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Weekend questions: Can Spurs close in on Leicester? Will Chelsea bounce back?

Fernandinho of Manchester City and Robbie Brady of Norwich City compete for the ball

There is a split of fixtures this weekend as the Premier League continues in tandem with the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.

In the top flight, Manchester City will look to reignite their title challenge at Norwich, live on Sky Sports 1HD on Saturday afternoon, with the Canaries in need of a win to boost their survival hopes.

Tottenham's bid to put pressure on leaders Leicester continues at Aston Villa while Bournemouth and Swansea meet as they look for points that will keep them up.

Harry Kane goal celeb, Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal, Premier League
Image: Harry Kane will be looking to find the net against Aston Villa on Sunday

Stoke also entertain Southampton in a clash of European hopefuls at the Britannia Stadium, while Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal are all in action in the FA Cup.

Here is what to look out for over the weekend, starting with the Premier League before moving on to the FA Cup…

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Ed Chamberlin is joined by Paul Merson to discuss this weekend's Premier League fixtures

Can Norwich keep a clean sheet and end their winless run? (Norwich v Manchester City - Saturday, 12.45pm, Sky Sports 1 HD)

City's last visit to Carrow Road on FA Cup business two months ago was a clear turning point in Norwich's season as they thrashed the home team 3-0.

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Since then, Alex Neil's side have failed to win in each of their nine games and all 10 fixtures have seen them fail to keep a clean sheet.

Yaya Toure puts City back in front from the penalty spot
Image: Manchester City have an excellent record against sides in the bottom half of the Premier League table, including Norwich

Having been as high as eighth in the first few weeks of the season, they have slipped further down the standings the longer their winless run has gone on.

While City must win to keep their title hopes alive, Norwich desperately need a victory too as their hopes of survival begin to look bleak.

The last time Neil's men won they also managed to keep a clean sheet as they defeated Southampton 1-0. How home fans would welcome both this weekend.

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Would a win ensure survival for either Bournemouth or Swansea? (Bournemouth v Swansea - Saturday, 3pm)

Results in recent weeks have seen a gap open between the Premier League's bottom four teams and the sides directly above them.

Bournemouth and Swansea are two of the clubs who have shown improvement since the turn of the year, each taking 14 points from their last eight fixtures.

SWANSEA, WALES - NOVEMBER 21:  Bournemouth player Simon Francis (l) challenges Eder of Swansea during the Barclays Premier League match between Swansea Cit
Image: Both Swansea and Bournemouth are nearing Premier League safety

It may be both are already far enough ahead of 18th-placed Norwich - Bournemouth are 11 points clear and Swansea have a nine-point gap - to avoid a relegation scrap.

A win for either side would certainly enhance their hopes of staying up and while not mathematically safe yet, it could prove to be enough in the long run.

Can Stoke or Southampton make a late push for fifth? (Stoke v Southampton - Saturday, 3pm)

As the Premier League has intensified since the turn of the year, there has been plenty of focus on who will secure Champions League football.

The race to the Europa League is arguably just as engrossing and several teams will still consider themselves to be in contention for fifth place.

SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 21:  Sadio Mane of Southampton tackles with Erik Pieters of Stoke during the Barclays Premier League match between Southamp
Image: Southampton will need Sadio Mane to get back among the goals

Southampton and Stoke may well be outsiders given they occupy eighth and ninth respectively at present but both are within sight.

A win for either could be the catalyst for a late surge into European contention.

Will Tottenham's Europa-to-Premier curse derail their title challenge? (Aston Villa v Tottenham - Sunday, 4pm)

Tottenham return to Premier League action on Sunday at Aston Villa, three days after a heavy Europa League defeat to Borussia Dortmund, and a return to winning ways would put pressure on leaders Leicester.

Whether they get it is another matter - even with Villa's four-match losing run in mind - and more pertinent for Spurs fans is their own team's indifferent form after European games.

Tottenham have notoriously struggled with the Thursday-Sunday schedule in recent seasons, although Mauricio Pochettino did make seven changes in Germany to keep things fresh.

Image: Tottenham will look to avoid a Europa League hangover when they travel to Aston Villa

This term they have been inconsistent - winning just three of their eight fixtures immediately after European ties - and their heavy run of games could take a toll once again.

Meanwhile, the last eight of the FA Cup throws up four intriguing fixtures as seven Premier League teams and Championship side Reading all turn out knowing they could be just 90 minutes from Wembley…

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Ed and Merse discuss this weekend's FA Cup quarter-final fixtures

How do Chelsea react after their Champions League exit? (Everton v Chelsea - Saturday, 5.30pm)

Knowing they will be without Champions League football for the first time in 13 years is a situation Chelsea are still getting used to.

If they think that's bad, their fans will travel to Goodison Park with the odd prospect of their team having nothing significant to play for in the last two months of the season if they lose to Everton.

Chelsea striker Diego Costa goes around Everton's goalkeeper Tim Howard to score their first goal
Image: Will Chelsea bounce back from their defeat by Paris Saint-Germain?

Guus Hiddink has admitted Chelsea are in transition and with the club heavily tipped to appoint Antonio Conte as their new manager, it appears there is a new man to impress.

An FA Cup win this season would clearly help but as is the case for Everton, Chelsea's season will effectively be over with a defeat in this fixture after Wednesday's loss to PSG.

Will Arsenal continue to stutter in their FA Cup defence? (Arsenal v Watford - Sunday, 1.30pm)

Arsenal are bidding to become the first team in 130 years to win three consecutive FA Cups but you wouldn't know it with a look at how their defence of the trophy has gone so far.

After coming from behind to beat Sunderland, they were then pushed all the way by Burnley and went to a replay against Hull before winning 4-0 on Tuesday night.

Image: Arsenal's title challenge takes a back seat when they face Watford in the FA Cup

In Watford, they face a team that has adapted well to life in the Premier League and they should be the Gunners' toughest opponents yet in the competition.

Watford have been workmanlike in a trio of 1-0 wins over Newcastle, Nottingham Forest and Leeds in the previous rounds.

Combine that with Arsenal's growing injury list and they should provide a difficult afternoon for the holders on Sunday.

Can West Ham keep up their good record against big-name sides? (Manchester United v West Ham - Sunday, 4pm)

West Ham supporters have good reason to believe they will see European football at the Olympic Stadium next season, particularly with their results against the country's biggest sides in mind.

Under Slaven Bilic, they have made a habit of pulling off their best results when they are seen as underdogs and that will give them hope going to Old Trafford.

Victor Moses of West Ham United and Matteo Darmian of Manchester United compete for the ball
Image: The two sides played out a draw at Old Trafford earlier this season

In 11 games against Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham they have lost only once to the latter - and pulled off seven wins.

Progression here would keep hopes of a Europa League spot next term alive, with the possibility of going one better and claiming Champions League football through the league still strong.

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