Arsenal will go in search of an eighth successive Premier League victory when they travel to Turf Moor to take on Burnley in the Saturday Night Football, live on Sky Sports 1 from 4.45pm.
Last weekend's emphatic 4-1 defeat of Liverpool moved Arsene Wenger's high-fliers up to second and victory at second-bottom Burnley will close the gap on leaders Chelsea to four points, the day before Jose Mourinho's side travel across London to face Queens Park Rangers.
The Gunners have built impressive momentum since the New Year's Day loss at Southampton, winning 15 of 17 games in all competitions.
That has allowed them to overhaul Manchester United and Manchester City and all but guarantee their place in next season's Champions League.
The Clarets are now second from bottom with just seven matches to go, although they collected a much-needed point against Tottenham last time out and are just two points behind fourth-bottom Hull.
Team News
Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny (groin) and goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny (rib) face fitness tests ahead of Saturday's Barclays Premier League match at Burnley.
Midfielders Jack Wilshere, Mikel Arteta and Abou Diaby are all back in contention following injury lay-offs, as is France defender Mathieu Debuchy. England midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (groin) continues his rehabilitation.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is focussing on narrowing the gap on Premier League leaders Chelsea with seven games to go
Burnley midfielder Matt Taylor could make his return from a seven-and-a-half month Achilles injury lay-off against Arsenal on Saturday.
Midfielder Dean Marney and defender Kevin Long (both cruciate ligament) remain on the long-term absentee list.
However, winger Ross Wallace (knee) and right-back Steven Reid (calf) could return for the Barclays Premier League contest.
Opta facts
Burnley have let in 10 goals in their last four matches against Arsenal in all competitions (average of 2.5 per game).
Arsenal have won each of their last seven Premier League games, the best current run in the division. No side has won eight in a row at any point this season.
Sean Dyche says Burnley will be up for the challenge of beating the sides around them in the Premier League
Arsenal have exactly the same record after 31 games as they did last season (W19 D6 L6).
Santi Cazorla should make his 100th Premier League appearance in this game, while Aaron Ramsey could clock up 150.
There have been fewer goals in the final 15 minutes at Turf Moor this season (3) than any other Premier League ground.
Danny Ings has scored (9) or assisted (4) half of Burnley’s 26 goals this season.
Olivier Giroud has scored 10 goals in his last 10 matches for Arsenal in all competitions.
Merson’s prediction
Arsenal's Jack Wilshere is close to a return to first-team action after being out for nearly five months with an ankle injury
Away win. Arsenal don’t lose these games. The sun will be shining. It’s always the same. Arsenal win their last 10 games of the season and then next year is their year – although it won’t be. They do it every year.
They were great against Liverpool and scored four worldies. When they get it going they are as good as anyone. I can’t see Arsenal slipping up like Manchester City did at Burnley – they are a different animal.
Arsenal are quicker on the break and are ruthless in these games. I do think Burnley have a win or two in them somewhere, so I wouldn’t write them off in the relegation fight just yet.
PAUL PREDICTS: 1-3 (Sky Bet Odds 11/1)
Betting
Arsenal are Sky Bet's odds-on favourites at 8/15 to maintain their once seemingly unlikely title push with a victory, having come in from as long at 200/1 to 22/1 to win the Premier League ahead of the weekend. Burnley are 5/1 to cause an upset and 16/5 to hold another north London outfit to a draw at Turf Moor, although another 0-0 is deemed unlikely at 12/1. The Clarets remain odds-on for relegation despite last weekend’s creditable result but are deemed the most likely of the bottom three to survive at 6/5. Olivier Giroud heads the first goalscorer betting at 7/2, closely followed by Alexis Sanchez at 4/1, with Danny Ings rated the Clarets’ main threat at 8/1 to net first.
Tim Sherwood returns to his former club as Aston Villa travel to Tottenham with in-form striker Christian Benteke looking to fire them out of the Premier League relegation danger zone.
Sherwood will make his first return to White Hart Lane since his sacking in May after leading them to a sixth-place finish last season.
His Villa side rescued a valuable point in a thrilling 3-3 midweek basement battle draw at home to QPR which kept them a precarious three points above the relegation zone.
Benteke fired a hat-trick in that game and has now scored seven goals in his last five Premier League appearances.
But Villa will not be relishing a trip to Spurs, having not won at the Lane since 2008, although they have shown good recent form with seven points from their last five matches.
Ed Chamberlin looks ahead to Tim Sherwood's return to White Hart Lane
Victory for sixth-placed Tottenham would lift them above Liverpool, who are not in action until Monday night against Newcastle, and four points behind fourth-placed Manchester City who face neighbours United on Sunday.
Team News
France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris appears to be losing his battle to recover from a knee injury in time so Michel Vorm, who kept a clean sheet in Sunday's goalless draw at Burnley, is expected to continue between the posts.
Right-back Kyle Walker suffered a foot injury in that game and is unlikely to feature against Villa either.
Aston Villa boss Tim Sherwood is again set to be without a key trio for his first return to Tottenham.
Alan Hutton (ankle), Ashley Westwood and Scott Sinclair (both hamstring) are expected to miss out along with Carles Gil (dead leg), but Aly Cissokho (groin) could return after training again this week.
Libor Kozak will not be considered as he regains fitness following 14 months out with a broken leg. The striker played 67 minutes in the under-21s' 1-0 win over Wolves on Wednesday, his first game since suffering the injury in January 2014.
Mauricio Pochettino expects Tim Sherwood to get a good reaction from Tottenham fans when he returns to White Hart Lane with Aston Villa on Saturday
Opta facts
Tottenham have won their last five Premier League meetings with Aston Villa, netting two or more goals in each game.
Aston Villa have scored just six goals in their last 12 Premier League matches against Tottenham and never more than once in a game.
Tottenham have gained 10 points from losing positions at home this season, more than any other side.
Aston Villa have gained no points from losing positions away from home in the Premier League this season – the only team not to do so.
White Hart Lane is the highest scoring stadium in the Premier League this season (51 goals).
Tim Sherwood revealed he was proud of his tenure at Spurs ahead of his return to White Hart Lane
Harry Kane has scored six goals in his last four Premier League games at White Hart Lane.
Merson’s prediction
There will be bundles of goals here. Villa love it when teams have a go at them and Spurs will do just that. When teams sit back against Villa, they don’t like it.
Tim Sherwood has looked at it and thought 'we aren’t going to keep too many clean sheets, so we’ll have to score our way out of trouble.'
I played with Tim at Portsmouth and he’s a really good lad. A winner. He reminds me of John Gregory as he gets really involved on the touchline.
PAUL PREDICTS: 2-2 (Sky Bet Odds 14/1)
Betting
Tottenham are Sky Bet's odds-on favourites at 4/7 for Saturday's clash, with Aston Villa 9/2 outsiders and the draw 3/1. Tim Sherwood's men head into the weekend as 11/4 sixth favourites for relegation, while Spurs drifted out from 11/1 to 14/1 for a top-four finish following their draw at Burnley. Harry Kane heads the first goalscorer betting by some way at just 3/1 while Christian Benteke is 8/1 to maintain his free-scoring form by breaking the deadlock.
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