The January transfer window is wide open, the air is freezing, and the Premier League schedule for this weekend is honestly a bit of a nightmare for managers. We are deep in that part of the season where the "winter break" feels like a distant myth. Players are tired. The AFCON (Africa Cup of Nations) has gutted half the squads in the league. If you’re looking at the fixtures and thinking it's just another Saturday, you're missing the subtext. This weekend is about survival.
Arsenal is currently sitting pretty at the top of the table with 49 points, but they’ve got Manchester City and a surprisingly resilient Aston Villa breathing down their necks, both tied at 43. One slip-up at the City Ground on Saturday, and that lead starts to look very fragile.
The Manchester Derby Kicks Things Off
Everything starts with a bang. Saturday, January 17, gives us the Manchester Derby at Old Trafford. It’s an early one—7:30 AM ET if you’re watching in the States on USA Network.
United is in a weird spot. They’re 7th, struggling for consistency, and missing Kobbie Mainoo and Matthijs de Ligt. City, meanwhile, is without Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias. Honestly, derbies in January are usually less about tactical masterclasses and more about who has enough fit hamstrings to last 90 minutes. City needs the win to keep pace with Arsenal; United needs it just to prove they still belong in the "Big Six" conversation.
Saturday’s 10:00 AM ET Chaos
Once the derby wraps up, we hit the traditional Saturday afternoon block. There are five games happening simultaneously at 10:00 AM ET.
Liverpool hosts Burnley at Anfield. On paper? Easy win. But Liverpool is currently missing Mohamed Salah to international duty and Alexander Isak to a broken leg. That’s a massive chunk of their attacking threat gone. Burnley is fighting for their lives at the bottom of the table, and these are exactly the kind of "trap games" that ruin title charges.
Over at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea takes on Brentford. Chelsea just battered Charlton in the cup, but they’re still missing Levi Colwill and have Mykhailo Mudryk out on suspension. Brentford is sitting 5th—yes, 5th—and they are no joke this year.
In North London, Tottenham faces West Ham. This is a massive local rivalry, and Spurs are hurting. Thomas Frank’s side is dealing with a massive injury list including James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski. Jarred Gillett is the man in the middle for this one, and given how high the tempers usually fly in this derby, he’s going to have a long afternoon.
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The other games in this slot see Leeds hosting Fulham and Sunderland—the season's massive surprise package—taking on Crystal Palace. Sunderland is currently 10th after coming up from the Championship, which is basically unheard of.
The Saturday Nightcap
To finish off Saturday, Nottingham Forest welcomes the leaders, Arsenal. It’s a 12:30 PM ET kickoff on NBC. Forest is hovering just above the relegation zone in 17th. They are desperate. Arsenal might be without William Saliba, which would be a huge blow to their defensive stability. If Forest can turn the City Ground into a cauldron, we might see the first major crack in Arsenal’s title bid.
Sunday and Monday: The Long Tail
Sunday, January 18, is a bit quieter but no less important for the European spots.
At 9:00 AM ET, Wolves play Newcastle. Wolves are dead last. Seven points from 21 games. It is grim. Newcastle is 6th and looking to leapfrog Brentford into that 5th spot.
Then at 11:30 AM ET, we get Aston Villa vs. Everton. Unai Emery has Villa flying in 3rd place, tied with Man City. They are legit title contenders this year. Everton is 12th and just trying to stay out of the mud, but they’re missing Jarrad Branthwaite, which makes stopping Villa’s attack a very tall order.
Finally, we have the "Monday Night Football" offering. Brighton vs. Bournemouth at 3:00 PM ET. It’s a battle of the south coast. Both teams are mid-table (11th and 15th), and both are missing key players to AFCON. It’ll be a tactical chess match between two managers who love to keep the ball.
What to Actually Watch For
If you’re planning your weekend around the Premier League schedule for this weekend, keep these three things in mind:
- The AFCON Void: Check the lineups. If your favorite team looks "off," it’s probably because their best winger or holding midfielder is currently in Africa. This affects the rhythm of the games significantly.
- The Injury Crisis: Spurs and Man City are particularly thin. Look for tired legs in the final 20 minutes; that’s when most goals will likely be conceded this weekend.
- The Sunderland Factor: Keep an eye on that Palace game. Sunderland spent big (€115 million) for a promoted side, and it's actually working. They are the most entertaining "neutral" team to watch right now.
The table is incredibly tight at both ends. Only six points separate 2nd from 8th. At the bottom, West Ham and Burnley are staring into the abyss, and they need results now before the pressure becomes too much to handle in February.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check your streaming apps: If you're in the US, most games are split between USA Network and Peacock. Don't wait until kickoff to realize you don't have the right login.
- Monitor the Friday press conferences: Managers will give final updates on Saliba, Maddison, and the City defenders. These updates usually drop around 1:30 PM UK time on Friday.
- Adjust your expectations: January football is often "ugly." Expect more 1-0 grinds than 4-4 thrillers as teams prioritize points over style during this heavy fixture period.