Premier League fixtures today - your guide to Saturday's games
In August, Premier League chief executive Richard Masters pulled back the curtain of a new season by declaring: "Let the soap opera begin."
Six months on, England's top flight has been the setting for unrealistic storylines, an earth-shattering legal case and almost every Premier League manager appears to have been afflicted with the rapid ageing syndrome of any soap character between the ages of ten and 20.
Yet, there is still more than a third of the campaign to play, countless goals and even more narratives to enjoy for the engrossed masses.
Here's what you can tune in for this Saturday.
Aston Villa vs Arsenal
A clash of embittered exes kicks off gameweek 24. Aston Villa's manager and goalkeeper welcome their former employers Arsenal to the Midlands on Saturday lunchtime.
Winless in their last four matches, Arsenal begin a round of Premier League fixtures below top spot for the first time since August. Unai Emery and Emi Martinez will have extra motivation to ensure the Gunners don't return to their perch this weekend.
- Location: Birmingham, England
- Stadium: Villa Park
- Date: Saturday 18 February
- Kick-off Time: 12:30 GMT / 07:30 ET / 04:30 PT
- Referee: Simon Hooper
- VAR: Stuart Atwell
Brentford vs Crystal Palace
While Brentford are in the midst of a historic ten-match unbeaten run in the Premier League, Crystal Palace are gagging for a maiden victory in 2023.
This London derby is a meeting between one team which places great value on constructing high-quality shots and another which has suffered by taking aim from range. In the same number of games, Brentford have taken 12 fewer shots than Palace but scored 11 more non-penalty goals - a yawning chasm that is hardly a consequence of contrasting finishing ability.
- Location: Brentford, England
- Stadium: Gtech Community Stadium
- Date: Saturday 18 February
- Kick-off Time: 15:00 GMT / 10:00 ET / 07:00 PT
- Referee: Paul Tierney
- VAR: Jarred Gillett
Brighton vs Fulham
Two of the Premier League's surprise challengers for European places duke out what promises to be an engaging and enthralling clash on Saturday afternoon.
Both Brighton and Fulham are locked on the remarkable tally of 35 points - more than the division's bottom two combined - but the Seagulls have played two fewer matches than their upcoming visitors. With a potential Europa League berth - or better - in the offing, Brighton are targeting the club's first-ever top-flight victory against Fulham.
- Location: Falmer, England
- Stadium: Amex Stadium
- Date: Saturday 18 February
- Kick-off Time: 15:00 GMT / 10:00 ET / 07:00 PT
- Referee: Darren England
- VAR: Andre Marriner
Chelsea vs Southampton
Despite the record-breaking array of talent added in January, Graham Potter can boast just one Chelsea victory in 2023 across all competitions. Southampton jettisoned the eminently quotable Nathan Jones who managed to oversee four victories between New Year's Day and his premature sacking.
Southampton's caretaker manager Ruben Selles put himself forward for the full-time role and has the perfect setting for an audition at Stamford Bridge against a side that has failed to score in eight of their last 13 matches.
- Location: London, England
- Stadium: Stamford Bridge
- Date: Saturday 18 February
- Kick-off Time: 15:00 GMT / 10:00 ET / 07:00 PT
- Referee: David Coote
- VAR: Robert Jones
Everton vs Leeds United
18th hosts 17th in a basement-dwelling battle at Goodison Park this weekend. Sean Dyche ended Everton's eight-game wait for a Premier League victory on his debut in the Toffees dugout against Arsenal a fortnight ago but couldn't avoid a derby defeat to Liverpool last time out.
Leeds are in the midst of the joint-longest winless run in the top flight this season, last tasting victory nine games ago with a 4-3 thriller against Bournemouth, one of just two teams below both clubs.
- Location: Liverpool, England
- Stadium: Goodison Park
- Date: Saturday 18 February
- Kick-off Time: 15:00 GMT / 10:00 ET / 07:00 PT
- Referee: Andy Madley
- VAR: Michael Oliver
Nottingham Forest vs Manchester City
The last time Nottingham Forest hosted Manchester City, beating the visitors 3-0 in September 1995, Erling Haaland's father, Alf-Inge, was on the books of the home team. Almost three decades later, Haaland Jr has the chance to become the second Premier League player ever to score successive hat-tricks against the same opponent in the same season and eclipse Sergio Aguero's club record tally of league goals in a single campaign.
However, Forest are unbeaten in their last seven Premier League outings at the City Ground, bolstering their manager's undiluted optimism. "If you're not positive, you may as well not turn up!" Steve Cooper insisted pre-game.
- Location: Nottingham, England
- Stadium: City Ground
- Date: Saturday 18 February
- Kick-off Time: 15:00 GMT / 10:00 ET / 07:00 PT
- Referee: Graham Scott
- VAR: Peter Bankes
Wolves vs Bournemouth
What happens when a stoppable force meets a movable object? Bournemouth's trip to Molineux may provide the answer to a question no one has ever asked (or wanted to know).
Julen Lopetegui's side may be buoyed by consecutive victories but Wolves remain the division's lowest scorers at home with just nine goals for Molineux to cheer. Bournemouth could take confidence from this toothless tally but the Cherries have shipped a league-leading 32 goals on their travels this term (averaging almost three per game).
In a meeting between a side that struggles to score and one that can't stop conceding, anything - or nothing of note - could happen.
- Location: Wolverhampton, England
- Stadium: Molineux
- Date: Saturday 18 February
- Kick-off Time: 15:00 GMT / 10:00 ET / 07:00 PT
- Referee: Michael Salisbury
- VAR: Tony Harrington
Newcastle vs Liverpool
Newcastle have endured few bumps in the road since the controversial change in ownership paved their streets with gold. However, Liverpool have proven to be the closest thing to a spoke in the wheel of Eddie Howe's clean-sheet-keeping machine.
Jurgen Klopp's side are the only Premier League club to have beaten Newcastle this season, snatching victory at Anfield in the eighth minute of stoppage time. Liverpool were also the last side to emerge from St James' Park with three points, holding onto Naby Keita's first-half goal to claim victory last April.
- Location: Newcastle, England
- Stadium: St. James' Park
- Date: Saturday 18 February
- Kick-off Time: 17:30 GMT / 12:30 ET / 09:30 PT
- Referee: Anthony Taylor
- VAR: Chris Kavanagh