After UEFA Champions League action, the Premier League title race returns to centre stage this weekend, as Arsenal and Manchester City find themselves locked in a high-stakes psychological and tactical battle for English football’s ultimate prize.
The Premier League’s best took a bit of a hammering in Europe this week, with none of the six clubs in last-16 action winning.
Manchester City were one of the four teams to suffer defeat and they will need to dust themselves down quickly from a 3-0 defeat at Real Madrid, when they face West Ham United away on Saturday evening.
They could find themselves 10 points behind leaders Arsenal, albeit from two fewer games. City were beginning to look threatening in pursuit of Arsenal after a four-game winning burst had them breathing down their necks.
However, a 2-2 draw at home to Nottingham Forest killed their momentum and the way Real Madrid cut through them on Wednesday will have shaken confidence.
City were well-beaten in the Bernabeu and will need a remarkable recovery in the second leg to salvage their European hopes, but first they must ensure they do not suffer what could be a knockout blow in the title race.
Arsenal
Arsenal, who needed a last-minute Kai Havertz penalty to scramble a 1-1 draw away to Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday, have the opportunity to really turn the screws on City as they host Everton earlier on Saturday.
Mikel Arteta’s side start the weekend seven points clear having played one game more, and while they appear to be labouring of late, they are grinding out results.
They are on a three-match winning run in the league, but the last two — at home to Chelsea and away at Brighton and Hove Albion — were both nervy affairs as the pressure of trying to secure a first title since 2004 began to show.
Everton have won only once in the Premier League at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, in 2021, but will be well-rested and will arrive on the back of successive victories and with their eyes on a potential European qualification slot.