Saturday 19 December 2015 14:15, UK
From Chelsea's first game without Jose Mourinho, to the heavyweight clash between Arsenal and Manchester City, we take a look at 10 questions that could be answered by the end of the Premier League weekend.
The action kicks off this weekend with six 3pm kick-offs, including Chelsea hosting Sunderland, before Newcastle's clash with Aston Villa on Saturday Night Football.
Super Sunday serves up a double header with Watford v Liverpool and Swansea v West Ham, then the weekend concludes live on Sky Sports with Arsenal v Manchester City on Monday Night Football.
With all that to look forward to, here's what to keep an eye out for this weekend...
How will Diego Costa and Co perform now Jose Mourinho has gone? (Chelsea v Sunderland, 3pm Saturday)
Where to start with Chelsea's game against Sunderland? It might just have to be with a mention of Mourinho, following his sacking on Thursday.
You can talk about what has gone wrong this season at Stamford Bridge until the cows come home, but one intriguing thing about Saturday will be how Diego Costa, Eden Hazard and Cesc Fabregas et al will actually play against Sunderland now the Portuguese boss is gone.
More than likely, it will be Mourinho's former assistant Steve Holland in charge, so can he get the best out of the players who have laboured so badly all season and get the points that will lift Chelsea away from the relegation zone? And what would that say about Chelsea's star men if they did suddenly up their game? Only time will tell...
Who will come out on top between Romelu Lukaku and Jamie Vardy? (Everton v Leicester, 3pm Saturday)
After 16 games of the 2014-15 Premier League season, it was Diego Costa and Sergio Aguero who led the way in the scoring stakes, with 12 and 14 respectively. At the same stage of the campaign, Romelu Lukaku had struck a respectable six for Everton, while Jamie Vardy had just one.
This season it's slightly different. With Costa (three) and the injury-prone Aguero (seven) way down the charts, Vardy (15) and Lukaku (12) are on top.
And Vardy's recent record-breaking run is already being eyed up by Lukaku, who is aiming to find the back of the net for the seventh consecutive game against Leicester.
Are Norwich set to be the latest side to frustrate Manchester United at Old Trafford? (Manchester United v Norwich, 3pm Saturday)
Norwich have scored the same amount of goals as Watford this season (18). The difference? Norwich have conceded 12 more and as a result sit 11 places lower in the Premier League. Even the goals of Odion Ighalo would be as good as useless if Watford could not keep it tight at the back.
Norwich, however, have as good a chance of keeping a clean sheet at the home of Louis van Gaal's blunt attacking side as they do anywhere else in the Premier League at the moment.
Manchester United have netted just twice at Old Trafford in the Premier League since the start of October, and it won't take the home fans long to signal their frustrations if the side are not performing to their expectations on Saturday.
Can Southampton reverse their recent slump in form? (Southampton v Tottenham, 3pm Saturday)
Southampton appeared to be on an upward trajectory following a mixed start to the season. After winning just one of their first six, they then went unbeaten in their next six (winning four).
Since then, however, it has gone a little pear-shaped again. Ronald Koeman's side have lost three of their last four and picked up just a single point - and that was in a very winnable game at home to Aston Villa.
They face a Tottenham side on Saturday who have failed to win in their last three and blew their chances of climbing into the top four with a shock defeat at home to Newcastle last Sunday. Both clubs only need to look at Swansea to see how quickly a mini-slump can turn into a full-blown crisis.
Will Stoke start adding goals to attacking flair and defensive resilience? (Stoke v Crystal Palace, 3pm Saturday)
For all the talk of Stoke's developing flair-filled attacking play, fuelled mainly by their superb victory over Manchester City earlier this month, it is still worth noting that no club in the Premier League has scored fewer goals this season.
Only Aston Villa (13) have netted as few, and the foundations of Stoke's recent success have been built on a quite remarkable defensive line led by Ryan Shawcross since his return and guarded by the superb Jack Butland, who has kept seven clean sheets in his last nine.
If they can add goals to their attacking endeavours and defensive resilience, then Stoke will be a force to be reckoned with in the second half of the season.
Can Bournemouth raise their game for West Brom as they did against Chelsea and Manchester United? (West Brom v Bournemouth, 3pm Saturday)
West Brom should be easy pickings for a Bournemouth side that have made light work of Chelsea and Manchester United in the last two weeks.
Irrespective of the struggles of those two Premier League giants, the results represented major scalps for the Cherries, and the question now is whether they can put in another of those level-raising displays in their trip to West Brom on Saturday.
From appearing doomed a fortnight ago, Bournemouth could move five points clear of the relegation zone with victory at The Hawthorns, and what a remarkable achievement that would be for Eddie Howe and Co.
Will Newcastle continue to display their newly-discovered resolve against Aston Villa? (Newcastle v Aston Villa, Saturday 5.30pm)
Another side who have begun the slow climb away from the bottom three with surprising back-to-back wins are Newcastle, who have put Liverpool and Tottenham to the sword in the past fortnight.
Particularly impressive was the way they responded to falling behind at White Hart Lane last Sunday. Previously this season, Steve McClaren's side generally responded to conceding in a game with all the resolve of a straw house in a heavy wind.
Aston Villa are not yet down. But by the end of the weekend they could be either be five or 11 points from safety (or, more likely, anything in between). Should it be closer to the latter, it may be time for them to start doing some research on the best hotels in Sheffield, Nottingham and Milton Keynes.
Can Liverpool restart their charge towards the top four? (Watford v Liverpool, 1.30pm Sunday)
It was all going so well for Jurgen Klopp. But the last two eminently winnable games have garnered just one point and Liverpool could now find themselves back in the bottom half of the Premier League by the time they kick-off at Vicarage Road.
That is a long way away from the top four, and even further from the title that was being (albeit, only semi-seriously) discussed a couple of weeks ago.
And shortages at the back could lead to a makeshift central defence for Liverpool on Sunday. The in-form Ighalo and Troy Deeney will no doubt fancy their chances.
Will it be seventh time lucky for Swansea or West Ham? (Swansea v West Ham, 4pm Sunday)
October 24 was the last time either Swansea or West Ham won a Premier League game. Chances are, though, that something has to give at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday.
Swansea were much-improved following the departure of Garry Monk last week and were unlucky not to come away with anything from the Etihad Stadium, while West Ham have drawn their last three - the most recent two of which have ended up in goalless draws.
The Hammers have been hindered by injuries to a host of key attacking stars, with Andy Carroll the latest casualty, while Swansea will be hopeful that Bafetimbi Gomis's goal at Manchester City last week will kick-start another run of form.
Can Arsenal or Manchester City gain the upper hand in the title race? (Arsenal v Man City, 8pm Monday)
It is too early to declare this match to be a Premier League title-defining one, especially considering Leicester could be five points clear at the top by the time Monday Night Football rolls around.
The match at the Emirates Stadium remains mouth-watering, however, if only for the reason that Arsenal and Manchester City have never really competed for the same title before, at least not as the two major protagonists.
Victory for Arsenal will see them move four points clear of City, and with a slightly kinder fixture list than that faced by Manuel Pellegrini's side over the festive season, three points for the Gunners could lay down a real marker heading into 2016.
