(Manchester United News)
With just ten matches left for the majority of the Barclays Premier League teams - Chelsea and Leicester City still have a game in hand - the battle at the top and bottom of the table will intensify this weekend as the run-in begins in earnest.
On Saturday, third-placed Arsenal host West Ham at the Emirates. Arsene Wenger’s side have been in sparkling form of late, winning four straight league fixtures and knocking United out of the FA Cup, while the Hammers have slumped to 10th spot.
Sam Allardyce’s men, who looked like threatening a top-four finish earlier in the season, are now winless in six, despite playing some pleasing football. “I can’t just accept good performances now, I need good performances with victories,”says Allardyce. “Hopefully we can pull one out of the bag.”
The Saturday evening fixture has second-placed Manchester City visiting Burnley who are fighting for survival in 19th position. The Clarets have lost five of their last seven games, and have only managed four victories all season. “There will be no giving up,”says Burnley boss Sean Dyche. “As we get further into this run, teams are fighting, and that bodes well because we are good at that.”City manager Manuel Pellegrini, whose side are five points adrift of Chelsea, insists he is not under pressure. “Never when I sign a contract do they tell me I have to win the title every year,”he says.
Elsewhere on Saturday, the relegation battle features strongly, with 16th-placed Sunderland hosting an Aston Villa side who are just one rung below the Black Cats and have been rejuvenated under new manager Tim Sherwood with twin league and
