We’re fast approaching the business end of the Premier League season, with most teams now only having 10 games remaining.
Manchester United’s unbeaten run continued following Sunday’s comeback victory over Crystal Palace and we’re now up to third in the table, above Aston Villa on goal difference.
Head coach Michael Carrick and captain Bruno Fernandes have reiterated our desire to return to the UEFA Champions League next season, and the Reds are currently well-positioned to do that.
With England leading the UEFA coefficient rankings by some distance, it looks as though the top five Premier League teams will qualify for the competition.
After Chelsea’s defeat at Arsenal, the sixth-placed Blues now trail us by six points but the gap could soon change, as a full slate of top-flight fixtures are scheduled this midweek - the final non-weekend programme of 2025/26.
Liverpool – who sit fifth, three points behind United – have won their last three, easily overcoming West Ham 5-2 on Saturday after narrow, single-goal victories against Sunderland and Nottingham Forest.
They travel to bottom side Wolverhampton Wanderers on Tuesday (20:15 GMT kick-off) looking to make it four in a row, but it may not be as simple a task as the table suggests, especially as the teams are also set to face off at Molineux again three days later, in the Emirates FA Cup.
Wolves had just three points on the board when they reached the halfway stage of the season, but Rob Edwards’ outfit have dramatically improved in the early months of 2026 and recorded just their second win of the campaign when surprising Aston Villa on Friday night.
A Liverpool success would put added pressure on Villa, who host Chelsea in an eye-catching clash at 19:30 GMT on Wednesday.
When Unai Emery’s men won the reverse fixture at Christmas, courtesy of an Ollie Watkins double, there was talk of the Midlanders joining Arsenal and Manchester City in the title showdown.
They’ve taken just 12 points from the following 10 games though, a run which has included costly home losses to Everton and Brentford.
Chelsea’s early momentum under Liam Rosenior has stalled a little, and after a run of three without a win, there’s also an imperative on them to get a result in Birmingham, especially considering a daunting fixture list sees them hosting Newcastle, City and United between now and late April.
There is then our own task, as we visit St James’ Park in Wednesday’s late kick-off.
It’s been a joyless environment for us in recent seasons, with Newcastle winning on each of our last three trips to the north-east.
The home support will be well up for the occasion, of that there is no doubt, but it’s also worth considering that Aston Villa, Brentford and Everton have left Tyneside with all three points this year – the Toffees adding their name to that list on Saturday.
Our own brilliant form in 2026 must also provide some confidence.
The Magpies were actually above us in the league as recently as 14 January, but the resurgence under Carrick – just two points dropped – has allowed us to race ahead.
Everyone of a Reds persuasion will be hoping the momentum continues into what will be an 11-day break, before another key outing, against Aston Villa at Old Trafford on 15 March.
Whether we’ll go into that clash still in the ascendancy, or with ground to make up, all depends on what happens this week.
MATCHWEEK 29 FIXTURES
Tuesday 3 March
Bournemouth v Brentford
Everton v Burnley
Leeds v Sunderland
Wolves v Arsenal (20:15 GMT)
Wednesday 4 March
Aston Villa v Chelsea
Brighton v Arsenal
Fulham v West Ham
Manchester City v Nottingham Forest
Newcastle v United (20:15 GMT)
Thursday 5 March
Spurs v Crystal Palace (20:00 GMT)
All kick-offs 19:30 GMT unless stated otherwise.