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Brentford to stifle Spurs
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Forest can best Arsenal
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Man City to easily beat Chelsea
Brentford plan will stifle hosts
Tottenham v Brentford
Saturday, 12:30
Live on BT Sport 1
As we have seen on numerous occasions this season Brentford boss Thomas Frank knows exactly how to frustrate the bigger clubs, and even without the suspended Ivan Toney the visitors should be able to suffocate a Tottenham Hotspur side rapidly slowing down. In a 5-3-2 formation, they will surround the narrow Spurs front three and remain diligent in their ultra-low block.
It worked in a 2-1 win at the Etihad earlier this season, when Brentford held a mere 25% possession as one of the back three stepped out to meet whichever playmaker looked to get on the ball in the half-spaces, and with Spurs struggling to find any meaningful patterns of possession it will most likely work again.
Ryan Mason has done little to improve the connections between Spurs players and, back in a 3-4-3, they will be comfortably marked man-to-man by Brentford's similar formation. It will not be pretty to watch, but it should be a fitting end to a miserable year of watching Spurs at home.
Paqueta the key to beating Leeds
West Ham v Leeds United
Sunday, 13:30
Sam Allardyce has already made his mark on Leeds United and although he will not have appreciated the wilder moments of his side's 2-2 draw with Newcastle United they were, at least, a Big Sam team. Leeds' two lowest percentage shares and two lowest numbers of touches this season have been their first two games under Allardyce.
It will be another defensive showing at West Ham, who are historically uncomfortable when expected to hold the majority of possession and open up a deeper block, but have made great progress in the Europa Conference League by doing exactly that - via Lucas Paqueta. In a deeper midfield role, the playmaker is picking holes and threading passes superbly. Allardyce will need a specific plan to keep him quiet.
However, Leeds remain prone to rushing out of position, following their instincts after years of training to play in a hard-pressing style, and in a tedious game it is in these brief moments that Paqueta should find the space to create the winning goal.
Forest front three to hit Kiwior
Nottingham Forest v Arsenal
Saturday, 17:30
Live on Sky Sports Premier League
These two sides could hardly be in a more different place psychologically, Arsenal gut-punched by the defeat to Brighton and the end of their title race and Nottingham Forest having won their last two home games. For one final match at the City Ground this season, the hosts will be buoyant - and ready to pounce on Arsenal's frailties.
Tactically, Forest hold the advantage. They have been sitting very deep in a 3-4-3 formation recently, relying on quick counter-attacks fired through the middle of the pitch via three narrow attackers: Morgan Gibbs-White, who has five goal contributions in his last five games, Taiwo Awoniyi, who has scored four in his last two, and Brennan Johnson.
Arsenal are particularly weak in central defence at the moment, and when counter-attacking opportunities arise these three should be able to get the better of Jakub Kiwior.
The visitors are averaging 1.9 goals per game conceded without William Saliba in the team this season, so we can anticipate further defensive disorganisation with Forest's front three galloping towards them. What looked like a tricky run-in has suddenly opened up for Forest, who really ought to be favourites to win on Saturday and clinch survival.
Lampard's defensive style won't be enough
Man City v Chelsea
Sunday, 16:30
Live on Sky Sports Premier League
Frank Lampard was the last manager to take points at the Etihad, drawing 1-1 while Everton manager back in February, but Man City have changed a lot since then. They no longer look ponderous early in matches and instead are imperious at home, which is why Chelsea stand no chance of success even if they are conservative in their setup.
Lampard will not press high. He will tell his players to sit in compact rows and absorb pressure, but without the detailed positional coaching required Chelsea surely will not prevent Rodri and Ilkay Gundogan from opening things up in the final third. What's more, the sheer mess at Chelsea makes it almost impossible for them to stop a rampant Man City celebrating their success in style.
Raheem Sterling's brace in Chelsea's 2-2 draw with Forest is an interesting point to note, especially with Kyle Walker unlikely to start on his side following another exhausting 90 minutes in midweek, but that is not enough to predict Chelsea will be coherent enough to score on the break.