New Delhi: The Premier League season is hurtling towards its climax, with just three crucial matchdays remaining. As the action from Matchday 36 unfolded tonight, four fixtures kicked off simultaneously. Manchester City, Aston Villa, Chelsea, and Nottingham Forest will all be in action as they look to take the lead in the Champions League qualification spot. From here on, every goal, every point, and goal difference will prove to be decisive.
As the action intensifies, the weekend matches are set to bring more excitement, but before the action begins, let’s take a closer look at which teams hold the upper hand.
Southampton vs Manchester City (7:30 pm IST)
Come on, City! 👊#ManCity pic.twitter.com/R0qUuCngIP
— Manchester City (@ManCity) May 10, 2025
Manchester City is set to travel to St Mary’s tonight to face a relegated Southampton side, aiming to edge closer to a top-five Premier League finish. The Citizens secured a narrow 1-0 win in the reverse fixture and are looking to complete their seventh league double over the Saints. Pep Guardiola’s men are unbeaten in their last nine games across all competitions and have climbed to third, just three points behind second-placed Arsenal. With Champions League qualification still not sealed, a win is within reach.
Meanwhile, Southampton have already been condemned to finish bottom, suffered their 28th defeat last weekend at Leicester. One more loss would see them match the Premier League record for most defeats in a 20-team season. Interim boss Simon Rusk is desperate to avoid more unwanted history, especially after his side dropped a league-high 28 points from winning positions.
City have dominated over the Saints, winning 17 of the last 25 Premier League meetings, but all three losses came at St. Mary’s. With Kevin De Bruyne in form and Southampton fragile, City will be favourites to take all three points and move closer to booking a Champions League spot.
Southampton: Ramsdale; Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Stephens; Walker-Peters, Downes, Ugochukwu, Manning; Fernandes, Sulemana; Onuachu
Man City: Ederson; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly; Gonzalez, Gundogan, Bernardo; Marmoush, Haaland, Doku
Prediction: Southampton 0-3 Manchester City
Fulham vs Everton (7:30 pm IST)
Back in the capital and chasing three points. 🔵 pic.twitter.com/rMMY6RTAi3
— Everton (@Everton) May 10, 2025
Fulham will host Everton at Craven Cottage in a must-win clash as Marco Silva’s side attempt to keep their fading hopes of European football alive. The Cottagers have stumbled at the wrong time having lost six of their last 10 Premier League matches, including a 1-0 setback at the hands of Aston Villa last weekend. That result left Fulham in the bottom half of the table, but with just two points separating them from eighth, a victory could put them right back in the mix if other results go their way.
On the other hand, Everton let a two-goal lead slip at home to relegated Ipswich Town. Despite struggles at Goodison Park, the Toffees have actually fared slightly better on the road and will look to spoil Fulham’s ambitions. However, with just one win in their last 10 visits to London, their prospects remain slim.
Fulham: Leno; Tete, Andersen, Bassey, Robinson; Lukic, Berge; Smith Rowe, Andreas Pereira, Iwobi; Jimenez
Everton: Pickford; Young, O’Brien, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; McNeil, Gueye, Garner, Doucoure, Ndiaye; Beto
Prediction: Fulham 1-1 Everton
Wolves vs Brighton (7:30 pm IST)
Cunha on the cover.
— Wolves (@Wolves) May 10, 2025
Wolves will welcome Brighton to Molineux tonight in a clash with contrasting motivations at either end of the Premier League table. Vitor Pereira’s Wolves side saw their stunning six-game winning run halted last weekend by Manchester City, with a 1-0 defeat at the Etihad ending a streak that had included victories over Manchester United, Tottenham, and West Ham. While Wolves are safe in 13th, they could still slide down the table, but a single goal on Saturday would see them set a new club record for most goals scored in a Premier League season.
On the other hand, Brighton remain in the hunt for European qualification despite a poor run of form. Fabian Hurzeler’s men threw away a lead in last weekend’s 1-1 draw against Newcastle and have now failed to keep a clean sheet in six straight matches. The Seagulls have won just once in their last eight games and have taken only one point from their last three away fixtures.
Still, Brighton boasts a strong record against Wolves, going unbeaten in their last six league meetings and winning an EFL Cup tie earlier this season. With just a one-point gap to eighth place, the Seagulls know a win here could be vital in their bid for Conference League football.
Wolves: Sa; Doherty, Agbadou, Toti; Semedo, Andre, Gomes, Ait-Nouri; Munetsi, Cunha; Larsen
Brighton: Verbruggen; Veltman, Dunk, Van Hecke, Estupinan; Baleba, Ayari; Minteh, O’Riley, Mitoma; Welbeck
Prediction: Wolves 2-2 Brighton
Ipswich Town vs Brentford (7:30 pm IST)
Spending Saturday in Suffolk 🚜 pic.twitter.com/j0ChFRZZvw
— Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) May 10, 2025
Ipswich Town and Brentford will square off in a Premier League fixture tonight at Portman Road. The home side will look to build on last week’s performance as they bounced back from 2-0 down to draw away with Everton. Tractor Boys have managed to collect more than twice as many points on the road this season, but two of their last three fixtures will take place at Portman Road, where they have suffered 10 defeats in their last 11 fixtures. Ipswich will look to end their longest losing streak in their league history and give a blow to the Bees.
Meanwhile, Brentford are making a late push for European qualification, having won their last three fixtures. They claimed maximum points in a seven-goal thriller at Old Trafford against Manchester United. Thomas Frank’s side currently sits in ninth place, just one point behind eighth-placed Bournemouth. The Bees have scored four or more goals in eight league games this season, more than any other team and are now one win away from recording their highest-ever Premier League win tally. As they travel to Ipswich for the first time since 2018, Brentford can take confidence from losing just one of their last 10 meetings.
Ipswich Town: Palmer; Tuanzebe, O’Shea, Burgess, Greaves; Morsy, Cajuste; Hutchinson, Chaplin, Enciso; Delap
Brentford: Flekken; Kayode, Collins, Van den Berg, Lewis-Potter; Jensen, Norgaard, Damsgaard; Mbeumo, Wissa, Schade
Prediction: Ipswich Town 1-3 Brentford
Bournemouth vs Aston Villa (10 pm IST)
IT’S MATCHDAY 👊 COME ON YOU VILLA 💜 pic.twitter.com/gtNUNeDQiE
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) May 10, 2025
Bournemouth and Aston Villa will look to take one more step toward their aspiration of booking a Champions League spot at the expense of each other when they meet at the Vitality Stadium. The Cherries revitalised their hunt for a European berth by beating Arsenal 2-1 last weekend, while the Villans bounced back from two successive defeats with a 1-0 win over Fulham at Villa Park. Bournemouth’s eighth-place ranking may suffice for Conference League qualification if the outcomes of the knockout competitions go their way.
After Aston Villa’s FA Cup hopes crashed and burned in disappointing fashion, the Fulham fixture provided some much-needed relief. The Villans now have a one-point gap to make up to Nottingham Forest, while sitting just three points behind Chelsea and Newcastle United as the battle for a top-five finish heats up. Villa will be eager to secure all three points as they aim to bounce back from unsuccessful trips to the Etihad and Wembley.
Bournemouth: Kepa; Araujo, Zabarnyi, Huijsen, Kerkez; Adams, Cook; Semenyo, Kluivert, Tavernier; Evanilson
Aston Villa: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne; Kamara, Onana; McGinn, Rogers, Ramsey; Watkins
Prediction: Bournemouth 2-2 Aston Villa
Where to watch Premier League Matchday 36 fixtures?
As Premier League Matchday 36 kicks off today at 7:30 pm, fans can watch the action live either on television or by streaming. The matches will be available on the Star Sports network and those who prefer to stream can catch the games live on Disney+ Hotstar.
Check out the detailed preview and predicted lineups of Premier League Matchday 36 Saturday fixtures, where top teams prepare for intense battles. Also, find out where to watch the Premier League’s matchday 36 fixtures. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
