There are only eight Premier League fixtures scheduled for Gameweek 31 due to the Carabao Cup final.
It will also be the last round of top-flight games for a whopping three weeks due to the international break and subsequent FA Cup quarter-finals.
However, while the top two aren’t in league action, the to four battle is really starting to heat up between Manchester United, Aston Villa, Liverpool, and Chelsea, while Brentford can also count themselves in the mix.
As for the fight for survival, games don’t get much more important than Tottenham Hotspur vs Nottingham Forest, who face off in the capital in a huge game on Sunday.
Read on for our pick of the potential stats this weekend, with an added bonus stat pack for Arsenal vs Manchester City.
Stats you might see this weekend
Bruno chasing Cantona
- Bruno Fernandes needs one more goal to equal Eric Cantona’s tally of 70 Premier League goals.
Bruno Fernandes has been in scorching form for Manchester United this term with 23 top-flight goal contributions to his name, which has seen him enter the conversation for Player of the Season. The Man Utd skipper now just needs one more goal to equal Eric Cantona’s tally of 70 Premier League goals.
His teammate Bryan Mbeumo may have gone off the boil in recent weeks, but if he can rediscover his form, he needs only one goal to become one of only three players – after Erling Haaland and Mo Salah – to have scored 30+ goals in the Premier League since the start of last season.
Reds on the rocks
- Liverpool could lose 10 games in a Premier League season for the first time since 2015-16.
Brighton and Hove Albion have hit form with three wins from their last four games, and can also lean on a solid recent home record against Liverpool, with two wins from their last three meetings on the south coast.
Liverpool, meanwhile, remain inconsistent in the league. They’ve failed to beat Wolverhampton Wanderers (loss) and Tottenham (draw) in their last two games, and have already suffered nine defeats in 30 games this season. Another loss this weekend would see the Reds hit double-digit league defeats for the first time since 2015-16.
Wilson bids for double delight
- If Harry Wilson scores against Burnley he will become only the second British player to reach double figures for the Cottagers in a single Premier League campaign, after Andy Cole in 2004-05 (12).
Harry Wilson has an excellent opportunity to score his 10th Premier League goal of the season when Fulham host Burnley, who have kept just one clean sheet in their last 41 Premier League away games.
If the Welsh wizard scores, he’ll become just the second British player to ever reach double figures for the Cottagers in a single Premier League season, after Andrew Cole in 2004-05 (12).
Meanwhile, a win for Fulham would see the club complete the league double over Burnley for the first time since the 1950-51 season.
Pedro’s road to goals
- Joao Pedro (14) could become the third Chelsea player to score 15+ non-penalty goals in their first Premier League season for the club after Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Diego Costa (both 19).
It’s been a rough time for Chelsea who have been dumped out of two cup competitions and have lost ground in the top-four race.
However, in their ranks they do have the in-form Joao Pedro, particularly on the road, where has been involved in eight goals in his last eight away appearances in all competitions. If the Brazilian scores a non-penalty goal away to Everton he will become only the third Blues player to have scored 15+ non-penalty goals in their first Premier League season for the club after Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Diego Costa (both 19).
Meanwhile, Everton are looking to win back-to-back Premier League games at the Hill Dickinson Stadium for the first time following their 2-0 win over Burnley earlier this month. This is the latest into a campaign they’ve not yet won consecutive home games since April 2014-15.
Thiago eyes 20-goal club
- Igor Thiago needs only more goal to draw level on 20 Premier League goals in a single season alongside former Brentford players Ivan Toney (2022-23) and Bryan Mbeumo (2024-25).
Igor Thiago roared his tally to 19 goals for the season with his strike in the 2-2 draw at Wolves, which moved him to within three of Golden Boot leader Erling Haaland.
The goal also puts Thiago just one shy of Ivan Toney (2022-23) and Bryan Mbeumo (2024-25), who share Brentford’s record for the most goals in a Premier League season (20).
If Thiago finds the back of the net away to Leeds, he would become only the third Brentford player to reach 20 goals in a single Premier League campaign, and give the Bees the most different 20-goal scorers (three) of any club since their promotion in 2021-22.
Sunderland chase derby history
- If Sunderland avoid defeat against Newcastle they will set a new unbeaten record in this fixture of 11 league games without defeat.
Newcastle United need an instant response from the disappointment of their 7-2 drubbing against Barcelona as up next is the first Tyne-Wear derby at St James’ Park in 10 years.
The recent history of this fixture makes for grim reading for the hosts. Newcastle are winless in their last 10 Premier League meetings with Sunderland since 2011, losing seven of them, and haven’t tasted victory in any of the last five home encounters in the derby, a run stretching back to 2010.
Should Sunderland avoid defeat on Sunday, they would extend their unbeaten league run in the Tyne-Wear derby to 11 matches, which would set a new record as the the longest undefeated streak in the history of this rivalry.
A Sunderland win would see Regis Le Bris become only the second Black Cats boss to win his opening two league games against Newcastle after Gus Poyet. Meanwhile, a defeat for his opposite number Eddie Howe would mean he’d be the first Toon boss to lose his opening two Tyne-Wear derbies in the league.
Emery faces unwanted first
- Unai Emery could lose four consecutive Premier League matches for the first time in his managerial career.
Aston Villa’s season has taken a sharp downturn, with their title push giving way to a fight to hold onto a top-four spot after a poor run of form. They’ve now failed to win nine of their last 12 league matches, and have lost their last three in a row to Wolves, Chelsea, and Manchester United.
A defeat at home to West Ham would condemn the club to four straight top-flight defeats for the first time since 2022 and also an unwanted first for Unai Emery, who has never lost four consecutive Premier League matches in his managerial career.
Meanwhile, Jarrod Bowen could become only the second ever West Ham player to provide an assist in four straight Premier League games after Vladimir Coufal.
Unlucky 13 for Spurs?
- Tottenham could go 13 top-flight matches without a win for the first time since 1934-35, and for only the second time in their entire history.
There’s simply no overstating the significance of Sunday’s clash between Tottenham and Nottingham Forest in a match that could prove pivotal in the relegation fight.
Spurs exited the Champions League in mid-week but at least signed off with a 3-2 home win over Atletico Madrid, a result they’ll hope provides momentum heading into Sunday’s showdown with the Tricky Trees.
Tottenham remain engulfed in a shocking Premier League rut, having gone 12 games without a win. A failure to beat Forest would see them go 13 without a win in the top-flight for just the third time in their history – and for the first time since the 1934-35 season (16), when they were relegated and Arsenal won the league.
History offers a stark warning too. Only three Premier League sides have ever recorded longer winless runs from the start of a calendar year: Sunderland (17 in 2002-03), Derby County (18 in 2007-08), and Middlesbrough (14 in 2016–17) – and all three were relegated.
Bonus: Arsenal vs Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final
Premier League title rivals Arsenal and Manchester City go head-to-head in the Carabao Cup final in a game that will see two non-British managers of the same nationality (Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta from Spain) go head-to-head in the League Cup final for only the second time ever.
Arsenal go hunting for their first piece of silverware since the 2020 FA Cup. They have, surprisingly only won the League Cup twice, which puts them level with Norwich, Birmingham, and Wolves. A win on Sunday would draw them alongside Leicester City with three triumphs.
This will be Pep Guardiola’s 16th cup final in charge of Man City, where he’s won 10 and lost five. He’s won four of his five League Cup finals and a fifth success would set a new record for a manager, surpassing Alex Ferguson, Jose Mourinho, and Brian Clough (all on four).
Meanwhile, surprisingly given his outstanding goalscoring prowess, Erling Haaland has failed to score in any of his eight finals since joining Manchester City, and has still never scored for the club at Wembley (six games).
