Key Premier League fixtures as City & co aim to further title ambitions

After demolishing capital rivals Crystal Palace 5-0 in a Premier League fixture at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal travelled to City Ground aiming to finally end their awful record against Nottingham Forest.

The Gunners had lost their last three trips to City Ground across all competitions but finally bucked the trend during their midweek contest after running out 2-1 winners.

Mikel Arteta’s troops saw their efforts frustrated in the first half. But the game opened up in the second period, and Gabriel Jesus opened the scoring after the hour mark before setting up Bukayo Saka to cushion the lead.

Arsenal were handed a major scare when boogeyman Taiwo Awoniyi pulled one back for Forest in the 89th minute, but the Gunners held firm to see out a vital three points.

The win kept them level on points with Manchester City, although the defending champions have a game in hand, and are five adrift of league leaders Liverpool.

Arsenal welcome Liverpool to the Emirates in their next Premier League fixture, and victory is imperative for both sides if they’re to maintain their charge for the title, setting the stage for a cracking contest in north London.

City would be looking to take advantage when they take on bottom-half strugglers Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium on Monday night.

The Cityzens have been in exceptional form and are likely to pick up their fifth consecutive Premier League victory on their visit to the English capital next week.

Seatsnet.com are offering Man City tickets at competitive prices, and enthusiasts eager to secure their spot in the stands should seize the opportunity to capitalise on the most favourable offers available.

Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur could also profit from the outcome of the Arsenal v Liverpool fixture. 

A win for both teams in their respective fixtures will take them level on points with the Gunners, assuming Arteta’s side fail to muster a positive result against the pacesetters.

Spurs travel to relegation-battling Everton while Villa take on bottom-feeders Sheffield United at Bramall Lane, hoping to improve their recent string of disappointing results.

Everton vs Tottenham Hotspur

Everton, who have dropped into the dreaded relegation zone, will host a Tottenham side that have reclaimed a spot in the top four in Saturday’s early Premier League kick-off at Goodison Park.

Sean Dyche’s side head into the weekend contest on the back of a hugely entertaining goalless draw against a Fulham side that dumped them out of the EFL Cup back in December.

The highly volatile fixture could have seen either side snatch a win. But neither could muster a winning goal, and Luton Town’s mind-boggling 4-0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion means the Toffees find themselves in 18th place ahead of Saturday’s lunchtime fixture.

Everton have now won just one of their last nine games across all competitions (D4, L4), and the stalemate against Fulham marked their fifth consecutive Premier League game without a win (D2, L3).

Meanwhile, weekend opponents Tottenham came from behind to secure a 3-2 victory over Brentford in a highly dramatic and hard-fought capital derby.

Despite overseeing the success which propelled Tottenham back into the top four, Ange Postecoglou had a bone to pick with his players at full-time, criticising them for displaying too much “bravado” in a heated derby.

Thanks to Villa’s home defeat against Newcastle United, Spurs have leapfrogged the Villans into the Champions League places, although level on 43 points apiece.

Postecoglou and his troops travel to Merseyside having won just one of their last five Premier League games on the road (D2, L2), although they’ve scored ten times in that sequence.

Tottenham have not beaten the Toffees at Goodison Park in their last five trips and may be in for another frustrating trip to Merseyside this weekend.

Sheffield United vs Aston Villa

Top four hopefuls Villa would be keen to return to winning ways when they take on basement club United at Bramall Lane on Saturday.

Despite a fast start against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, United found themselves on the wrong end of a 3-2 scoreline, falling to their 16th league defeat of the campaign.

The Blades remain rooted to the foot of the Premier League table and are at serious risk of an immediate return to the Championship as they sit nine points behind 17th-placed Luton, who have a game in hand.

A potentially pivotal trip to the Hatters is on the horizon for United, but they must first turn their attention to Saturday’s clash with Villa. 

Surprisingly, United have won each of their last three home games against the Villans by an aggregate score of 7-1, but the dynamics could witness a significant shift when both sides lock horns this weekend.

After starting 2024 with three consecutive away games, Unai Emery’s Villa side returned to Villa Park to face Newcastle but suffered a damning 3-1 defeat against the Magpies.

Emery was left frustrated after his side’s 17-game unbeaten home run in the Premier League came to an abrupt end, and a run of just one win in their last five top-flight matches (D2, L2) has seen their audacious title challenge hit the buffers.

Emery’s side will be targeting a positive run of form in the coming weeks, with favourable-looking fixtures against bottom-half quartet United, Fulham, Forest and Luton on the horizon.

However, they’ll first need to halt their appalling record against United, having won just two of their last ten meetings with the Blades in all competitions.

Brentford vs Manchester City

City’s formidable second half of the season form is already in full flow, with the Cityzens unbeaten in their last 11 fixtures across all competitions (W10, D1).

They’re also unbeaten in their last six Premier League games (W5, D1), winning each of the previous four by a combined scoreline of 11-4.

Relegation-threatened Burnley were the most recent victims of the champions, with Vincent Kompany once again failing to match up to his mentor as the Clarets succumbed to a 3-1 defeat.

However, the treble winners cannot afford to take the trip to the Gtech Stadium lightly, considering they’ve failed to beat Monday’s opponents in each of their last two Premier League meetings.

City will be looking to keep leaders Liverpool on their toes with a fifth consecutive league win as they sit five points adrift of the Reds, although with a game in hand.