⛅️ Friday Forecast: Title, top four and relegation all on the line | OneFootball

We are so close to the end of the Premier League season we can practically reach out and touch it.

But there is still plenty to be decided. Here’s what to look out for this weekend.

💪 Game of the weekend

Manchester City v Chelsea

Last weekend’s results mean Manchester City now need a maximum of three more points to seal a third successive Premier League title.

It would be the shock of the century if they didn’t do it now, and a pretty big surprise if they weren’t crowned this weekend.

Standing in their way are a Chelsea side who have enjoyed a slight improvement in form in recent weeks and do have a talented team capable of causing problems on a good day.

But it seems unlikely that even a brilliant performance from the west Londoners would be enough to stop Pep Guardiola’s side, who look so assured in everything they do at the moment, and with a historic treble still in their sights after Wednesday’s brilliant Champions League semi-final victory over Real Madrid.

The title race isn’t definitively over yet but there’s every chance it will be come Sunday evening.

📊 Fun fact: Since winning the 2021 Champions League final meeting between these sides, Chelsea have lost all five since without scoring a single goal.

🔮 Our prediction: Manchester City 3-1 Chelsea

😨 Potential upset

Nottingham Forest v Arsenal

The title race could actually be over before City have even kicked a ball this weekend.

If Arsenal were to lose away at Nottingham Forest on Saturday, the Gunners would officially be unable to match the league leaders’ points haul, and that would be that.

With Forest fighting relegation, this fixture always stuck out as a potentially tricky one for Arsenal, but if they were still leading the title race at this point you would back them to get the job done.

As it is, Mikel Arteta’s side have slipped to second having only won two of their last seven matches, and seem to have become demoralised by the league leaders’ relentless run of form.

Forest have to see this match as a huge opportunity. If they win and results go their way elsewhere this weekend they could be safe from relegation with a game to spare.

Beating Arsenal won’t be easy of course and Arteta will demand a big effort from his players in their last two games, but the City Ground will be right behind their team for this one, and it could provide a seismic result at both ends of the table.

📊 Fun fact: Although Forest haven’t beaten Arsenal at home in the league since 1996, they have won the last two games at the City Ground – FA Cup ties in 2018 and 2022.

🔮 Our prediction: Nottingham Forest 2-0 Arsenal

👍 Big favourites

Newcastle v Leicester

Newcastle have looked a safe bet for a top four finish for most of the season, but a couple of wobbles in recent weeks combined with Liverpool’s return to form threw the Magpies’ Champions League hopes into a bit of jeopardy.

But Thursday’s emphatic win over Brighton has put Eddie Howe’s side firmly back on course and they now need just one more win from their final two games to guarantee a top four finish.

It would be a huge surprise if they didn’t get the job done on Monday night, when they welcome a Leicester side to St James’ Park who are staring down the barrel of relegation.

Absolutely nobody expected the Foxes to be in this situation when the campaign began but they have won just eight games all season and looked devoid of fight and inspiration in last Monday’s defeat to Liverpool.

Depending on other results, another defeat for Dean Smith’s side on Monday will see them officially relegated, whereas any kind of positive result would leave them with a glimmer of hope of survival, with West Ham visiting the King Power Stadium on the final day.

📊 Fun fact: By contesting this fixture, Leicester will become the first team in Premier League history to play on four consecutive Monday nights.

🔮 Our prediction: Newcastle 4-1 Leicester

🤔 Too close to call

West Ham v Leeds

West Ham aren’t quite mathematically safe from relegation just yet but they’re very close and will be hoping they aren’t still fearing the drop when they make that trip to Leicester next week.

One more point will be enough for David Moyes’s side to guarantee their safety and they are riding the crest of a wave after also sealing their spot in the Europa Conference League final on Thursday night.

But survival specialist Sam Allardyce will be returning to one of his former clubs and trying to throw a spanner in the Hammers’ works on Sunday.

Leeds have shown some encouraging signs since Big Sam has taken over, but the defeat to Manchester City and the draw with Newcastle were not ideal results, and they will need to win one or both of their remaining matches if they’re to stay up.

West Ham away and Tottenham at home aren’t the easiest fixtures, and the Whites’ task will become a lot clearer based on the outcome of Everton’s trip to Wolves on Saturday.

Southampton are already down and five other clubs could still be joining them in the Championship next season. Who the unlucky two will end up being is anyone’s guess.

📊 Fun fact: Leeds have lost all six previous trips to the capital this campaign and defeat here would mean at least one side has failed to pick up a point in London for the ninth straight season.

🔮 Our prediction: West Ham 1-1 Leeds

🔥 Your Fantasy Football captain should be …

Harry Kane (Tottenham)

Tottenham host Brentford in their final home match of the season on Saturday and supporters attending the match will be seeing a mural outside the stadium paying tribute to the club’s all-time leading goalscorer.

For many fans, it could also be the last time they see Kane pull on a Spurs shirt in the flesh. It has been a disappointing season, with Kane admitting recently that standards have slipped at the club, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he decides this summer that his chances of success are better elsewhere.

If this is going to be goodbye, we’d expect the England captain to exit with a bang. He’s got a club record-breaking 277 goals to his name already and he’ll be aiming for a few more before the season is out, especially with just 50 goals separating him and all-time Premier League top scorer Alan Shearer.

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