Wednesday 2 May 2018 23:47, UK
Will Stoke City stay alive and kicking in the Premier League? Can Arsene Wenger win at the Emirates?
The Premier League title race may have concluded but the scrap for survival still goes on.
Brighton v Manchester United kicks off our weekend feast of live action on Friday Night Football before Stoke City face a must-win fixture at home to Crystal Palace on Saturday lunchtime. On Super Sunday, Manchester City will be awarded the Premier League trophy at home to Huddersfield before Chelsea host Liverpool.
Ahead of the fixture list, we look at some potential questions that could be answered come Sunday evening...
Brighton host Manchester United on Friday, live on Sky Sports Premier League, at the Amex Stadium and know a victory in the "high profile" fixture would secure their status in the top flight for another year.
Brighton's five-point cushion on the drop zone should be enough for survival, but a combination of stuttering form and a daunting fixture list means they cannot relax yet. One more win would confirm their survival, but with United, Manchester City and Liverpool to come - their winless run, which currently stands at seven games, could stretch further.
Three points adrift of safety and with only two games left to play, Stoke's prospects look bleak. Their dismal goal difference compounds their problems, but end their winless run at home to Crystal Palace on Saturday and they can at least give themselves a chance.
If Stoke are to play their way out of trouble then manager Paul Lambert will have to defy his recent numbers as a Premier League boss. Lambert's last 34 games as a manager in the top tier have seen his side win just three games, record 22 points and score just 17 goals. His side have failed to score in 19 of those 34 games, scoring more than one goal just twice.
Pep Guardiola will get his hands on the Premier League trophy for the first time on Sunday when his record-breaking Manchester City team are crowned at the Etihad Stadium. However, the chances of his team taking the foot off the gas look slim as there are records to be chased down.
City need seven points from their remaining three Premier League games to become the first team in top-division history to reach 100 points (based on three points for a win). They also only need another three points to set a new record of most points accumulated in a Premier League season, surpassing the 95 set by Chelsea in 2005.
Jurgen Klopp has won both of his Premier League games as Liverpool manager at Stamford Bridge - it's quite an achievement considering no opposing manager has won on their first three visits to the ground in Premier League history. If he does succeed with his task, then it would end Chelsea's hopes of a top-four finish and this could end up being Antonio Conte's last ever game at the Bridge as Blues boss - if reports about his future are to be believed.
West Ham are looking nervously over their shoulders after just one win in eight. Confidence is low after consecutive 4-1 defeats to Arsenal and Manchester City, and a training-ground row between David Moyes and Andy Carroll points to unrest behind the scenes.
However, there is hope, in the form of Marko Arnautovic. He has been directly involved in eight goals in his last seven away games for West Ham in the Premier League (five goals, three assists). Leicester City, beware.
Carlos Carvalhal lifted Swansea out of the relegation zone with an impressive start to his Liberty Stadium tenure following his appointment in December, but fast forward four months and their situation is perilous. Swansea have not won in six Premier League games and next up is a fixture that judging by past meetings is not one the Welsh club should be relishing.
Bournemouth are unbeaten in their five Premier League meetings with Swansea (W3 D2), keeping a clean sheet in each of the last three (W2 D1).Plus, the Swans have lost both of their Premier League visits to the Vitality Stadium.
It has been like watching a different West Brom side since Darren Moore took over caretaker charge, and the Baggies are giving the teams above them something to think about having picked up eight points in their last four games. They are now five points from safety with two games to play.
Moore has already won more Premier League games in four matches (two) than Alan Pardew did in 18 in charge of the Baggies (one), but Spurs are unbeaten in their last seven league visits to The Hawthorns (W3 D4).
Tottenham have three games left to play this season and are still not assured of a top-four finish with Chelsea currently five points behind in fifth. However, a win or draw would briefly widen the gap ahead of the Blues' clash with Liverpool on Sunday and keep Spurs in the driving seat.
The Hornets have lost just one of their last seven home league games (W3 D3), though they are winless in three at Vicarage Road (D2 L1). However, Watford have not won their final home game of a league campaign (excluding play-offs) since 2011/12 vs Middlesbrough, drawing two and losing three since, which may give the Toon hope.
Saying that, Newcastle have never won a top-flight away game against Watford (P7 W0 D4 L3) - only away against Wimbledon (10) have they played more without a victory.
By 5.30pm on Saturday, Southampton will know whether they can pull themselves out of the relegation zone with a victory at Goodison Park as their closest relegation rivals West Brom, Swansea and Stoke play earlier in the day.
Following their 2-1 win against Bournemouth last weekend, they have taken themselves to within a point of safety, but the Saints have not secured two successive Premier League wins since April 2017.
For Everton, they are unbeaten in four Premier League games and have lost just one of their 18 previous Premier League home games against Southampton although they have not won three in a row in the top flight since January 2017.
Get the handkerchiefs ready, this will be Arsene Wenger's 606th and final home match in charge of Arsenal. The club are planning a series of special measures to mark Wenger's final home game as manager after 22 years at the helm, including a post-match presentation to the Frenchman.
Wenger will be hoping that celebration at full-time will have come after another home victory. The Gunners have scored at least three goals in each of their last four home Premier League games - they've only had a longer such run once in the competition once, a run of six games in October 2009. Why is he leaving again?
