Matchday twenty-four in the Premier League kicks off at the Amex Stadium where Brighton and Hove Albion take on champions Chelsea.
The Blues needed penalties to get past Norwich City in their FA Cup third round replay having played out a fourth consecutive draw though they did finally manage to get a goal after three straight 0-0s.
A return to winning ways here would see them, if only temporarily move level on points with second place Manchester United, who travel to Burnley later that day.
Race for second
Jose Mourinho’s men can close the gap between themselves and runaway leaders Manchester City to just nine points with Pep Guardiola’s side not playing until Saturday teatime.
The Citizens saw their incredible unbeaten start to the campaign ended at Anfield last weekend though they are still in a position to lose a few more times and comfortably by crowned Champions.
They take on a Newcastle United side who have won just two of their last fourteen league games and sit just three points above the relegation zone.
New start
One of the sides below the dotted line is Stoke City, and they begin life under Paul Lambert with a home game against a Huddersfield Town side who side just four points above them.
The Potters have lost their last three league fixtures by an aggregate score of nine-nil and they can currently be backed at a price of 13/8 to be relegated.
Having secured their first league win since August with victory over Brighton last weekend West Bromwich Albion take on an Everton side suffering a slump of their own.
Hope
The Baggies could climb outside of the drop zone should they win other results fall in their favour.
Southampton sit just a point above the bottom three after squandering a 2-0 lead at Watford last time out and could fall further into trouble should they lose to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday
Spurs are three points outside of the top four so will be hoping for a slip up by any of the three sides within touching distance of them, including Liverpool who travel to bottom-of-the-table Swansea City on Monday evening.
The Reds extended their unbeaten run to eighteen games in all competitions with last weekends stunning victory over Manchester City and another win here will see them tighten their grip on a top four place, which is more than can be said for Arsenal, who host Crystal Palace this weekend.
Arsene Wenger’s side are without a win in three league games and are now eight points outside of the top four while they have a vastly inferior goal difference to the sides above them.
Finally Leicester City face Watford at the King Power Stadium with both sides looking to keep themselves in the top half of the table.
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