The title dispute between Manchester City and Arsenal could go down to the last breath. The fight to qualify for the Champions League got red hot. The battle for tenure could lose a contender this weekend, with bottom-place Southampton on the brink of relegation, leaving four teams trying to avoid the other two spots.
There is still a lot to play for in the Premier League in its final two weeks.
As many expected, defending champions City launched their customary run for top spot late in the season, displacing an Arsenal team they had led for months to falter just as their first league title since 2004 was throbbing.
City, riding a 10-game winning streak in the league, are one point ahead of Arsenal with four games to go, one more than the Gunners.
However, it is premature to think that everything is defined. City tries the most difficult closing: visiting Everton who is fighting for permanence; at home to Chelsea, and then visits to Brighton and Brentford – two of the most surprising teams of the season, and with very good home records.
Another factor: City will face the return match against Real Madrid, for the Champions League semifinals, next week.
Arsenal, meanwhile, will host Brighton, then go to Nottingham Forest, and close at home against Wolverhampton.
If Arsenal win their next three games, City will need to win three of their last four games to retain the title.
THE FIRST FOUR
For some time it was looming that both Newcastle and Manchester United would secure the remaining two Champions League places, behind City and Arsenal, but Liverpool’s six-win run has made things very interesting.
Liverpool have climbed to fifth place, one point behind fourth United; and three points from the third Newcastle. Jurgen Klopp’s team has played one more game.
The Reds will need to win their remaining three games – away to Leicester, at home to Aston Villa and at home to bottom side Southampton – and wait for either Newcastle or United to slip up.
Newcastle closes the season facing Leeds, Brighton, Leicester and Chelsea. Two wins are likely to secure their return to the Champions League for the first time in 20 years.
United look more exposed to being passed by Liverpool, having only won one of their recent four league games. Although on paper, United have a better finish with three of their four remaining home games (Wolverhampton, Chelsea and Fulham), along with a visit to Bournemouth.
EUROPE LEAGUE
The teams that finish in fifth and sixth place will advance to the Europa League, and those positions are currently held by Liverpool and Tottenham. Brighton want to sneak in and Aston Villa have a long shot.
Tottenham leads Brighton by two points, which has five games to play due to several postponements. Tottenham, on the other hand, must play three. Brighton has a very complicated closure: visits to Arsenal and Newcastle, as well as hosting City.
Tottenham has Aston Villa, Brentford and Leeds ahead. Aston Villa, who is three points behind Tottenham ahead of the match that both will hold this Saturday, will then face Liverpool, and will close against Brighton.
The team that finishes in seventh position will secure a place in the next edition of the Europa Conference League.
DESCENT
At the bottom of the table, Southampton is eight points from salvation with three games to play. They are going to lose the category after 11 years in a row in the Premier. Their relegation could be confirmed on Saturday if they lose to Fulham.
Two other teams will also go to the second division and three points separate Forest (16th) and Leeds (19th), with Everton and Leicester in between.
At the moment, Leeds and Leicester would be relegated and both face the most difficult schedule.
Leicester’s, in particular, is the toughest. They will host Liverpool on Monday to visit Newcastle. The easiest in theory will be at home against West Ham in the last weekend and by then they could already be doomed to relegation.
Leeds will host Newcastle and Tottenham with a visit to West Ham in between.
Everton, in the division of honor since 1953, came out of the red zone after beating Brighton 5-1 on Monday. They will close against Man City, Wolves and Bournemouth.
Forest need to pick up one more point to stay in first place, but it won’t be easy when they face Chelsea away, at home against Arsenal and at Crystal Palace.
2023-05-12 07:12:24
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