The FC guys have their final say for who will come out on top in Liverpool and Arsenal's Friday night clash.
With numerous clubs facing the make-or-break part of their seasons, W2W4 highlights the weekend's biggest storylines.
Who will edge ahead in the race for the top four?
When Liverpool thrashed Arsenal 4-0 at Anfield in August to climb to second place, it looked like Jurgen Klopp's side might finally possess the right blend of talent to mount a serious title challenge. With Emre Can and Georginio Wijnaldum flanking Jordan Henderson in midfield, a front three of Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah were allowed to run riot, claiming a goal each before Daniel Sturridge wrapped up the result late on. Arsenal, meanwhile, didn't muster a single shot on target. Could this new-look Liverpool possibly have the defensive foundation to summon the requisite staying power at the top?
In a word, no. Arsenal were so shockingly poor on that summer Sunday afternoon that it was almost impossible to gauge Liverpool's true level. A trip to Manchester City in the following game provided a much sterner test and, as they were thumped 5-0, it was clear Klopp still had failed to address the crippling defensive frailties that proved so costly last season, and the season before, and ... you get the picture.
That defeat at the Etihad Stadium started a run of one win in six top-flight matches for Liverpool as City set about breaking the record for consecutive victories. The Reds now trail the leaders by 18 points in fourth place, with Arsenal a point further back in fifth.
On Friday, the battle of the also-rans will commence at the Emirates Stadium. Neither team is in great form; Liverpool have scored a devastating 16 goals in their last four away games but have dropped points at home to Everton and West Brom, while Arsenal have won only once and scored only three times in their last four outings. The main concern for both clubs as they fight for fourth place is that their current travails cannot be explained by that handy excuse of this being a "transition season."
Klopp may have fashioned a new forward line that can go from 0 to 60mph faster than anyone else in the league, but, recruiting only four new players in the summer, it was obvious the gaps in defence still hadn't been plugged. As for Arsene Wenger, after falling out of the top four for the first time in 20 years, the manager desperately needed to oversee a new sense of direction. Instead, contract standoffs with Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil have been allowed to drift -- the former playing well below his best at the moment -- while Alexandre Lacazette is rarely involved for 90 minutes and the defence, as with Liverpool, still looks worryingly suspect.
A spark is required to reignite ailing fortunes, and this is exactly the fixture in which to find it. It brought a pulsating 4-3 win for Liverpool on the opening weekend of last season, and the Reds have won the last three encounters with the Gunners. It's time for these two maligned outsiders to show what they are made of, and begin to rein in Manchester United and Chelsea before it's too late.
Liverpool thrashed Arsenal in August, but both teams enter this weekend's match in need of an uplifting performance. The Pulis derby
It has been a miserable season for Stoke and West Brom so far, two clubs previously managed by Tony Pulis that appear to be suffering from identity crises. Mark Hughes' four-and-a-half-year spell at Stoke initially looked to have promise, with three consecutive top-10 finishes, but a slump to 13th last year hinted that the Potters are going backward and they lie just a point above the drop zone going into Saturday's game at the Bet365 Stadium.
The situation looks even bleaker for West Brom, who parted ways with Pulis in November and are yet to win under new boss Alan Pardew, despite picking up a creditable point at Liverpool. In fact, the Baggies haven't won since Aug. 19, a run of 16 fixtures without tasting victory. Even Championship side Bristol City have claimed more Premier League scalps this season in their EFL Cup exploits.
It is quickly approaching the "now or never" stage for both teams. Hughes in particular needs a win to stave off mounting speculation that he is set for the sack, while it won't be long until the same questions are being raised toward Pardew. That is the ruthless nature of Premier League management now and, while this fixture has resulted in a draw in two of the last three meetings, neither side can afford to be too cautious on Saturday.
Will Burnley and Wood rise to Tottenham test?
Who would have thought that as we enter the halfway point in the season Burnley would be above Tottenham in the table? There have been plenty of pats on the head for Sean Dyche and his troops for the way they've gone about their business this year, but Saturday's clash at Turf Moor presents the opportunity to prove this isn't short-lived success.
Record-signing Chris Wood's late equaliser against Spurs at Wembley in August was reward for the Clarets' persistence, but the challenge now is to get the hitman scoring frequently to consolidate their position in the top six. The 26-year-old has found the net just once in his last eight matches after beginning his Burnley career with four strikes in his first eight appearances. Burnley's style is to cede possession and patiently work openings down the wings when they have the ball, but they must provide better service to Wood if they are to sustain their brilliant start to the campaign.
Benitez hanging in there
We all know what Rafa Benitez and Newcastle supporters want for Christmas: a swift resolution to the takeover process that has been a distraction for months. Benitez clearly is hoping that Mike Ashley will be bought out in time for new funds to be invested in the squad in January, but in the meantime he has to work with what he's got. And what he's got was performing an awful lot better before the end of October, even reaching the heights of seventh place.
Since then, the Magpies' form has fallen off a cliff, as they've taken just one point from the last 27 available. They have scored only six times in that run, plummeting into the bottom three.
The next six fixtures bring the chance to drag the sides around them back into the mire. Aside from facing Manchester City home and away in December and January, Newcastle travel to West Ham and Stoke and host Brighton and Swansea. Benitez was linked with an escape route to West Ham earlier in the season, but he must now inspire his team to break out of their wretched form when they face the Hammers on Saturday or risk losing the opportunity to benefit from Newcastle's takeover when it finally goes through.
Leon Britton's managerial debut
After losing Gylfi Sigurdsson and Fernando Llorente in the summer without adequately replacing either, it always looked as though it was going to be tough for Paul Clement this season. Swansea's problems extend far deeper than the managerial position, but club stalwart Leon Britton has been thrust into the hot seat to try to galvanise the team currently propping up the table.
Britton always has been regarded as an icon of the passing style the Swans developed under Roberto Martinez, Brendan Rodgers and Michael Laudrup, but when they face Crystal Palace on Saturday, it is vital to win by any means necessary. A lot has changed since Swansea won 2-0 at Selhurst Park back in August -- with Palace now on a seven-game unbeaten run -- but this is their last chance to avoid the curse of being bottom at Christmas. No pressure, Leon.
Matthew Stanger covers European football for ESPN and is the editor of The Set Pieces. Twitter: @MatthewStanger
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Source: espn.co.uk