OPINION: A weekend where top four will be reshuffled

Manchester United visit neighbours Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium with the rest of the top four rivals knowing this is their rare chance to catch up with the runaway log leaders. 

City have looked good, creative, strong in character and entertaining to watch with their last defeat coming back in November. They have since taken over the Premier League and are undoubtedly huge favourites going to Sunday’s Manchester derby. 

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been criticized recently for his tactical approach in big matches this season where they have drawn 0-0 twice with Chelsea, and registered the same scoreline against City and Liverpool coupled with a defeat at Emirates as well as another draw against Mike Arteta’s Arsenal side. 

United have scored just a single goal against the “big six” which was a penalty in the 1-6 defeat to Spurs at Old Trafford. This is clear evidence Manchester will be blue come Sunday. 

Chelsea sit fourth on 47 points while Leicester are third on 50 points, just one off United. Leicester are away to Brighton while Chelsea host Everton meaning the top four places could be swapped come Tuesday morning.

This offers some sort of encouragement to other top four hopefuls like Everton, West Ham, Tottenham and…. Wait for it, Liverpool.

Tottenham and Liverpool host Crystal Palace and Fulham respectively in what has now become “must win games” if they are to be anywhere near the top four come May. 

The Reds were disappointing to watch on Thursday night in the 0-1 defeat to Chelsea at Anfield as they looked vulnerable at the back and offered no hope as the first shot on target came in the 70th minute- a Gini Wijnaldum header which failed to trouble Mendy.

Clock is ticking for the Merseyside club who cannot imagine missing Champions League football next season. They need to score goals, get that finishing touch and probably ditch the high line defence for now until the “right” players are back. 

Going to London, Arsenal are still 10th with 12 matches to go. Like I said last week, there will be more questions than answers to Arteta if The Gunners miss European football for a fifth season.

Saturday’s early kick-off is a tricky fixture away at Turf Moor. Burnley bounced back from a 4-0 defeat with a 1-1 draw against Leicester which is encouraging ahead of this tie. 

The only thing backing Arsenal in this fixture is having had a full week to rest. This boosts their chances of winning.

Monday evening features a double as Chelsea host Everton and Leeds visit, West Ham. Chelsea goes into the game on the back of a first win at Anfield in seven years. However, Everton have been very good on the road and have won three in a row.

Will Carlo Ancelotti spoil the party in his return to Stamford Bridge? Will Tuchel extend his fine form against Premier League teams that has seen only one opposition player put a goal past the Chelsea defence in the last 10 matches?

Here are my predictions for the weekend:

Burnley 1 Arsenal 0

Sheffield 0 Southampton 2

Aston Villa 2 Wolves 2

Brighton 1 Leicester 2

West Brom 1 Newcastle 0

Liverpool 2 Fulham 0

Man City 3 Man United 1

Spurs 1 Palace 0

Chelsea 1 Everton 1

West Ham 2 Leeds 2