractive brand of football and have one of the season’s best players in Bamford leading the line.
Leeds now have the chance to inflict more misery on their Yorkshire rivals at Elland Road this weekend.
Sheffield United are 14 points adrift in the relegation battle and look like a team who know their fate is in the Championship next season.