Chelsea take on another of the title pretenders as they travel to Manchester City this weekend.

Having seen off Manchester United and Arsenal in the past month to open up a five-point lead at the top of the Barclays Premier League, Carlo Ancelotti's men will hope to survive another stern test.

The Londoners have won their last five in the competition and have been installed as favourites to win what would be their first title since the back-to-back successes of 2005 and 2006.

Their performances have attracted acclaim and defender Ricardo Carvalho believes the team is playing better than it did in those title years under Jose Mourinho.

"In this moment we are an improvement even from that first year here under Mourinho," Carvalho said.

"Of course then we were compact and everyone was fighting, but now I think we have more quality in the squad maybe."

The match is arguably more important for City boss Mark Hughes, who is coming under increasing pressure after a run of seven consecutive draws in the league.

City began the season with huge expectations after a lavish summer spending spree but their title hopes have been undermined by a run that has not seen them win since September.

City have shown they can match Chelsea in the money stakes but are yet to prove they can do so on the pitch, having fallen 14 points behind the leaders.

They could at least take encouragement prior to the Eastlands encounter from results in the Carling Cup this week.

Hughes' side progressed to the semi-finals with a comfortable victory over Arsenal while a weakened Chelsea went out on penalties to Blackburn.

"What the win has done has put us in the right frame of mind for the visit of Chelsea at the weekend," said winger Shaun Wright-Phillips.

"Christmas is coming and there are a lot of points to play for and we want as many of them as we can get."

Elsewhere, Liverpool's inspirational captain Steven Gerrard is poised to make his 500th appearance for the club against the same team he played on his debut, Blackburn.

Liverpool could also be lifted for the trip to Ewood Park by the return of striker Fernando Torres after a month out with a groin problem.

Liverpool's title hopes have been hit by a poor run throughout October and November but a derby defeat of Everton last week lifted morale and the top four is still within their grasp.

"I think we have to be realistic," said Gerrard. "At the moment we're out of the title race, but we will keep trying to get back in it. Our main target is to get back into the top four."

There is a key match at the lower end of the table as 18th-placed Bolton take on the side immediately below them, Wolves, at the Reebok Stadium.

Mick McCarthy's Wolves are just three points off the bottom after eight games without a win, while Bolton have slipped into trouble after failing to record a victory in four games.

Bolton boss Gary Megson said: "I was told that Mick said that they will have to go back to basics and roll their sleeves up and scrap, so it will be a really intense game for us."

Bottom side Portsmouth are looking for their first win since Avram Grant was announced as their new manager as Burnley travel to Fratton Park while another struggling side, West Ham, host champions Manchester United.

Arsenal face rugged opposition in Stoke at the Emirates Stadium while Hull face a difficult test of their recent revival at Aston Villa.

Wigan tackle Birmingham while on Sunday Everton and Tottenham meet in an intriguing encounter and Fulham face Sunderland.