Crystal Palace v Everton (15:00 GMT)

"The contrast in current fortunes for these two clubs couldn't be greater. When Alan Pardew led Newcastle to victory over Everton in his last game in charge, Crystal Palace were in the bottom three, six places and five points behind Saturday's opponents.

"Everton haven't won since, while Palace have won all four league and cup matches under their new manager. They meet this weekend level on points in the table.

"Suddenly there is a completely different feel about Palace. Pardew is back home - and he looks at home. He appears reinvigorated and at ease, and his new team have certainly responded.

"After the top-five finish last season, expectation - rightly or wrongly - was always going to be raised at Everton, but they couldn't have envisaged their current predicament."

Liverpool v West Ham (15:00 GMT)

"Liverpool fans will look forward to the prospect of welcoming back Daniel Sturridge with open arms after his lengthy absence because of injury. It's almost five months since he last played and it sounds as though we may see him at some point on Saturday.

"West Ham's tally of 36 points from 22 games is a far cry from last season's struggles and constitutes their strongest campaign so far in the Premier League. They travel to Liverpool after beating Hull and Bristol City without conceding in their last two outings, hoping to turn the club's wretched record at Anfield on its head.

"They're without a win there in the league for over 50 years and have only ever won three times in 56 league visits.

"Rarely will they have travelled with a better chance of a decent result than this season, but Liverpool are unbeaten in six in the league and have not lost at home since the Chelsea game in early November."

Man Utd v Leicester (15:00 GMT)

"Manchester United sit fourth and are ready to fight for a return to the Champions League, whilst Leicester remain bottom and will have to scrap hard to avoid a return to the Championship - yet it's Foxes fans who appear to have more reasons to be cheerful right now.

"They've seen their side win three of their last four games and four of the last six in all competitions, with the FA Cup helping to boost those stats and confidence with two victories over fellow Premier League teams.

"Manchester United's failure to score against - or unduly trouble - League Two side Cambridge United in the FA Cup last weekend caused much grumbling amongst their support, and led many to re-assess the team's rate of progress under Louis van Gaal.

"Statistics don't lie - but they can distort reality (if that's not the same thing!), and the general view seems to be that United haven't been as good as only two defeats in 17 league games since losing at Leicester would suggest."

Stoke v QPR (15:00 GMT)

"Just two defeats in their last 10 matches would point to a pretty solid outfit that will stay up with ease. They might even notch up a highest top-flight finish since they were fifth 40 years ago.

"But it still wouldn't surprise me to see a Crouch goal settle this against the team he supported as a boy. I've seen QPR wilt away too often to have any confidence in their ability to keep a clean sheet.

"My concern for them is immediate. Unless they start winning away, they'll go down. Only one top-flight side has ever stayed up after losing their first 10 away matches - Sunderland 50 years ago."

Sunderland v Burnley (15:00 GMT)

"Games at the Stadium of Light have given home supporters little to cheer. They've witnessed just one league win all season, the worst record in the division, and with the next three visitors being Burnley, QPR and West Brom, Black Cats season ticket holders will be demanding an improvement.

"Burnley will once again arrive without anything like that level of pressured expectation. They have also had a full two weeks to rejuvenate aching limbs and to rid themselves of the disappointment of succumbing to Crystal Palace last time out.

"Only goal difference separates the two sides, while only a point keeps the pair above the drop zone. It all suggests a nervy and largely unpredictable afternoon - nothing new then for those loyal Sunderland regulars."

West Brom v Tottenham (15:00 GMT)

"I smiled when I read how Ben Foster described the Tony Pulis regime as "brutal"; the England goalkeeper, I'm sure, was smiling too for he knows that the club is getting the wake-up call it so badly needed.

"Pulis will allow no rest days, no slacking off, and it should surprise no-one that the Baggies are unbeaten in four games since he took over from Alan Irvine, sad though I was at seeing the Scot lose his job.

"Spurs might be out of the FA Cup and were given quite a scare in the League Cup the other night at Bramall Lane but now they have a Wembley final to look forward to.

"With their Europa League campaign not due to resume for a couple of weeks, they can concentrate on finding the momentum to mount a league challenge that still holds out the dizzying possibility of a top four place."

Liverpool v West Ham (15:00 GMT)

Striker Daniel Sturridge has been named on the bench for Liverpool in today's game against West Ham after almost five months out with a thigh injury. Steven Gerrard, meanwhile, is not included in the Reds' squad.

Man Utd v Leicester (15:00 GMT)

Adnan Januzaj makes his first Premier League start since November for Manchester United, who host Leicester City. Striker Radamel Falcao also starts.

Full team news from all the 15:00 GMT kick-offs to follow shortly.