No Sunday Football: How the FA Cup Bent Matchweek 34 Out of Shape
Matchweek 34 already feels different before a ball is kicked, and the main reason is simple: there are no Premier League games on Sunday. That gap in the calendar is a knock-on effect of the FA Cup semi-finals, which forced the league to shuffle its schedule. Fixtures involving Manchester City and Chelsea were originally pencilled in for the Sunday TV slots but had to move once both clubs reached the last four of the cup, leaving broadcasters without their usual Sunday double-header. Instead, the league has been squeezed into Friday, Saturday and Monday, with City’s focus on the FA Cup also postponing their league meeting with Crystal Palace. For fans, it means a condensed binge of Premier League action wrapped around Wembley’s showpiece, and a rare football-free Sunday afternoon at domestic top-flight level.
Arsenal vs Newcastle: A Strange Chance to Seize the Premier League Title Race
The Premier League title race pivots around Arsenal vs Newcastle at the Emirates, with Manchester City busy at Wembley. Arsenal and City are level on 70 points and share a +37 goal difference, but City lead the Premier League table on goals scored, having netted three more than Mikel Arteta’s side. With City not in league action this weekend, Arsenal can reclaim top spot with at least a draw and move three points clear if they win. They will also play again before City return to Premier League duty, meaning a potential six-point cushion is in their hands, even if City would hold games in hand. The Gunners’ form has wobbled badly, with just one win in six across competitions, yet they are boosted by the return of Bukayo Saka to the squad and Newcastle’s alarming slump, including eight defeats in their last 11 league matches.
Liverpool vs Crystal Palace: Goalkeeper Crisis Meets Champions League Spots Pressure
Liverpool vs Crystal Palace at Anfield is less about the title and more about Champions League spots. Arne Slot’s team have collected 16 points from their last eight league games, putting them in a strong position to secure a top-five finish and a return to Europe’s elite competition. However, a goalkeeping crisis clouds this key fixture. Giorgi Mamardashvili is sidelined for several weeks and Alisson Becker is still battling to return from a hamstring problem, leaving experienced third-choice Freddie Woodman as the only fully fit senior goalkeeper. Slot insists Woodman’s international youth honours and extensive league experience mean he is ready if called upon. Palace arrive with European ambitions of their own and a record that makes them awkward visitors, having avoided defeat on their last three league trips to Anfield and already beaten Liverpool in both league and cup this season.
Spurs, West Ham and the Battle Beneath the Elite
While the Premier League title race and Champions League spots dominate headlines, the battle beneath is just as tense. Tottenham, astonishingly stuck in 18th, head to relegated Wolves needing a win to lift themselves out of the final relegation spot and salvage a season that has unravelled. They remain winless in the league since December and are two points from safety with five games left, heaping huge pressure on Roberto De Zerbi and a squad that is visibly short on confidence. West Ham, meanwhile, are simultaneously fighting for European qualification and looking nervously over their shoulder, with the mid-table pack tightly compressed. A single matchday swing could change everything: Spurs climbing towards safety, West Ham slipping away from a Europa place, or vice versa. For neutrals, it’s a weekend where every goal in the lower half could reshape next season’s European landscape.
Odds, Predictions and How to Watch a Packed, TV-Heavy Weekend
From a betting and viewing perspective, this odd Matchweek 34 is tailor-made for armchair fans. Pundits see Arsenal as clear favourites at home to a beleaguered Newcastle, especially with their historic dominance in N5 and the return of key players, while the broader title odds still lean towards City thanks to their experience and games in hand. At Anfield, some analysts view Liverpool vs Crystal Palace as a potential banana skin, given Palace’s unbeaten recent run at the ground and the hosts’ injuries, with scoreline predictions hovering around a cagey draw. Whatever you back, remember to gamble responsibly and view bets as entertainment, not income. On TV, Sky Sports and TNT Sports share the key live Premier League slots across Friday, Saturday and Monday, with discovery+ also streaming selected matches, allowing fans to plan a near wall-to-wall football marathon despite the unusual Sunday blackout.
