With Arsenal the only top six side to match Chelsea in
taking maximum points, the Blues have once again opened up an eight-point
advantage over the now second place Gunners while at the other end of the table
Swansea City jumped from the cellar to outside of the relegation zone when they
pulled off the upset of the season in a 3-2 triumph over Liverpool. With Chelsea facing a trip to Anfield in
Matchday 23 of the English Premier League followed by a visit from second place
Arsenal only three days later, the title race may very well be decided in the
coming week with only a five-team fight for the remaining three Champions
League places to possibly remain. Can
the Blues take a major step towards their second title in the last three
years? Tune in to find out with all of
the action available live on the NBC family of networks or online at NBC Live
Extra.
Tuesday (all times eastern)
2:45pm – Tottenham @
Sunderland – Stadium of Light, NBC Live Extra
Tottenham battled back from two goals down in the second
half to grab a share of the points and keep their seven-game unbeaten run, and
their potentially fading title hopes, alive in a 2-2 draw with Manchester City
in their weekend showdown. With Chelsea
facing a difficult road test, they will hope to gain ground on the league
leaders when they travel to the Stadium of Light for a meeting with Sunderland,
who remained bottom of the table and three points from safety when they lost
for the fourth time in their last five league games (D1) against the once again
in form West Brom 2-0.
Time is desperately running short for the Black Cats to
mount another “Great Escape” and with points historically tough to come by
against Tottenham - with Spurs failing to walk away with points in only five of
their thirty-one all time league meetings and taking all three points in twenty-one
of those matches and ten of their last thirteen encounters (D3) although four
of the five losses did come at the Stadium of Light which should provide some
hope to this week’s relegation favorites – they will have one eye on the
weekend when they will square off with relegation rivals Crystal Palace with
the loser likely to go down.
3pm – Chelsea @
Liverpool – Anfield, NBC Sports Network
Following their 2-0 victory over Hull City, which remained a
little too close for comfort until Gary Cahill officially put the game to bed
in the 81st minute to send a collective sigh of relief throughout
Stamford Bridge, Chelsea can put one hand on the league trophy when they travel
to Anfield for a showdown with the reeling Liverpool, with the loss to Swansea
only the beginning of their woes in a dreadful week that also saw them crash
out of both the EFL Cup and the FA Cup marking their first losses at home in
the last twelve months and desperate for answers ahead of their most important
game of the season.
Sitting ten points back of Chelsea and with only one win
from seven across all competitions since the New Year, anything but all three
points against the Blues will leave them with only a spot in the top four to
chase for the remainder of the season.
Liverpool have managed to avoid defeat in their last four league
meetings with the Blues, coming out winners in two of those affairs, however
prior to their recent success were winless in their previous eight encounters
(L4 D4) and in their last five meetings matchups at Anfield (L3 D2) across all
competitions.
Wednesday (all times eastern)
2:45pm – Manchester
City @ West Ham United – London Stadium, NBC Sports Network
While Manchester City will feel as though they left points
on the table, the result with Tottenham was at least a step in the right
direction for Pep Guardiola’s side as they continue to navigate a run of poor
form that has left them on the outside looking in on the five-team fight for a
spot in next seasons Champions League.
They will head to the London Stadium for a mid-week clash with West Ham
United, winners of four of their last six league matches following 3-1 victory
over Middlesbrough which moved the Hammers back into the top half of the table
for the first time this season.
A visit from Manchester City is not always a welcome sight and
indeed West Ham have struggled against the Citizens, running out winners in
only three of their previous twenty-four meetings across all competitions although
all three victories did come in their visits to the capital, but the matchup will
prove a much needed distraction from the daily ongoing Dimitri Payet saga, with
the French midfielder who took the league by storm last season refusing to play
another game in a West Ham jersey as he tries to force a move away from the
club before the close of the January transfer window.