Premier League front runners Chelsea and Arsenal will enjoy home comforts when they host Everton and Sunderland respec-tively this afternoon.

The Gunners and the Blues experienced mixed fortunes in their last outings on the domestic scene as the former team beat Liverpool to reach the quarter-finals of the FA Cup but Jose Mourinho’s men were knocked out of the competition following a 2-0 defeat at Manchester City.

Chelsea are the only team in the Premier League still unbeaten at home with a fine record of 11 victories and two draws.

Today, they will be all out to record their fourth double of the season at the expense of Everton following home and away victories over Southampton, Hull and Manchester City.

Chelsea are also unbeaten in their past five duels against Everton in London in the English Premier League:

2013: Chelsea-Everton 2-1.
2011: Chelsea-Everton 3-1.
2010: Chelsea-Everton 1-1.
2009: Chelsea-Everton 3-3.
2009: Chelsea-Everton 0-0.

Everton striker Lacina Traore was delighted to score on his debut in their FA Cup win over Swansea City as manager Roberto Martinez spoke highly of Steven Naismith after his scoring performance in the 3-1 win against the Swans.

Last week, Arsenal took sweet revenge over Liverpool after ousting the Reds 2-1 in the FA Cup following the 1-5 mauling at Anfield earlier this month.

However, the Gunners failed to keep the momentum going and saw their chances of reaching the Champions League quarter-finals suffer a huge blow after a 2-0 defeat to holders Bayern Munich at the Emirates Stadium.

Mesut Ozil’s poor form continued on Wednesday after the German midfielder missed a penalty against Bayern which would have given Arsenal an early lead.

Meanwhile, Sunderland’s hopes of reaching two domestic cup finals are still alive.

Already in the League Cup showdown against Manchester City on March 2, Sunderland are through to the FA Cup quarter-finals following a home win over Southampton.

In the last five seasons at the Emirates, the Gunners only managed two wins against the Black Cats.

2012: Arsenal-Sunderland 0-0.
2011: Arsenal-Sunderland 2-1.
2011: Arsenal-Sunderland 0-0.
2010: Arsenal-Sunderland 2-0.
2009: Arsenal-Sunderland 0-0

At the Etihad Stadium, third-placed Manchester City will be determined to get back to winning ways when they host Stoke.

Boss Manuel Pellegrini is adopting a ‘no fear’ approach at City this season. However, their ambitions in Europe are now hanging by a thread following a 2-0 defeat at home to Barcelona on Tuesday.

After their elimination from the FA Cup, Liverpool will concen-trate all their efforts on the Premier League.

Tomorrow, Brendan Rodgers will lead his side against his former employers, Swansea, at Anfield.

Faltering champions Manchester United will try to revive their top-four hopes with victory at Crystal Palace in today’s evening kick-off.

United have spent the last week in Dubai for a mid-season training camp and manager David Moyes is hopeful it will help his team step up their performances in the latter part of the season.

Palace have won three of their last four league games so it will be no easy task for United.

Tottenham, who have been playing out of their skin lately as they push for a place in the Cham-pions League next season, take a trip to East Anglia to play Norwich City tomorrow.

Spurs travelled to Dnipro on Thursday for the Europa League last 32 first leg but returned home with a 0-1 in arrears after going down to a team coached by their former Spanish manager Juande Ramos.

Elsewhere, Felix Magath will make his first appearance as Fulham manager today as the Cottagers are away to WBA.

The shrewd German coach, who replaced Rene Meulesteen, told reporters he was confident bottom-placed Fulham have enough quality to survive the drop.

Fixtures and forecast

Premier League

Arsenal-Sunderland 1
Cardiff-Hull X
Chelsea-Everton (13:45) 1
C. Palace-Man. United (18:30) 2
Man. City-Stoke 1
West Brom-Fulham 1
West Ham-Southampton 1

Tomorrow:
Liverpool-Swansea (14:30) 1
Newcastle-Aston Villa (14:30) 1
Norwich-Tottenham (17:00) X

Standings

Chelsea 57; Arsenal 56; Man. City 54; Liverpool 53; Tottenham 50; Everton 45; Man. United 42; Southampton 39; Newcastle 37; Swansea, West Ham, Aston Villa 28; Hull, Stoke 27; Crystal Palace 26; Norwich City 25; West Bromwich, Sunderland 24; Cardiff City 22; Fulham 20.

The Championship

Barnsley-Millwall X
Blackpool-Birmingham X
Bolton-Watford X
Brighton-Wigan 1
Burnley-Nottm Forest 1
Charlton-QPR2
Derby-Bournemouth 1
Huddersfield-Sheff. Wed. 1
Leicester-Ipswich 1
Middlesbrough-Leeds (13:15) 1
Reading-Blackburn 1
Yeovil-Doncaster X

League One

Bradford-MK Dons X
Brentford-Wolves X
Carlisle-Rotherham 2
Colchester-Preston 2
Leyton Orient-Swindon 1
Notts County-Shrewsbury 1
Oldham-Gillingham 1
Port Vale-Crewe 1
Sheffield Utd-Bristol City 1
Stevenage-Peterborough 2
Tranmere-Coventry X
Walsall-Crawley 1

League Two

AFC Wimbledon-Bury 1
Dagenham-Plymouth 1
Exeter-Rochdale X
Mansfield-Fleetwood2
Morecambe-Oxford 2
Newport-Cheltenham1
Northampton-Hartlepool X
Scunthorpe-Portsmouth 1
Torquay-Accrington 1
Wycombe-Chesterfield 2
York-Southend X

Hot Four

Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, West Brom.