Arsenal head into the weekend with what appears to be one of their most straightforward Premier League fixtures in recent months as the league leaders host bottom-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Emirates Stadium.
Wolves arrive in north London rooted to the foot of the table, having collected just two points all season and still searching for their first victory. The club has shown little improvement under newly appointed head coach Rob Edwards, who has overseen four straight defeats since taking over.
Despite Arsenal dealing with several injury concerns — including absences in defense and attack — there is positive news for Mikel Arteta. Midfielder Declan Rice is expected to return after recovering from illness, while Gabriel Jesus is closing in on full fitness and could feature as he continues his comeback from a long-term knee injury.
Elsewhere, second-placed Manchester City travel to Crystal Palace in what promises to be a testing encounter. Palace have climbed to fourth in the standings but have been dealt a blow with the loss of key defender Daniel Munoz, who is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines following a knee injury requiring surgery. Veteran defender Nathaniel Clyne is expected to step in as Palace face a City side that has an excellent record at Selhurst Park.
Chelsea will be aiming to rediscover momentum when they welcome Everton to Stamford Bridge. Recent results suggest Enzo Maresca’s side may be losing steam, having struggled to break down defensive opponents. Everton arrive in good defensive form, having kept back-to-back clean sheets.
Liverpool return to league action buoyed by a crucial Champions League victory away from home, where a disciplined defensive performance hinted at improvement following recent domestic struggles. Attention will once again focus on Mohamed Salah as Liverpool host Brighton, with the match potentially marking his final appearance before the Africa Cup of Nations.
Aston Villa travel to West Ham full of confidence after extending their winning run to ten matches in all competitions. Their recent victory lifted them into third place, and despite a midweek European outing, key attacking players are expected to be fresh for the trip to London.
One of the weekend’s standout fixtures is the return of the Wear-Tyne derby between Sunderland and Newcastle, one of English football’s fiercest rivalries. With Sunderland currently sitting just above their neighbors in the table, the clash is expected to be intense and closely fought, with midfield battles likely to play a decisive role.
Other matches see Nottingham Forest hosting Tottenham, Brentford taking on Leeds United, and Burnley hoping to end a poor run of form when they face Fulham in a game with relegation implications.
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