Chelsea, Spurs in top four crunch, Everton face Arsenal test

All eyes will be on Stamford Bridge and Emirates Stium in Premier League this weekend as battle to qualify for next season's Champions League heats up, while runaway leers Liverpool can take ar step towards title. With league's first winter break done and dusted, it is full steam ahe for clubs fighting to secure lucrative Champions League berths behind champions-elect Liverpool. Any London derby between Chelsea and Tottenham is a feisty occasion, but re is an extra spice to rivals' latest meeting as y are in direct competition for a European place.

Fourth-placed Chelsea are just one point ahe of fifth-placed Tottenham and a victory for Jose Mourinho's men would take m above his former club. Chelsea are reeling from a lacklustre 2-0 home defeat against Manchester United on Monday, but injury-hit Tottenham were beaten 1-0 by Leipzig in Champions League last 16 first leg on Wednesday. Hampered by ir continued failure to turn possession in tangible rewards, Chelsea have won one of ir last six league games, and ne of ir last four, leing to reports Blues boss Frank Lampard might find his position under scrutiny if y don't qualify for Champions League.

Lampard's decision to drop Kepa Arrizabalaga for last three games is said to have frustrated Chelsea hierarchy, who me Spaniard world's most expensive goalkeeper less than two years ago. It is kind of delicate and potentially damaging issue Mourinho h plenty of experience negotiating during his two spells as Chelsea manr. re is respect between Mourinho and Lampard from ir successful time toger at Chelsea, but sympathy will be in short supply this weekend given what is at stake for both men. Tottenham have won ir last three league games to close gap on Chelsea, but injuries to Harry Kane and Son Heung-min have left Mourinho without a senior striker.

'Take responsibility'

Lucas Moura, Steven Bergwijn and Dele Alli are Mourinho's alternative options and Belgian defender Toby Alderweireld is convinced Tottenham can cope. "People have to take responsibility about that," he said. "I think we have to solve this as a team. "We have people with different qualities upfront w. We have to keep belief that people will step up for making goals." 

Arsenal and Everton, who meet in rth London, are furr behind in race, but possibility of Manchester City losing ir appeal against a two-year Champions League ban means a fifth place finish could be eugh to reach Europe's elite club competition. Everton sit four points behind Tottenham after a five-game unbeaten run featuring successive wins over Watford and Crystal Palace. Carlo Ancelotti has masterminded Everton's revival since taking over from sacked Marco Silva, but he has yet to secure a statement win over one of league's bigger clubs.

Beating Arsenal on ir own turf would qualify as a significant moment for Ancelotti's side, especially as Gunners looked in good form in ir 4-0 thrashing of Newcastle last weekend. Arsenal are unbeaten in ir last six league games and lie two points rift of Everton, with Manchester United, Sheffield United and Wolves also in mix. Manchester City play ir second game since shock European ban when y travel to third-placed Leicester, a game that will play second fiddle to next week's Champions League tie against Real Mrid for Pep Guardiola's side.

Liverpool's staggering 22-point le over City has turned title race into a procession and Monday's visit from struggling West Ham offers an ideal chance to bounce back from a 1-0 Champions League last 16 first-leg defeat at Atletico Mrid. Jurgen Klopp's team have dropped just two points all season and are on a run of 17 consecutive league wins. y need just five more wins from ir remaining 12 games to take title for first time since 1990.