Arsenal, a club in crisis, Manchester City, a club in desperate need of momentum, Liverpool a club looking to stop their Merseyside rivals from climbing up the table – two big games, and eight more pretty important ones to go along with that as the English Premier League returns after the international break.
Wenger treating Arsenal like his plaything
With the season heading to its business end, there is plenty at stake for all teams – well, apart from Chelsea, who are, pretty much, the champions already – so expect another cracking round of EPL fixtures this weekend.
Here are all the ten fixtures, with time, date and venue, with the TV guide for all the action at the bottom of the story.
Saturday, April 1:
Liverpool vs Everton at Anfield: Kickoff: 12.30pm BST, 5pm IST:
What a way to kickoff the weekend. The Merseyside derby usually provides plenty of excitement (and a lot of red cards) and this should be no different. A top four place is at stake for Liverpool, while Everton are in brilliant form at the moment, and can cut the gap to Liverpool to a mere three points with victory at enemy territory on Saturday.
Burnley vs Tottenham at Turf Moor: Kickoff: 3pm BST, 7.30pm IST:
Spurs have been brilliant again this season, and while another title challenge has fallen short, they are definitely a team to admire. Burnley, though, find themselves comfortable placed, thanks to their brilliant home form. So, this match will be far from a gimme for Tottenham.
Chelsea vs Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge: Kickoff: 3pm BST, 7.30pm IST:
A ten-point lead at the top, no team even remotely as consistent, Chelsea are already the champions-in-waiting. Another step towards being crowned EPL champions will be taken with three points against fellow London club Crystal Palace. Sam Allardyce's side, however, are scrapping against relegation, so Antonio Conte's team will need to be at their best to pick up their 23rd victory of the season.
Hull City vs West Ham at the KCOM Stadium: Kickoff: 3pm BST, 7.30pm IST:
While Hull have improved under Marco Silva, they still look destined for the drop. Hull are currently 18th, on 24 points from 29 matches, three points away from safety. Having played a game more than some of their relegation rivals, this really is a must-win. West Ham are currently in 12th, and will look to move to the top half of the table.
Leicester City vs Stoke City at the King Power Stadium: Kickoff: 3pm BST, 7.30pm IST:
Leicester have been a side transformed since Claudio Ranieri's controversial sacking. And with a Champions League quarterfinal to look forward to, the spirits will be pretty high. They currently sit six points clear of the relegation zone, so that isn't exactly safe-and-nothing-to-worry-about territory. With Stoke comfortably placed in ninth, this could be another win for the champions.
Manchester United vs West Bromwich Albion at Old Trafford: Kickoff: 3pm BST, 7.30pm IST:
Jose Mourinho's side have gone 18 matches unbeaten in the league, a run which has seen them move ever closer to the top four. With six teams competing for the three Champions League spots, Manchester United will know they cannot afford a slip-up. They will be up against a West Brom side full of confidence, after the Baggies topped Arsenal in their last fixture.
Watford vs Sunderland at Vicarage Road: Kickoff: 3pm BST, 7.30pm IST:
Sunderland already look dead and buried, with David Moyes looking more and more miserable with every passing game. So, this should be a game that Watford fancy taking all three points from, and they need them in order to avoid getting sucked into a relegation battle in the final two months of the season.
Southampton vs Bournemouth at St. Mary's: Kickoff: 5.30pm BST, 10pm IST:
The battle of the South Coast. Both teams are level on points at the moment, even if the Saints have played two games less. With Eddie Howe's team finally putting a decent run together to move away from relegation worries, they will want to stamp their authority on this derby match.
Sunday, April 2:
Swansea City vs Middlesbrough at the Liberty Stadium: Kickoff: 1.30pm BST, 6pm IST:
A proper relegation six-pointer. Swansea have faded a little after finding some spark following the appointment of Paul Clement, while Boro have been woeful with every passing game, leading to the manager Aitor Karanka being sacked. Goals are the major problem for Middlesbrough, currently in 19th position, and with this being a home game for Swansea, in 17th, they should fancy their chances.
Arsenal vs Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium: Kickoff: 4pm BST, 8.30pm IST:
The Gunners are a team in absolute disarray, and having lost four of their last five Premier League games, things don't look like getting any better anytime soon; not with the position that Arsene Wenger has taken over his future. There is no better time to play Arsenal at the moment and this is the perfect chance for City to make a bit of a statement and firm their grip on the top four.
TV listings: India: Star Sports Select HD2, Star Sports HD1, Star Sports HD4. UK: BT Sport 1 and Sky Sports 1. USA: NBCSN. Indonesia, Thailand, New Zealand, Middle East: Bein Sports. Australia: Optus Sport. Canada: TSN and Sportsnet. Malaysia: Astro Super Sport. Singapore: Eleven.
