Time flies when you’re having fun. So goes the old maxim, but time may rocket when you’re facing a relegation fight, too.
The Premier League is more than one-third of the way through its season, and this weekend finds its clubs critical match-ups up-and-down the table.
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Man City and Chelsea jockey for position at the top of the table, while Everton and Manchester United could dash each other’s Top Four hopes.
As for the relegation scraps, one involves last season’s champs. All make our top storylines for this PL weekend.
Pep vs. Conte, Round 1
Manchester City vs. Chelsea -- 7:30 a.m. EDT Saturday, NBCSN and NBCSports.com.
We’ll know before the mid-morning matches kickoff whether there will be a new Premier League leader after this weekend. Chelsea hopes the answer is no, that their boss Antonio Conte will win his first tete-a-tete with fellow tactical wizard Pep Guardiola. City has had a tough go of it, relatively speaking, at home this season. Three wins and three draws give City a lesser share of the points at home than away from the Etihad Stadium.
Can a London rivalry help West Ham’s home woes?
West Ham United vs. Arsenal -- 12:30 p.m. EDT Saturday, NBC and NBCSports.com.
Fits and starts was not supposed to be the way for West Ham this season, but the presumed contenders remain just a point ahead of the drop zone. The Irons have just two wins from six home PL matches this season, but could there possibly be a better way to create good vibes at the Olympic Stadium than a triumph over the Gooners? West Ham can’t make its way into the Top Four mix, but it can dent Arsenal’s title hopes.
Separation day for Toffees, Red Devils
Everton vs. Manchester United -- 11 a.m. EDT Sunday, NBCSN and NBCSports.com.
One point separates Ronald Koeman’s Toffees and Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United, and it’d be fair to say both thought this battle would be higher up the table as recently as one month ago. United has a one point edge on Everton for sixth, and the loser could find itself as far as 7 or 8 points off the Top Five pace.
Relegation scrap at the Riverside Stadium
Middlesbrough vs. Hull City -- 3 p.m. EDT Monday, NBCSN and NBCSports.com.
The Tigers have managed just 4 of their 11 points away from the KC Stadium, but can guarantee a trip out of the drop zone by managing a win (though a draw could do the trick if Palace falls to Southampton). Aitor Karanka’s hosts had much higher aims than a relegation battle, perhaps naively, and will be feeling the heat of the drop with anything but three points on Saturday. A large part of their struggles have come at home, which will be music to Hull’s ears; Boro is 1W-1D-4L at home.
Sunderland aims to make relegation fears deeper for champions
Sunderland vs. Leicester City -- 10 a.m. EDT Saturday, Premier League Xtra Time and NBCSports.com.
The Premier League champions have one point away from home this season. That’s bad, as is their awful standing in 14th. The Foxes are two points clear of the drop, five points ahead of the last-place Black Cats. David Moyes’ hosts have been playing much better as of late, beating Hull and Bournemouth before falling to Liverpool. That Hull win is their lone victory at the Stadium of Light this season, but Sunderland can take comfort in the fact that Leicester has four losses and a draw in matches preceding a Champions League fixture.