EPL Predictions: Picks, Top Players for Week 24 Premier League Fixtures

The Premier League returns after a break for FA Cup action, as leaders Leicester City host Liverpool in their unlikely quest for glory. 

Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez have spearheaded the Foxes' charge to the summit, and they were both back on form against Stoke City in their last match after a recent blip in performance levels.

Manchester City and Arsenal remain Leicester's closest rivals, only three points behind the pacesetters. 

City face a tricky visit to Sunderland in their hopes of leapfrogging the leaders, while Arsenal host Southampton as they battle for three points.

Here's a look at the schedule for the coming week, including picks for each match, followed by a look at some of the key players for the upcoming fixtures:  

Date	Home	Away	Pick
Tuesday, Feb. 2	Arsenal	Southampton	Arsenal
Tuesday, Feb. 2	Leicester City	Liverpool	Draw
Tuesday, Feb. 2	Norwich City	Tottenham Hotspur	Spurs
Tuesday, Feb. 2	Sunderland	Manchester City	City
Tuesday, Feb. 2	West Ham United	Aston Villa	West Ham
Tuesday, Feb. 2	Crystal Palace	Bournemouth	Draw
Tuesday, Feb. 2	Manchester United	Stoke City	Draw
Tuesday, Feb. 2	West Bromwich Albion	Swansea City	Draw
Wednesday, Feb. 3	Everton	Newcastle United	Everton
Wednesday, Feb. 3	Watford	Chelsea	Chelsea

Sergio Aguero, Jamie Vardy and Olivier Giroud  

The second half of the campaign is under way, and the Premier League top four is beginning to take full shape. 

English football's most important title will be fought over by two traditional rivals, but with Leicester maintaining their position at the top, they are now in the genuine mix of contenders.

The league crown could be decided by No. 9s this term, as Sergio Aguero, Vardy and Olivier Giroud plunder the goals for their clubs.

Aguero has suffered with a cacophony of injuries in the past few seasons, but the Argentina international now looks close to his best once more.

Jon Super/Associated Press

The striker sat out City's 4-0 win against Aston Villa in the FA Cup, and manager Manuel Pellegrini will have to manage Aguero's playing time until the end of the season in order to get the best from him.

City have coughed and spluttered at times this season, but with Aguero at the point of the attack, they will always score goals.

The 27-year-old has 12 goals from his 16 Premier League appearances this term, according to WhoScored.com, but there is an increased venom surrounding his play since Christmas. 

Pellegrini's diminutive attacker was exceptional against Everton in the League Cup semi-final second leg last week as he gave the highly rated John Stones the runaround, losing his marker to claim a brilliant headed goal, per the Mail Online: 

Neil Ashton of the Daily Mail wrote after the match: "This was a horrible night for Everton's defenders, brutally exposed by one of the most feared strikers in world football when Sergio Aguero lost John Stones in the 76th minute. He is still looking for him."

However, as important as Aguero is to City's ambitions, Vardy and Giroud both hold the key for their clubs.

Vardy's goalscoring run has kept the Foxes in the hunt for silverware this year, along with the team's all-out direct attacking style and the progression of Mahrez into genuine stardom. 

Rui Vieira/Associated Press

Giroud has also stepped up a gear this season, and his performances have silenced the detractors who believed manager Arsene Wenger needed a new No. 9 in order to challenge. 

No neutral fan believed Leicester would remain at the top deep into January, but it has been Vardy's energy and prowess that has fuelled the fairytale. 

The striker's partnership with Mahrez certainly had potential after the Foxes avoided relegation last term, and both have blossomed into players who will be desired by elite clubs in transfer windows to follow. 

City have now lost the services of Kevin De Bruyne to injury for 10 weeks, per BBC Sport, and this could hamper Aguero's service as the league race rushes towards a conclusion.

Alastair Grant/Associated Press

However, Leicester and Arsenal do not have any new major injury concerns, allowing Vardy and Giroud to continue their quests in the No. 9 roles with the full support of their team-mates.

The current season has been the most fascinating in England for many years, as one of the country's unfashionable clubs achieves the near-impossible. 

The form and economy of Aguero, Vardy and Giroud will decide where the championship resides in the summer, but as matters stand, all three players have an equal shot of league glory as February begins.