Manchester United could win an unprecedented 20th league title against Aston Villa on Monday night.
If Champions League hopefuls Tottenham defeat Manchester City at White Hart Lane on Sunday and United beat Villa at Old Trafford, they will clinch a championship win that has looked an inevitability for some time.
The gap between the Red Devils and rivals Manchester City stands at 13 points heading into the weekend fixtures, with the latter’s game in hand looking increasingly irrelevant to the outcome.
United would have been even closer had they won rather than drawn at West Ham on Wednesday, but Sir Alex Ferguson saw plenty to be positive about in that performance.
“We had to stand up to a lot, we went down twice but we kept going. We played like champions tonight,” he said.
“It was magnificent in terms of determination and courage to play.
“It’s one more game away … that’s five left – three at home and three away. We’re determined to win, we don’t like losing and the players showed that again.”
Villa also have plenty to play for as they look to secure their own top-flight status.
Paul Lambert’s side are currently in 17th place and only three points above Wigan in 18th having played a game more.
In the race for a lucrative Champions League spot, Arsenal will be hoping to advance their claims with victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage on Saturday.
To do so, the Gunners will need to be more clinical than in their disappointing goalless draw against Everton in midweek.
North London rivals Tottenham remain their biggest challengers for a top-four finish and beating City would put them firmly in the race.
Captain Michael Dawson said: “There are a lot of points to play for and we have to be positive. City have picked up their form, had great result against United and then in the FA Cup semi-final.
“They will be full of confidence and have some great players but coming to the Lane, the place will be rocking and hopefully we’ll perform well and get the right result.”
Chelsea are currently third – a point above the Gunners and three clear of Spurs.
They meet Liverpool on Sunday afternoon in a fixture that sees former Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez make his first return to Anfield since leaving the club in 2010.
Chelsea’s interim manager said: “Liverpool is where my family live now. I have been there for six years and have very good memories.
“I cannot hide that I am really pleased to be going there to see a lot of old friends. But the main thing is to stay in the top three and what I want is to win at Liverpool.”
European-hopefuls Everton meet relegation-threatened Sunderland at the Stadium of Light, one of several matches with an impact on the battle against the drop.
The Black Cats, revitalised under maverick Italian Paolo Di Canio, will hope to replicate their derby-day success against Newcastle, where they thrashed their North-East rivals 3-0. The game will be Di Canio’s first at the Stadium of Light.
The table’s bottom two clubs, QPR and Reading, could both be relegated if a series of results go against them.
Rangers play Stoke and the Royals take on Norwich, with victory necessary for either side to maintain realistic hopes of survival.
Stoke are the division’s most out of form side and have recorded just one win in their last 14 matches as well as suffering a scoring drought.
Potters boss Tony Pulis said: “There are eight, maybe nine, teams that are in the scrap. We’ve just got to make sure that the season really starts for us now and it’s very important that you remain positive with it. I still say [we need] 40 points.”
Wigan travel to West Ham, hoping to repeat their escape acts of the last two seasons as well as avoid the ignominy of being the first team since Middlesbrough in 1997 to reach the FA Cup final and go down.
Elsewhere, Norwich face Reading at Carrow Road and West Brom host Newcastle at the Hawthorns.
