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By Sam McGuire, Premier League expert

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We’ve not really had time to digest what occurred during the mid-week round of fixtures, yet here we are looking ahead to the games this weekend. Here is your matchday 32 preview. 

Can the champions make a statement? 

Manchester City kick things off this weekend by travelling to Selhurst Park to take on Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon. A win for the champions would see them leapfrog Arsenal and move level on points with Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table. 

The Eagles are without a win in four matches and are averaging a goal a game during this run. However, they did claim an unlikely point at the Etihad in December when the two sides met in an entertaining 2-2 draw. A repeat scoreline may be unlikely but a repeat performance is practically a guarantee. The hosts will sit back and look to play on the break against Pep Guardiola’s men. 

City have the second-best away record in the Premier League this season. Their form over recent weeks hasn’t been that convincing but the 4-1 demolition of Aston Villa on Wednesday will be a welcomed confidence boost. 

Phil Foden scored a hat-trick to take his haul for the season to 14 and he’ll be key again. Especially when you realise that Erling Haaland, rather surprisingly, is without a goal in the English top-flight in over a month – so expect him to be on the prowl if he gets a start having been benched for the game at the Etihad in mid-week. 

An opportunity for Everton

This has the potential to be a real six-pointer on Saturday as Everton welcome Burnley at Goodison Park. The Toffees are winless in 2024 and they are in a relegation scrap. They are currently four points clear of the drop zone but a win for Burnley would see them move to within four points of their hosts. It would also see Vincent Kompany’s men build on their momentum having picked up points against Chelsea, Wolves, Brentford, and West Ham over recent weeks. 

Not only is this an opportunity for Everton to record their first win of the year, while giving themselves some breathing space, but it also halts the progress of a relegation rival. 

Incentives galore for the hosts. 

Their form at home this term hasn’t been great though. They have taken just 13 points from 14 games. Burnley, on the other hand, are winless in their last seven away games and haven’t kept a clean sheet in their last 14 outings. 

A positive result for either side could be massive.

A tough trip for the Gunners

Arsenal are passing every test with flying colours right now. 

They held Manchester City to a draw last weekend and then put in a professional performance against Luton Town in mid-week having managed to rest a number of players. Now they face a trip to the Amex to face Brighton. 

A win would see them displace Liverpool as Premier League leaders with just seven games left to play. 

There have been no draws between these two sides in five matches. The Gunners have the best away record in the Premier League this season while Brighton are unbeaten in 14 home games across all competitions. 

This could be a tricky game for Mikel Arteta and his team. If they find a way to pick up maximum points, they are going to be full of confidence heading into their Champions League clash with Bayern Munich. A positive result for Roberto De Zerbi’s men, however, could derail the campaign for Arsenal. The margins are that fine at this stage of the season. 

Deja vu at Old Trafford

A couple of weeks back, an under pressure Manchester United side welcomed Liverpool to Old Trafford. The Red Devils claimed a 4-3 win over their visitors in the FA Cup with a performance that was supposed to be a platform for the remainder of the season. 

Since then, however, they have drawn with Brentford having conceded a 99th minute equaliser before losing to Chelsea in the 101st minute. They now face Liverpool at Old Trafford looking to use this old rivalry to reignite their campaign. 

Erik Ten Hag’s side have won the last two matches between these two sides on home turf and they did claim a draw at Anfield in December. The Dutch tactician does know how to frustrate Jürgen Klopp and his team and Liverpool are without a clean sheet since their 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest during the first weekend of March, so they do have defensive issues. 

A win could move Liverpool back to the top of the Premier League and they’ll be laser-focused ahead of this trip after what happened in the FA Cup. 

Can Forest cause an upset?

Believe it or not, Nottingham Forest are the form team heading into their game against Spurs. 

Nuno Espírito Santo’s men are unbeaten in three and have taken five points to help in their bid to avoid relegation. Tottenham’s bid for a top four finish has stalled over recent weeks with four points being taken from a possible nine. They lost to Fulham and could only manage a draw against West Ham United in mid-week. 

Ange Postecoglou knows they can pip Aston Villa to fourth position if they win the remainder of their fixtures but they need to show more consistency if that is to be the case. 

Three things to note ahead of this clash. Firstly, Forest are without a clean sheet in seven. They are without a win in their last six away matches and Spurs haven’t drawn a home game all season in the Premier League. 

So this is nailed on to be a 0-0 draw. 

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(Cover image from IMAGO)

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