EPL Predictions: Picks, Top Players for Week 18 Premier League Fixtures

Week 18 of the 2017-18 Premier League season will serve up several tantalising fixtures, and the clash between Manchester City and Totteham Hotspur will be the most anticipated of the bunch.

Spurs haven't been in great form of late, conceding a bit of ground in the chase for a top-four finish, but manager Mauricio Pochettino and his men have played some impressive football against top teams at times this season.

They'll have to be at their very best against City, who appear to be cruising to the title thanks to a historic run.

Here are the picks for every Week 18 fixture, followed by the top players to keep an eye on:

Leicester vs. Crystal Palace: Leicester

Watford vs. Huddersfield: Draw

Stoke vs. West Ham United: Stoke

Arsenal vs. Newcastle: Arsenal

Brighton vs. Burnley: Draw

Chelsea vs. Southampton: Chelsea

Manchester City vs. Tottenham: Manchester City

WBA vs. Manchester United: United

Bournemouth vs. Liverpool: Draw

Everton vs. Swansea: Draw

Tottenham Hotspur: Dele Alli

Spurs midfielder Dele Alli has not been in spectacular form this season, lagging well behind the excellent scoring output he had last year. He's made strides elsewhere, most notably with some of his defensive efforts, but the lack of goals has been an issue.

City lead the Premier League scoring charts by a wide margin, but their defence also ranks among the competition's best. Meanwhile, Spurs have been solid at the back, but their scoring in the last five Premier League matches has been inconsistent at best.

Against City's deep midfield, which is excellent at holding the ball, Spurs will need their main midfield star at his best, breaking the lines of play and surging forward. He'll also have to maintain his good defensive work, as the club will be without a key contributor, per BT Sport Score:

Saturday's outing may just be the toughest of Alli's season so far, and the team's success will largely depend on him.

Manchester City: Nicolas Otamendi

The Citizens have few weaknessess, but their lack of defensive depth means they could face a serious test on Saturday.

Per Jamie Jackson of the Guardian, manager Pep Guardiola has already hinted at signing a defender in January following injuries to John Stones, Vincent Kompany and Benjamin Mendy. Goal's Shane Burns shared speculation regarding Southampton's Virgil van Dijk:

"

Plenty of murmurs last night that Manchester City will move for Virgil Van Dijk in January.

— Shane Burns (@ShaneBurns_) December 13, 2017"

Eliaquim Mangala filled in admirably in the derby―he was a replacement in the second half―but the most experienced and trusted option in the heart of the defence right now is Nicolas Otamendi. The 29-year-old has stood out for his solid positioning and ball-winning skills, two things he'll need against the dangerous Harry Kane.

Kane is Spurs' leading scorer by a huge margin―if City can shut him out of the contest, their chances of grabbing another win will go up drastically.