The Premier League season enters its penultimate weekend with Arsenal still in full control , although Manchester City’s clinical 3-0 mid-week demolition of Crystal Palace has at least slashed Arsenal’s lead to two points, setting up a sprint to the finish line.
Mikel Arteta’s Gunners showed true championship mettle last Sunday, leaning on an 83rd-minute Leandro Trossard strike to grind out a 1-0 victory at West Ham. However, with City refusing to blink, the pressure shifts back to North London on Monday night.
Meanwhile, the dogfight for top-flight survival remains white-hot; Tottenham’s 1-1 draw with Leeds keeps them a fragile two points clear of West Ham, leaving the Hammers in the drop zone ahead of a daunting trip to Tyneside.
There’s also a frantic race for Europe taking place, and we’ve picked out a trio of top tips to help you make the most of the action.
Aston Villa vs. Liverpool
- Kick-off 8:00pm, Friday, May 15 (Live on Sky Sports)
Game Week 37 kicks off under the lights at Villa Park with massive European ramifications. Locked together on 59 points apiece, a victory for either Aston Villa or Liverpool tonight mathematically guarantees a top-five finish.
Furthermore, if Villa finish fifth and win their upcoming Europa League final, it would unlock a Champions League qualification spot for sixth place—a prize currently held by Bournemouth but fiercely contested by Brighton and Brentford.
Both squads enter this clash fully rested, having had a clear week since their respective Sunday fixtures. Aston Villa's 2-2 draw with Burnley highlighted their reliance on Ollie Watkins up front, but it also exposed a high defensive line that has now conceded 46 goals this term.
With Unai Emery managing his squad's energy levels ahead of their European showpiece, structural discipline at the back will be heavily tested. Rotation is also a possibility, and we all saw how that ended against Nottingham Forest.
Arne Slot’s Liverpool are seeking a clinical response after being held to a 1-1 draw by Chelsea last weekend, but the Reds boast a dominant historical blueprint at this ground, having scored at least twice in 10 of their last 11 away league games against Villa. Expect a high-intensity affair, with Liverpool's historical edge in front of goal tilting the value in their favor.
Suggested bet: Liverpool to win at 6/4 (2.50)
- Tipped by: Mr Soccer Man
Manchester United vs. Nottingham Forest
- Kick-off 12:30pm, Sunday, May 17 (Live on Sky Sports)
Sunday's action kicks off at Old Trafford with third-placed Manchester United hosting 16th-placed Nottingham Forest. Both sides take the pitch safe in the knowledge that they have already achieved their primary domestic objectives for the season.
United have successfully locked in a return to Champions League football, while Forest's late-season surge has mathematically guaranteed their top-flight survival.
Under interim manager Michael Carrick, United have built a strong run of form, winning 11 of their last 16 matches despite a goalless draw against Sunderland last time out. Midfielders Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte have returned to first-team training and are available, though defender Matthijs de Ligt remains a long-term absentee with a back injury.
The primary individual motivation rests with Bruno Fernandes, who sits on 19 Premier League assists this season and needs just one more to equal the all-time single-season divisional record.
Nottingham Forest travel to Manchester riding an impressive eight-game unbeaten run, capped by a 1-1 draw against Newcastle courtesy of an Elliot Anderson equaliser.
Head coach Vítor Pereira is dealing with a stretched squad, with Murillo and Ola Aina ruled out, though talisman Morgan Gibbs-White could feature using a protective mask following a facial injury.
With the pressure entirely off both teams, expect an open, expansive encounter where United's superior attacking quality under Carrick will ultimately give them the edge.
Suggested bet: Both teams to score at 7/10 (1.70)
Newcastle United vs. West Ham United
- Kick-off 5:30pm, Sunday, May 17 (Live on Sky Sports)
The mathematical luxury of time has run out for Nuno Espirito Santo's West Ham United. The Hammers executed a disciplined low-block strategy against Arsenal last weekend, only to be undone late by Trossard's late winner.
Stranded in 18th place and trailing Tottenham by two points, West Ham can no longer play for damage limitation; they must actively chase three points on the road.
Newcastle United sit 13th on 46 points, out of European contention but formidable at St. James' Park. Anthony Gordon remains their primary attacking outlet with 17 goals across all competitions this season, while Bruno Guimarães anchors the midfield with nine league goals.
Their aggressive press is built to punish opponents forced to play expansively under pressure, and this is a West Ham side that regularly lacks composure on the ball.
The Hammers will start with Crysencio Summerville, Jarrod Bowen, and Taty Castellanos, but former Magpie Callum Wilson, who leads the Hammers with six Premier League goals this season and saw his late equaliser chalked off last weekend, could still have a major say.
However, as the visitors commit additional bodies forward in search of a season-saving win, Newcastle's counter-attack will find cavernous gaps to exploit. The home side could capitalize on West Ham’s eventual desperation, but ultimately it’s hard to trust either of these sides.
Suggested bet: Over 3.5 goals at 6/5 (2.20)
Premier League tip summary
- Aston Villa vs. Liverpool: Liverpool to win – 6/4 (2.50)
- Man United vs. Forest: Both teams to score – 7/10 (1.70)
- Newcastle vs. West Ham: Over 3.5 goals – 6/5 (2.20)
Combined odds: Just over 8/1 with Bet365
**Prices correct at time of publication.