Man Utd kick off the action against Arsenal, while on Sunday there is a clash between two of the bottom three and Liverpool entertain Newcastle.
Man Utd face Arsenal; QPR meet Reading; Liverpool host Magpies
Manchester United kick off this weekend's action against Arsenal, while on Sunday there is a clash between two of the bottom three and Liverpool entertain Newcastle United.
Leaders Chelsea travel to Swansea, Manchester City visit West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur host Wigan as the battle intensifies at both ends of the table.
Old rivals
Manchester United and
Arsenal are pitted together in the Saturday lunchtime encounter, live on
Sky Sports 2HD, and all the signs suggest there will be an abundance of goals. The Gunners came from behind to beat Reading 7-5 in an extraordinary Capital One Cup tie in midweek, while Manchester United's 5-4 defeat by Chelsea was only marginally less dramatic. It was also 8-2 to the Red Devils in the corresponding fixture at Old Trafford last season and another victory for Sir Alex Ferguson's men would lift them, perhaps only temporarily, above Chelsea at the top of the Premier League. Arsenal will be determined not to let that happen and stay in touch with the leading pack, but it will be a tough task against a formidable attacking line-up almost certain to include former Emirates Stadium favourite Robin van Persie.
While
Chelsea were able to get the better of United in the League Cup, their loss to the same opponents last Sunday left them with just a one-point advantage in the title race and the fallout from the controversial clash has dominated the week's headlines, with a formal complaint made to the Football Association over referee Mark Clattenburg's alleged racist comment to John Obi Mikel. Roberto Di Matteo's Blues will now be looking to get back to top form by beating a
Swansea City side buoyed by their own passage to the Capital One Cup quarter-finals.
Manchester City are now the only unbeaten side in the division and if Chelsea slip up there is a chance they could move into first place with a win in Saturday's late kick-off. Roberto Mancini has had to contend with criticism during the early part of the campaign but last weekend's victory over Swansea was their fourth in a row in the league.
West Ham United will be trying to stop it becoming five at Upton Park, and Sam Allardyce's team have competed well so far on their return to the top flight to occupy a mid-table berth.
Reading have not fared so well since earning promotion and are without a win in their eight league games, while Tuesday's incredible loss to Arsenal will also be difficult to recover from. The Royals will have to bounce back quickly, though, as they prepare to do battle with fellow strugglers
Queens Park Rangers on Sunday, in a match that can be seen live on
Sky Sports 1HD from 1pm. QPR are currently bottom of the table with just three points and owner Tony Fernandes has again had to give his backing to manager Mark Hughes this week following reports he will be axed if Reading are not beaten.
Excitement
Sunday's second match, also live on
Sky Sports 1HD, sees
Liverpool entertain
Newcastle United at Anfield. It is a contest that traditionally produces plenty of excitement but neither side have been performing at their best this season, with the Reds lying 12th and knocked out of the Capital One Cup by Brendan Rodgers' former club Swansea this week. Newcastle are just a couple of places higher up the
