Liverpool will aim to bounce back from a rare defeat when they host West Ham at Anfield on Sunday, with the Premier League leaders seeking to maintain their commanding position at the top.
Meanwhile, Chelsea, Manchester City, Newcastle, Nottingham Forest, and Aston Villa are engaged in a tight race for Champions League qualification, with the competition for the top four heating up.
Here are three key talking points ahead of this weekend’s action:
Having all but secured the Premier League title weeks ago, Liverpool suffered a surprise defeat to Fulham last weekend, sparking accusations of complacency creeping into their game.
Arne Slot’s side ended their 26-match unbeaten run in the league with a 3-2 loss at Craven Cottage, a result that felt out of character for a team that had been relentlessly marching toward their first title since 2020.
Despite this second defeat of the season, Liverpool remain 11 points clear of second-placed Arsenal with just seven games to go. It would take a dramatic collapse for the Reds not to claim their record-equalling 20th league crown, and Slot is confident his players will stay focused and finish the job.
“I think there is no reason for us to be complacent,” Slot said ahead of the West Ham game. “Anyone who has watched our matches knows it takes us a lot of effort and hard work to win. The team that won the league in the last four seasons was nearly 3-0 up by half-time in every match, but that’s not how we play.”
Liverpool Leads, But Top-Five Race Heats Up
With five spots available in next season’s Champions League, the battle for qualification is going down to the wire.
Nottingham Forest, in third place, will host Everton on Saturday and are hoping to secure their first Champions League berth since the 1980-81 season. They currently hold a five-point lead over sixth-placed Manchester City.
Chelsea, in fourth, are level on points with fifth-placed Newcastle, with the Blues holding a game in hand, which could be crucial. Chelsea will face struggling Ipswich, while Newcastle will take on Manchester United. Seventh-placed Aston Villa, two points adrift of the top five, travel to relegated Southampton.
City, sitting just a point behind Chelsea and Newcastle, have the most to lose as they seek to salvage their underwhelming season and secure a place in next season’s Champions League. The Premier League champions, who have won the title six times in the past seven years, have not missed out on a Champions League spot since the 2010-11 season.
Leicester on the Brink of Relegation
Leicester City’s dismal season appears to be heading towards relegation, with a defeat at Brighton on Saturday likely to push them closer to the drop.
Beaten 3-0 by Newcastle on Monday, the Foxes have now lost eight consecutive home league matches without scoring a goal. They are the first team in English football’s top four divisions to suffer such a streak.
Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side have failed to score at home since December 8, against Brighton, and have gone seven league matches without a goal, both at home and away.
The manager has struggled to find a solution, stating, “We’ve tried different tactics, different structures, different players in various positions, but the results haven’t come. That is the worrying thing.”
If Leicester lose to Brighton and Wolves defeat Tottenham on Sunday, they will be 18 points adrift of safety with just six matches remaining, leaving them on the brink of relegation.
Fixtures
Saturday (1400 GMT unless stated)
Manchester City v Crystal Palace (1130), Brighton v Leicester, Nottingham Forest v Everton, Southampton v Aston Villa, Arsenal v Brentford (1630)
Sunday (1300 GMT unless stated)
Chelsea v Ipswich, Liverpool v West Ham, Wolves v Tottenham, Newcastle v Manchester United (1530)
Monday
Bournemouth v Fulham (1900 GMT)
