Chelsea should keep rolling; key showdowns in Italy and the Netherlands: Big Weekend Preview

This is the last weekend of European football before the Christmas break for most of Europe’s big league and there are title-race showdowns in England, the Netherlands and Italy. Thomas Woods looks at the major talking points and key games.

Is this the week Chelsea put one hand on the Premier League trophy?

The top of the Premier League table has really taken shape over the past four matchdays, from what was a crowded top five to one where Chelsea look to be in control.

They are on a 10-game winning run, keeping clean sheets in almost every game and the fixture list has smiled on them again.

• Read more: Diego Forlan on his Indian adventure | Lukaku emblematic of up-and-down Everton

With third-placed Arsenal travelling to fourth-placed Manchester City and second-placed Liverpool away in a Merseyside derby, dropped points loom for most of their rivals.

Chelsea should beat Crystal Palace away.

If they can take a nine-point lead in the title race, with nearly half a season gone, then it will be hard for any side to close the gap.

Are Monaco the most exciting side in Europe?

We are 17 games into the Ligue 1 season and Monaco’s sensational goalscoring form shows no signs of slowing down.

They have an average of 3.1 goals per game this season and have won their last two league matches 5-0 and 4-0. It was 7-0 in the French League Cup against Rennes on Wednesday night.

The only surprise in all of this is that they aren’t top of the league in France. Monaco sit a point behind surprise leaders Nice but have a great chance of taking the trophy, with PSG out of form.

Can Arsenal take advantage of wounded City?

It’s never great to go into a must-win game at less than full strength, but that is the situation Manchester City find themselves in.

Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho — two guaranteed starters — are banned while Ilkay Gundogan was injured in the win over Watford and will miss several months.

Pep Guardiola also has long-term absentees such as Vincent Kompany.

In light of that, Arsenal must go into this game as favourites and it is not often that happens for teams travelling to City. Arsenal lost at Everton on Tuesday but had enough chances to have won that game comfortably.

With the right attitude, they can take three points away from Manchester.

Five games to watch

• Crystal Palace v Chelsea, Saturday, 4.30pm: This is Chelsea's big chance to make it 11 straight wins and put some daylight between themselves and rivals at the top of the Premier League, but it is also a huge game for Palace. Alan Pardew's team are just three points about the relegation zone and not defending well. Pardew is on shaky ground.

• Juventus v Roma, Saturday, 11.45pm: Roma have emerged as the most likely challengers to Juventus in Serie A this season. They sit four points back on the champions but must see this as a great chance to dent that lead. Juve's Gonzalo Higuain is motoring along nicely since his move from Napoli, but Roma have their own in-form forward — Edin Dzeko — who has 12 league goals to Higuain's nine.

• Manchester City v Arsenal, Sunday, 7pm: This is the most important game so far this season for both teams. Lose and they will likely be at least nine points off the pace in the title race. City haven't beaten Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium in their last two meetings and the visitors have the advantage — their star forward Alexis Sanchez will play, Sergio Aguero won't.

• Ajax v PSV Eindhoven, Sunday, 7.45pm: Second v third in the Eredivisie and one of the most bitter rivalries in European football. With Ajax three and PSV six points behind leaders Feyenoord, the loser of this one would go into the Christmas break with plenty of work to do in the Dutch title race.

• Everton v Liverpool, Monday, midnight: There have been 21 red cards in this fixture since the start of the Premier League in 1992. If Everton can produce the same kind of intensity and work rate that they did in Tuesday's 2-1 win over Arsenal, they will run their rivals all the way. Liverpool have more attacking flair, but still look vulnerable at the back. Everton's Romelu Lukaku will be licking his lips.

Plan your weekend — pick of the TV games

(All games on BeIN Sports, kick-off times UAE)

Friday

• Bundesliga: Hoffenheim v Borussia Dortmund, 11.30pm

• Scottish Premier League: Hamilton v Rangers, 11.45pm

Saturday

• Premier League: Crystal Palace v Chelsea, 4.30pm

• Bundesliga: RB Leipzig v Hertha Berlin, 6pm

• Premier League: Stoke v Leicester, 7pm

• Primera Liga: Atletico Madrid v Las Palmas, 7.15pm

• Ligue 1: Guingamp v PSG, 8pm

• Premier League: West Brom v Manchester United, 9.30pm

• Serie A: Juventus v Roma, 11.45pm

Sunday

• Premier League: Bournemouth v Southampton, 5.30pm

• Bundesliga: Darmstadt v Bayern Munich, 6.30pm

• Serie A: Sassuolo v Inter Milan, 7.30pm

• Dutch Eredivisie: Ajax v PSV Eindhoven, 7.45pm

• Premier League: Manchester City v Arsenal, 8pm

• Primera Liga: Barcelona v Espanyol, 11.45pm

• Ligue 1: Monaco v Lyon, 11.45pm

Monday

• Premier League: Everton v Liverpool, midnight

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