Premier League matchweek 9: City and Arsenal at the top, top-four places at stake and Coventry v Sunderland at the bottom.
Manchester City and Arsenal share the lead, and each faces a top-four rival: City host Brighton and Arsenal visit Liverpool. At the bottom of the table, Coventry and Sunderland, both in the relegation zone, face each other. Those two battles frame the matchweek.
At the top, City and Arsenal are level on points, with Brighton just behind them boasting the league's best goal difference. If one takes more points than the other this weekend, they pull ahead; if both win, nothing changes.
In the race for the places near the top, Liverpool are fourth and Chelsea fifth: Chelsea can only overtake Liverpool if they beat Manchester United and Liverpool fail to beat Arsenal. Brentford, Leeds, Newcastle and Aston Villa are bunched just behind them, and each team's result has little impact on the race at the top.
At the bottom, Sunderland and Coventry are a point apart, with Nottingham Forest between them on points. A Sunderland win at Coventry lifts Sunderland off the bottom and sends Coventry there; if Coventry win, they open up a gap over their direct rival.
Liverpool
ArsenalThis is the game that swings the matchweek: Arsenal, level with Manchester City at the top, visit fourth-placed Liverpool. Liverpool have won just once at home this season and drawn twice; Arsenal have lost only once away. Both sides have something to lose, with Arsenal defending the lead and Liverpool their top-four place, which is why this game carries more weight than Manchester City v Brighton.
Chelsea
Manchester UnitedFifth-placed Chelsea host Manchester United, who are 16th. United have not won any of their four away games and come into this match with two defeats interspersed with three draws. Chelsea can only overtake Liverpool if they win here and Liverpool fail to beat Arsenal: this game is tied to Liverpool's result.
Bournemouth
LeedsBournemouth, 13th, host seventh-placed Leeds, who have drawn five of their eight games. The league positions favour the visitors, but Bournemouth have drawn two and won one of their four home games: this is a meeting of sides that tend to share the points.
Brentford
Nottingham ForestSixth-placed Brentford are among the sides with the most draws: five in eight games. Nottingham Forest, 18th, face a team that is hard to beat and come into the game without a home win this season, with three defeats and one draw. Forest drew their last game after three straight defeats.
Coventry
SunderlandCoventry and Sunderland sit 19th and 20th, a point apart, and the winner gets off the bottom in a direct clash with a fellow struggler. Sunderland have yet to win away this season; Coventry have lost three of their four home games.
Manchester City
BrightonManchester City host third-placed Brighton, having won all four of their home games. Both arrive on the same run: defeat last time out after four wins. Brighton have the best goal difference in the league, so City cannot treat their visit as routine.
All times are Brasília time (UTC−3).
The matchweek opens on Saturday with Chelsea v Manchester United, a game that matters more to Chelsea's top-four place than to United. On the same day, Manchester City v Brighton and Coventry v Sunderland span the two ends of the table, while Brentford v Nottingham Forest shows whether Forest can climb out of the relegation zone. On Sunday, Liverpool v Arsenal carries the most weight: it determines who takes the lead and who holds on to a top-four place. Monday closes the matchweek with Newcastle v Everton, two mid-table sides a point apart, the final game before the table changes shape again.
