Premier League Week 5 Fixtures: Previewing Weekend's Most Intriguing Clashes

The fixture list for this week's Premier League action isn't as captivating as previous weeks, but fans still have plenty of entertaining matches ahead.

We're only four matches into the season, but the haves seem to have separated themselves from the have-nots. Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City and Manchester United are the top five clubs in the table.

You cannot lose the title in the first few weeks of the season, but dropped points can end up costing a club big in the end. These five clubs will all be looking to keep up with the competition with three points from their next matches.

Here's the list of fixtures for this weekend.

These three matches are the best the Premier League has to offer this weekend.

Chelsea vs. Fulham

You always roll your eyes when anybody tries to make much of a derby out of Chelsea's matches with Queens Park Rangers and Fulham. There was a time when the Blues were a little closer to their West London counterparts, but with Chelsea's success any sort of drama and passion in these matches has all but left.

With the talent as Fulham have in the attack, they could spring an upset. Even without Darren Bent this weekend, Martin Jol still has Dimitar Berbatov up top and Bryan Ruiz and Adel Taarabt in midfield. When the Cottagers are on the ball, they can give any Premier League club a run.

Therein lies their problem, as well. Fulham have so many players who are inclined to attack and do little to nothing in the defensive end of pitch. When they lose the ball, they're absolutely vulnerable.

Fulham are bound to pick up a major scalp this season, and Chelsea could well be that big club.

Over at Stamford Bridge, it hasn't exactly been the most perfect return for Jose Mourinho. Chelsea played one of the most boring matches in recent memory, away to Manchester United and followed that up with losses in the UEFA Super Cup to Bayern Munich and then to Everton in the EPL.

They've got Basel in the Champions League on Wednesday to get back in the win column.

With the quality of attacking midfielders at Chelsea, this match is going to go one of two ways. It will be a shock win for Fulham, or a one-sided mauling by Chelsea. At least fans shouldn't be treated to a boring match.

Arsenal vs. Stoke City

Signing Mesut Ozil has done much for Arsenal both on the pitch and off. He's one of the best playmakers in the world and will be a huge boost to Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott. When the transfer was confirmed, there was a swell of positivity about the club you haven't seen in years.

The German midfielder had an impressive showing on his debut against Sunderland, and he's only going to get better the longer he's in the Premier League.

The jury is still out on whether Arsenal are title contenders, but the Gunners seem a lock for a top-four place once again.

Stoke City are also going through their own positive period. Gone are the doldrums of the Tony Pulis days, when the Potters got results but did it by clubbing the opposition into submission.

It's a strategy that can only work for so long because when the club starts to struggle, there won't be too many supporters willing to accept a negative brand of football if it's not working.

Mark Hughes is in, and he's brought an attacking verve to the club. Stoke City aren't going to turn into Barcelona, but they're looking like a much more entertaining side. And yet, the Potters still know when to and how to sit back and defend.

This match will be a good clash of styles, and one that shouldn't be as drab as Arsenal/Stoke fixtures of the past. It will also be a nice test for Ozil and the rest of the Gunners attack.

Manchester City vs. Manchester United

Luckily we have this match to salvage what otherwise looks to be a dull weekend in the Premier League. This is the only fixture that you'd have to consider a must-watch match.

This is the first Manchester derby since 1986 in which Sir Alex Ferguson wasn't managing United. It's a shame to not have him there because he did so much to fuel this rivalry, especially when City got their cash influx and became more competitive. The match was very much the new school vs. the old school.

The fixture still has a bit of that feel, but having David Moyes on the touchline just doesn't make for quite the same drama.

Moyes has not had the best of starts since becoming Manchester United manager. The results have been spotty on the pitch, and there was the prolonged Marouane Fellaini transfer that made the Red Devils look rather foolish.

A win over Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League helps to get the critics off his back, but beating Manchester City will do wonders toward building that faith among the supporters.

Manuel Pellegrini has had a bit of a tough time himself. City haven't looked great in the Premier League so far. They lost to Cardiff City and looked unimpressive in a 2-0 win over Hull City.

With Pellegrini bringing in so many players over the summer, it's clear the Citizens have yet to gel on the pitch.

This match will likely be decided in the midfield.

United were overrun in midfield against Liverpool and struggled to find a spark against Chelsea. Fellaini could be the difference as his dynamism was missing in those two matches.