Arsenal leads Manchester City by three points in the Premier League title race and can extend their lead to six points with a win against Fulham. Manchester City faces Everton two days later, making this weekend crucial for both teams.
Key points
Arsenal is three points ahead of Manchester City
A win against Fulham can extend Arsenal's lead to six points
Manchester City has a game in hand
Arsenal has struggled to score in recent matches
Tottenham faces relegation challenges
ArsenalManchester CityFulhamTottenham
Arsenal are three points clear of Manchester City in the Premier League title race (Glyn KIRK)Arsenal are three points clear of Manchester City in the Premier League title race (Glyn KIRK)
(Glyn KIRK/AFP/AFP)
Arsenal have a chance to crank up the pressure on Manchester City this weekend as they seek to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League.
The Gunners can go six points clear of their in-form rivals if they beat Fulham on Saturday, two days before City face a tricky trip to Everton.
At the other end of the table, West Ham face Brentford while relegation rivals Tottenham take on Aston Villa.
AFP Sport looks at three talking points ahead of the action:
Tight margins
Arsenal can pull well clear of Manchester City, at least for 48 hours, but they must re-discover their scoring touch in a season that could be decided by the tightest of margins.
Before the Gunners' win against Newcastle last weekend, the top two were level on points and goal difference.
Arsenal know even if they win their four remaining games it may not be enough -- they have failed to score more than one goal in any game since mid-March.
City, with a game in hand, have clicked into gear and are scoring much more freely than their rivals.
Former England defender Gary Neville believes Arsenal will have to be "wheelbarrowed" over the line if they are to win their first Premier League title since 2004.
"They're not going to sail over the line -- it's going to be a real struggle. They're not going to all of a sudden hit form in this next couple of weeks," he said on The Gary Neville Podcast.
Spurs count cost of injuries
Just when Tottenham showed encouraging signs of life under new manager Roberto De Zerbi, their injury curse has struck again.
Dutch midfielder Simons suffered a serious knee injury in last week's 1-0 win at relegated , while could miss the rest of the campaign with a hamstring issue.
The club's injury list this season makes sobering reading, with long-term absentees including , , and . Captain is another recent victim.
"We can win the games with the players, not with the coaches," said De Zerbi. "The coaches are important but the players are more important. But I want to be positive."
Tottenham, who face a tricky match at Aston Villa this weekend, remain in the drop zone, trailing two points behind 17th-placed West Ham despite the first win of De Zerbi's tenure.
Can stop the rot?
Chelsea can still end the season on a high despite a horrific run of five successive Premier League defeats that led to Liam Rosenior's recent sacking.
Marginally improved under interim boss Calum McFarlane, the Blues beat 1-0 last weekend to set up an FA Cup final against Manchester City.
Although they are languishing in eighth in the Premier League, Chelsea still have a slender chance of grabbing a Champions League spot as well.
If Villa finish fifth -- their current position -- and win the Europa League, the Champions League place they would earn by ending in that position would be passed down to the Premier League's sixth-placed team.
However, if Villa finish fourth or above and win the Europa League, there would be no extra Champions League place for an English club.
As it stands,  would be the team to benefit as they are in sixth place on 50 points.
But , Chelsea, Brentford and Fulham are all within one or two points of the Seagulls, while Everton and  are also within striking distance.
Fixtures (all times GMT)
Friday (1900)
Leeds v
Saturday (1400 unless stated)
Brentford v West Ham, Newcastle v Brighton, Wolves v Sunderland, Arsenal v Fulham (1630)
Sunday
Bournemouth v (1300), v (1430), Aston Villa v Tottenham (1800)
Monday
Chelsea v (1400), Everton v Manchester City (1900)
jw/smg/pb
Q&A
How many points clear is Arsenal ahead of Manchester City in the Premier League?
Arsenal is currently three points clear of Manchester City in the Premier League title race.
What must Arsenal do to extend their lead over Manchester City?
Arsenal needs to win against Fulham to extend their lead to six points before Manchester City plays Everton.
What challenges does Arsenal face in their title race against Manchester City?
Arsenal has struggled to score more than one goal in recent matches, which could impact their chances of maintaining their lead.
What is the significance of the upcoming matches for Tottenham and Chelsea?
Tottenham is fighting to avoid relegation while Chelsea aims to improve their position in the league after a series of defeats.
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