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Chelsea's 6-1 win over bottom side Derby in midweek means just five points separate the top three sides, with Arsenal just about keeping their noses two points clear at the top despite a poor recent run.

 United, who are arguably in the driving seat thanks to their game in hand, can ramp up the pressure on Arsenal by going ahead of them, for a few hours at least, by winning at Derby before the Gunners take on Middlesbrough in the evening match.

 The champions could have Gary Neville back for the trip to Derby and United's assistant manager Carlos Queiroz believes they must put last weekend's FA Cup defeat out of their minds quickly.

 "There was a lot of frustration and sadness amongst the team and the staff," he said. "But the most important thing now is to show the right attitude, the Manchester United attitude and bounce back from what happened. We need to keep moving forward.

 "We cannot rely and expect other teams to make mistakes in our favour. It is up to us to do our job. This is a crucial part of the season and there is no room for error on our part. Now is the time to deliver.

 "We expect the best from our players - the best concentration, the best football and the best motivation. Everything needs to be perfect."

   Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will be hoping to halt an alarming slump in league form which has seen them draw their last three league games, with their last league win coming back on February 11.

 But the return of striker Robin van Persie to fitness - particularly after the broken leg suffered by Eduardo - has given the squad a huge boost, Wenger said.

 "He can make a difference," Wenger said. "He has played eight games, we have played 28. To have him back for the last 10 would be patience rewarded.

 "(Before he was injured) he played eight games and scored five goals. When you lose a player like that you think of course we are in trouble but we compensated well. (Van Persie) is desperate to come back and do well."

   Chelsea, just five points behind and also with a game in hand, are away to relegation-threatened Sunderland. After their 6-1 hammering of Derby in midweek, they have momentum again and manager Avram Grant believes the title can still be theirs.

 "If we win our game in hand we are two points behind Arsenal and they have to play here," Grant said. "Their games are not against easy teams - there are 10 games to go, anything can happen."

   The battle for fourth spot and the final Champions League berth continues apace. Liverpool, ahead of Everton on goal difference, are at home to Reading, while Everton are away to another relegation- threatened side, Derby County on Sunday.

 Everton will have to get over their UEFA Cup exit in midweek, while Liverpool will be hoping Fernando Torres can continue the form he has shown in recent weeks, having taken his goal tally for the season to 26 with the winner at Inter Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

 "He will only get better and better," Liverpool's Dirk Kuyt said of his team-mate. "Other teams now are very worried by him, but you could see with the way he put away his one chance of the night just how dangerous he is.

 "The rest of the players seem to think he will score in every game, and the way it is going, that is starting to happen."

   At the bottom of the table, the crunch match of the weekend looks set to come on Monday night when Newcastle, without a win since Kevin Keegan's return as manager, travel to Birmingham City.

 Newcastle, who will be looking ahead to three crucial home games against other sides in the bottom half, could have striker Mark Viduka back.

 Birmingham, two points behind Newcastle in the table and just one place above the relegation zone, and after their 4-2 defeat at Portsmouth on Wednesday, manager Alex McLeish said: That's going to be a big game, nothing less now than it was ever going to be.

 "It would be a big boost to win it, and we've got a lot of plusses coming out of this game."

   Bolton Wanderers, who have slipped into the bottom three, travel to another side in trouble, Wigan Athletic, just three points better off.

 Portsmouth take on Aston Villa, West Ham United host Blackburn Rovers and Tottenham, who also exited the UEFA Cup this week, travel to Manchester City.

By Ben James, dpa