Manchester United will move into the top four if they avoid defeat against relegation-threatened West Ham United at Old Trafford on Wednesday.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side currently sit fifth – level with fourth-place Leicester City on 62 points and three points ahead of sixth-place Wolves.
Man Utd’s remarkable 19-game unbeaten run in all competitions was finally brought to an end by Chelsea on Sunday.
The Red Devils were outplayed by the Blues in their FA Cup semi-final clash, while some questionable goalkeeping from David De Gea allowed Olivier Giroud and Mason mount to score either side of half time.
Harry Maguire then scored an own goal to make it 3-0, before Bruno Fernandes netted a late penalty to snatch a consolation for the hosts.
Still, Man Utd remain unbeaten in their previous 12 league outings – eight wins, four draws – and now have the opportunity to break into the top four for the first time since September.
At the other end of the table, West Ham find themselves sixteenth. Their superior goal difference means they should avoid relegation, but they are still not mathematically safe.
A dismal run of one win in 11 games between January and June left the Hammers in real trouble, but three wins and a draw in their previous five outings have all but secured their safety.
David Moyes’ men kicked off their impressive run with a 3-2 victory over Chelsea before drawing with Newcastle. After losing to Burnley, back-to-back wins against relegation-rivals Norwich and Watford have guided the club clear of the drop zone.
West Ham’s recent revival has been led by Michail Antonio. The in-form forward has racked up seven goals and one assist in his last five appearances.
Head-to-head: Believe it or not, West Ham actually beat Man Utd earlier in the season. The Hammers claiming a 2-0 victory in the reverse fixture back in September.
However, it’s fair to say that Man Utd have enjoyed playing West Ham in recent years. The Red Devils have only lost two of their last eight meetings with the Hammers – winning four and drawing two.
Team news: Man Utd will be without defensive quartet Luke Shaw, Axel Tuanzebe, Eric Bailly, and Phil Jones for the visit of West Ham.
The away side are expecting to miss injured duo Robert Snodgrass and Ryan Fredericks for the remainder of the season, but there are no fresh injury worries for the Hammers.
Sure, West Ham need a point to guarantee their safety. But Man Utd have their own business to take care of on Wednesday.
Forebet predicts that Man Utd will continue their high-scoring form by netting over 2.5 goals on their way to victory over West Ham.