Premier League Preview: A look ahead at another ferocious weekend in the top-flight

Wow – what a week of drama-fuelled action that was. The games continue to come thick and fast in the Premier League and we crash land straight into Gameweek 32 with a collective spring in our step following that intense game at Stamford Bridge on Thursday evening, where Chelsea stunned Manchester United with a dramatic turnaround thanks to the individual brilliance of Cole Palmer.

This weekend’s fixture list is kickstarted at 12.30pm with one of the three teams currently tussling for the title, as reigning champions Manchester City travel to south London to take on Crystal Palace. Pep Guardiola’s men enter the game on the back of a resounding 4-1 win over top-four hopefuls Aston Villa in midweek, with Phil Foden yet again stealing the show with a hat-trick in what was a truly mesmerising display by the 23-year-old.

City find themselves in contention to bag an unprecedented fourth consecutive title this term and sit third in the top-flight; three points behind leaders Liverpool and just one behind second-placed Arsenal. In Palace they come up against a side who have provided them with a stern challenge during recent encounters, though.

It is the mother of all banana skins for the Cityzens, with the south Londoners taking a point from the reverse fixture at the Etihad back in December. A slip up here would effectively end their title aspirations, providing Arsenal and Liverpool claim wins in their respective encounters over the weekend.

The Gunners are in action at 5.30pm in another clash which presents plenty of jeopardy. Arsenal head south to take on Brighton – who themselves are looking to secure another European finish and lie ninth in the standings, just five points behind sixth-placed Manchester United.

Brighton have beaten Arsenal three times in the last five meetings between the pair across all competitions and with so much pressure on this clash, a victory for the north Londoners is far from a certainty. It must be said, though, that Mikel Arteta’s side have never before been in such a fine fettle and are unbeaten in the Premier League in 2024, with their last taste of top-flight defeat coming on New Year’s Eve.

Last weekend’s draw away at City was a huge statement in the title race and the Gunners followed it up with a routine 2-0 victory at home to Luton in midweek – further strengthening their position in the top three. A win here for Arteta’s young army has the potential to place them top of the tree when the shutters come down on this weekend’s round of games – but only if Liverpool slip up and lose to Manchester United in Sunday’s showstopper.

The Reds make the short journey to Old Trafford having left it late to overcome bottom side Sheffield United on Thursday, with Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo finding the net late on to relieve the pressure ahead of what is a humongous tie this weekend. Little needs to be said about the rivalry between these two goliaths of English football and last month they played out one of the games of the season in that breathtaking FA Cup quarter-final, where United edged closer to the final with a last-gasp extra-time win on the same battleground which hosts Sunday’s blockbuster.

United head into the game with scars from a wounding defeat in west London on Thursday evening, throwing away a 3-2 lead to lose 4-3 to Chelsea right at the death, and as a result the scrutiny around Erik ten Hag and his ability to manage the club has only intensified. An immediate bounce back is required to relieve such criticism, and doing it against Liverpool at Old Trafford – which would majorly dent the Reds’ hopes of winning the title – would conjure the most idyllic tonic for what has become another bitter end to the campaign.

Settle yourselves in, it’s going to be a good one.

Premier League Gameweek 32 – Fixtures in full

SATURDAY 6TH APRIL

Crystal Palace 12:30 Manchester City

Aston Villa 15:00 Brentford

Everton 15:00 Burnley

Fulham 15:00 Newcastle United

Luton Town 15:00 AFC Bournemouth

Wolverhampton Wanderers 15:00 West Ham United

Brighton & Hove Albion 17:30 Arsenal

SUNDAY 7TH APRIL

Manchester United 15:30 Liverpool