Title rivals preview: Forest v Liverpool, Man City vs Man United & more

With Arsenal’s match week 27 fixture scheduled for Monday night football, the Gunners could find themselves five points behind pacesetters Liverpool at the Premier League summit.

The Reds continue their hunt for a second Premier League triumph this weekend with a trip to City Ground, where they’ll take on relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest.

Riding the momentum of an impressive five-match winning streak, Jurgen Klopp’s rampant troops will be eager to extend their run of form at the expense of the struggling Tricky Trees.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s men have posted just one win in their last nine outings across all competitions, and it would be unsurprising to see that awful run extended to ten games, considering the uphill task on the horizon.

While Liverpool invade City Ground, Tottenham Hotspur will be trading tackles with a spirited Crystal Palace in a crucial north vs south London derby contest.

Spurs have flattered to deceive as potential title contenders, with 11 points currently separating them from their north London arch-nemesis Arsenal, although Ange Postecoglou’s side have a game in hand.

Postecoglou will demand a response from his side after their shocking defeat against Wolverhampton Wanderers, but they’ll need to be wary of a Palace side buoyed by a new manager bounce.

Meanwhile, the Etihad Stadium forms the backdrop for this weekend’s headline fixture as Manchester City renew rivalries with local foes Manchester United.

The outcome of this match could have significant consequences for the varying ambitions of both sides, making it a must-win clash and a must-watch spectacle for fans at home and abroad.

United fans looking to catch all the action live can head over to seatsnet.com to buy Manchester United tickets at competitive prices and secure a seat in the stands for the Super Sunday showdown.

2023/24 surprise package Aston Villa rounds off Saturday’s action-packed schedule with a tricky trip to face relegation contenders Luton Town at Kenilworth Road.

Although they have lost ground in the title race, the Villans can still dream of a fairytale finale to the season despite sitting eight points behind Liverpool in the Premier League rankings.

Luton Town vs Aston Villa

Villa will be looking to pile the misery on Luton when both sides square off on Saturday, with the Hatters still reeling from a crushing FA Cup defeat to defending champions Man City.

There is no time for Luton to sulk over their recent thrashing as another uphill battle awaits, with Unai Emery’s troops eager to solidify their position in the top four.

A five-star performance from Man City’s goal machine Erling Braut Haaland put the Hatters to the sword, condemning them to a fourth straight defeat in all competitions.

They return to Premier League action hoping to snap a three-match losing streak with four points separating them from 17th-placed Nottingham Forest, although Rob Edwards’ side have a game in hand.

Meanwhile, Villa’s emphatic 4-2 win over Forest marked only their first success on home turf this year, but they remain undefeated on their travels (W3, D2), conceding just one goal in five games.

Villa journey to Kenilworth Road on the back of back-to-back league triumphs and hold a five-point lead over Tottenham, albeit having played one more game.

While the Lions lost their golden touch at home earlier this year, they could triumph in three consecutive Premier League away games for the first time since Emery’s first three games on the road.

Villa ran out convincing 3-1 winners when Luton visited the West Midlands at the end of October, but they have lost each of their last three meetings with the Hatters at Kenilworth Road.

Tottenham Hotspur vs Crystal Palace

After a two-week hiatus from Premier League action, Tottenham return home to north London this Saturday, welcoming local rivals Palace in a capital clash.

Postecoglou’s side have had two weeks to reflect on their disappointing 2-1 defeat to Wolves two weeks ago, where Gary O’Neil’s side picked apart the Lilywhites with a well-executed counter-attacking system.

The defeat saw Tottenham relinquish their Champions League slot to Villa, and not for the first time this season, but they remain within touching distance of their Birmingham counterparts with a game in hand.

Tottenham have failed to keep a clean sheet in each of their last eight league games, and it doesn’t help that they’ve been bested in two London derbies on home turf.

After kicking off his reign at Selhurst Park with a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Burnley, Oliver Glasner would be eager to build on his debut success by inflicting consecutive defeats on Tottenham.

Success against Burnley was enough to boost the Eagles’ status on the league table, opening up a comfortable eight-point lead ahead of the danger zone. 

Nottingham Forest vs Liverpool

On the back of contrasting results in the FA Cup, Forest and Liverpool reconvene for a Premier League encounter at the City Ground on Saturday afternoon.

The Tricky Trees come into the fixture on the back of a narrow 1-0 defeat to Man United, courtesy of a last-minute winner from Casemiro, which halted their progress in the tournament at the round of 16 stage.

After witnessing their dreams of a Wembley appearance crash, the Reds will now focus on their battle for Premier League survival.

They’ll be keen to recover quickly from the damaging defeat at Villa, but their chances of avoiding the drop took a major hit when Everton’s ten-point deduction was reduced to six.

Any hopes of starting a potential revival may have to wait as they prepare for another mammoth battle with the Premier League leaders at City Ground.

Forced to field a selection of their academy proteges due to their double-figure absentee list, Klopp’s academy boys rose to the occasion, comfortably dispatching Championship side Southampton 3-0 at Anfield.

The victory extended Liverpool’s winning streak to five matches on the trot in all competitions, and they now return to Premier League action keen to pick up a sixth consecutive win.

However, they can’t take anything for granted, as they have failed to win any of their last six Premier League trips to City Ground.

Manchester City vs Manchester United

Man City and Man United renew an age-old rivalry at the Etihad on Sunday in what promises to be an action-packed Premier League contest.

The Cityzens are unbeaten in their last 18 games across all competitions. 

Guardiola’s side are also yet to taste defeat in each of their last 11 Premier League outings, emphasising the weight of the task their local neighbours now face.

The champions were imperious in the reverse fixture at Old Trafford, thrashing Erik ten Hag’s side 3-0. 

While there would be an element of revenge attached to the showdown, it doesn’t help that United have only beaten City once in their last five meetings in the league (L4).

United haven’t had the best preparation for the blockbuster clash after losing 2-1 to Fulham, but a win over their noisy neighbours would be crucial to their top-four ambitions.