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Project Restart: The best matches to look out for when the Premier League returns

Ahead of the return of the Premier League on Wednesday, Sports Mole looks at the best fixtures which are still to come in the 2019-20 campaign.

Premier League football makes its long-awaited return on Wednesday, 100 days after the last taste of top-flight action.

The coronavirus pandemic at one stage seemed to threaten the future of the 2019-20 season, but plans are now firmly in place to play it out in full as Liverpool close in on the title, a host of teams battle for European places and six teams fight to avoid relegation.

There are 92 fixtures remaining this season - starting with Aston Villa vs. Sheffield United on Wednesday evening - many of which promise to be decisive and mouth-watering affairs.

Here, Sports Mole looks at the best of what is still to come over the course of the rest of the season.



Manchester City vs. Arsenal (Wednesday, June 17)

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola and assistant coach Mikel Arteta before the match in November 2019© Reuters

We will not have to wait long for the first showdown between two of the 'big six', with champions Manchester City hosting Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium in just the second match back.

It pits the student against the master as Mikel Arteta tries to get one over on his former mentor Pep Guardiola, while Arsenal went into the break on the longest unbeaten run of any Premier League team - encompassing all of 2020 so far.

Indeed, the Gunners have won their last three outings whereas Man City were beaten by Manchester United last time out, so if ninth-placed Arsenal can pick up where they left off then a surprise could be in store.



Tottenham Hotspur vs. Manchester United (Friday, June 19)

Spurs boss Jose Mourinho on February 19, 2020© Reuters

The first full weekend of Premier League football also starts in style, with Jose Mourinho welcoming his former club Manchester United to North London.

Both clubs still have aspirations of qualifying for next season's Champions League and both have also been boosted by key players recovering from injury during lockdown - Harry Kane, Moussa Sissoko and Son Heung-min for Spurs and Marcus Rashford and Paul Pogba for United.

The Red Devils have a clear edge over Tottenham in terms of the league table, while they also went into the break in far better form, with Spurs winless in six games before play was suspended - the worst run of Mourinho's entire managerial career.



Everton vs. Liverpool (Sunday, June 21)

Liverpool's Joe Gomez in action with Everton's Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the FA Cup on January 5, 2020© Reuters

As if the first weekend of action was not enticing enough already, it will be capped off with a Merseyside derby which could see Liverpool win the Premier League title at Goodison Park.

For that to happen they would need a favour from Arsenal against Man City on the Wednesday, but even if Everton are spared the threat of seeing their fiercest rivals win the title in their own backyard, Liverpool are only two wins away from securing it.

The Toffees have a torrid record against their Merseyside neighbours in recent times, but they had begun to climb the table under Carlo Ancelotti and will hope to finally get one over Liverpool in their first game back.



Tottenham vs. West Ham United (Tuesday, June 23)

Son Heung-min celebrates Tottenham Hotspur scoring against West Ham United in the Premier League on November 23, 2019.© Reuters

Four days after hosting Manchester United, Spurs then welcome bitter London rivals West Ham United to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in another big game for Mourinho's side.

Members of the Tottenham squad have already admitted that they cannot afford any more slip-ups if they are to close the gap on the top four, and West Ham would relish inflicting one of those more than most other clubs would.

The Hammers have plenty to fight for themselves, though - they are currently only outside the relegation zone on goal difference ahead of their first game back at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers.



Chelsea vs. Man City (Thursday, June 25)

Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne in action with Chelsea's Mateo Kovacic in the Premier League on November 23, 2019© Reuters

The title may well have slipped out of Man City's grasp by the time they visit Stamford Bridge for a Thursday night game, but the hosts at least will have plenty riding on the contest.

Chelsea resume the season sitting fourth, but with some of the teams behind them in the table beginning to find a level of consistency before the break they know that they cannot afford a slow start; they face Aston Villa away before Frank Lampard's former club travel to West London.

Man City have won six of the last seven editions of this particular fixture, but the one exception in that run was their most recent trip to Stamford Bridge.



Man City vs. Liverpool (Thursday, July 2)

Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson in action with Manchester City's Raheem Sterling in the Premier League on November 10, 2019© Reuters

If Liverpool pick up where they left off then they will likely have already dethroned Manchester City as champions by the time the two sides meet on July 2 but, if not, they will have the chance to secure the title against the team that currently hold it.

This contest could potentially still be played at a neutral venue, although the decision to allow the Merseyside derby to be held at Goodison Park suggests that the Etihad Stadium will also get the green light to host this game.

For City any victory would barely make a dent in Liverpool's lead, but it could go some way to protecting their 100-point Premier League record while also giving them hope of a more competitive title race next season.



Tottenham vs. Arsenal (TBC)

Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Winks and Arsenal's Sokratis Papastathopoulos clash on September 1, 2019© Reuters

North London derbies are always highly-anticipated showdowns, and even more so when both teams are in direct competition in the Premier League table.

Spurs and Arsenal remain outside contenders for a Champions League spot and, at the very least, a Europa League place, and the outcome of this match could prove decisive in a race which also includes the likes of Wolves, Sheffield United, Manchester United and Chelsea.

Aside from that, Arsenal fans will be desperate for St Totteringham's Day to return - they have now finished below their local rivals in each of the last three seasons.



Arsenal vs. Liverpool (TBC)

Roberto Firmino takes on Granit Xhaka and Sokratis during the Premier League game between Liverpool and Arsenal on August 24, 2019© Reuters

The second in a tricky double-header for Arsenal, Liverpool visit the Emirates Stadium in mid-July for a fixture which in recent times has guaranteed goals - usually for Liverpool.

The last nine contests have yielded 49 goals at an average of 5.4 per game, including an incredible 10-goal thriller in the EFL Cup earlier this season which eventually saw Liverpool progress on penalties.

Arsenal have not beaten Liverpool for more than five years now - a 10-match drought which they may be optimistic of ending in the likely event that Liverpool have already been crowned champions by this stage.



Liverpool vs. Chelsea (TBC)

Trent Alexander-Arnold scores for Liverpool against Chelsea in the Premier League on September 22, 2019.© Reuters

Chelsea beat Liverpool just before lockdown and will be hopeful of doing so again when they visit Anfield for both sides' penultimate game of the season.

It will also be Liverpool's last Anfield outing of what promises to be an unforgettable campaign and, if they avoid any slip-ups between now and then, they could have the chance to seal a perfect season at home, having won 15 out of 15 on Merseyside so far this term.

For Chelsea, it is likely that their top-four hopes will still be undecided by this stage and so anything they could get from the home of the champions-elect could prove to be vital.



West Ham vs. Aston Villa (TBC)

West Ham United's Michail Antonio celebrates scoring their third goal with Declan Rice and teammates on February 29, 2020© Reuters

It is anybody's guess what the Premier League relegation battle will look like by the time we come to the final game of the season - as it stands there are only four points separating 15th from 19th and three of those teams are level on points.

Aston Villa currently sit two points behind West Ham but boast a game in hand over their fellow Claret-and-Blue-clad final-day opponents.

Villa - or indeed West Ham - could be safe or down by the time they meet, but at this stage it looks set to be a crucial relegation showdown on the last day which could have massive financial implications for two clubs that spent big last summer.

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Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold celebrates scoring their fourth goal on December 26, 2019
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rhs 2.0
Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool30272166214583
2Manchester CityMan City30203774314363
3Leicester CityLeicester30166859293054
4Chelsea30156953401351
5Manchester UnitedMan Utd301210845311446
6Wolverhampton WanderersWolves30111364334946
7Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd30111183028244
8Tottenham HotspurSpurs30119104841742
9Crystal Palace30119102832-442
10Arsenal3091384141040
11Burnley30116133443-939
12Everton30108123746-938
13Newcastle UnitedNewcastle30108122841-1338
14Southampton30114153852-1437
15Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton30711123441-732
16Watford30610142845-1728
17West Ham UnitedWest Ham3076173552-1727
18Bournemouth3076172949-2027
19Aston Villa3075183558-2326
20Norwich CityNorwich3056192555-3021

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