The China Mail - Liverpool can move closer to the title as top five tension mounts

Meanwhile Chelsea, Manchester City, Newcastle, Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa are embroiled in a tense battle to qualify for the Champions League.

AFP Sport looks at three talking points ahead of this weekend's action:

Liverpool not 'complacent'

Having sucked any drama out of the title race weeks ago, Liverpool suffered a rare defeat against Fulham last weekend that sparked accusations the leaders are getting complacent.

Arne Slot's side lost their 26-match unbeaten league run in an error-strewn 3-2 loss at Craven Cottage that bore little resemblance to the team that had marched relentlessly towards their first title since 2020.

But despite their second league defeat this season, Liverpool have an 11-point lead over second-placed Arsenal with just seven games left.

It would take an astonishing collapse for the Reds not to claim a record-equalling 20th English crown and Slot is convinced his players remain firmly focused on getting the job done as soon as possible.

"I think there is no reason for us to be complacent," Slot said ahead of West Ham's visit to Anfield.

"I think everyone that has seen our games knows that it takes us so much effort, so much hard work to win.

"The team that won the league in the last four seasons were already 3-0 up at half-time almost every single game they played. That is not the way for us."

Top five race hots up

With five places in next season's Champions League now available to English clubs, the race for those lucrative berths is set to go down to the wire.

Third-placed Nottingham Forest, who host Everton on Saturday, hope to reach Europe's elite club competition for the first time since 1980-81 and hold a five point lead over sixth-placed Manchester City.

Chelsea, in fourth place, are ahead of fifth-placed Newcastle only on goal difference, with the League Cup winners holding a game in hand that could prove crucial.

This weekend, Chelsea face struggling Ipswich, while Newcastle host Manchester United and seventh-placed Aston Villa -- two points adrift of the top five -- visit relegated Southampton.

City, who entertain Crystal Palace on Saturday, are a point behind Chelsea and Newcastle and arguably have the most to lose as they bid to salvage a wretched season with Champions League qualification.

Pep Guardiola's side, who have won the Premier League six times in the last seven seasons, last failed to appear in the Champions League in 2010-11.

Leicester on the brink

Leicester's dismal campaign looks destined to end in relegation and a loss at Brighton on Saturday would push them to the brink of returning to the second tier after one season.

Beaten 3-0 by Newcastle on Monday, the Foxes are the first side in English football's top four divisions to lose eight successive home league games without scoring.

Ruud van Nistelrooy's second-bottom team have not netted at the King Power Stadium since December 8 against Brighton and have gone seven league games at home and away without scoring.

Van Nistelrooy is only the second manager in Premier League history to lose eight successive home games in the competition, after Daniel Farke with Norwich in 2021.

Mired in a woeful run of nine consecutive defeats in all competitions, Leicester will be 18 points adrift of safety with only six games left if they lose at Brighton and fourth-bottom Wolves beat Tottenham on Sunday.

Van Nistelrooy has no answers to Leicester's plight, saying: "Trying different things, different structures, different players in different positions and the results are not there. That is the worrying thing."

Fixtures

Saturday (1400 GMT unless stated)

Manchester City v Crystal Palace (1130), Brighton v Leicester, Nottingham Forest v Everton, Southampton v Aston Villa, Arsenal v Brentford (1630)

Sunday (1300 GMT unless stated)

Chelsea v Ipswich, Liverpool v West Ham, Wolves v Tottenham, Newcastle v Manchester United (1530)

Monday

Bournemouth v Fulham (1900 GMT)

G.Fung--ThChM