1) Can Norwich spoil demob-happy United's party?

Poor old Norwich City, desperate for points, and facing a preposterous run-in: Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal. It couldn't get any worse. Except, yes, yes it could. Because they now travel to United with the home team feeling good about themselves pretty much for the first time in a season. The home fans want a show, and Ryan Giggs wants a job, so the players have been ordered to rediscover their lust for life and ping it about accordingly, in the time-honoured United way. Given that Norwich have picked up fewer points on the road than any other side, they seem ill equipped to poop this particular party. Unless, unless. United haven't responded particularly well to hard, relentless pressing this season, and Norwich managed to put the wind up Liverpool last weekend by doing exactly that. A long shot, but a repeat performance of that staunch second-half display at Carrow Road could be enough to scramble an invaluable point, especially if Norwich find their hosts a touch too demob happy. Scott Murray

2) Liverpool can't risk playing for a draw at Chelsea

A draw should be enough. Crystal Palace may be one of the form teams in the division, but with Liverpool in this mood it seems unlikely the final two games of the season will hold much fear for Brendan Rodgers' side. So a point against Chelsea and the title will head to Anfield for the first time since 1990. And that should be a good thing – the pressure is eased, no need for Liverpool to attack José Mourinho's probably weakened team and leave themselves open on the counterattack. And yet, there's a nagging sense this might be dangerous. Liverpool have been so superb going at teams, ripping them apart from the off, throwing caution to the wind. Defence is certainly not their strong point, Rodgers must certainly know that. But with only a point needed, for the first time this season the temptation will be there for the players, not just the manager, to protect what they have from the off – and that could leave them open to a classic Chelsea snatch-and-grab. Despite all the pre-match bluster, a Mourinho side isn't just going to lie down and hand the title to Liverpool, any deviation from the Reds' tried and trusted method could prove a fatal error and allow Manchester City to sneak in at the death. Toby Moses

3) Everton have little to fear at St Mary's

St Mary's has gained a reputation as one of those Tough Places To Go, though Southampton's recent home form has been a touch erratic. Setting aside a 4-0 victory over Newcastle United, who gave up competitive sport some time ago, their last few performances on their own patch haven't been up to much. A 2-2 draw with Stoke. A 4-2 win over Norwich during which they flirted with embarrassment by nearly shipping a three-goal lead. A 1-0 defeat by struggling Cardiff. In fact their best home performance of recent times came against Liverpool, a match they rather unfairly lost by three goals, having been much the more incisive team for nigh on an hour. Everton, by comparison, have won eight in nine, and their last three away, and are desperate for another three points which would keep their Champions League hopes alive. They will be strong favourites against a side whose momentum this season was wantonly jiggered the second Mauricio Pochettino handed in that ludicrous teamsheet at Sunderland in the FA Cup. SM

4) Palace can thrive on City tension

When these two teams met in December, Manchester City had just registered back-to-back home victories over Arsenal (6-3) and Liverpool (2-1). Crystal Palace were the next visitors to the City of Manchester Stadium and, while they lost the game pretty much as expected, proved a tougher nut to crack than either of City's two fellow title contenders, Edin Dzeko scoring the only goal midway through an increasingly tense second half. Palace took succour from that performance then, as they famously launched one of the most comprehensive Great Escapes of recent years. And they'll take succour from it now, especially as they're second in the recent form table, while City by comparison have never been quite the same since Arsenal came at their throats during the second half at the Emirates last month. Palace have earned the right to play with freedom, but City can't afford a slip in the title race, and their mood will depend on whether José Mourinho did a number on Liverpool at Anfield. So they'll either be depressed or overly excited, then. Expect another tense battle. SM

5) Hull need three more points to be safe

After the 1-0 win against Norwich Fulham looked like upsetting the odds and scrambling to safety. Then they lost 3-1 at Spurs and Sunderland secured a stunning win against Chelsea, to make the Black Cats everyone's tip to avoid the drop. It's a topsy turvy world at the bottom of the Premier League. Even Hull on 36 points can no longer be 100% sure of survival if the bottom three keep up the fight, and with one eye on the FA Cup final Steve Bruce cannot afford to get complacent. If Fulham win here they are three points behind Hull with winnable games against Stoke and Palace to come for Felix Magath's side. Norwich may look like a lost cause, but it's not inconceivable that one of Cardiff or Sunderland will reach the 37 points needed to overhaul Hull. West Brom and Villa are the other teams beneath City – both of whom are capable of clambering above them. Bruce's side have a game in hand on those above – but that's away at United, a match that no longer seems such a gimme. Fourteenth in the league, it would be easy for the players to lose focus, but one last effort, and three points, would give them plenty of time for rest and recuperation before the final without the pressure of having to look over their shoulder at the chasing pack. TM

6) Lambert finds grass isn't greener at Villa Park

Paul Lambert's nearly at the end of his second season at Aston Villa and what has he accomplished? The wage bill may be less, but he took over with the club having finished in 16th place on 38 points, managed to lift them to 15th last season, and 41 points, and now looks set to match the 16th/38-point total of his predecessor, the much-maligned Alex McLeish. It's hardly been a rousing success. No wonder then that Randy Lerner seems to have tired of his play thing, with an announcement on his future involvement at the club due at the season's end. This, coupled with the suspension of his key lieutenants seems to indicate that the end may be nigh for Lambert as he takes his team to face Swansea City, and he'll leave with his reputation nothing but tarnished by his two-year stint in Birmingham. What could have been had he stuck it out at Norwich, who he guided to 12th in 2011-12, and then finished 11th under Chris Hughton the following season? It's not hard to imagine, with the funds available to Hughton at Carrow Road, Lambert may have taken the Canaries to new heights and garnished his then very impressive CV, putting himself in the frame for less thankless jobs, rather than watching nervously over his shoulder as Norwich seemed doomed to head back down to the Championship. Loyalty is something demanded of players by fans, but nobody questioned the logic of Lambert swapping Carrow Road for Villa Park – two years later that decision looks decidedly less wise. TM

7) Europa League reward

The Europa League is the butt of many a joke. It's the tournament everybody seems to want to avoid playing in – with many citing Liverpool's failure to qualify for it last year as a key advantage in this season's title race. So perhaps Spurs would be better off throwing this match at Stoke and allowing Ryan Giggs to lead United to a glorious sixth-placed finish? But hold your horses cynics – Uefa are putting a halt to all this Europa League nay-saying by offering a Champions League place for the winner from next season. Sadly they are not stopping the horrible practice of dumping Champions League group stage failures into the knockout stages, but beggars can't be choosers, and at least it gives sides like Tottenham a tangible, non-silverware related reason for trying their hardest in the competition. With expected spending sprees at United, Arsenal and Liverpoool, as well as the continued opulence of Chelsea and City, the top four is going to become even further away for Spurs, no matter who they get to replace Tim Sherwood. It may be that next season their best chance of reaching the Champions League riches will come from the competition they've so frequently bemoaned, so Tottenham can't afford to let United slip past them into sixth. TM

8) Mel needs wins to keep his job

West Brom are another of those sides who looked like they could maintain their Premier League status more by default than any great results on the pitch. That seems less likely now, with the gap to the relegation zone just three points and a trip to the Stadium of Light still to come. Pepe Mel's appointment was designed to lift them clear of this sort of worry, but instead they've remained rooted just outside the relegation places, with the squad more concerned with fighting each other than the opposition. Mel seems almost certain to depart at the end of the season, come what may, but if he's to have any chance of staying in his job then retaining their Premier League status as others slip up will probably not be enough. Wins at home to West Ham on Saturday and Stoke on the last day of the season are a must to give the Baggies' season an air of respectability. TM

9) Arsenal's confidence as brittle as their players

After the disappointing defeat to Palace, Everton got back on track with their Moyes-dooming win against United last weekend, and with the Blues kicking off against Southampton early on Saturday, the pressure may well be back on Arsenal to win to regain fourth spot. Suffice to say handling pressure is not something Arsène Wenger's team have coped with all that well this season. Luckily it's a home game against a Newcastle side that seem to have stopped performing since Alan Pardew returned following his stadium ban. With Aaron Ramsey returning to the form that would surely have seen him nominated for player of the season had he stayed fit, and Mesut Özil back pulling the strings, Arsenal look well-equipped to reclaim the fourth-place trophy they've made their own. But these final few games have added importance beyond securing Champions League riches. Arsenal are very much a confidence team, hampered away from home against the better sides by their own lack of belief moreso than a lack of ability. If they really are to break the trophyless spell on 17 May against Hull at Wembley it feels like a run of wins will be as important to the players as the return of their injured stars. TM

10) Mannone and Marshall hold clubs' futures in their hands

Positive results for both Cardiff and Sunderland last weekend mean that this game has the feeling of a relegation playoff – a draw does nobody any good, a win for either side could condemn the other to Championship football next season. Neither can afford any stupid mistakes, so having two of the season's most impressive goalkeepers in place must help their managers to sleep at night. Vito Mannone may have slipped up against Man City, but his form has been a rare bright spot on the long list of signings made by Paolo Di Canio on Wearside. The Italian did not always convince when playing for Arsenal, but he rarely let them down and clearly had the respect and affection of his team-mates, who dubbed him 'Buffon'. David Marshall may have impressed the pundits, with many touting him as the goalkeeper of the season (although not our very own Louise Taylor), but Mannone's 5.20 saves per match measure up well against the Cardiff keeper's 4.21 – that seems a fairer measure of the pair than simply goals conceded given the porous nature of both team's defences. A couple more clean sheets from either of them may well be enough to save their team – although should they cancel themselves out here it'll be Hull, Villa, West Brom and Norwich celebrating on Sunday afternoon. TM