KEY questions for Matchweek 34’s fixtures

Can Spurs build on their Brighton performance?

It’s become a cliche to say it every Matchweek but it’s always true: this is the biggest game of Tottenham Hotspur's season so far.

The 2-2 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend saw a much-improved performance by Spurs, who pressed effectively and played with an energy befitting of a Roberto De Zerbi team.

Add to that Xavi Simons excelling on the left wing and Rodrigo Bentancur solidifying central midfield on his return, it was almost a perfect home debut for De Zerbi.

Almost. When Brighton’s stoppage-time equaliser went in, several Spurs players sank to the turf, devastated to have lost the points Spurs desperately needed to relaunch their fight against the drop.

Moments like that can badly affect confidence and there is always the possibility that such a crushing blow will leave Spurs in a weakened position for the trip to Molineux.

De Zerbi is convinced that that will not happen.

“I am proud of their performance. They have to be stronger, focused and come to training ground on Monday afternoon with a smile, otherwise they go home,” De Zerbi said after the game.

“I have no time to see negative people or to see sad players or sad assistants … I don’t like people who cry and who think in negative way."

Having also told reporters that Spurs are capable of winning five out of five remaining games, it’s clear that De Zerbi believes his squad will take the positives from the performance – and carry them into this weekend’s game.

Wolverhampton Wanderers were relegated on Monday night, which could mean they're free to play without pressure. It won’t be an easy game for Spurs but then none of them ever are these days.

Failure to beat the Premier League’s bottom club, especially coming immediately after the Brighton draw, could leave Spurs feeling low, and that’s before considering the fact that their relegation rivals are in such good form.

Leeds United, West Ham United and Nottingham Forest have lost just one of their last 13 combined Premier League games, winning five.

Spurs still haven’t won a league game in 2026. The 15-game winless run simply has to end on Saturday.

Can Arsenal capitalise on Magpies’ poor form to reclaim top spot?

For the first time since October, Arsenal are not top of the Premier League table. That could spread panic among the supporters, especially after the 2-1 defeat at the Etihad Stadium made it one win from six in all competitions – and allowed Manchester City to reel in the Gunners.

But that negative spin on events is not how Mikel Arteta will see it. Arsenal are locked in a straight shootout with Man City now and Arsenal, despite all the noise, have two particular advantages.

First of all, their remaining fixtures look easier than City’s. Aside from a thorny trip to West Ham that comes just after the second leg of the Uefa Champions League semi-final against Atletico Madrid, Arsenal have a sequence of matches they will expect to win.

Indeed they won the reverse fixture against all five opponents earlier this campaign. So, one step at a time, Arsenal ought to be able to channel the energy, tenacity, and quality of their display at Man City into winning all of their remaining matches.

There’s a second reason for optimism: Arsenal play twice more, at home to Newcastle United and Fulham, before Man City next play in the Premier League.

If they can win – and do so comfortably, lowering the tension and the angst – then all the pressure goes onto City, who will be six points behind again.

The first part of that task ought to be the easiest.

Newcastle have lost their last four matches in all competitions and have lost five of their last seven in the Premier League.

Although, their last two wins in that time were against Manchester United and Chelsea, suggesting Eddie Howe’s side are at their best when allowed to play reactive football as the under-dogs.

Nevertheless, Arsenal should consider themselves clear favourites.

Momentum in this season’s title race has swung back and forth too many times to count. A confident win on Saturday could change the narrative once again.

Can Gibbs-White help Forest in one of their most winnable remaining games?

Morgan Gibbs-White’s hat-trick at home to Burnley last weekend, inspiring a comeback from 1-0 to a 4-1 victory, has the potential to be a famous game in the club’s recent history.

However, the magnitude of that feat depends on whether Forest use it as a launch pad to avoid the drop.

This weekend’s visit to the Stadium of Light could ultimately decide whether or not Vitor Pereira’s side stay above the dotted line.

If that sounds dramatic, then consider Forest’s remaining fixtures: Chelsea (A), Newcastle (H), Man Utd (A) and AFC Bournemouth (H).

The aim ought to be for 40 points (at least), meaning four more for Forest and with trips to Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford to come Pereira’s team might be running out of opportunities to get that victory.

Sunderland, however, have won three of their last five Premier League games and appear to be gaining momentum over the final weeks of the campaign.

On the other hand, the ease with which Morgan Rogers and John McGinn stormed through the centre of the pitch in Aston Villa’s 4-3 win last weekend suggests Gibbs-White will find space to pick up where he left off.

Forest have gone seven games unbeaten in all competitions. With Gibbs-White in form, they have all the tools they need to claim another priceless away win and move within a point of the 40-mark.

Will Villa’s Europa League focus help Fulham recover their goalscoring touch?

Tammy Abraham’s stoppage-time winner against Sunderland has likely secured Champions League football for Villa, who hold an eight-point lead in the top five and have a game in hand.

It would take excellent form for anyone to catch them in at this point, which perhaps allows Unai Emery to rotate his side in preparation for the Uefa Europa League semi-finals next week.

It’s a good time, then, for Fulham to be facing Villa, and a good opportunity to get back to scoring ways. Marco Silva’s side have drawn a blank in five of their last six matches, four of which were in the Premier League.

Villa’s defence collapsed spectacularly in the second half against Sunderland, hinting that Alex Iwobi, Josh King and Samuel Chukwueze – Fulham’s most lively players through this barren spell – might find the space required to play through-balls behind Emery’s backline.

Marco Silva will certainly hope so. It’s fair to say that defeat on Saturday will virtually end their European chances because, with Arsenal at Emirates Stadium next, Fulham need points on the board if they are to leapfrog four teams into eighth.

We are getting to the point of the season when what matters isn’t the opponent’s position in the league table, nor the quality they have shown over the whole season, but rather what they have left to play for and where their focus lies.

For that reason, Villa at home classes as one of Fulham’s most winnable remaining games.

Can Liverpool get the three points they need to all-but secure UCL football?

Three points behind Villa are Liverpool, who may need as little as one more victory to secure Champions League football, that is unless Chelsea, Brentford, or Bournemouth suddenly put together a long winning streak.

Liverpool are firmly in the driving seat then, despite facing a tough set of games after this weekend. Man Utd (A), Chelsea (H), Villa (A) and Brentford (H) is not easy, although Villa could be preparing for a Europa League final three days later when they meet.

Nevertheless, there aren’t too many opportunities there for three points, piling pressure onto the visit of Palace.

Oliver Glasner may choose to rotate his first XI, given that Palace play Shahktar Donetsk in the Uefa Conference League the following Thursday, but Palace have come into form at just the right time – and are always a counter-attacking threat against clubs who like to dominate possession.

Indeed, Palace are unbeaten in their last four matches against Liverpool, including a 2-1 win at Selhurst Park in the Premier League earlier this season and a 3-0 victory at Anfield in the EFL Cup.

Palace know how to navigate this fixture. But Liverpool cannot afford to drop points.

Can Brentford get the high-profile win they need to get back on track?

Five consecutive draws has left Brentford in a frustrated position.

Clearly they have not played badly of late, but they have come agonisingly close to taking a commanding position in the race for European football – only to fall short one too many times.

Keith Andrews’ side have dropped to ninth in the table, just two points shy of sixth – which could be a Champions League spot – and three points above 12th.

In order to end the campaign on a high Brentford must start claiming big scalps.

They still have to travel to Old Trafford, the Etihad and Anfield; even if they beat West Ham and Palace at home, there is a good chance Brentford will need to take points unexpectedly on their travels to take seventh or eighth.

And a win at Old Trafford could be transformative, providing a surge of energy and confidence at a crucial moment.

Can West Ham afford to drop points this weekend and still avoid final-day nerves?

Monday night’s 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace was a valuable point for West Ham. In the last 30 minutes, Nuno Espirito Santo became happy to settle for a point, introducing defensive substitutes and a cautious approach in the final stages.

It will be interesting to see whether Nuno has the same attitude on Saturday, should the scores be level in the second half.

On the one hand, West Ham’s two-point advantage over Spurs gives them some leeway.

On the other, this might be their final realistic chance of winning at home before the nerve-shredding final day showdown with Leeds.

That Leeds have moved clear of the drop zone is great news for West Ham fans, although it goes without saying that everybody wants to avoid fighting for safety on Matchweek 38.

Before then, West Ham have only Everton and Arsenal at the London Stadium.

So, fail to win on Saturday and Nuno’s side may have to rely exclusively on their away form to get out of trouble.