A full Wednesday slate of Week 28 games kicking off at 2:45 and 3:00 p.m. ET features each of the top six teams in the Premier League table.
[ STREAM: Every PL game live here ]
Leading the way is a critical matchup between Chelsea and Tottenham at Stamford Bridge (live at 3:00 p.m. ET on NBCSports.com) that sees both teams desperately need a result. Spurs comes into the cross-town London meeting in dire need of a win to keep pace with the leaders in Liverpool and Manchester City. Any slip-up for Mauricio Pochettino could see them fall harmlessly away from the title race, already six points back of the Reds at the top.
For Chelsea, the Blues are even more in need of a positive result. With Maurizio Sarri under fire, all eyes will be on the Italian after the club played spectacularly well in the Carabao Cup final, only to lose to Manchester City in penalties amid the wild incident involving Kepa Arrizabalaga. With the young goalkeeper already fined one week’s wages for refusing a substitution and enraging his manager on the touchline, Sarri has decided to drop Kepa to the bench and instead start Willy Caballero in his place. While it might be a consequence of Arrizabalaga’s actions in the Cup final, it could also be seen as an olive branch extended to Caballero, who was left befuddled on the touchline when Arrizabalaga refused a substitution on Sunday.
[ WATCH LIVE: Chelsea v. Tottenham on NBCSports.com ]
Elsewhere, Liverpool hosts Watford at Anfield in the wake of the Reds’ goalless draw with Manchester United which saw them retake the Premier League lead, but only by a point. Jurgen Klopp‘s men have won just one of their last four league matches, with six total dropped points in that span, which has allowed Manchester City to climb back into the race.
Pep Guardiola and City are also in action, welcoming West Ham to the Etihad with a 3:00 p.m. ET start. City will look for victory in the hopes that Liverpool continues its poor run of form, potentially taking over the Premier League lead should that take place. The Spanish boss will have to navigate the next few fixtures without two absolutely critical players to the squad, with Fernandinho and Aymeric Laporte both sidelined for a significant portion of games due to injuries sustained in the Carabao Cup final. The squad has thinned considerably as that pair joins John Stones and Gabriel Jesus on the sidelines, meaning Guardiola has lost his first-choice central defensive partnership plus his starting defensive midfielder critical to counter-busting and distribution.
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Rounding out the top six is Manchester United, who travels to Crystal Palace hoping to capitalize on any slips by either Chelsea or Arsenal. United is sandwiched between the two in a jam-packed battle for the final Champions League place. Arsenal currently resides in fourth, but they own just a one-point advantage on Manchester United, and Chelsea rests just two points back of the Red Devils in sixth. Manchester United still has not lost in league play since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took over, with draws against Burnley and Liverpool as the only blemishes on his Premier League record thus far. Crystal Palace comes into the game in good form as well, having gone unbeaten in its last four with two wins and two draws in that span.
2:45 p.m. ET: Arsenal v. Bournemouth – NBC Sports Gold [STREAM]
2:45 p.m. ET: Southampton v. Fulham – NBC Sports Gold [STREAM]
3 p.m. ET: Chelsea v. Tottenham – NBCSN [STREAM]
3 p.m. ET: Liverpool v. Watford – NBC Sports Gold [STREAM]
3 p.m. ET: Manchester City v. West Ham – NBC Sports Gold [STREAM]
3 p.m. ET: Crystal Palace v. Manchester United – NBC Sports Gold [STREAM]
