With Arsenal the only top six side to match Chelsea in taking maximum points, the Blues have once again opened up an eight-point advantage over the now second place Gunners while at the other end of the table Swansea City jumped from the cellar to outside of the relegation zone when they pulled off the upset of the season in a 3-2 triumph over Liverpool. With Chelsea facing a trip to Anfield in Matchday 23 of the English Premier League followed by a visit from second place Arsenal only three days later, the title race may very well be decided in the coming week with only a five-team fight for the remaining three Champions League places to possibly remain. Can the Blues take a major step towards their second title in the last three years? Tune in to find out with all of the action available live on the NBC family of networks or online at NBC Live Extra.

Tuesday (all times eastern)

2:45pm – Tottenham @ Sunderland – Stadium of Light, NBC Live Extra

Tottenham battled back from two goals down in the second half to grab a share of the points and keep their seven-game unbeaten run, and their potentially fading title hopes, alive in a 2-2 draw with Manchester City in their weekend showdown. With Chelsea facing a difficult road test, they will hope to gain ground on the league leaders when they travel to the Stadium of Light for a meeting with Sunderland, who remained bottom of the table and three points from safety when they lost for the fourth time in their last five league games (D1) against the once again in form West Brom 2-0.

Time is desperately running short for the Black Cats to mount another “Great Escape” and with points historically tough to come by against Tottenham - with Spurs failing to walk away with points in only five of their thirty-one all time league meetings and taking all three points in twenty-one of those matches and ten of their last thirteen encounters (D3) although four of the five losses did come at the Stadium of Light which should provide some hope to this week’s relegation favorites – they will have one eye on the weekend when they will square off with relegation rivals Crystal Palace with the loser likely to go down.

3pm – Chelsea @ Liverpool – Anfield, NBC Sports Network

Following their 2-0 victory over Hull City, which remained a little too close for comfort until Gary Cahill officially put the game to bed in the 81st minute to send a collective sigh of relief throughout Stamford Bridge, Chelsea can put one hand on the league trophy when they travel to Anfield for a showdown with the reeling Liverpool, with the loss to Swansea only the beginning of their woes in a dreadful week that also saw them crash out of both the EFL Cup and the FA Cup marking their first losses at home in the last twelve months and desperate for answers ahead of their most important game of the season.

Sitting ten points back of Chelsea and with only one win from seven across all competitions since the New Year, anything but all three points against the Blues will leave them with only a spot in the top four to chase for the remainder of the season. Liverpool have managed to avoid defeat in their last four league meetings with the Blues, coming out winners in two of those affairs, however prior to their recent success were winless in their previous eight encounters (L4 D4) and in their last five meetings matchups at Anfield (L3 D2) across all competitions.

Wednesday (all times eastern)

2:45pm – Manchester City @ West Ham United – London Stadium, NBC Sports Network

While Manchester City will feel as though they left points on the table, the result with Tottenham was at least a step in the right direction for Pep Guardiola’s side as they continue to navigate a run of poor form that has left them on the outside looking in on the five-team fight for a spot in next seasons Champions League. They will head to the London Stadium for a mid-week clash with West Ham United, winners of four of their last six league matches following 3-1 victory over Middlesbrough which moved the Hammers back into the top half of the table for the first time this season.

A visit from Manchester City is not always a welcome sight and indeed West Ham have struggled against the Citizens, running out winners in only three of their previous twenty-four meetings across all competitions although all three victories did come in their visits to the capital, but the matchup will prove a much needed distraction from the daily ongoing Dimitri Payet saga, with the French midfielder who took the league by storm last season refusing to play another game in a West Ham jersey as he tries to force a move away from the club before the close of the January transfer window.

West Ham vs. Manchester City - Over 3 (-108)

3 units

a push at worst...in the first half.

Good call, Matt. Hope you are well!

and thanks to you and msu for the winner!

WINNER

26-25-4 (+13.51) YTD

Good to see you Kent. Know you are loving national signing day!

NSD was pretty uneventful for us Dawgs. Was hoping to flip Aubrey Solomon after he decommitted from Michigan, but no luck. Harbaugh was down here last week riding Go Carts with him. I guess that was the deal-sealer. Go Falcons!!