With eleven weeks left in the Premier League calendar, it is no wonder that things are heating up on both ends of the table.
As of this writing, there are only four points separating second from sixth and the race for those valuable Champions League places are more intense than ever. On the other side of the spectrum, the scrap for Premier League survival is nearing its peak, with as much as seven clubs all still in danger of the drop.
In lieu of that, here are the three must-see matches of Matchweek 27.
Leicester City v Hull City (Saturday, 4th March, 03:00PM GMT)
As of press writing, these two are battling it out for top-flight survival and whoever wins in this fixture will surely have a better chance of staying in the Premier League than the other.
Leicester, who’ve recently sacked their manager Claudio Ranieri after a disappointing campaign so far, will be hoping to return to winning ways and get some points on the table. The Foxes have not won a single league game since the start of the New Year and currently sit in 18th place with 21 points, a point adrift of safety.
Their current campaign is a stark contrast to last season, when they were gearing up for a title win. If the defending champions are to stay in the Premier League, they simply have to win this game.
Hull, for their part, are in a similar position. They are in 19th place with the same number of points as Leicester but have a much inferior goal difference tally. With both sides both looking very vulnerable at the moment, it’d be interesting to see who would come out on top of this battle.
Of course the betting sites will no doubt have some tasty odds.
Sunderland v Manchester City (Sunday, 5th March, 04:00PM GMT)
One need not look further to find two clubs with more different fortunes than these two. Despite their defensive woes, City are currently second in the league and are the closest and the most eligible to challenge leaders Chelsea for the title.
City have done it before – the Sky Blues were eight points adrift of leaders and fiercest rivals Manchester United back during the 2011-12 season.
The Reds would uncharacteristically buckle under pressure, however, starting with their 1-0 defeat against Wigan away and 4-4 draw against Everton at Old Trafford, paving the way for City to get back into the race and eventually win the title. If they keep at it on this game, who knows what would happen a couple of months from now?
Meanwhile, Sunderland are fighting for their lives. As it stands, they are propping up the table with 19 points from 26 games, two points away from safety. Just a couple of weeks ago, they’ve showed they can score goals when they defeated Crystal Palace 4-0 at Selhurst Park. If they can repeat that performance against City, then they could stand a chance of taking the crucial three points in this game.
Liverpool v Arsenal (Saturday, 4th March, 05:30PM GMT)
This is definitely the biggest game of the matchweek. Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool and Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal are very much eager to secure a Champions League spot this season and this fixture is certainly a must-win for both teams. As of press writing, only a point separates these two teams in the league, with Arsenal in fourth place with 50 points and Liverpool in fifth with 49.
Both know the importance of the match, as well as its clear implications. This match is an opportunity to take points away from each other’s top-four rivals and both sides will definitely fight tooth and nail to get their hands on those much-needed three points. Regardless of who would eventually come out on top, this match will definitely be an entertaining and exhilarating watch.