All Premier League title hopefuls have been dropping points lately with none of the leading teams managing to steal a decisive march on their rivals. Tomorrow, Arsenal host current leaders Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal and Liverpool have both won their matches against Manchester United and Chelsea this season.
Liverpool had the better of United at Anfield and Chelsea away while Arsenal beat United at home and Chelsea away.
But, consistency has proved hard to come by for Arsenal and Liverpool. The latter have dropped eight points at home to modest sides after four draws (three of them on the trot) while Arsenal forfeited seven points in front of their own fans.
The talking point at Anfield is the first-team exclusion of forward Robbie Keane, who cost the club £20 million in the transfer market. With his team locked in a 2-2 draw with Hull last weekend, Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez left Keane on the bench. Benitez said he needed wide players to open up the Tigers' defence on that occasion.
Steven Gerrard had to come to Liverpool's rescue once more as he hit a brace to cancel out a 2-0 deficit against Hull.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is confident his players will pick themselves up after the 1-1 draw at Middlesbrough to force their way back into the championship race.
Last season, the two league matches between Arsenal and Liverpool ended in 1-1 draws. Liverpool knocked Arsenal out from the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari and the club fans are baffled by the contrast between the team's poor home record and the terrific away form. After their unbeaten league run of 86 matches was halted by Liverpool on October 26, Chelsea have won only once in the Premier League at Stamford Bridge.
They have figured in two draws (vs Newcastle and West Ham) and lost to Arsenal. On Monday, they travel to Everton who have also been struggling to embark on a positive run of results at Goodison Park.
Everton have won one game at home, drew three and lost four.
High-flying Aston Villa will visit London to play guests to West Ham. Villa are undefeated in their last five league matches, having won three and drawn the rest.
England midfielder Gareth Barry has promised to sign a new deal with Villa if they earn a Champions League berth at the end of the season.
West Ham have shown improvement lately with most of their key players determined to keep the team in the top flight.
Hull's remarkable season continued last weekend when they held Liverpool at Anfield.
The Tigers, who entertain Sunderland at the KC Stadium, are back in the top six.
Sunderland, who came so close to getting a point against Manchester United, brushed aside the distraction of Roy Keane's resignation as manager with the 4-0 mauling of West Brom at home.
Gary Megson, named Manager of the Month for November, is desperate to lead his side back to winning form after Bolton suffered back-to-back defeats at home to Chelsea and away to Aston Villa.
At the Reebok Stadium, Bolton square up to Portsmouth who were humbled 3-0 by Newcastle at Fratton Park last Sunday.
In the last two seasons, Portsmouth did the double over the Trotters in the Premier League.
Fulham, having established themselves as the punters' favourites for draws, will be aiming for the three points in their clash with Middlesbrough at Craven Cottage.
Fulham have drawn six games this season. Manager Roy Hodgson blamed his team's sequence of draws on a lack of cutting edge.
Middlesbrough are placed in mid-table, a point adrift of the Londoners who have a game in hand. A setback for the Teessiders is the loss of defender Justin Hoyte who will be out for a month due to a cartilage injury.
Michael Owen has opened contract talks with Newcastle but a horde of clubs are also chasing his signature.
The former Liverpool hitman has scored four goals in the last five matches. Newcastle boss Joe Kinnear, whose side host Tottenham promised to do his utmost to keep the England striker at St James' Park.
Tottenham, who are likely to be without defender Jonathan Woodgate due to a back injury, are delighted that Heurelho Gomes has found his form again. The Brazilian goalkeeper thanked manager Harry Redknapp for putting a smile back on his face.
Paul Ince was dismissed as Blackburn manager on Tuesday and replaced by Sam Allardyce.
Rovers appear to have lost their plot lately after five consecutive league defeats.
Stoke, Blackburn's opponents today, maintained their positive streak after drawing at home to Fulham for their fourth league match without defeat.
Potters' throw-in expert Rory Delap needed another pain-killing injection last weekend and he is not sure if he can continue to hurl those long balls in the next few weeks due to a shoulder injury.
Bottom team West Brom cross swords with Manchester City at the Hawthorns tomorrow. City are in a mess and boss Mark Hughes will probably pay the price if the negative results persist.
Executive chairman Garry Cook insisted that City were fully behind Hughes and stressed that club owners Abu Dhabi United Group are also backing their manager to deliver at Eastlands.