Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter at the City Ground

Nottingham Forest are on their best unbeaten run of the season as they build momentum towards what could be a historic end to the season.

Vitor Pereira has overseen a six-match run which has seen Forest reach the Europa League semi-finals - where they face Aston Villa - and stay above the Premier League's relegation zone.

Victory would leave them five points above the bottom three and see them take a massive stride to safety.

Image source, Getty Images

It has been quite the turnaround for Everton striker Beto in recent weeks. Having struggled for goals all season, he has suddenly hit a reach vein of form in recent weeks.

The Guinea-Bissau international has been involved in five goals in his last five Premier League appearances (4 goals, 1 assist).

Only Bruno Fernandes (7) has been involved in more since the start of this run on 28th February, while no player has scored more goals in that time; he’s level with Brentford’s Igor Thiago.

Image source, Getty Images

With this being their first match at Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool have the chance to become the first team to win at 60 different Premier League grounds having managed to do so at 59 of the 61 they have played at so far.

For quiz fans, Kenilworth Road and Bloomfield Road are the ones they have still to conquer.

Burnley

Burnley boss Scott Parker: "Each game as it comes. A tough task today but this is the main focus now. What's happened in the past is the past and full focus on today against a side wanting to win as well. We understand the challenge but we have learnt a lot and need to be competitive.

"Over the course of this season we have not been clinical in certain moments. The ambition every single day is being clinical in moments, that comes down to an ability and creating those chances.

"When our chances come we need to take them. We need to defend in certain moments and show our worth."

On trying to make it difficult for Forest after their Europa League win in midweek: "That's exactly what we need to do. They are coming off the back of a game but we all understand this is a tough place to come. They are fighting for their lives but we need to come with intensity."

Enzo Le Fee leads the way for Sunderland in terms of goal contributions in the Premier League this season yet hasn't been linked with European giants like some of his team-mates.

BBC Radio Newcastle's Sunderland commentator Nick Barnes says: "He's a little magician! All of this talk about interest in Brian Brobbey, Robin Roefs and Noah Sadiki and yet nobody ever talks about Le Fee.

"He has been one of the players that's having one of the biggest influences in games."

Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest boss Vitor Pereira: "It's very important. Nothing stops us going on the pitch to give everything and give three points."

On Elliot Anderson starting after the recent death of his mum: "He wants to play. It was his decision, he wants to be on the pitch with his teammates. He wants to help the club, even for himself I think it was a good decision."

On Chris Wood being fit: "It was not serious and he is in a condition to play at this level."

On Burnley: "Very difficult. At this moment of the season, the games are very tough and to get points is difficult. I don't want excuses, I just want my team to think about winning the game and being the best version of themselves to prove we deserve to play in this league."

Julien Laurens
ESPN journalist on BBC Radio 5 Live

I don't think any of us thought that Everton would be in contention to get Champions League football.

Right now, they have more momentum than Liverpool. A Liverpool team that have a manager under pressure, that lost in the Champions League, that are not playing well, got battered by Man City in the FA Cup as well, if you are Everton at home in this stadium with the form you have right now, you have to believe you can win it.

Yet some fans are still a bit cautious and not wanting to get too carried away with what they are seeing on the pitch.

Image source, Getty Images

It is a milestone day for Dominik Szobozslai with the Liverpool midfielder set to make his 100th Premier League appearance.

I say midfielder but it looks as though the Hungary captain will be starting at right-back today with Joe Gomez unavailable, Jeremie Frimpong being eased back from injury and Conor Bradley a long-term absentee.

There is a chance Curtis Jones starts at full-back so Szoboszlai can play in midfield, I suppose, but we'll have to wait and see.

Anyway, Szoboszlai is only the second Hungarian to reach 100 Premier League appearances, after Zoltan Gera (172).

It's been a miserable campaign for Burnley and a return to the Championship looks almost certain for Scott Parker's side.

They've conceded the most goals in the Premier League this season and they are the leaders - if you can call it that - when it comes to a whole host of unwanted stats.

This is Nottingham Forest's biggest game of the season.

It's a great chance for them to get three points, but gosh this is going to be nervy - it is going to be a very tense afternoon but they just have to find a way to win, it doesn't matter how.

Burnley are done now, they are going down - but that might not help Forest because it could see Scott Parker's side play with more freedom.

Sutton's prediction: 1-0

Read the full predictions and have your say here

BBC Sounds

On the move today? You can take 5 Live Premier League commentaries with you on BBC Sounds app and listen on the go.

• Everton v Liverpool (14:00)
• Nottingham Forest v Burnley (14:00)
• Aston Villa v Sunderland (14:00)
• Manchester City v Arsenal (16:30)

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

BBC Sport predictions expert Chris Sutton almost went for an Everton win today, before deciding to sit on the fence and go with a derby draw.

It turns out that, collectively, you lot are just as torn. More than 30,000 of you have made your prediction so far and, while the most popular scoreline so far is 1-1, the most popular result is actually an Everton win of some description.

Overall, 39% of you have backed the Toffees to come out on top, 36% have gone for the points to be shared and only 24% think Liverpool win win.

What do you think? You can make your prediction, here.

Aston Villa

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery to Sky Sports: "We are trying to separate each competition. Of course at the end the target for both is to be in Europe.

"One is playing for a title, the other is to play for the top five. It's been so difficult, but we are using this momentum and we feel good and comfortable. Today is a huge, huge challenge because Sunderland are playing fantastic."

On Pau Torres' absence: "It's a rotation because the last matches Pau [Torres] has played very good. Today I have decided Tyrone Mings because he has quality and on the bench we already have a centre-back in Victor Lindelof.

"But it's only a rotation issue because Pau has been playing fantastic."

I actually thought Liverpool did OK against Paris St-Germain in midweek and had a period where they took the game to them, even if they did not get the result they needed.

Now this season is all about finishing in the top five for Arne Slot, but Everton are a good side and, if they win this, they can reel Liverpool in.

An Everton win was actually my first thought here, but I've changed my mind. I'm going to sit on the fence instead.

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Liverpool

Liverpool boss Arne Slot, speaking to Sky Sports about his starting line-up: "One of the reasons we came up with the line-up, we all know how special this game is, so to have a little bit of experience can help. We've mixed that with three players that are going to play this away game for the first time."

On any raised eyebrows over Alexander Isak starting: "I don't know why they are surprised. During the week he was able to play 55-60 minutes. The good thing was if you let him start he has 15 minutes to rest at half-time and go again.

"For me it makes complete sense if you have a number nine that is able to play 60-75 minutes depending on the intensity of the game to play him - and that's what we do."

On the fight for Champions League football: "To do that we have to focus on the game and the task at hand. We know their qualities, we know our qualities. We know what we need to do here. It will never be easy.

"We have to fight really hard, which we are going to do today. Then we are going to look at the league table, but first it's about the task at hand."

Image source, Getty Images

Hugo Ekitike was the matchwinner in the reverse fixture at Anfield earlier this season but the Liverpool striker will not be involved today after suffering a serious Achilles injury against Paris St-Germain on Tuesday.

The France international will definitely miss the remainder of the campaign and the World Cup, and the expectation is that he will be out for a significant chunk of next season as well.

It's a cruel blow after an impressive debut season in England in which he has scored 17 goals in all competitions.

"Devastating for him, coming to a new club and playing so well with so much more to come from him in the summer," Liverpool boss Arne Slot said.

"First thoughts are with him being out for such along time, missing out on so many special moments. But there are so many examples of players who came back even stronger and that's the challenge he has now."

Slot also confirmed that Joe Gomez is not fit to feature today after he also went off injured in the midweek Champions League game.

Image source, Getty Images

Nottingham Forest have been boosted by the availability of both Chris Wood and Murillo.

The pair were forced off during Thursday’s Europa League quarter-final second leg against Porto after picking up injuries.

But Forest have been handed a lift as their issues were not as serious as first feared, with both players fit enough to start at the City Ground this afternoon.

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter at the City Ground

Burnley have just one win in their last 23 games with relegation looming.

They cannot go down today but a defeat would push them to the brink.

The Clarets are 12 points from safety but lose at the City Ground - and a West Ham win against Crystal Palace on Monday - would leave them 15 adrift with just five games left.

Scott Parker's side host Manchester City on Wednesday, where the drop could be confirmed.

Image source, Getty Images

Sunderland have collected 46 points so far this term, which is already their best top-flight return at this stage since 2010-11.

And after beating Newcastle and Tottenham, the could win three consecutive Premier League matches today for the first time in more than a decade.

Their 12 wins already this season is more than all three newly promoted sides managed combined last season. Not bad at all.

Image source, Getty Images

While Everton will be hoping that the new stadium brings with it a period of derby dominance over their local rivals, Liverpool might be the happier with the change of venue.

That is because they won just one of the last eight derbies at Goodison Park - a 4-1 win in December 2021.

That said, Everton's 2-0 win in April 2024 was their only win over the same period with six draws.