The Japan Times - Troubled Spurs face Forest showdown, Chelsea need top-four surge

With leaders Arsenal and second-placed Manchester City meeting in the League Cup final on Sunday, the focus in the top flight switches to the congested race to qualify for the Champions League.

AFP Sport looks at three talking points ahead of the weekend's action:

Tottenham set for Forest 'final'

Tottenham defender Pedro Porro admits Sunday's showdown with Nottingham Forest will feel like a final as both teams try to haul themselves out of the relegation mire.

Igor Tudor's crisis-torn side are just one point above fourth-bottom Forest, leaving them with no margin for error when Vitor Pereira's men arrive in north London.

Tottenham will slump into the relegation zone if they lose to Forest and third-bottom West Ham win at Aston Villa on Sunday.

With only eight games left to avoid the humiliation of playing in the second tier for the first time since 1977-78, Tottenham can take heart from producing their best display for weeks in a 3-2 win over Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.

It wasn't enough to save their Champions League campaign as they bowed out 7-5 on aggregate, but Porro saw signs in the Atletico game -- and last weekend's draw at Liverpool -- that Tottenham have rediscovered some rhythm just in time.

"It gives you confidence for what's going to be like a final on Sunday. We've had some bad matches in the Premier League to be honest, but the last one against Liverpool, we came out with a draw so we're picking up some good feelings again," Porro said.

"It's tough, it's not easy because nobody wants to be in this position at this point."

Tottenham's current 12-game winless run in the league is their worst since 1935, while Forest haven't won in their last seven top-flight matches.

Chelsea chase Champions League return

Eliminated from the Champions League in chastening fashion by Paris Saint-Germain this week, Chelsea cannot afford to lick their wounds for long as they aim to secure a place in next season's tournament.

The Blues were crushed 8-2 on aggregate in the last 16 after a meek 3-0 second-leg defeat in a toxic atmosphere at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday.

Frustrated fans sang the name of former owner Roman Abramovich and jeered Liam Rosenior's decision to take off Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro, before many flooded to the exits long before the final whistle was greeted with more boos.

Rosenior's side are sixth in the Premier League, winning only one of their last five league matches ahead of a difficult assignment at Everton on Saturday.

Chelsea need to bounce back to keep pace with fourth-placed Aston Villa, currently three points ahead of them, and fifth-placed Liverpool, who are one point above the Blues.

At present, only the top four are guaranteed to qualify for the Champions League, but fifth place is also likely to end up making the competition based on 'European Performance Spots' to be awarded by UEFA.

Slot urges Liverpool to stay focused

Revitalised by their demolition of Galatasaray in the Champions League, Liverpool travel to Brighton on Saturday with Arne Slot insisting they must maintain the standards of that 4-0 rout.

Pressure has been mounting on Slot following Liverpool's dismal title defence and a European exit would have raised the scrutiny on the Reds boss even higher.

Liverpool's dynamic display at Anfield gave Slot a little breathing space, but he knows they must not lose focus in the battle to qualify for next season's Champions League.

"We have to try to find consistency," he said.

"We have had a lot of setbacks this season, a lot of times where we have created chance after chance without doing justice to how we performed."

Fixtures (all times GMT)

Friday

Bournemouth v Manchester United (2000)

Saturday

Brighton v Liverpool (1230), Fulham v Burnley (1500), Everton v Chelsea (1730), Leeds v Brentford (2000)

Sunday (1415 unless stated)

Newcastle v Sunderland (1200), Aston Villa v West Ham, Tottenham v Nottingham Forest

Y.Watanabe--JT