Premier League Table: 2017 Standings, Week 29 Fixtures After Week 28 Results

Liverpool strengthened their hold on fourth place by moving five points clear of rivals Arsenal and Manchester United after the 28th week of the Premier League season. Next up for the Reds is a pivotal clash with Manchester City this week.

The Reds have played two games more than both the Gunners and the Red Devils, but the Anfield club is still in a strong position to ensure a place in next season's UEFA Champions League.

At the bottom of the table, Hull City boosted their survival hopes by pulling Swansea City back into the relegation mire. Wins for Everton and Bournemouth helped round out a week of fixtures abbreviated by the 2017 FA Cup quarter-finals.

Here's what the standings look like ahead of Week 29:

Position	Club	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Goal Difference	Points
1	Chelsea	27	21	3	3	37	66
2	Tottenham Hotspur	27	16	8	3	33	56
3	Manchester City	27	17	5	5	24	56
4	Liverpool	28	16	7	5	25	55
5	Arsenal	26	15	5	6	24	50
6	Manchester United	26	13	10	3	17	49
7	Everton	28	13	8	7	17	47
8	West Bromwich Albion	28	11	7	10	-1	40
9	Stoke City	28	9	9	10	-8	36
10	Southampton	26	9	6	11	-2	33
11	West Ham United	28	9	6	13	-11	33
12	Burnley	28	9	4	15	-11	31
13	Watford	27	8	7	12	-14	31
14	Bournemouth	28	8	6	14	-14	30
15	Leicester City	27	7	6	14	-15	27
27	Swansea City	28	8	3	17	-25	27
17	Crystal Palace	27	7	4	16	-11	25
18	Hull City	28	6	6	16	-28	24
19	Middlesbrough	27	4	10	13	-11	22
20	Sunderland	27	5	4	18	-26	19

Here is the next round of fixtures:

Date	Time (GMT/ET)	Match
Saturday, March 18	12:30 p.m./7:30 a.m.	West Bromwich Albion vs. Arsenal
Saturday, March 18	3 p.m./10 a.m.	Crystal Palace vs. Watford
Saturday, March 18	3 p.m./10 a.m.	Everton vs. Hull City
Saturday, March 18	3 p.m./10 a.m.	Stoke City vs. Chelsea
Saturday, March 18	3 p.m./10 a.m.	Sunderland vs. Burnley
Saturday, March 18	3 p.m./10 a.m.	West Ham United vs. Leicester City
Saturday, March 18	5:30 p.m./12:30 p.m.	Bournemouth vs. Swansea City
Sunday, March 19	12 p.m./7 a.m.	Middlesbrough vs. Manchester United
Sunday, March 19	2:15 p.m./9:15 p.m.	Tottenham Hotspur vs. Southampton
Sunday, March 19	4:30 p.m./11:30 a.m.	Manchester City vs. Liverpool

Preview

Liverpool's trip to take on Manchester City highlights the fixtures in Week 29. It's fourth against third, with City looking for revenge after losing 1-0 at Anfield on New Year's Eve.

Revenge won't be an easy get, though, not with the Citizens on form in the attacking third. Specifically, striker Sergio Aguero is proving he still knows where the net is after bagging a brace to knock Middlesbrough out of the FA Cup on Saturday.

Aguero's form is in stark contrast to those leading Liverpool's forward line. Reds manager Jurgen Klopp is still struggling to find the right focal point up front, where centre-forward Divock Origi is inconsistent, while Daniel Sturridge still struggles to avoid injuries.

Fortunately, there have been ample goals from midfield for Klopp's men recently. Georginio Wijnaldum has scored in his last two league matches, including Sunday's 2-1 win over Burnley at Anfield.

Wijnaldum is on form, but his best performances have been restricted to home soil, according to Squawka Football:

Of course, City ought to be prepared for Wijnaldum this time after the Netherlands international scored the winner when these two teams met at the end of December. 

Yet it's Liverpool who must be ready for City's dominant force in the middle, Ivory Coast veteran Yaya Toure. The 33-year-old was exceptional in the win over Middlesbrough, per BBC Sport:

Toure is playing well, but he has still come in for criticism from manager Pep Guardiola, who revealed he took the midfield powerhouse to task during the Boro game, per James Robson of the Manchester Evening News: "In some things, he did not make good things - he knows that. I spoke to him in front of the team."

The midfield battle will define a game between two teams whose strength flows through the middle.

Liverpool and City's battle isn't the only important tussle at the top in Week 29. Arsenal can close the gap on fourth place by beating West Brom at the Hawthorns in the week's early game.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is still under huge pressure from the fans, some of whom are reportedly planning to pay for a plane to fly banners calling for the manager to leave, according to James Benge of the London Evening Standard.

Frankly, Wenger and his players could do without the negative vibes for what is sure to be a tricky fixture. Baggies manager Tony Pulis has frustrated Wenger in the past, with his teams using dominance in the air and overt physicality to upset the Gunners' passing artisans.

Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

It's vital Arsenal pile the pressure on Liverpool and City ahead of Sunday.

Any member of the top six able to win this week will be hoping leaders Chelsea slip up against Stoke City at the bet365 Stadium. The Blues' trip to the Potteries offers the potential for the would-be champions to come unstuck for a rare time.

Of course, even an off day would unlikely slow Chelsea's march to the title. Antonio Conte's team has opened a 10-point lead and the games are running out for the challengers to make up the difference.

Tottenham Hotspur are the closest challengers, but they will find Southampton tough opponents. Spurs' task will likely be more difficult without injured striker Harry Kane.

The England man's potential ankle woes could even keep him out the rest of the season, according to The Sun's Duncan Wright. Without Kane to worry about, the Saints will see Tottenham as ripe pickings.

Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images

However, it's the matches involving the teams directly below Spurs that will have the biggest impact on the standings after Week 29.