Teams around the bottom will be keen to ensure they do not enter the six-week World Cup break sat in the relegation zone. Leeds United, Wolves and Nottingham Forest are the sides currently sat in the bottom three, and have just three more fixtures to ensure that does not remain the case.
The Whites are currently the division's most out-of-form team having accumulated just two points from their last eight matches. Leeds are set for a difficult run of matches ahead of the World Cup, though, and so with that in mind, here is a comparison with the rest of the bottom five.
16th – Southampton
Crystal Palace (A)
Newcastle United (H)
Liverpool (A)
Ralph Hasenhuttl may have just bought himself some more time in the dugout at St. Mary's after a four-point haul from Bournemouth and Arsenal this week. They face a tough run in the lead-up to the World Cup break, though, with trips to Crystal Palace and Liverpool - both of whom are in form on home soil, as well as a clash against fourth-place Newcastle.
READ MORE: Alan Shearer criticises Leeds United defensive concentration levels in Fulham defeat
17th – Leicester City
Man City (H)
Everton (A)
West Ham (A)
Leicester may have just kicked their season into action with a 4-0 win over Wolves to build on their 2-0 victory at home to Leeds. Those results could be particularly crucial given they host Man City next, before away matches at Everton and West Ham, who are always strong at home.
18th – Leeds
Liverpool (A)
Bournemouth (H)
Tottenham (A)
This time last week, Leeds will have targeted six points from fixtures with Leicester and Fulham. In actual fact the Whites have come away with none and the pressure is now very much on Jesse Marsch.
But life really does not get any easier for the American as Leeds face trips to both Liverpool and Spurs before the World Cup break. That home clash with Bournemouth sandwiched in between those two matches really could be make or break.
19th – Wolves
Brentford (A)
Brighton (H)
Arsenal (H)
Even after their poor start to the season, no one could have foreseen a 4-0 win for Leicester at Molineux on Sunday. With interim boss Steve Davis already confirmed to be taking charge until 2023, these next three matches look vital.
They will certainly feel capable of targeting points from Brentford and Brighton, ahead of a difficult home game with Arsenal.
20th – Nottingham Forest
Arsenal (A)
Brentford (H)
Crystal Palace (H)
Forest could very much have found themselves cut adrift had it not been for an impressive four-point haul from Brighton and Liverpool. Though a trip to Arsenal is to come next, that could very much give them a platform to build on in consecutive home games with Brentford and Palace.
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