Table-toppers Leicester City will attempt to take a huge step towards the Premier League title when they travel to relegation-threatened Sunderland on Sunday afternoon.
With Tottenham Hotspur not in action until later in the day, victory for Leicester at the Stadium of Light would move them 10 points clear at the summit and leave Sunderland planted inside the relegation zone in the process.
Sunderland
© Getty ImagesSunderland supporters are well used to battling relegation at this stage of the season and although they can draw on their experiences from last term, another poor result this weekend would leave Sam Allardyce's team in deep trouble.
As it stands, the Black Cats sit 18th in the Premier League table on 27 points. They are two points ahead of 19th-placed Newcastle United, but now four points behind the safety of 17th position. That said, that gap could become seven by the time they step onto the field, with Norwich City facing Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon.
Just six wins have arrived in Sunderland's 31 league matches, while they have suffered 16 defeats. Four of their league victories this season have come on home soil, however, and they will actually enter this match, strangely, off the back of a four-game unbeaten run in the league.
The problem, however, is that each of their last four in the league have finished level. They drew at home to Crystal Palace at the start of last month, before picking up away points at both Southampton and Newcastle United. Last weekend's home game with West Bromwich Albion was branded must-win, but a poor contest finished 0-0.
Only once in their history have Sunderland drawn five Premier League games in a row (September/October 2010) and they have only won one of their last 10 in the league, which has left them in deep trouble and facing a return to the Championship for the first time since the 2006-07 campaign.
Next weekend, Sunderland will make the trip to fellow strugglers Norwich, before welcoming Arsenal and travelling to Stoke City before the end of the month. May opens with a home game against Chelsea, before they host Everton and visit Watford in their last two.
There are some tough games in that run and if the gap does indeed become seven points by the end of this weekend, it is difficult to imagine Allardyce pulling off the escape this time around.
Recent form: WLDDDD
Leicester
© Getty ImagesOn Sunday, Leicester will go in search of their fifth straight league win, knowing that another three points would see them open up a very healthy lead over second-placed Spurs with just five games left.
Indeed, victory for the Foxes this weekend would see them move 10 points clear of Spurs, who will welcome in-form Manchester United in Sunday's 4pm start. Third-placed Arsenal will have the chance to move within eight of Leicester when they travel to West Ham United on Saturday, but the Foxes' main focus will be on pulling clear of the team in second spot.
Incredibly, last weekend's home win over Southampton was Leicester's fourth straight 1-0 victory in the league. They have never kept five consecutive clean sheets in the Premier League and their strength at the back in recent weeks is in stark contrast to their form earlier this season, when they were simply out-scoring their opponents.
Claudio Ranieri's side have only lost three times in the league this season and recorded 20 victories, which is three more than both Spurs and Arsenal. They have hit 55 goals in the top flight and their strong defensive form since the turn of the year now sees them boast the fourth-best defensive record in the division.
Unsurprisingly, Leicester also have both the best home form and the best away form in the league this season, with 10 victories and four draws from their 16 on the road helping them collect 34 points. Even if they fail to lift the title, they are almost certainly guaranteed a top-four finish, which is a remarkable achievement in itself.
After this match, Leicester face back-to-back home games against West Ham and Swansea City, before travelling to Manchester United at the start of next month. They then host Everton, before playing away to Chelsea on the final weekend of the season.
Their last three are very tough, but Ranieri's side have room for manoeuvre as they chase down what would be the unlikeliest of titles for a team that battled against the drop last season.
Recent form: WDWWWW
Team News
© AFPDuncan Watmore remains Sunderland's only long-term absentee, leaving head coach Allardyce with almost a full selection to choose from once again this weekend.
Jack Rodwell is pushing for a spot in the middle of the park, but it seems likely that Allardyce will keep with the same team that drew with West Brom last weekend, leaving Fabio Borini and Wahbi Khazri wide of Jermain Defoe.
John O'Shea, meanwhile, is expected to continue on the bench, with Younes Kaboul keeping his spot alongside Lamine Kone at the heart of the defence.
As for Leicester, Matty James is still on the sidelines, but like Sunderland, the Foxes have had no fitness concerns this week and as a result, Ranieri is not expected to make any changes from his usual selection.
Jeffrey Schlupp is expected to return to the squad after missing the clash with Southampton last weekend, but the left-sided attacker will start on the bench unless there is a late withdrawal from Ranieri's first-choice XI.
Sunderland possible starting lineup:
Mannone; Yedlin, Kone, Kaboul, Van Aanholt; Khaziri, M'Vila, Kirchhoff, Cattermole, Borini; Defoe
Leicester possible starting lineup:
Schmeichel; Simpson, Huth, Morgan, Fuchs; Mahrez, Drinkwater, Kante, Albrighton; Vardy, Okazaki
Head To Head
In total, these two teams have clashed on 81 occasions in all competitions. Leicester have recorded 31 wins, Sunderland 29, while the remaining 21 fixtures have finished level.
Sunderland's 4-2 defeat to Leicester on the opening weekend of the season, however, was their first loss against the Foxes in eight league matches and the Black Cats have won four times during that run.
Leicester have also managed just one goal in their last five Premier League visits to Sunderland and two of the last three league meetings between the two sides have finished 0-0.
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We say: Sunderland 1-1 Leicester
Leicester have not been at their free-flowing best in recent weeks, but title victories are built on 1-0 wins and they have been grinding out important results over the last month. Sunderland are fighting for their lives, however, and have shown defensive improvement since the start of March. Leicester will start as the favourites, but we fancy the Black Cats to nick a point.
