Premier League Tuesday preview: Chelsea and Leicester eye vital points
With the Premier League title already in Manchester City's hands and the relegation spots confirmed, all eyes are on Chelsea's clash with Leicester and the race for a top-four finish.
Neither side can afford to slip up with fifth-placed Liverpool breathing down their necks, while Manchester United and City are both in action tonight as the English top flight dishes up four matches to savour.
Manchester United vs Fulham (6pm, Sky Sports)
United welcome fans to Old Trafford for the first time since March 2020 as they face Fulham in their final home game of the campaign.
After defeats to Leicester and Liverpool last week, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be desperate to take all three points and confirm the runners-up spot in the process.
The Red Devils face a relegated Fulham side who have lost on 12 of their 14 Premier League trips to the Theatre of Dreams, whith their last victory against them coming 18 years ago.
The Cottagers are going down with a whimper after a brief mid-season renaissance and Scott Parker’s future remains unclear as they look to another season in the Championship.
Anthony Martial (knee) and Dan James (unknown) could be involved for the hosts, while Mario Lemina is available for Fulham after the Southampton loanee missed the 3-1 defeat to his parent club on Saturday.
Southampton vs Leeds (6pm, Sky Sports)
In-form Southampton and Leeds meet at St Mary’s with both sides looking for a third successive win.
After briefly flirting with the relegation battle, three wins in four home games have left Ralph Hasenhuttl’s Saints eyeing a mid-table finish.
While they have won five of their last six home games with Leeds, the visitors beat them 3-0 at Elland Road earlier in the season.
Marcelo Bielsa’s Whites’ remarkable away record has seen them win nine and lose nine of their 18 trips so far — if this game does not end level, it would be only the second time in Premier League history a side have not drawn any of their matches on the road in an entire campaign.
Jan Bednarek (heel) and Oriol Romeu (ankle) are both available for the hosts but Pablo Hernandez (unknown) and Robin Koch (personal reasons) will not feature for Leeds.
Brighton vs Manchester City (7pm, BT Sport)
Brighton will look to end a 32-year wait for victory over City as the champions make the long trip to the South Coast.
The Seagulls have lost all seven of their Premier League meetings against the visitors by an aggregate score of 21-2, with their last success a 2-1 win in a Division Two game back in April 1989.
Pep Guardiola’s side are looking for their 13th consecutive away victory, which is already an English league record.
In four games against Brighton, departing legend Sergio Aguero has netted five goals, while Raheem Sterling has four in the same number of starts.
Lewis Dunk and Neal Maupay are both suspended for the hosts, who remain without Davy Propper (ankle) and Joel Veltman (calf), while Kevin De Bruyne (unknown) is back in contention for City.
Chelsea vs Leicester (8.15pm, Sky Sports)
Just three days after Leicester’s FA Cup final triumph, they face Chelsea again in a huge game in the battle for the top four.
Alisson Becker’s dramatic last-gasp winner for Liverpool at West Brom means the Reds are primed to take advantage of whoever drops points at Stamford Bridge.
Third-placed Leicester sit on 66 points and would confirm their top-four spot with a victory, while a draw would leave their fate in their own hands ahead of a clash with Tottenham on the final day.
Chelsea are two points back and know that anything other than a win over the Foxes could see Liverpool leapfrog them by beating Burnley on Wednesday, or move level on points with them if they draw.
Mateo Kovacic and Andreas Christensen (both thigh) may return for the Blues, while Jonny Evans (ankle) misses out for Leicester sfter limping off at Wembley.
