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LONDON. – All eyes will be on Stam­ford Bridge and the Emirates Stadium in the English Premier League this weekend as the battle to qualify for next season’s Champions League football heats up, while runaway leaders Liverpool can take another step towards the title.

With the league’s first winter break done and dusted, it is full steam ahead for the clubs fighting to secure the lucrative Champions League berths behind cham­pions-elect Liverpool.

Any London derby between Chelsea and Tottenham is a feisty occasion, but there is an extra spice to the rivals’ latest meeting as they are in direct competition for a European place.

Fourth-placed Chelsea are just one point ahead of fifth-placed Tottenham and a vic­tory for Jose Mourinho’s men would take them above his former club.

Chelsea are reeling from a lacklustre 2-0 home defeat against Manchester United on Monday, but injury-hit Tottenham were beaten 1-0 by Leipzig in the Champions League last 16 first leg on Wednesday.

Hampered by their continued failure to turn possession in tangible rewards, Chel­sea have won one of their last six league games, and none of their last four, leading to reports Blues boss Frank Lampard might find his position under scrutiny if they don’t qualify for the Champions League.

Lampard’s decision to drop Kepa Arriz­abalaga for the last three games is said to have frustrated the Chelsea hierarchy, who made the Spaniard the world’s most expen­sive goalkeeper less than two years ago.

It is the kind of delicate and potentially damaging issue Mourinho had plenty of experience negotiating during his two spells as Chelsea manager.

There is respect between Mourinho and Lampard from their successful time together at Chelsea, but sympathy will be in short supply this weekend given what is at stake for both men.

Tottenham have won their last three league games to close the gap on Chel­sea, but injuries to Harry Kane and Son Heung-min have left Mourinho without a senior striker.

Lucas Moura, Steven Bergwijn and Dele Alli are Mourinho’s alternative options and Belgian defender Toby Alderweireld is convinced Tottenham can cope.

“People have to take responsibility about that,” he said. “I think we have to solve this as a team.

“We have people with different qualities upfront now. We have to keep the belief that people will step up for making goals.”

Arsenal and Everton, who meet in north London, are further behind in the race, but the possibility of Manchester City losing their appeal against a two-year Champi­ons League ban means a fifth place finish could be enough to reach Europe’s elite club competition.

Everton sit four points behind Totten­ham after a five-game unbeaten run fea­turing successive wins over Watford and Crystal Palace. Carlo Ancelotti has mas­terminded Everton’s revival since taking over from the sacked Marco Silva, but he has yet to secure a statement win over one of the league’s bigger clubs.

Beating Arsenal on their own turf would qualify as a significant moment for Ance­lotti’s side, especially as the Gunners looked in good form in their 4-0 thrashing of New­castle last weekend.

Arsenal are unbeaten in their last six league games and lie two points adrift of Everton, with Manchester United, Sheffield United and Wolves also in the mix.

English Premiership Fixtures

Today: Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur (2:30pm); Sheffield United v Brighton & Hove Albion (5pm); Crystal Palace v Newcas­tle United (5pm); Southampton v Aston Villa (5pm); Burnley v AFC Bournemouth (5pm); Leicester City v Manchester City (7:30pm).

Tomorrow: Wolverhampton Wanderers v Norwich City (4pm); Manchester United v Watford (4pm); Arsenal v Everton (6:30pm).

Monday: Liverpool v West Ham United (10pm). – AFP.