Chelsea will spend the weekend without the mantle of English champions even if they move closer to their objective by beating Fulham in the west London derby.
Wednesday's 0-0 draw with Arsenal means the earliest Chelsea can clinch the title is on Monday, when Arsene Wenger's men face Tottenham Hotspur in the north London derby.
If Chelsea win and Arsenal fail to do so at Highbury, Jose Mourinho's side will celebrate the club's centenary in real style, half a century almost to the day after their only previous league championship.
Should Arsenal beat their old rivals as expected, Chelsea's celebrations would merely be put on hold for another week, given their massive 11-point lead over the Gunners.
Sandwiched between the two games, Chelsea could well be celebrating a Footballer of the Year award as midfielder Frank Lampard and skipper John Terry are hot favourites for Sunday's gong from the Professional Footballers Association.
Against a distinctly modest Fulham side, Chelsea should take the points in Saturday's early kickoff at Stamford Bridge.
However, their looming Champions League semi-final first leg against Liverpool on Wednesday means Mourinho is likely to rest several key players.
FANS' RIVALRY
Monday's derby at Highbury is bound to be a torrid affair, and not just because of the long-standing rivalry between the two sets of fans.
Arsenal will be defending a four-point lead over Manchester United in their private duel to finish runners-up, thereby earning an automatic place for the Champions League instead of having to qualify.
Arsenal defender Sol Campbell, a hate figure for Spurs fans after their former skipper crossed north London's great divide, should make his return after a two-month injury absence.
United host a Newcastle side on Sunday for whom everything has gone wrong since April started -- losing five of their six games and bowing out of the UEFA Cup and the FA Cup, to United, with consecutive 4-1 defeats.
A 2-1 loss to bottom club Norwich City in midweek only rubbed further salt in the wounds, and they are likely to struggle despite suspensions for United's Paul Scholes and Gary Neville who were both sent off in their fiery 1-0 defeat at Everton.
Fourth in the table, Everton's unexpected triumph moved them closer to the Champions League qualifiers and they will be brimming with confidence against Birmingham City at Goodison Park.
Everton have a game in hand over both the clubs chasing them -- Merseyside rivals Liverpool, who are three points behind, and Bolton Wanderers, who are four points adrift.
Liverpool are at relegation strugglers Crystal Palace, while Bolton travel to Aston Villa.
The third derby of the weekend will be on the south coast between Portsmouth and Southampton at Fratton Park, a re-run of their FA Cup fourth-round tie in January which the Saints won 2-1 at St Mary's.
Adding to what is already a combustible encounter will be Southampton manager Harry Redknapp's return to Portsmouth, the club he left in November.
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