Premier League Week 22 schedule and scores

The busy holiday period might be over, but things haven’t gotten any easier for Premier League teams. Fatigue and injuries from that section of the schedule are taking their tolls on these teams, most of which have very long injury lists. A number of teams have also lost key players to Africa Cup of Nations, and a select few to Asian Cup.

Arsenal have been bit particularly hard by the injury bug as always, and recently learned that they’ll be without Mathieu Debuchy and Mikel Arteta when they face Manchester City, and for the next three months. City have lost Yaya Toure to international duty, and while Sergio Aguero’s back, his next hamstring injury could come at any time.

That game is by far the best of the bunch, but there are plenty of other watchable contests. Unfortunately for fans, there is no early Saturday game and there are a couple of average games in the big TV slots, so most of the best stuff is midday on Saturday. Saturday’s late game, Newcastle-Southampton, could be a great one, though.

TV: NBCSN (U.S. - English), Mun2 (U.S. - Spanish)

This edged out the other midday games for American TV, with Canada getting Liverpool’s match and strangely no one opting for Chelsea-Swansea. QPR had been doing just enough to hover above the drop zone for a while, but they haven’t won in five games, taking just two points from that set. United’s top four credentials are being questioned again after a deserved loss to Southampton last week, but this game gives them an opportunity to get right back on track.

TV: NBC (U.S. - English), Mun2 (U.S. - Spanish), Sky Sports 1 (U.K.), TSN2 (Canada)

Newcastle learned that Alan Pardew was leaving for Crystal Palace weeks ago, but they’ve yet to appoint a new manager. Former Lyon boss Remi Garde still looks likely to take over, but it’s not clear what the hold-up is in making his hiring official.

Both of these teams are among the hardest hit by injuries and the Africa Cup of Nations, so expect to see some players that you haven’t seen much at all this season.

TV: NBCSN (U.S.), Sky Sports 1 (U.K.), Sportsnet World (Canada)

West Ham’s top four bid has looked dead in the water many times over, only for them to revive it and sneak back up the table. That could happen again this week, as they’ll be expected to beat Hull at home. West Ham are winless in their last four, but Arsenal face a tough game this week, while Spurs are Spurs. Steve Bruce has won a couple of times recently to keep himself employed, but don’t expect another big win for the Tigers here.

TV: NBCSN (U.S. - English), Telemundo (U.S. - Spanish), Sky Sports 1 (U.K.), TSN (Canada)

It’s a traditional ‘big game’, but not one that necessarily feels like it has many consequences at this point. Arsenal are going to be favored for fourth by most whatever happens here, but it’s not like a win could catapult them into the title race. A loss for City at home after a Chelsea win on Saturday would be a pretty bad result, but dropped points are to be expected while Yaya Toure is away.

Arsenal are currently looking paper thin defensively with Debuchy and Arteta out. They’re one more injury away from a pretty significant disaster, and really, they’ve been lucky their competitors for Champions League aren’t that great either. The biggest thing a win for them does is put some doubt in the minds of Tottenham and West Ham.

TV: NBCSN (U.S. - English), Mun2 (U.S. - Spanish), Sportsnet World (Canada), Sky Sports 1 (U.K.)

Everton’s gone on a long enough run without a significant win that questions are being asked about the continued employment of the previously untouchable Roberto Martinez, one of the top managers in England last year. He should get to the end of the season with anything better than relegation form -- and Steven Naismith’s equalizer against City last week certainly helped -- but things are looking grim at Goodison Park. Failure to win this game (and next week’s against Palace) before the Merseyside Derby could see Martinez needing to get a result there to please Bill Kenwright.

Schedule (all times ET, scores updated as they come in)