The Premier League enters its final straight and all, in theory, remains up for grabs.
Arsenal, having lost at Manchester City and now winless in four, know there can be no more mistakes. Mikel Arteta has admitted they need to win all of their games for them to stand a chance of claiming a first Premier League crown in 19 years.
At the bottom, some clubs, for example Crystal Palace under Roy Hodgson, have hauled themselves from danger but a number remain in real peril. Two of those, Everton and Leicester, meet on Monday night in what is surely a win-or-bust clash between two sides who have endured truly sorry campaigns.
Manchester United’s draw with Tottenham in midweek means Champions League qualification for them is not yet assured, while the Europa and Conference League placings look set to go to the wire.
Here, Mail Sport’s James Sharpe provides cutting edge analysis of all the unanswered questions concerning the Premier League.
Everton face a crucial clash with Leicester at the King Power on Monday night with both sets of supporters surely knowing its win or bust
The two clubs are mired in serious trouble and will be fearful for their ability to bounce back
Arsenal have now not won in four matches and the Manchester City juggernaut is well into gear
Is the title now Manchester City’s to lose?
Fulham vs Manchester City – Sunday, 2pm
If the prospect of facing Manchester City was not already terrifying enough with Erling Haaland on the verge of making it a half-century of goals this season, now Kevin De Bruyne is lacing up his own shooting boots.
The Belgian has scored three goals and provided five assists in his last four PL games — as many as in his previous 17 games. De Bruyne has assisted in his last four games.
It’s the fourth time he’s done so but no City player has ever assisted five games in a row. You’d back him to do so against a Fulham team that’s lost 13 in a row to City.
He also leads the assist charts with 16 this season, half of them for Haaland.
City are now more than tuned up – with Kevin De Bruyne in irresistible form as they chase a treble
De Bruyne’s assists this season in the Premier League and where they have come from
How the title race has unfolded – are Arsenal set to relinquish their grip on the top at the wrong moment?
Arsenal vs Chelsea – Tuesday, 8pm
Mikel Arteta knows it. He’s said it too. If Arsenal are to hold off Man City to win the Premier League title for the first time in nearly 20 years, they will have to win all of their remaining games.
The Gunners have not won in four and a 4-1 defeat to City is enough to knock the stuffing out of you.
What a blessing, then, for your next game to be against a Chelsea team managed by Frank Lampard, who has won one of his last 19 games as a manager, losing 16 of them.
Arsenal are looking to end a four-match winless run – who better to face than a side managed by Frank Lampard?
Fight for top-flight survival
It is win or bust in the basement battle between Leicester and Everton – Monday, 8pm
For of these clubs, do matches get as big as this — for their survival and for their futures?
Defeat for either Leicester City or Everton on Monday night will leave supporters readying themselves for Tuesday night trips to Hull next season and also questions about whether they’ll be able to come straight back up.
Of the 69 clubs relegated from the Premier League since the Millennium, 25 of them — nearly 40 per cent — have never got back into the top division. Only 19 of those who did got back up at the first attempt.
How it has unfolded at the bottom of the table since January 12 – Southampton have been in trouble for months
How it currently stands at the bottom of the table and the sides who have spent the most time in the drop zone
The relegation six-pointers to take place between Sunday and the end of May
The millions and millions spent since Farhad Moshiri took the reigns at Everton
Bournemouth vs Leeds – Sunday, 2pm
Jack Harrison was nearly not in this Leeds relegation fight. The winger almost joined Leicester in January and was midway through a medical on Deadline Day in January when the phone rang and the plug was pulled.
Leeds changed their mind and rightly so. Harrison is key to their survival hopes — he’s been the most creative and direct force with the ball at his feet for Leeds this season.
8 – Leeds are a great watch. They have both scored and conceded in their last eight PL games, their longest league run since 1987.
The decision to pull the plug on Jack Harrison’s January move to Leicester has proven to be a smart one
The statistics lay bare Jack Harrison’s importance to Leeds in their hunt for survival
And it’s all to play for in the quest for the European spots
Manchester United vs Aston Villa – Sunday, 2pm
Marcus Rashford is one goal away from doing what no United player has done for a decade – scoring 30 goals in a season. Robin van Persie was the last Red Devil to achieve that in 2012-13.
Marcus Rashford could become the first player in a decade to score 30 goals across all competitions for Manchester United in a single season
Liverpool vs Tottenham – Sunday, 4.30pm
Plenty of unwanted records have come Tottenham’s way this season but this weekend they will be looking to end another.
Spurs have won just twice in the Premier League at Anfield in the past 30 years — running out 2-1 winners in August 1993 thanks to Teddy Sheringham’s brace and 2-0 winners in May 2011, helping to secure fifth place.
Their current away form — which sees them winless in their last five away games — suggests they are unlikely to break that duck once more.
7 – Since he joined the Reds in 2017, no player has scored more PL goals against Spurs than Mo Salah.
Tottenham’s results at Anfield since they last won there – a victory that assured them of fifth place in 2011
Newcastle vs Southampton – Sunday, 2pm
Southampton’s last Premier League win at St James’ Park was a 2-1 victory in January 2015. That result moved them to third in the league.
How times have changed, with the Saints staring down the barrel of relegation and Newcastle flying high.
These were the teams from that last win back in 2015…
The two teams the last time Southampton won at St James’ Park – all the way back in 2015
nm