Premier League Matchday 34: Merseyside derby and top-four clashes

A crunch top-four clash between Arsenal and Manchester United and a crucial Merseyside derby help make up Matchday 34 in the Premier League as the season’s climax edges closer.

Elsewhere, Liverpool’s title rivals Manchester City host Watford, while Tottenham travel across London to face in-form Brentford.

Arsenal vs Manchester United (Saturday, 12.30pm, BT Sport 1)

Arsenal reasserted themselves as strong contenders for Champions League qualification with a 4-2 win over Chelsea in midweek and now welcome a United side aiming to prove they are still in the hunt.

The Stamford Bridge victory ended a three-game losing streak for the Gunners and they are without defeat in their last three home meetings with the Red Devils.

United will hope their appointment of Ajax boss Erik ten Hag from next season will give them a much-needed lift after Tuesday’s dismal 4-0 defeat at Liverpool.

Ralf Rangnick's men have won just two of their last nine games, but have enjoyed recent trips to London, going unbeaten in their last 13 top-flight games in the capital (eight wins, five draws).

Leicester vs Aston Villa (Saturday, 3pm)

A Midlands clash between Leicester and Aston Villa sees two sides with eyes on a top-half finish face off.

In 15th, the out-of-form Villans have considerably more work to do to achieve that feat compared to their ninth-placed opponents, though they will look to record consecutive away wins at the Foxes for the first time since April 1981.

Steven Gerrard’s men will look to avoid losing five games in a row for the second time this season having also suffered that unwanted sequence under previous boss Dean Smith last November.

Foxes winger Harvey Barnes has been involved in five goals in his last four Premier League games against Villa (four goals, one assist) — his best goalscoring record against top-flight opposition.

Manchester City vs Watford (Saturday, 3pm)

A twist in the title race appears unlikely when Manchester City welcome struggling Watford to the Etihad.

The Citizens have won the last 14 of these meetings in all competitions and can become the first English league side in history to record 15 consecutive competitive victories over an opponent if they beat Roy Hodgson's strugglers.

Pep Guardiola’s men have also won 15 of their last 16 Premier League games against sides in the relegation zone. Since drawing 1-1 with West Brom in December 2020, they have won their last nine such matches by an aggregate score of 31-0.

A glimmer of hope for the Hornets is that all three of Hodgson’s top-flight wins over City have come away from home — including a memorable 3-2 comeback victory to help Fulham escape relegation in 2007-08.

Norwich vs Newcastle (Saturday, 3pm)

Norwich look to be staring their second relegation in three years in the face as they host a buoyant Newcastle side.

Dean Smith will know victory is imperative against a team the Canaries are unbeaten against in their last four encounters, while the Magpies are also winless in their last seven trips to Carrow Road.

But Eddie Howe’s men have looked a different side since the pair’s 1-1 draw in November, winning nine of their last 13 league games to allay any relegation fears.

Over the Canaries’ last two Premier League campaigns, striker Teemu Pukki has scored all four of their goals against the Toon, including a hat-trick in their last encounter in East Anglia in August 2019.

Brentford vs Tottenham (Saturday, 5.30pm, Sky Sports)

Spurs face a difficult task to stay as the frontrunners for fourth place as they head to a Brentford team enjoying a three-game winning streak.

After scoring 25 goals in their previous seven league games — of which they won six — Antonio Conte's men failed to register a single shot on target in their 1-0 home defeat to Brighton last time out.

Spurs have won just one of their last 11 away London derbies in the Premier League, losing each of their previous five.

Brentford’s Christian Eriksen has been involved in three goals in his last four games for the Bees. He could become the 26th different former Spurs player to score against them in the top flight — which would be the most of any side.

Brighton vs Southampton (Sunday, 2pm)

Both Brighton and Southampton have claimed some impressive results over top-four hopefuls of late and now the pair will meet at the Amex Stadium. 

The Seagulls have secured wins over Arsenal and Spurs in their last three games, while Ralph Hasenhuttl’s men were also surprise victors against the Gunners last weekend.

But a 2-0 defeat at Burnley on Thursday means the Saints have won just one of their last eight games, losing six of those.

They come up against a Brighton outfit who they have lost just once against in their previous 10 encounters, while Graham Potter’s men have not found the net in any of their last five home games.

Burnley vs Wolves (Sunday, 2pm)

That 2-0 home win over the Saints has breathed life into managerless Burnley’s survival hopes as they now sit just one point off Everton above them.

After losing their first three Premier League meetings with Wolves, the Clarets are now unbeaten in their last six against them (three wins, three draws).

They will be further encouraged by the fact that Wolves are winless in their last five meetings at Turf Moor, while Bruno Lage’s men have lost three of their previous four away trips.

Caretaker manager Mike Jackson will need to end the Lancashire club's poor record in games played on a Sunday however — they have won just one of their last 15 (four draws, 10 defeats).

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

Chelsea will look to avoid being dragged back into the top-four battle when London rivals West Ham head to Stamford Bridge.

A win for the Hammers and victories for Spurs and Arsenal would close the gap between that pair and Thomas Tuchel’s men to just two points. 

The Blues have had some problems against the East Londoners of late, having lost three of the previous five meetings, including a 3-2 win for David Moyes’ men in December’s reverse fixture.

That being said, the Scottish boss will be searching for his first ever away victory against Chelsea (seven draws, nine defeats).

Liverpool vs Everton (Sunday, 4.30pm, Sky Sports)

A pivotal Merseyside derby between Liverpool and Everton could have huge implications at the top and bottom of the Premier League.

Any slip up by Jurgen Klopp’s men will hand the incentive to Man City in the title race, though they have lost just one of their last 22 top-flight games against their rivals.

That sole victory for the Toffees did come in this exact fixture last season though, their 2-0 reverse ending a 20-game winless run at Anfield.

Making it two in a row would hand a huge survival boost to Frank Lampard’s 17th-placed side, though defeats in all of their last seven away games suggest it will be a tall order.

Crystal Palace vs Leeds (Monday, 8pm, Sky Sports)

Three wins in four means Jesse Marsch’s Leeds are in a much more comfortable position than the Toffees ahead of a trip to face Crystal Palace.

It has been an impressive first season in charge at Selhurst Park for Patrick Vieira, although the Eagles have lost their last three games in all competitions.

But they have lost just four of their 16 home league games this season, while they are also unbeaten in the last five times they have hosted the Whites (three wins, two draws).

Vieira and Marsch met nine times in all competitions while the pair were managing in MLS, with the latter’s New York Red Bulls coming out victorious five times compared to three for the former’s New York City FC.

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