It's a huge weekend of football as Liverpool travel to Manchester United. Who will come out on top in the weekend's eight Premier League matches? Paul Merson makes his predictions...

Friday

West Ham vs Fulham

Fulham are in the must-win saloon but they are letting in goals for fun, and I don't see anything except a victory for West Ham. It's hard for Fulham to go somewhere and keep clean sheets and they also aren't the highest scoring team, so I don't see them getting anything here.

I can't see Fulham surviving; defensively, they are not going to keep enough clean sheets. They are behind the eight-ball and the more they have to chase games, the more vulnerable they are going to be. I don't give them a chance.

Paul's prediction: 3:1

Saturday

Burnley vs Tottenham

Tottenham could get back in the title race if they win this game and Liverpool don't beat Manchester United.

If Liverpool beat United, then I don't think Spurs are in it - I think it's too many points - but if they win this and Liverpool don't win, then they are in it because they still have to play Liverpool.

I don't think Burnley will go down. They have enough know-how, they are on a good run and they are hard to beat. However, I fancy Spurs to win this game.

Paul's prediction: 1:3

Leicester vs Crystal Palace

Palace will have a go and Leicester score goals, so I think this will be an entertaining draw.

I don't know what Claude Puel was thinking by leaving out Jamie Vardy against Tottenham. I know he said he is thinking about the future, but has somebody told him he is going to be there for the next three years?!

As a manager, you have one game - that's how it works. What if they were on the end of a 6-0 defeat against Tottenham? You play your best players when you have them and you are in a job. That's every manager, not just Puel.

Play your best players, and don't look too far to the future because there isn't always a future as a manager. It's all about results and you have to win matches. No manager can bet anything that they will still be manager at the same club in four years, I don't care who you are.

Paul's prediction: 2:2

Sunday

Arsenal vs Southampton

Southampton have put themselves in a difficult position by losing to Cardiff. They have a massive game against Fulham coming up and I don't think they get anything at the Emirates.

Arsenal beat the lesser teams at home, but I don't think they have a chance of getting in the top four this season.

They are not consistent enough and there will be results along the way where they slip up, as they did in the Europa League at BATE Borisov, who are a run-of-the-mill team. They have those results in them and I would be shocked if they got in the top four.

Paul's prediction: 3:1

Manchester United v Liverpool 

I look at when United got beaten by Paris Saint-Germain and I thought they were a million miles off; that's when you judge managers. When you are winning every week, it's a doddle, but it's when you get beaten, it's how you bounce back. I thought they were brilliant in the FA Cup at Chelsea in the way they played.

If Liverpool get anything from this game, I think they have had a result. I am not saying that because I think Man Utd are a better team, but I think the pendulum has swung. You have a team that is very confident and a team that is very nervous and are snatching at chances. Look at Liverpool's game against Bayern Munich - two months ago, they would have scored two or three of those chances.

I think United will have a go. They are not a team under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer that will sit back. They will take the game to Liverpool, and I think the nerves of Liverpool will be too much.

Paul's prediction: 2:1

Source: SkySports