The English Premier League enters it round of 36 on Saturday with matches to be played throughout England.
Arsenal travel to Loftus Road to face relegated Queens Park Rangers with a top four finish in mind. The Gunners will be looking forward to winning this one to resound their intent to finish on a high to the other contenders. Olivier Girould will not be available for this one as he continues to serve his three game ban. A win will have Arsenal move up to third on 67 points at least before Chelsea’s next day kick- off at Old Trafford.
Tottenham, the other Premier League side vying for a top four finish will host Southampton at White Hart Lane. Southampton are the better in- form team looking at the record of their last six fixtures. Spurs have W2, L2 and D2 in their last six matches while the Saints have W3, L1 and D2 in the same numbers of matches.
The last time both teams met at White Hart Lane was in December 2004. Tottenham defeated Southampton 5-1 on the night with goals from Frederic Kanoute, Robbie Keane and a hat- trick from Jermain Defoe. Peter Crouch scored the only Southampton goal.
Mousa Dembele faces a late fitness test but striker Emmanuel Adebayo (knee) and midfielder Jake Livermore (hamstring) may both return after sitting out last week’s 2-2 draw at Wigan. Younes Kaboul (thigh) and Gallas (calf) are both ruled out of this match. Midfielder Sandro (knee) will also not be available.
Southampton’s pair Gaston Ramirez and Danny Fox will both be out through suspension. The Tottenham game will be the first of their three- match suspension, having been sent off in last week’s defeat to West Brom. Luke Shaw may feature in this game after returning from an ankle injury.
Southampton coach Mauriccio Pauchettino has stressed the need for his side to remain focus as the league has reached that part of the season when surprise relegation is mathematically possible.
The referee for this match is Mark Clattenburg.
West Ham will host Newcastle at Upton Park with the Toons in search of a win to avoid a repeat of their 2009 surprise relegation while West Bromwich Albion hosts another relegation battlers Wigan.
Norwich will host Paul Lambert’s Aston Villa while Manchester City travels to Cardiff to play Swansea. The other match of the day will have Fulham take on relegated Reading at Craven Cottage.
