Pep Guardiola gets one over rival Jose Mourinho as Chelsea close gap on Leicester City: Premier League predictions

A look ahead to the English top-flight action on Saturday and Sunday

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  Leicester City v Chelsea, Saturday, 4.30pm: A big test for both clubs. Leicester, third in the table and only three points behind second placed Manchester City, must pick themselves up from a last-gasp loss at Aston Villa in the League Cup on Tuesday. Fourth-placed Chelsea need a win to close the eight-point gap on the Foxes. Without injured striker Tammy Abraham, Blues manager Frank Lampard is hoping Michy Batshuayi can provide some much-needed firepower up front. AFP. PREDICTION: Leicester City 1 Chelsea 2

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  Bournemouth v Aston Villa, Saturday, 7pm: The calls for Jack Grealish to be called up by England are growing louder by the week. The midfielder was at the heart of Villa's midweek League Cup win over Leicester and has been the team's driving force all season. And they will need more of the same against Bournemouth - who ended their six-game winless run against Brighton in their last league match - as defeat will mean Dean Smith's side could well be back in the relegation zone by Saturday night. EPA. PREDICTION: Bournemouth 2 Aston Villa 2

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  Crystal Palace v Sheffield United, Saturday, 7pm: The question facing Eagles manager Roy Hodgson this week is: which of his Palace teams is going to turn up at Selhurst Park? Will it be the one that can grab a point at mighty Manchester City like they did two weeks ago, or the other mob that lost their last match at home to Southampton without registering a shot on target? Sheffield United - this season's surprise packages currently sitting eighth in the table - will clearly be hoping for the latter. Reuters. PREDICTION: Crystal Palace 1 Sheffield United 1

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  Liverpool v Southampton, Saturday, 7pm: The remarkable stats just keep on coming for Jurgen Klopp’s table-toppers. The 2-0 win at West Ham on Wednesday took them 19 points clear and up to the 70-point mark before we’ve even reached February. It was their 15th win on the trot and they are now 41 games unbeaten in the league. Southampton produced their best away performance of the season when they beat Crystal Palace in their last league match, they will need to step up to another couple of levels again to win at Anfield. AFP PREDICTION: Liverpool 4 Southampton 1

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  Newcastle United v Norwich City, Saturday, 7pm: Magpies manager Steve Bruce did hold back after his team's goalless FA Cup draw at home to League One Oxford United last Saturday. "I'm frustrated, disappointed, upset," he said. "The amount of mistakes we made was ridiculous." Newcastle have recently found a knack of grinding out points and it could well be more of the same against bottom club Norwich. The Canaries found some respite from their own dire league predicament in the form of an FA Cup win at Burnley last week. Reuters. PREDICTION: Newcastle United 2 Norwich City 1

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  Watford v Everton, Saturday, 7pm: After a flying start to his Watford reign, manager Nigel Pearson has suffered a few bumps in the road of late. A defeat at relegation rivals Aston Villa in the league was quickly followed by an FA Cup exit at League One Tranmere Rovers last week. In-form Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin, tipped for an England call-up by manager Carlo Ancelotti, has already scored 12 goals in all competitions and is one to watch at Vicarage Road. PA. PREDICTION: Watford 1 Everton 1

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  West Ham United v Brighton & Hove Albion, Saturday, 7pm: Anything other than a win here for West Ham and their season could be heading into freefall. An awful FA Cup exit at home to West Bromwich Albion last week will be all too raw for an already hostile Hammers faithful and the club admitted this week there will be "serious financial consequences" should they be relegated from the top-flight. If Brighton can grab an early goal, all hell could break loose at the London Stadium. Reuters. PREDICTION: West Ham United 2 Brighton & Hove Albion 2

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  Manchester United v Wolves, Saturday, 9.30pm: While fan anger at the club’s owners continues to fester, the pressure on the pitch has eased a little this week for United after victories at Tranmere and Manchester City, in the FA Cup and League Cup, respectively. Wolves, though, are more than capable of throwing a spanner back in the works and only goal difference separates the two teams in the table. A close call but United should nick it by the odd goal. Reuters. PREDICTION: Manchester United 2 Wolves 1

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  Burnley v Arsenal, Sunday, 6pm: Beating Leicester City and Manchester United in consecutive Premier League matches gave relegation haunted Burnley a massive boost, coming as they did after five defeats on the trot. Last week's FA Cup loss at home to Norwich brought them quickly back down to earth - but it's top-flight survival that counts for the Clarets. Arsenal, who are 10th in the table, need three points as they look to drag themselves back into top six contention under manager Mikel Artea. AFP. PREDICTION: Burnley 1 Arsenal 3

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  Totteham Hotspur v Manchester City, Sunday, 8.30pm: Old rivals Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola lock horns again this weekend as second-top City travel to sixth-placed Spurs. With goal machine Harry Kane out injured, the arrival of £27m Steven Bergwijn from PSV Eindhoven will be welcomed by Mourinho and the Dutch player could be thrown straight into the mix. Goals have certainly not been an issue for City - 65 in the league to Spurs' 38 - and you would fancy their chances of a grabbing few here. PA. PREDICTION: Totteham Hotspur 1 Manchester City 3

A cracking start to the Premier League weekend sees Leicester City take on Chelsea at the King Power Stadium on Saturday.

The third-placed Foxes can open up an 11-point lead on Frank Lampard's side in fourth if they take all three points. Brendan Rodgers' team, though, suffered League Cup semi-final heartbreak on Tuesday when they lost to Aston Villa in injury time and missed out on a trip to Wembley.

After being held to a shock draw at League One side Shrewsbury Town, normal service quickly resumed for Liverpool on Wednesday with a 2-0 win at struggling West Ham extending their lead at the top to a whopping 19 points. Next stop on their relentless schedule is Southampton at Anfield.

At the other end of the table, Bournemouth’s clash with Aston Villa and West Ham against Brighton are both relegation six-pointers. Expect a poisonous atmosphere at the London Stadium if David Moyes’s side are beaten again.

Manchester United will be hoping to build on their League Cup victory at neighbours City when Wolves arrive at Old Trafford on Saturday evening.

On Sunday, old rivals Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola go head-to-head once again when Spurs take on Manchester City at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Ahead of this weekend's action, Gareth Cox attempts to predict the outcome of each match in the photo gallery above. To move on to the next image, click on the arrows or thumbnails, or if using a mobile device simply swipe.