Brighton must still be wondering how they lost to Crystal Palace on Monday night but cannot afford to dwell on that disappointment for too long. The Seagulls dominated against their bitter rivals but lost 2-1 after conceding in injury time, meaning they are only four points clear of the relegation zone.
Fulham’s improved performances have not quite turned into the points they would have liked but they have the chance to put that right against rock-bottom Sheffield United. The Cottagers have only lost one of their last six games but four draws in that time mean they start the weekend still six points from safety.
Burnley have been held to a draw against two of the teams below them in their last two home games and will hope it is third time lucky when West Brom arrive at Turf Moor. This looks a must-win fixture for West Brom, though, given they start the weekend 12 points from safety, so this could be a more open game than might usually be expected.
West Ham are fancied to press their claims for a surprise top-six finish in the Premier League by seeing off basement dwellers Sheffield United. The Blades are doing their best to pull off a great escape but will come up against a team playing with plenty of confidence and self-belief at present.
Manchester United had to work harder than they will have wished for in Tuesday’s FA Cup win over West Ham but should still be able to deal with West Brom. Albion have only picked up one point from their last five Premier League fixtures and that was when drawing with fellow strugglers Fulham.
European teams have won the last seven renewals of the FIFA Club World Cup and Bayern Munich are expected to extend that sequence when facing Tigres. Their Mexican opponents upset the odds when knocking out Palmeiras of Brazil in the semis in Qatar but look out of their depth in the decider.
Chelsea have already thrashed Barnsley in the EFL Cup this season so should be confident of a routine victory when they meet in the FA Cup fifth round FA Cup. Kai Havertz hit a hat-trick as the Blues cruised to a 6-0 win at Stamford Bridge in September, although both clubs have since had a change of manager.
Burnley seem ready to have a real crack at FA Cup glory this season and are fancied to get the better of Bournemouth at Turf Moor. The Clarets were convincing 3-0 victors at Fulham in round four and have performed with credit in the Premier League since that tie.
Sheff Utd have used the FA Cup to try and build much-needed confidence this season and are expected to do the same when they host Bristol City. The Blades remain rooted to the bottom of the Premier League but have again been handed a kind cup draw, having squeezed past two League One opponents.
Swansea gave Manchester City a scare in the FA Cup two years ago and will hope to have their moments in this season’s fifth-round tie at Liberty Stadium. The Swans led 2-0 with just over 20 minutes left on the clock on that occasion, before a late turnaround saw them slip to a heart-breaking 3-2 defeat.
Tottenham are in desperate need of a boost after three straight Premier League defeats but should enjoy a welcome reprieve when hosting West Brom. The second-from-bottom Baggies have only picked up one point from four outings themselves and look headed for a quick return to the Championship.
West Ham have built up a ton of momentum by winning seven of their last eight Premier League and FA Cup matches and are fancied to oblige again at Fulham. The Cottagers have been battling hard to enhance their survival hopes but looked short on quality when beaten at home by Leicester on Wednesday.
The race for the Premier League hots up on Friday night when the top two teams in the Championship meet in south Wales. Norwich lead the way as they seek an immediate return to the Championship but have failed to score in their last three games in all competitions.
Watford have looked like genuine contenders for a quick return to the Premier League of late and are taken to prove too strong for QPR at Vicarage Road. Rangers are rated a solid, but unspectacular mid-table Championship outfit at best, so this is the kind of test the Hornets should safely negotiate.