Premier League action resumes with the hectic festive fixture period right around the corner. Only four points separate third from thirteenth in the table, the closest these positions have been at this point in Premier League history.

Fantasy managers also have some difficult choices to make, considering there will be 90 matches in 45 days beginning on Saturday. Wolverhampton Wanderers assets, such as Matheus Cunha and Jose Sa, are worthy options for the coming period given their favourable run of matches.

Saturday

Leicester City v Chelsea (8.30am)

Leicester have taken seven of their ten points in their last five games. Facundo Buonanotte is suspended for this game after picking up five yellow cards, while Jakub Stolarczyk and Ricardo Pereira are out injured. Bobby Decordova-Reid, Patson Daka and Jamie Vardy are doubtful.

Chelsea are in third place on goal difference. Omari Kellyman is out with a hamstring injury, while Levi Colwill, Malo Gusto, Wesley Fofana, Romeo Lavia, Cole Palmer and Jadon Sancho are doubtful.

Prediction: 0-2

Arsenal v Nottingham Forest (11am)

Arsenal had just one win in their previous five matches before the international break. Kieran Tierney and Takehiro Tomiyasu are out with hamstring and knee injuries respectively, while Ben White, Riccardo Calafiori, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka are doubtful.

Nottingham Forest are trying to go unbeaten in their first six away top-flight league games for the first time since 1996. Danilo is out with an ankle injury, while Ibrahim Sangare and Elliot Anderson are doubtful.

Prediction: 2-2

Aston Villa v Crystal Palace (11am)

Aston Villa have taken just one win in six league games, losing to Spurs and Liverpool before the break. Matt Cash, Ross Barkley, Boubacar Kamara, Jacob Ramsey, Ian Maatsen and Pau Torres are doubtful this week.

Crystal Palace beat Tottenham but failed to win their next two to remain in the relegation zone. Daichi Kamada is suspended for three games. Chadi Riad, Matheus Franca, Adam Wharton and Eddie Nketiah are out with Franco Umeh-Chibueze, Eberechi Eze and Jefferson Lerma doubtful.

Prediction: 3-1

Bournemouth v Brighton & Hove Albion (11am)

Bournemouth squandered the lead twice to lose at Brentford last time out. Ryan Christie is suspended and Alex Scott and Luis Sinisterra are out to knee and hamstring injuries respctively. Dango Ouattara and Antoine Semenyo are doubtful.

Brighton stunned Manchester City in their last match as head coach Fabian Hurzeler passed his first test against Pep Guardiola. James Milner is out with a hamstring injury, while Lewis Dunk, Adam Webster, Solly March, Yankuba Minteh, Tariq Lamptey, Ferdi Kadioglu, Carlos Baleba and Jack Hinshelwood are doubtful

Prediction: 2-2

Everton v Brentford (11am)

Everton have suffered just one loss in their last seven league games after losing their first four matches. Seamus Coleman, James Garner, Tim Iroegbunam and Youssef Chermiti are out, while Armando Broja, Jarrad Branthwaite and Dwight McNeil are doubtful.

Brentford have the second-worst away record in the division, failing to win their first five matches on the road and scoring the second-fewest goals. Aaron Hickey and Josh Dasilva are out with Kristoffer Ajer, Rico Henry, Gustavo Nunes, Igor Thiago, Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa doubtful.

Prediction: 1-0

Fulham v Wolverhampton Wanderers (11am)

Fulham went into the break with consecutive victories over Crystal Palace and Brentford to climb into the top seven and are just one point behind third-placed Chelsea. Sasa Lukic is doubtful with a shoulder injury for the Cottagers.

Wolves jumped off the bottom with their first win of the season over Southampton before the international hiatus. Yerson Mosquera, Boubacar Traore, Enso Gonzalez and Sasa Kalajdzic are out with knee injuries, while Bastien Meupiyou, Hwang Hee-Chan and Pablo Sarabia are doubtful.

Prediction: 3-1

Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur (1.30pm)

Manchester City have lost four straight matches for the first time since 2006, but head coach Pep Guardiola has signed a one-year contract extension with the option for a further year.

Oscar Bobb and Rodri are out through injury, while Ruben Dias, John Stones, Nathan Ake, Manuel Akanji, Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, Jeremy Doku, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Matheus Nunes and Nico O’Reilly are doubtful.

Spurs are the entertainers of the English top flight with the second-best goal difference and most goals scored, but they have kept just two clean sheets in 11 matches. Rodrigo Bentancur is suspended until Boxing Day for racist language, while Wilson Odobert and Richarlison are out with hamstring injuries. Micky van de Ven, Pape Matar Sarr and Mikey Moore are doubtful.

Prediction: 1-2

Sunday

Southampton v Liverpool (10am)

Southampton remain bottom despite their first win of the season against Everton. Gavin Bazunu, Will Smallbone and Ross Stewart are out to various injuries, while Aaron Ramsdale and Ryan Fraser are doubtful.

Liverpool are having an incredible start and are yet to fail a test this campaign, taking down Arsenal, Chelsea and Aston Villa and losing just one of their first 16 games in all competitions. Diogo Jota is out with a rib injury, while Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Federico Chiesa and Harvey Elliott are doubtful.

Prediction: 0-4

Ipswich Town v Manchester United (12.30pm)

Ipswich pulled off an excellent display to grab their first victory at Tottenham last time. Chiedozie Ogbene is out with an Achilles injury, while Jacob Greaves, Nathan Broadhead, Wes Burns and Jack Taylor are doubtful.

Manchester United are entering a new era under head coach Ruben Amorim. Tyrell Malacia, Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw, Leny Yoro, Kobbie Mainoo, Lisandro Martinez and Casemiro are doubtful for the debut of the Portuguese coach.

Prediction: 1-3

Monday

Newcastle United v West Ham United (4pm)

Newcastle went into the break with consecutive wins to climb into eighth spot. Dan Burn is suspended and Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles are out with knee injuries. Kieran Trippier, Callum Wilson, Emil Krafth and Anthony Gordon are doubtful.

West Ham have taken seven of their 12 points this season in their last five games. Mohamed Kudus is suspended for two more games, while Nicklas Fullkrug is still out with an Achilles injury.

Prediction: 2-0