Big Sunday in Premier League as Arsenal hosts Chelsea

LONDON, UK | Xinhua | Four Premier League matches on Sunday could have a big impact on the title race as well as the struggle to avoid relegation and to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

League leader Arsenal hosts Chelsea on Sunday evening with the possibility Arsenal’s lead at the top of the table could be down to just two points if Manchester City wins on Saturday.

Arsenal recently beat Chelsea twice in the League Cup semifinal, which are the only defeats Liam Rosenior has suffered since becoming Chelsea coach, but Chelsea drew away to Arsenal in November after playing for over half of the game with 10 men.

Wesley Fofana is suspended for Chelsea after his red card in the surprise 1-1 draw at home to Burnley last weekend.

Manchester United has the chance to move into third place with a home win against Crystal Palace after Aston Villa lost to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Friday night.

Michael Carrick has to decide whether to put in-form striker Benjamin Sesko into his starting 11 after Sesko has scored three decisive goals in four games after coming into the game off the substitutes’ bench.

Amad Diallo could be the player to make way as Carrick looks to build on his impressive start of 16 points from six league games in charge.

Igor Tudor needs Tottenham to improve drastically on the 4-1 thrashing his new side suffered last weekend at home to Arsenal as he takes the Premier League struggler to play Fulham.

Tottenham goes into the weekend just four points above the relegation zone and Tudor has to decide whether to stick with three central defenders after the system failed badly last weekend, or bring back Joao Palhinha to play in midfield against his former club.

Nottingham Forest could start its game away to Brighton in the bottom three if West Ham wins away to Liverpool, but should see the game as an opportunity against a side that may have beaten Brentford last weekend, but which failed to win its six previous games to put coach Fabian Hurzeler under pressure.

Manchester City keeps pressure on Arsenal, Liverpool thrashes West Ham

Manchester City narrowed the gap with Premier League leader Arsenal to two points with a hard-fought 1-0 win away to Leeds United on Saturday.

Despite being without Erling Haaland due to a slight injury, Pep Guardiola’s side won the game when Antoine Semenyo scored the only goal of the game in first half injury time after a cross from Rayan Ait-Nouri.

Leeds coach Daniel Farke was sent off for protesting after the final whistle of a game where his side showed its ability to compete with the best.

Hugo Ekitike, Virgil van Dijk and Alexis Mac Allister all scored as Liverpool raced into a 3-0 lead at home to relegation-threatened West Ham United.

Tomas Soucek pulled a goal back for West Ham in the 49th minute, but Cody Gakpo restored Liverpool’s three-goal cushion with 20 minutes left and although Taty Castellanos hit West Ham’s second, an own goal from Axel Disasi sealed Liverpool’s eventual 5-2 win.

Thierno Barry gave Everton a 3-2 win away to Newcastle United when it looked as if the home side had fought back to save a point.

Jarrad Branthwaite and Beto twice put Everton ahead at St James’ Park, while Jacob Ramsey and Jacob Murphy twice hauled Newcastle United back, with Murphy scoring in the 82nd minute.

However, Barry was on hand a minute later to take the three points for Everton, whose goalkeeper Jordan Pickford also played his part with several important saves.

Burnley fought back from 3-0 down to 3-3 at home to Brentford, only to have its hearts broken by Mikkel Damsgaard’s 93rd-minute winner.

Damsgaard, Igor Thiago and Kevin Schade gave Brentford a 3-0 lead after just 34 minutes before Michael Kayode’s own goal gave Burnley hope on the stroke of halftime.

Jaidon Anthony scored Burnley’s second in the 47th minute and when Zian Flemming leveled on the hour, the game became wide open until Damsgaard’s late winner.

Bournemouth and Sunderland drew 1-1, with Eliezer Mayenda putting Sunderland ahead in the 18th minute and Evanilson securing a point for Bournemouth in the 63rd minute.

Aston Villa’s top-four hopes are starting to look rocky after losing 2-0 away to bottom side Wolverhampton Wanderers on Friday.

Joao Gomes opened the scoring for Wolves in the 61st minute and Rodrigo Gomes hit the second deep into injury time. ■