Title races, relegation fights and a Man United vs Liverpool showdown that could end the top 4 race. Our predictions and betting tips for the weekend
Weekend Preview: Title Races, Survival Fights, and One Game That Could Define the Season
The business end of the European season is here, and it doesn't get much bigger than this. Arsenal can go six points clear at the top of the Premier League before Man City even kick a ball on Monday night.
Barca could wrap up the La Liga title within the next seven days.
Bayern have already popped the champagne in Germany. And somewhere in the middle of all this, Spurs are still trying to work out whether they're a Premier League club next season.
But the headline act? Old Trafford on Sunday. Man United vs Liverpool. Third vs fourth. Champions League football on the line.
Both squads are battered, both managers are sweating, and neither side can afford to blink.
This weekend is where seasons are won, lost, and remembered.
Premier League
Leeds United vs Burnley (Friday, May 1)
Two sides heading in very different directions. Burnley are already down, confirmed relegated last week, with Scott Parker gone by mutual consent and Mike Jackson holding the fort as interim.
Leeds are safe but still finding their feet in their first season back.
This has dead rubber written all over it, but Leeds at home should have enough.
Prediction: Leeds 2-0 Burnley
Tip: Leeds win to nil — Burnley have scored more than once in a game just five times all season.
Brentford vs West Ham (Saturday, May 2)
West Ham under Nuno are scrapping for survival in 17th, just two points above the drop zone with Spurs breathing down their necks.
Brentford are comfortable in mid-table but can still play with freedom.
The Hammers need points desperately, expect them to come out fighting, but Brentford at home are awkward opponents for anyone.
Prediction: Brentford 1-1 West Ham
Tip: Draw — West Ham will sit deep and nick something.
Newcastle vs Brighton (Saturday, May 2)
Newcastle's season has been bitterly disappointing, 14th in the table and nowhere near the European places they were targeting.
Brighton, though, have been the surprise package at 6th.
This feels like a game where Brighton's system and structure will be too much for a Newcastle side that has lost its identity.
Prediction: Newcastle 1-2 Brighton
Tip: Brighton double chance — they've been rock solid on the road.
Wolves vs Sunderland (Saturday, May 2)
Wolves are already relegated and have been abysmal all season, three wins from 34 games tells you everything.
Sunderland are mid-table and comfortable.
This should be a regulation away win, but the Black Cats have a habit of making things harder than they need to be.
Prediction: Wolves 0-1 Sunderland
Tip: Sunderland win — Wolves have won just once at home all season.
Arsenal vs Fulham (Saturday, May 2, 5:30pm)
Arsenal are top on 73 points and can go six clear before City play on Monday.
Fulham are 10th and decent but shouldn't trouble a Gunners side with the title in their sights.
The worry? Arteta's squad is being stretched.
Havertz is a doubt after picking up a muscle problem against Newcastle.
Odegaard was taken off early in the second half of Wednesday's Champions League semi-final first leg against Atletico Madrid, he is being assessed.
Timber is still out since mid-March. Merino is injured.
But this is the Emirates, this is a London derby, and the Gunners know exactly what's at stake.
Saka and Eze should both start after being rested in Madrid.
Gyokeres will lead the line. Calafiori returned to the bench midweek, which is a boost.
Fulham will be without Iwobi, which hurts their creativity.
This should be business as usual.
Arsenal don't slip up at home in games like this, not this version of Arsenal, anyway. Three points, clean sheet, job done.
Prediction: Arsenal 2-0 Fulham
Tip: Arsenal win to nil — Fulham have scored in just two of their last six away games against top-six sides.
BANKER OF THE WEEKEND: Arsenal to beat Fulham. The Gunners are at home, chasing the title, and have fresh legs coming back in. This is as safe as it gets.
Bournemouth vs Crystal Palace (Sunday, May 3, 2pm)
Bournemouth's 16-draw season is remarkable.
They're 7th on 49 points, quietly having a superb campaign.
Palace are 13th and have nothing to play for.
This should be a home win, but Bournemouth love a draw more than any club in the division.
Prediction: Bournemouth 1-1 Crystal Palace
Tip: Draw — because it's Bournemouth. That's it. That's the reasoning.
Manchester United vs Liverpool (Sunday, May 3, 3:30pm)
This is the one. The game of the weekend across all of Europe.
United are third on 61 points under Michael Carrick. Liverpool are fourth on 58.
A Liverpool win puts them level on points with United and ahead on goal difference.
A United win and they can start planning for the Champions League with confidence.
The stakes could not be higher.
Carrick is without Lisandro Martinez through suspension, the Argentine is serving the last game of his ban for that hair-pull red card against Leeds.
De Ligt has been out for months with a back problem.
Luke Shaw is a doubt after limping off against Brentford, and Matheus Cunha has a hip flexor issue, though he trained on Thursday and should be available.
Expect a back four of Dalot, Maguire, Yoro, and hopefully Shaw, with Sesko leading the line.
Liverpool's problems are worse.
Salah went off injured against Palace, and while the club called it a "minor muscle injury," there's a real chance he's already played his last game for the club.
Ekitike, Bradley, Leoni, and Endo are all out.
Alisson might return in goal after missing recent games, which would be a massive boost, Freddie Woodman has been fine, but "fine" isn't what you need at Old Trafford.
Liverpool have won three on the bounce in the league since that awful run of three straight defeats, but the United that beat Brentford 2-1 on Monday looked like a team that has its eye on the finish line.
Casemiro and Mainoo will control that midfield.
Sesko will bully whatever centre-back pairing Liverpool put out.
If United win this, the top-four race is effectively over. If Liverpool win, it's alive and kicking until the final day.
Prediction: Man United 2-1 Liverpool
Tip: Both teams to score — this fixture always delivers drama, and neither defence is trustworthy right now.
Aston Villa vs Tottenham (Sunday, May 3, 7pm)
Villa are 5th on 58 points and pushing for Champions League football, but they've got bigger things on their mind after losing 1-0 to Nottingham Forest in last night's Europa League semi-final first leg at the City Ground.
Chris Wood's penalty did the damage, and Emery was fuming about VAR letting Elliot Anderson escape a red card for a studs-up challenge on Watkins.
Villa need to bounce back here, and Spurs at home should be the perfect medicine.
Spurs are 18th on 34 points. Eighteenth. Three managers this season and still no signs of life.
This should be a Villa stroll, and if Spurs somehow get a result here, I'll personally apologise to every Spurs fan who had to watch this season.
Actually, no I won't. They should be used to suffering by now.
Prediction: Aston Villa 3-0 Spurs
Tip: Villa -1.5 handicap — Spurs have conceded two or more in six of their last eight away games.
Chelsea vs Nottingham Forest (Monday, May 4, 3pm)
Where do you even start with these two?
Chelsea sacked Liam Rosenior on April 22 after five straight league defeats without scoring, the first time that's happened since 1912. That's three managers in one season.
Calum McFarlane is back in the dugout as interim boss for the second time this campaign, and he did at least win the FA Cup semi-final 1-0 against Leeds last weekend.
But Chelsea are 8th, seven points behind fifth-placed Liverpool, and their Champions League hopes are essentially dust.
Estevao is out for the rest of the season with a hamstring problem.
Reece James could make a comeback this weekend.
Colwill is also back in training, but Gittens is still sidelined. Mudryk is suspended.
This squad is falling apart at the seams.
Forest, meanwhile, are living their best life.
Vitor Pereira has them unbeaten in six in the league, they battered Sunderland 5-0 last time out, and last night they beat Aston Villa 1-0 in the Europa League semi-final first leg. Chris Wood with the penalty.
A club that's had four managers this season is now one game away from a European final. Football is absolutely mad.
Forest will rotate with the second leg against Villa coming on Thursday, but even a rotated Forest side might fancy themselves against this Chelsea.
The Blues haven't scored in five league games. Five.
If Palmer can't produce something here, this season is officially a write-off.
Prediction: Chelsea 1-1 Nottingham Forest
Tip: Both teams to score — Chelsea have conceded in 12 straight league games, and Forest have scored in nine consecutive away matches.
Everton vs Manchester City (Monday, May 4, 8pm)
The one City absolutely cannot drop points in.
Arsenal could be six clear by the time this kicks off at Everton's new Hill Dickinson Stadium.
City are second on 70 points and have won five on the bounce. Haaland has 22 league goals.
They're chasing a domestic Treble after reaching the FA Cup final.
Everton under Moyes are mid-table, which is about right.
They've lost their last nine home games against City in all competitions.
At some point that streak has to end, but not this Monday. City will be ruthless.
Prediction: Everton 0-2 Man City
Tip: Man City win and over 1.5 goals — Haaland against Everton's defence is not a fair fight.
La Liga
Valencia vs Atletico Madrid (Saturday, May 2)
Valencia are 12th and Atletico are 4th, trying to lock down their Champions League spot.
Simeone's men won't be pretty, but they rarely need to be.
Atletico grind results out of games like this in their sleep.
Prediction: Valencia 0-1 Atletico Madrid
Tip: Under 2.5 goals — a Simeone masterclass in anti-football incoming.
Alaves vs Athletic Bilbao (Saturday, May 2)
Basque derby. Alaves are 16th and staring at the drop. Athletic are 10th and inconsistent.
Derbies are derbies, though, form goes out the window.
Alaves at home with their backs against the wall could be dangerous.
Prediction: Alaves 1-1 Athletic Bilbao
Tip: Draw — derbies plus desperation equals unpredictability.
Osasuna vs Barcelona (Saturday, May 2, 9pm)
Barca could clinch the title this weekend.
They're 11 points clear of Real Madrid with five games left, and if they beat Osasuna and Madrid drop points against Espanyol, it's over.
Nine wins in a row. 85 points from 33 games. Eighty-seven goals scored. This team is frightening.
The bad news? Lamine Yamal is out for the season. Kounde is suspended. Christensen is a doubt.
But does it matter? Barca have scored in every single league game this season, 53 consecutive matches.
Pedri and Gavi will run that midfield, Raphinha will terrorise the flanks, and Osasuna, despite being unbeaten in 10 at home, simply don't have the tools to stop this machine.
Osasuna are 9th and still chasing a European spot, only two points off sixth, so they won't roll over.
But Barca is a different beast. The Catalans have won their last eight meetings.
Prediction: Osasuna 1-3 Barcelona
Tip: Barcelona win and over 2.5 goals — they've scored two or more in their last seven away games against Osasuna.
Espanyol vs Real Madrid (Sunday, May 3)
Madrid are 11 points behind Barca and the title is probably gone, but they won't admit it.
Espanyol are 13th and fragile at home. T
his is a routine Madrid win, the kind of game where Vinicius does something outrageous and everyone pretends the season isn't over.
Prediction: Espanyol 0-2 Real Madrid
Tip: Real Madrid win to nil — Espanyol have struggled for goals all season.
Serie A
Como vs Napoli (Saturday, May 2)
Como are the surprise story of Italian football this season, 5th on 61 points.
Napoli are second on 69 and still mathematically in the title race, though Inter on 79 look untouchable.
This is a cracking fixture between two form teams.
Prediction: Como 1-2 Napoli
Tip: Napoli win — they won't let their slim title hopes die without a fight.
Atalanta vs Genoa (Saturday, May 2)
Atalanta are 7th and still pushing for European spots.
Genoa are 14th. La Dea at home should be too much quality for a Genoa side that has been treading water for months.
Prediction: Atalanta 2-0 Genoa
Tip: Atalanta win to nil — they're devastating at home when they turn up.
Juventus vs Verona (Sunday, May 3)
Juve are 4th on 64 points and need three points to keep AC Milan at bay.
Verona are 19th and sinking. This is the definition of a must-win.
If Juve can't handle the second-worst team in the league at home, they don't deserve Champions League football.
Prediction: Juventus 3-0 Verona
Tip: Juventus -1.5 handicap — Verona have conceded two or more in their last five away games.
Inter vs Parma (Sunday, May 3)
Inter are running away with the Scudetto , 79 points and 10 clear of Napoli. Parma are 12th.
This will be a procession.
Inter at the San Siro with a title to confirm is not a place you want to be if you're a mid-table team running on fumes.
Prediction: Inter 3-1 Parma
Tip: Over 2.5 goals — Inter average over two goals per game at home.
Bundesliga
Bayern have already been crowned champions with four games to spare, 82 points, 113 goals scored, and a record-breaking season. But the race below them is still alive.
Bayer Leverkusen vs RB Leipzig (Saturday, May 2, 5:30pm)
This is the pick of the Bundesliga fixtures.
Leverkusen are 6th on 55 points, Leipzig are 3rd on 62.
Last season's invincibles have had a solid but unspectacular campaign by their standards, while Leipzig are firmly in the Champions League conversation. This could be a belter.
Prediction: Leverkusen 2-2 Leipzig
Tip: Both teams to score — these two always deliver goals.
Hoffenheim vs Stuttgart (Saturday, May 2)
Both on 57 points, both fighting for Champions League spots.
Stuttgart reached the DFB-Pokal final. Hoffenheim have been the surprise package this season.
This is a six-pointer in every sense.
Prediction: Hoffenheim 1-1 Stuttgart
Tip: Draw — too tight to call, both teams will be cautious.
Gladbach vs Dortmund (Sunday, May 3)
BVB are second on 67 points and locked in for Champions League football.
Gladbach are 11th on 32. Dortmund should handle this comfortably, but they have a habit of making easy games complicated. Classic BVB.
Prediction: Gladbach 1-3 Dortmund
Tip: Dortmund win and over 2.5 goals — they'll score, but they'll also concede because they can't help themselves.
UPSET SPECIAL: Alaves to draw with Athletic Bilbao. Everyone will fancy Athletic here, but Alaves are at home, fighting relegation, and Basque derbies are chaotic by nature.
Athletic have been inconsistent all season with just five wins from their last 16 in the league.
Alaves will throw everything at this. Grab the draw at big odds.
Back any of these? Let me know what you're going with this weekend.
