London, May 10 (IANS) The tension at the top of the Premier League continues this weekend with both Arsenal and Manchester City away from home in their head-to-head duel for the title, while Aston Villa entertain Liverpool in a game that looks to be more important for Villa’s top-four hopes than Liverpool’s slim title ambitions.
Manchester City kick off the season’s penultimate weekend on Saturday lunchtime when they visit Fulham.
Pep Guardiola has a clean bill of health for the visit to south London, where a win against a rival that has just one of their last seven games and is looking at a comfortable mid-table finish would lift them above Arsenal for at least 24 hours.
Erling Haaland showed he is fully fit again with a four-goal display as City beat Wolverhampton 5-1 last weekend, and he will lead the City attack along with Kevin de Bruyne and Phil Foden, reports Xinhua.
Guardiola’s side have a game in hand over Arsenal, which is away to Tottenham on May 14, but with the title race so close, he can’t afford to rest many key players.
Arsenal visit Manchester United on Sunday and if City win away to Fulham, they will kick off at Old Trafford needing a win to return to the top of the table and put the pressure back on City.
Arsenal are at full strength for the trip to a rival who are in all sorts of trouble after being torn apart in a chaotic 4-0 defeat to Crystal Palace on Monday.
Erik ten Hag is handicapped by injuries to Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, Raphael Varane, and Victor Lindelof, with only the latter having much chance of recovering.
Luke Shaw and Marcos Rashford are also sidelined, although Bruno Fernandes may be fit to play.
Three points for either Manchester City or Arsenal would end Liverpool’s title hopes ahead of their visit to fourth-place Aston Villa, who looked tired away to Brighton last week and in their Conference League exit against Olympiakos on Thursday.
Liverpool’s players do, however, have to keep their motivation as Jurgen Klopp’s departure means their last two games are a chance to impress his replacement Arne Slot.
Tottenham can pressure Aston Villa for the final Champions League place if they win at home to Burnley, who will be relegated back to the Championship along with Sheffield United if they don’t take all three points.
Luton Town could also be relegated if they lose away to West Ham and Nottingham Forest take a point from their home game against Chelsea, although Luton’s inferior goal difference means they would effectively be down even if Forest lose against a rival that is making a late charge for a top-six finish.
Newcastle are currently sixth and a home win against Brighton would keep them in pole position for a place in Europe next season, ahead of a vital trip to Old Trafford next Wednesday.
Alexander Isak is Newcastle’s form player with eight goals in his last seven games, despite missing a penalty away to Burnley last weekend.
There is little to play for in the remaining matches, as Sheffield United play Everton, Bournemouth entertain Brentford and Crystal Palace visit Wolverhampton Wanderers.
–IANS
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