Everton’s attempts to avoid a disastrous relegation into the Championship could receive another helping hand with victory over Aston Villa this weekend.

Sean Dyche’s arrival has given The Toffees a real boost, his highly-structured 4-1-4-1 helping them to two 1-0 home victories to help them move outside of the relegation zone for the first time since in 2023. They take on an Aston Villa side that have already done the hard work of pulling themselves away from trouble but will be keen to stop the rot after three consecutive defeats during which they have conceded 11 goals.

One side are scrapping their way to survival, the other are looking for a return to winning ways. Neither are going to want to let the other build ahead of steam here and I’m looking at Emi Buendia in particular. His job under Emery has been to help lead the press and cover central areas, a job he takes seriously – he has committed a foul in 11 of his 12 matches since Steven Gerrard’s departure in mid-October and at least two on seven occasions.

He will be tasked with denying Everton the chance to build ahead of steam so Amadou Onana, Idrissa Gueye and Abdoulaye Doucoure will need to watch their heels. They are the beating heart of this new-look Everton side and have been fouled four, five and three times since Dyche’s arrival. In those three games, forwards or central midfielders have committed nine fouls against Everton.

A game with huge implications in the race for survival as a hapless Leeds outfit in 19th hosts dwindling Southampton in 20th.

Leeds United come into this fixture having not won any of their nine league matches since returning from the World Cup break while Southampton have managed two wins in their last 11 – they have lost the other nine.

The bookies have latched onto Leeds United’s gritty midfield. However, James Ward-Prowse is a nice price to commit a foul at 1.44. While the free-kick expert may look harmless, there is a nastier side to his game coming out recently with him committing a foul in each of his last seven matches. He is going to be in the thick of the action here.

There is the element of Ward-Prowse needing to get on top of the midfield battle against combative Americans Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie. Then there is the need to cover his teenage midfield partner Lavia and the areas vacated by their full-backs, who will need to provide width in their narrow 4-2-2-2 system.

Leeds’s attacking midfield trio are regularly fouled, such is the directness of their play. Wilfried Gnonto has been fouled two or more times in nine of his last ten matches. Brendan Aaronson has been fouled in his last six league starts and two or more times in five of those. Crysencio Summerville has been fouled in his last seven appearances, two or more times in six of those.

Manchester United’s midfield pairing committed five fouls against Leeds United. Idrissa Gueye committed a foul for Everton. Nottingham Forest’s midfield committed five fouls. Clearly, there is scope for midfielders committing fouls against Leeds United and as the experienced head, Ward-Prowse may need to make one or two himself to protect his team.

The last time Arsenal came this close to the title, Leicester City were the side in the ascendancy and won the race. The situation is a little different this time with Arsenal’s destiny in their own hands and the Foxes sat in 14th place, pulling away from the bottom three after two wins and a draw in their last four matches.

If Leicester City are going to get a result here, they’re going to rely upon the attacking trident of Harvey Barnes, James Maddison and new arrival Tete, who love running at the opposition. Maddison has been fouled at least twice in each of his four games since returning to the side after injury and fouled in every league game he has played with the exception of one. Tete has been fouled in all three of his league matches. Barnes has been fouled in five of his last seven. Further back, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall in four of his last five matches.

While Arsenal do a good job of stopping teams at source, somebody will be tasked with stopping Leicester’s attack when they get into the final third and I think Granit Xhaka is the man to back here.

The Swiss midfielder has committed an average of 0.8 fouls per 90 across the season but has improved that tally in recent weeks, committing a foul in six of his last seven starts. As part of the midfield two, he will be responsible for stopping James Maddison and also protecting his left-back when the left-footed Tete cuts inside from the right.

Another big clash towards the bottom of the table as 18th place West Ham United host 13th place Nottingham Forest, knowing a victory would move them to within three points of their visitors.

There is likely to be a very British feel to this game, David Moyes and Steve Cooper often setting up their sides to be well organised and physical in their approach. It means we should see long passes into the feet and chest of target men and some midfield scraps.

My selection is going to be Joe Worrall to commit a foul. The Forest captain has endured a tough time of things this season but has been brought back into the side amid a defensive injury crisis. Worrall has committed a foul in each of his last five league starts.

He will be up against the ever-reliable Michail Antonio, the man West Ham United cannot replace because of what he brings to the team, even when he isn’t scoring goals. Antonio commits fouls but his power and pace also leaves him being dragged to the floor by opponents who can’t handle him. He is fouled 2.1 times per 90 minutes played, including being fouled in seven of his last eight matches and two or more times in six of those eight.

The start of season favourites for relegation up against the start of season favourites for the title. Both are still within a chance of proving the bookies right.

Bournemouth have managed to pull themselves out of the relegation zone with two draws and a win from their last four but face a completely different test here, hoping to avoid a similar result to the one they endured in August.

When it comes to fouls and Manchester City, there are three players to look at: Jack Grealish, Riyad Mahrez and Phil Foden. All are played out wide and asked to stay on the touchline. Grealish has been fouled 3.4 times, Mahrez twice and Foden 1.5 times per 90 minutes played. Grealish has been fouled in all but one league match he has started this season, Mahrez at least twice in five of his last six and Foden five times in his three starts this side of the World Cup break.

In three of Manchester City’s last four matches, the opposition right-back or right wing-back has committed two fouls. I’m therefore backing Adam Smith to commit a foul here. The full-back has committed a foul in seven of his last eight matches and given he will be left in 1 v 1 situations against Grealish or Foden, it stands to reason that he is likely to force the referee to blow his whistle on Saturday.