Chelsea's Super Sunday showdown with Manchester United takes centre stage in the Premier League this weekend, while Arsenal and Manchester City have home dates on Saturday.
Liverpool cannot be discounted from the Premier League title race as they remain six points behind Arsenal ahead of their home date with
Aston Villa, live on Saturday Night Football. The goals continue to flow for Luis Suarez this season, with the Uruguay international adding two more to his top-flight tally of 22 in their 5-3 win away to Stoke last time out. Rodgers' side have won their last seven home games in the Premier League and have welcomed striker Daniel Sturridge back from injury. Villa currently sit 11th in the table after their defeat by Arsenal, but are just five points above the relegation zone with only six separating 20th and 10th in the top-flight table.
Stoke come up against the man they parted company with over the summer as they travel to Selhurst Park to take on Pulis'
Crystal Palace. The Eagles slipped to the foot of the standings after their 2-0 defeat at Tottenham last weekend but will not have a new man on penalty duties despite Jason Puncheon's comical miss from the spot at White Hart Lane. Stoke, meanwhile, have just one point to show from their last four Premier League games and are shipping goals at an alarming rate, with 14 conceded in that spell. Mark Hughes' side have won none of their last eight Premier League away games, a run which includes six defeats.
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There are more reunions taking place in the meeting between
West Ham and
Newcastle at Upton Park on Saturday as Allardyce and Pardew both face their former employers. Newcastle go into the game on the back of three successive Premier League defeats and a further loss to Cardiff in the FA Cup, with the Magpies upset by the marginal, debatable but pivotal offside decision which went against them in the loss to Manchester City. The Hammers eased some of the mounting pressure on their manager with the 2-0 victory away to Cardiff which lifted them out of the bottom three and saw striker Andy Carroll make his long-awaited return to action from injury.
Sunderland will be keen to take advantage of the boardroom turmoil currently engulfing
Southampton as they welcome the Saints to the Stadium of Light in Saturday's lunchtime kick-off. The departure of influential chairman Nicola Cortese has led to speculation over the future of manager Mauricio Pochettino and a number of his squad, although the Argentine has since insisted he is '100 per cent committed' to the south coast club. The Black Cats climbed off the foot of the table for the first time since November with their handsome win at Fulham and need to continue their upward momentum with safety just one point away.
Norwich City are another side in trouble at the wrong end of the Premier League table as they prepare to tackle
Hull City, with the Canaries' limp FA Cup exit away to Fulham in midweek an eighth game without a win for Chris Hughton's struggling team. Norwich are now just two points above the drop zone, with chief executive David McNally suggesting that, in sporting terms, relegation is a fate worse than death. Hull are in the top half but only three points better off than their weekend opponents, with Steve Bruce making moves to bolster his squad in the January transfer window with Shane Long set to join fellow striker Nikica Jelavic in the Tigers' squad.
Tottenham travel to
Swansea on Sunday, live on
Sky Sports 1HD, with the north London club enjoying a resurgence under new manager Tim Sherwood which has seen them take 13 points from the last 15 on offer. Spurs remain firmly in the fight for UEFA Champions League football next season, trailing fourth-placed Liverpool by just two points. Swansea, meanwhile, are struggling to match their achievements of last term, with Michael Laudrup's men currently on a run of seven Premier League games without success, which has seen them slide gradually down the standings to a position just three points above the drop zone.
The final fixture of the 22nd round of Premier League matches takes place on Monday night, with Pepe Mel taking charge of his first game since being appointed
West Brom manager in the Hawthorns clash against high-flying
Everton, live on
Sky Sports 1HD. Mel inherits a side with just one victory from their last 10 Premier League games, although caretaker Keith Downing had overseen a four-game unbeaten run prior to the 1-0 defeat to Southampton. It will be a stern debut examination against an Everton side who have suffered the least defeats of any team in the Premier League and have the joint-best defensive record to boot under Roberto Martinez.
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