Adam Lanigan: Could this be a defining week in topsy-turvy Premier League season?

With two games in the matter of days, things can change rapidly, even more so with the fact that teams either have two home matches or two away games.

Fortunes and prospects for what remains between now and May could well be forged on the back of the next three or four days.

Chelsea v West Brom

CAN Chelsea do the impossible? Guus Hiddink talked after the 3-0 win over Crystal Palace of still finishing in the top four. There is bold talk and then there is that.

The Champions are currently 13 points behind fourth place Tottenham and only have 18 games to make up the deficit, as well as overtaking a whole host of teams in the process.

If we use last season as a guide, Manchester United took the final Champions League spot with 70 points. That means Chelsea need a stunning 47 points from a final 54 – truly title-winning form.

With ten games at Stamford Bridge, Hiddink would realistically need maximum points from all those starting this week with West Brom and Everton in town.

There have been flickers of life from Oscar and Diego Costa since the departure of Jose Mourinho, but they will need to better their efforts of the first half of last season to give that top-four chance any credence.

Liverpool v Arsenal

ARSENAL have been in this position before as league leaders after Christmas. But since 2004, their challenge has never gone much beyond the end of March.

Trips to Liverpool and Stoke in the space of four days point to the start of a tough run-in.

Further away games to come after this include both Manchester clubs, Everton, Tottenham and West Ham – all matches where the Gunners will come under pressure.

They are the current favourites to be Champions in May, but as well as the silk of Mesut Ozil and the returning Alexis Sanchez, they’ll need plenty of steel to come through those tests, and make doubters believe the 2015/16 crop will go the distance.

Arsene Wenger may have his best chance to claim a first title since the Invincibles, but the Gunners will have to do it the hard way.

Manchester City v Everton

THE second of three Wednesday meetings in January, with this one sandwiched between the two legs of the Capital One Cup semi-final.

Everton claimed the honours last week, so let’s see if City can fashion a response. They need to if they want to keep track of Arsenal in the Premier League, but they have not managed successive league wins since October.

If truth be told, Manuel Pellegrini’s side have not played very well since then.

There have been flashes from the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Yaya Toure and Sergio Aguero, but nothing sustained over 90 minutes. They need to produce, as well as hoping the beleaguered back four can keep Romelu Lukaku under control.

Wins against the Toffees and Crystal Palace could be the springboard to increase the confidence around the Etihad for a post-Christmas run to the title.

Swansea v Sunderland

WITH both of these sides knocked out of the FA Cup at the first hurdle, they can each ‘concentrate’ on the Premier League from on now.

Sunderland’s exit at Arsenal was predictable, Swansea’s loss at Oxford was embarrassing. The Swans have since agreed the £12 million sale of Jonjo Shelvey to Newcastle, another relegation contender, so things seem up in the air in South West Wales.

Alan Curtis looks and feels like a stop-gap manager but he’s got the job until the end of the season. Back-to-back home games against the Mackems and Watford have taken on huge significance and may well decide if the new permanent manager will arrive to Premier League or Championship football.

Tottenham v Leicester

THESE two sides served up an excellent cup tie on Sunday, but the stakes are even higher for this one.

Fourth against second and only points separating them. These two have lost the fewest number of games this season in the league – two apiece – which has got them riding high.

But now it’s the time to kick on.

Claudio Ranieri should have re-set the Foxes’ goals now they’ve reached 40 points, and trips here and to Aston Villa could offer tantalising prospects of what they could achieve over the next few months.

As for Spurs, it’s time for Mauricio Pochettino to be bold. He’s talked of the title and with Arsenal and City far from assured, the class of 2016 led by Harry Kane and Dele Alli should be aiming for the top, rather than trying to creep into the Champions League in fourth spot.