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Bournemouth, Leicester, Burnley face key fixtures this weekend

The Cherries are pursuing Premier League survival while Brendan Rodgers bids for Champions League football.

Two of this weekend's three Premier League matches could have a significant impact on Bournemouth, Leicester and Burnley's immediate futures.

Here the PA news agency looks at some of the issues.

D-Day for Bournemouth

Bournemouth effectively need two wins to safeguard their Premier League future
Bournemouth effectively need two wins to safeguard their Premier League future (Andy Couldridge/NMC Pool)

Time has almost run out on the Cherries' five-year top-flight stay and anything less than two wins from their final two matches is likely to see them return to the Sky Bet Championship. With an inferior goal difference to the teams they are looking to overhaul at the last minute, Eddie Howe's side cannot afford to drop any points but, bizarrely, they would probably prefer to play south-coast neighbours Southampton at St Mary's on Sunday rather than at home. Southampton's away record is joint fourth-best in the league but they have lost 10 games at home. However, Bournemouth's last outing at the Vitality Stadium produced a surprise 4-1 win over Leicester so that is the hope they can hold on to.

Foxes need to get ahead in the hunt

Can Jamie Vardy fire Leicester into Champions League qualification pole position and secure himself the Golden Boot?
Can Jamie Vardy fire Leicester into Champions League qualification pole position and secure himself the Golden Boot? (Jason Cairnduff/NMC Pool)

Leicester also badly need a good win to give them the advantage heading into their final-day potential Champions League decider at home to Manchester United. United's FA Cup semi-final involvement with Chelsea gives Brendan Rodgers' side the chance to move back into third place with a victory at Tottenham and boost their chances of staying ahead of United, albeit only on goal difference, ahead of their winner-takes-all clash next weekend. Thursday's morale-boosting win against Sheffield United came at exactly the right time as Tottenham's upturn in form – taking 10 points from the last 12 – makes the trip to London more difficult. If Foxes striker Jamie Vardy needs any more incentive, a couple more goals should guarantee him the Golden Boot as he currently has a three-goal lead over Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Southampton's Danny Ings (both on 20).

Dyche in the shop window?

Burnley manager Sean Dyche has worked wonders on limited resources again
Burnley manager Sean Dyche has worked wonders on limited resources again (Michael Steele/NMC Pool)

Can Sean Dyche maintain Burnley's against-the-odds late-season rally? While the chances of European qualification are remote, barring an unlikely set of results elsewhere, the run the Clarets have been on since the restart has highlighted once again what a master Dyche is a getting the most out of limited resources. That has been his modus operandi since they have been in the Premier League but having lost a number of players due to contract complications following the break in the season, three wins and three draws in their last six matches – including almost snatching an historic victory at Anfield – represents an impressive haul. With speculation surrounding his future he could add another top-half Premier League finish to his CV.

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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool16123137162139
2Chelsea17105237191835
3Arsenal1796234161833
4Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest179442319431
5Bournemouth178452721628
6Aston Villa178452626028
7Manchester CityMan City178362925427
8Newcastle UnitedNewcastle177552721626
9Fulham176742422225
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton176742726125
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1772839251423
12Brentford177283232023
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd176472122-122
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham175572230-820
15Everton163761421-716
16Crystal Palace173771826-816
17Leicester CityLeicester173592137-1614
18Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1733112740-1312
19Ipswich TownIpswich172691632-1612
20Southampton1713131136-256


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