EPL Predictions: Picks, Top Players for Week 36 Premier League Fixtures

The 2017-18 Premier League season is slowly coming to an end, and much of the intrigue has been sucked out of the competition already entering Week 36.

Manchester City have been crowned champions, the top three finishers seem relatively secure and the teams in the relegation slots face a significant gap with just a handful of matches left.

Chelsea are just five points behind Tottenham Hotspur and still pushing for a top-four finish, though, and Southampton and Stoke City sit four points behind Swansea City―a solid but not insurmountable gap.

Here's a look ahead at the fixture list, complete with picks:

Saturday, April 28

12:30 p.m. BST/7:30 a.m. ET: Liverpool vs. Stoke City (Liverpool)

3 p.m. BST/10 a.m. ET: Burnley vs. Brighton & Hove Albion (Burnley)

3 p.m. BST/10 a.m. ET: Crystal Palace vs. Leicester City (draw)

3 p.m. BST/10 a.m. ET: Huddersfield Town vs. Everton (draw)

3 p.m. BST/10 a.m. ET: Newcastle United vs. West Bromwich Albion (Newcastle)

3 p.m. BST/10 a.m. ET: Southampton vs. Bournemouth (draw)

5:30 p.m. BST/12:30 p.m. ET: Swansea City vs. Chelsea (draw)

Sunday, April 29

2:15 p.m. BST/9:15 a.m. ET: West Ham United vs. Manchester City (draw)

4:30 p.m. BST/11:30 a.m. ET: Manchester United vs. Arsenal (United)

Monday, April 30

8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET: Tottenham Hotspur vs. Watford (Tottenham)

Key Players

Mohamed Salah, Liverpool

Mohamed Salah beat Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City to the PFA Player of the Year award on Sunday, but his 2017-18 campaign isn't over yet. There's the UEFA Champions League, where Liverpool are in the semi-finals, as well as the Premier League scoring record for a 38-match season to aim for.

The Egypt international needs just one more domestic goal to break the record, which he currently shares with Alan Shearer, Luis Suarez and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Manager Jurgen Klopp warned his speedy star the battle isn't over for him just yet:

Salah's minutes may be limited due to Liverpool's activity in Europe, but if he gets on the pitch against lowly Stoke City and their league-worst defence―65 goals conceded―he'll have to like his chances.

Granit Xhaka, Arsenal

Switzerland international Granit Xhaka has been in excellent form of late, putting together several impressive performances in a row ahead of the trip to Manchester United on Sunday.

The 25-year-old has been something of a flop in his short time with the Gunners, and he's one of the players who may not have much of a future at the club, according to James Olley of the London Evening Standard:

This spell of good form comes at a great time, as the Gunners will have noted his strong finish. It's worth saying Arsenal haven't played much elite competition in that span, though, and only Atletico Madrid in the Europa League semi-final stand out ahead of the game at Old Trafford before the end of the season.

United are among the best clubs in the Premier League, and it's these kind of matches Arsenal should use as a measuring stick to determine whether Xhaka is ready to turn the corner heading into next term.