The Premier League returns this weekend following the international break, and everything is still to play for as we reach the business end of the season.
Arsenal will look to continue their title charge as Man City chase them down, while there are also fierce battles in the race for Champions League qualification and in the race to avoid the drop.
This weekend will see a number of games with huge stakes at both the top and bottom of the table.
The action kicks off with what always is one of the most pulsating Premier League matches in the calendar, and ends on Monday with one that has taken on added significance given events this week.
Sportsmail takes a look at ten reasons to be excited for the return of the Premier League.
Arsenal will be looking to extend their lead at the top as Premier League action resumes
There is a lot riding on Liverpool’s trip to Man City this weekend, even if the Reds are not in the title fight along with Pep Guardiola’s side and the Gunners
Back with a bang
We start off the weekend with a match that in recent seasons normally decides the Premier League title race.
Though the same could be said again about Liverpool’s trip to the Etihad in the lunchtime kick-off on Saturday, it is more about whether the Reds can help Arsenal pip Man City to the title – while also boosting their own top-four chances at the same time.
Man City go into the contest as favourites, but Jurgen Klopp’s side shouldn’t be ruled out, and they have only lost once in their last six meetings in all competitions against Pep Guardiola’s side (3 wins for Liverpool, 2 draws).
Though they are not in direct competition there are huge stakes for both clubs. Man City could be 11 points off leaders Arsenal if results go against them this weekend, while Liverpool could also see a double-digit margin to Tottenham and the top four.
With both sides likely to go for a result it has all the makings of a classic.
Man City’s clash with Liverpool has all the makings of a classic game even if the Reds are no longer the threat they were to Pep Guardiola’s side at the top of the table
Can Arsenal deal with the pressure?
If you were to listen to Gary Neville or certain other football pundits, you might think this is the point of the season where Arsenal will inevitably collapse and hand the title to Man City.
To Neville’s credit, given Man City’s knack of finishing the season strongly the pressure will undoubtedly be on the Gunners who have not been in this position, at this stage of the season, in nearly two decades.
While Arsenal threw away a top-four finish last season, the Gunners until now have been impressive in how they have dealt with the pressure of leading the title race.
After the final whistle goes at the Etihad on Saturday, Arsenal face what is a comfortable looking home clash with Leeds.
Arsenal have dealt well until now with the pressure of leading the Premier League title race
Pundits including Gary Neville (right) have questioned whether Arsenal will be able to sustain their form as the pressure continues to build in the final stages of the Premier League season
The Gunners will be hoping Liverpool can do them a favour so that they can extend their gap to 11 points with a game in hand.
It would be dangerous for them to underestimate Leeds though given the West Yorkshire side’s battle to avoid the drop.
Arsenal then face Liverpool at Anfield next week, a stadium which they haven’t claimed a win at in the Premier League since 2012.
Liverpool are not what they were but they still have the third best home record in the league this season, so that game could be a true test as to whether Arsenal have the mettle to finish the job and win the title.
Liverpool need to overcome poor away form
What has really cost Liverpool this season is their dreadful form away from home.
Only Arsenal and Man City have scored more points at home this season, yet Liverpool only have the 13th best away record in the league – with bottom club Southampton even holding a better record.
They have only won three games outside of Anfield (against Tottenham, Aston Villa and Newcastle) in 13 matches.
Their shock 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth has left Jurgen Klopp’s side with an uphill challenge to get into the top four, with Man City starting a tricky three-game run also consisting of Arsenal and a trip to Stamford Bridge.
If the Reds are to mount a comeback and finish inside the top four they need to improve their record away from home, and where better to start that run than at the home of their biggest rivals in the league over the past five seasons.
Liverpool’s away form has wrecked their season going into their trip away at the Etihad
Carabao Cup final rematch
There might be no trophy on the line but Sunday’s clash between Newcastle and Manchester United is a mammoth clash in the fight for the top four.
Erik ten Hag’s side have been pulled back into the fight after their dreadful 7-0 defeat to Liverpool, followed by a goalless draw with Southampton.
They now face a tricky clash away at Newcastle, who with a victory, could move ahead of Manchester United in the table on goal difference.
Tottenham could also jump the Red Devils with a victory on Monday against Everton, meaning there is a real chance Ten Hag’s side could be in a Europa League position after this round of fixtures.
Manchester United face Newcastle for the first time since their Carabao Cup triumph
Newcastle had struggled for goals in recent months, but three goals from summer signing Alexander Isak before the international break has renewed confidence in the St James’ Park camp.
Despite their Saudi-led takeover, not many would have given Newcastle a chance of Champions League qualification this season. A victory over Man United on Sunday though could give them a real chance of achieving their dreams.
The absence of Casemiro for Manchester United could be vital in the outcome of Sunday’s clash.
United have been pulled back into the race for the top-four after recent disappointing results
Alexander Isak will be hoping to build on his goals from before the international break
United face midfield challenge
Manchester United have made great strides in midfield this season with the summer arrivals of Christian Eriksen and Casemiro, as well as the January signing of Marcel Sabitzer.
United though will have to do without all three against Newcastle with Eriksen expected to return next month, Sabitzer suffering an injury over the recent international break and Casemiro suspended for the next three games.
Casemiro’s absence in particular stands out as a bitter blow for the Red Devils given the extent of how he has helped turn around their fortunes this season.
Fred and Scott McTominay are likely to be called upon this weekend this weekend, which will offer some concern to United fans given the partnership’s issues in recent seasons.
The return of Casemiro can’t come soon enough for United, who don’t want to be dragged any further deeper into a battle for the top-four.
Casemiro will miss United’s upcoming games with Newcastle, Brentford and Everton
European outsiders face off
Brentford and Brighton have both had incredible seasons, and ahead of their match this weekend, both hold dreams of sneaking into a European qualification spot.
Roberto De Zerbi has built on the foundations left by Graham Potter, and with two months of the season to play, they sit seventh in the standings with games in hand over all of the teams around them.
Remarkably, they are only seven points off the top four and have three games in hand over Tottenham who occupy that spot.
Champions League qualification is unlikely, but for both them and Brentford – who are level on points with the Seagulls and Liverpool – a spot in the Europa League or Europa Conference League is a real possibility.
It should be a fascinating match two of the most respected teams in English football at present, and a victory for either side would give them a real boost towards achieving their aspirations this season.
Brighton and Brentford have been two of the Premier League’s most impressive sides this year
Tottenham face tough start to life without Conte
Antonio Conte is gone and interim manager Cristian Stellini has a big task at hand to lift the side up and do enough to keep them in the top-four by the end of the season.
That could be a big ask given the brutality of Conte’s comments towards his own players after they threw away a 3-1 lead against Southampton – in which he pretty much labelled their performance as ‘Spursy’ without using the actual word itself.
Stellini did a solid job recently when he covered for Conte while the Italian was recovering from gallbladder surgery.
But these next 10 games are his real assignment, and it couldn’t get off to a more awkward start than against Sean Dyche’s Everton who will be looking to shut up shop and sneak a victory at Goodison Park on Monday.
Stellini and Spurs still have to play five sides around them in the league (Man United, Newcastle, Liverpool, Brighton and Brentford) before the end of the season, which shows the size of the task at hand for Stellini.
Antonio Conte parted ways with Tottenham following his explosive interview after their 3-3 draw with Southampton
Cristian Stellini has a big job at hand if he is to keep Tottenham in the Champions League spots
Chelsea want Europe… but they could drop out of the top 10!
Graham Potter’s Chelsea side have shown improvements in recent weeks since switching back to a 3-4-3 formation – despite the late goal conceded in the 2-2 draw with Everton.
The Blues still have eyes on qualifying for Europe in what has been a miserable season.
However, they are in danger of slipping out of the top 10, with a tricky clash against Unai Emery’s in-form Aston Villa in the late kick-off on Saturday.
Villa have shown great strides since Emery was appointed, with only Arsenal and both Manchester clubs claiming more points since the time of his arrival.
Despite recent improvements, there are still questions marks over whether Potter is the right man for the job at Chelsea among some of their fanbase.
They will be favourites for Saturday’s clash, but dropping into the bottom-half with a defeat would likely add big pressure onto the former Brighton boss.
Pressure could ramp up on Graham Potter if they drop outside the top-half of the table
Relegation battle continues to heat up
The battle to avoid the drop is as fierce as it has been in the Premier League for a long time.
Just four points separate Crystal Palace in 12th and Southampton who are bottom of the league.
That means though Bournemouth and West Ham also occupy the relegation zone, they could move up five places if they win this weekend and other results go their way.
Roy Hodgson’s return to Crystal Palace as they host Leicester City will be one of the more intriguing clashes this weekend, while West Ham versus Southampton and Wolves’ trip to Nottingham Forest both look like six pointers.
Elsewhere Bournemouth might fancy their chances of three points at home against Fulham, and Leeds face the biggest test out of anyone in the bottom half with their trip to Arsenal.
Roy Hodgson’s Crystal Palace are 12th – but are only four points off the bottom of the table
How soon can Haaland break the Premier League record?
There are doubts over whether Erling Haaland will feature this weekend for Man City, with his father saying it is ‘touch and go’ whether he will play against Liverpool after being pulled from the Norway squad due to a groin injury he picked up against Burnley.
However, there is no doubt that Guardiola will be determined to get the Norwegian on the field for their huge clash with the Reds on Saturday afternoon.
Haaland has 28 goals this season and it seems an inevitability that he will be break the record amount of goals for a 38-game season – and he perhaps might even do so full stop.
Mohamed Salah holds the record for a 38-game season on 32 goals, while Andy Cole holds the overall record with 34 goals across a 46-game campaign.
Haaland will be determined to break the record in his first season in the Premier League, and will be hoping to take to the field this weekend to get closer towards accomplishing this goal.
Erling Haaland will hope to add to his impressive goal tally this weekend against Liverpool, however, it is ‘touch and go’ whether he will be able to feature against the Reds at the Etihad