Clinton Morrison
Former Crystal Palace striker on BBC Radio 5 Live

I think Roberto de Zerbi will go there and shake it up. Those players respect him. I think it's a great appointment. I think they were lucky to get him and he believes in himself. It's going to take time for him to implement his style but the players need an arm round their shoulders.

I think some of the players don't care but with de Zerbi I think it will be better so I'd give Tottenham a great chance of getting out of the relegation battle.

Pat Nevin
Former Chelsea winger on BBC Radio 5 Live at Stadium of Light

You want people in that midfield that are going to work for you. You can talk a lot about systems and styles but you need passion. If you don't get a bit of passion you are going out of this league.

Yes Bergvall will work, Gallagher will always work for you, as will Gray. It is a very sensible midfield line.

And we're underway at Selhurst Park, the City Ground, and the Stadium of Light.

We are moments away from kick-off in three Premier League games.

Do remember to keep sending in your thoughts and views on today's fixtures.

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Steph Houghton
Former England captain on BBC Radio 5 Live

If you lose the Tyne-Wear derby, it is not a good place to be when you are in Newcastle or Sunderland.

For the players especially, when you look at how Newcastle's season has gone in the Premier League, they will be really frustrated because in terms of the players they have, they will think they should be higher in the league.

It is a bit of a sucker punch for Newcastle. Palace are starting to pick up a bit of form so today is not a given game.

Newcastle have got so much potential and they have got great players but we haven't seen that potential as of yet this season.

Chris Sutton
BBC football expert

This game is sandwiched between both legs of Crystal Palace's Conference League tie with Fiorentina and, now that they are effectively safe from relegation, I wonder if Eagles boss Oliver Glasner will prioritise Europe?

That should increase Newcastle's chances, but I am not convinced by their recent form, especially on the road. They have won on their past two visits to the capital, against Tottenham and Chelsea, but I don't see them getting three points here.

Eddie Howe needs a strong end to the season, but the fact they have lost both derby games against Sunderland, and are below them in the table too, is not really helping him.

I certainly don't think his job should be at risk but there are a few fans who do.

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

Nathan: Time for Ollie Watkins to show Tuchel why he should be in the England squad come the World Cup. When he feels confident he plays well and scores vital goals. A Villa win today and a Champions League place is a very realistic prospect. Come on Villa!

Chris Sutton
BBC football expert

Both of these teams played in Europe on Thursday night, but they will surely have at least half an eye on this game because it is so important at the top and bottom of the table.

At the top, Aston Villa are in the Champions League places and have a six-point cushion over sixth-placed Chelsea with seven games to go.

They beat West Ham in their last game, after losing three in a row, and they would dearly love to hit a bit of form now.

Nottingham Forest got a massive win over relegation rivals Tottenham last time out, but they still have a lot of work to do to stay up.

It's a big boost that Chris Wood is back after six months out, but the 'Wood-chopper' will be rusty and it might be a while before he is back in the swing of things. I've chopped a lot of wood over the years and I know if your axe is left in the shed for a while, it loses its sharpness.

This is going to be an extremely tight game. A win would be huge for either team, but I'm going to say they will both have to settle for a single point.

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

Aston Villa have lost only three of their 17 Premier League meetings with Nottingham Forest (nine wins and five draws).

However, they have lost at the City Ground in each of the past two seasons and they have not won a top-flight match there since January 1995.

31 years in the making - is today the day?

Pat Nevin
Former Chelsea winger on BBC Radio 5 Live at Stadium of Light

Tottenham fans are scared just now, and they are right to be. When you are down there, the game is completely and utterly different. Those Spurs players, as far as I can see, have been playing with dread and not joy. They have to be able to change that somehow.

Chris Sutton
BBC football expert

What's Roberto de Zerbi going to do with Tottenham and how will he set them up?

I've read about when he went in at Brighton and how Lewis Dunk said it took the Seagulls players a while to get up to speed and adapt to his demands.

The whole situation is just odd, with De Zerbi securing a five-year contract despite only hanging around for more than two years at one of his previous eight clubs.

Good luck to him, but this is a difficult place for him to start.

Sunderland's form at the Stadium of Light has dipped a bit since they lost their unbeaten home record against Liverpool in February, but the Black Cats will be buoyant after beating Newcastle last time out.

If Spurs are going to play the type of football we associate with De Zerbi, they will be open, expansive and take risks - but will they have the confidence to do that?

Sunderland are the team that come into this game with belief. They've had a brilliant season and their incentive now must be to stay above Newcastle in the table.

Sutton's prediction: 1-0

BBC Sounds

If you're on the move this afternoon, you can take today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries with you on BBC Sounds.

• Sunderland v Tottenham (14:00)
• Nottingham Forest v Aston Villa (14:00)
• Crystal Palace v Newcastle (14:00)
• Chelsea v Manchester City (16:30)

Just scroll through the live dial at the top of BBC Sounds and tap the match you want.

Steph Houghton
Former England captain on BBC Radio 5 Live

When you look at Spurs and what they have achieved, they won a trophy last year but in terms of the standards, once a dressing room accepts a lower form of standards, which they have this season, it's so hard to pull out of it.

They will buy into what Roberto de Zerbi wants to do because they will have seen it live with Brighton and played against it. I see him as a manager with personality. Did I see that with Igor Tudor? Probably not.

It seems like a clean slate and there will be so much talk about what happens in the next seven games.

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer at The Stadium of Light

Remember Jurgen Klopp marking his first day as Liverpool manager by saying he had to turn "doubters into believers."

This is a much tougher task for Robero De Zerbi at Spurs.

He has to turn serial losers into winners - and he has to do it right away.

Spurs are in the relegation places with seven Premier League games left. De Zerbi has no time for gentle introductions.

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter at the City Ground

Emi Martinez has pulled out of Aston Villa's team and will be replaced by Marco Bizot.

Young goalkeeper James Wright is now included among Villa's substitutes.

Matt Jones
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

At times, this season has promised plenty for Newcastle. But now it is on the brink of fizzling out.

The week before the recent break was billed as a huge one for the Magpies, and while it started well with a win at Chelsea, it quickly unravelled with a hammering by Barcelona and an agonising late loss to Sunderland.

With that in mind, the break may have come at a good time for the players. The same can be said for their manager Howe, who has been subject to increased scrutiny as the season has rolled on.

The Magpies boss is on the brink of a significant landmark at St James' Park, as he closes in on the number of wins accrued by legendary figures Bobby Robson and Kevin Keegan.

Reaching the top of that list will count for little for Howe if Newcastle do not secure European football by the end of the campaign though you suspect.

Having struggled away from home earlier in the season, Newcastle may welcome a fixture away from St James' Park, where they have lost six of their past 10 matches in all competitions.

Chris: I think it’s poor the way Eddie Howe is treating Nick Woltemade. He had a really strong start to his Newcastle career and after a slight dip in form he was benched then played in midfield. It’s stifling him and it’s detrimental to the team. Baffling.

Ciaran Kelly
BBC Sport reporter at Selhurst Park

Image source, Getty Images

Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe needs a big response from his players - three weeks after a bruising Tyne-Wear derby defeat.

Howe is not usually one for making sweeping changes, but he has made some big calls at Selhurst Park today.

Stalwarts like Dan Burn and Kieran Trippier have been benched but, most strikingly, Malick Thiaw is the only one of the club's outfield summer signings to start.

Jacob Ramsey, Anthony Elanga, Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa have all been named among the substitutes, as a result.

Given £124m was spent on Woltemade and Wissa, it speaks volumes that Howe has gone with William Osula up front today.

Aston Villa

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery speaking to Sky Sports: "Each match is different, each competition is different. The players are ready and they are focusing on how important it is for us."

"Building our team, with our structure is important. Trying to get the best with the starting players and the players on the bench. Victor Lindelof is playing brilliantly and Ross Barkley is not playing in Europe which is important. We try to set our structure on the field from minute one.

On being six points ahead of Chelsea: "We are in game 32 and it is [about] three points today with the momentum that we have. Keep going and trying to focus in each moment."

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter at the City Ground

Image source, Getty Images

Forward Morgan Rogers will make his 100th appearance for Aston Villa since the start of last season.

He is the first English player to do it across the top five leagues in Europe.

During that time he has broken into the England squad and become one of the most coveted players in the Premier League, with growing expectation he will leave Villa this summer.