The importance of Champions League football in the modern game is immense with many millions of pounds awarded to its participants. The extra revenue it brings gives many teams the opportunity to compete with some of Europe’s elite sides. This year’s race for one of the prized top-4 spots is really heating up and beginning to boil, and this will be a very hard fought battleground by some of the English Premiership’s top teams. With the two Manchester clubs, City and United, away and clear and looking guaranteed for first and second spots, then we’re left with the next five teams fighting over the last two precious spots. Involved in the race are Chelsea, Tottenham, Everton, Arsenal and Liverpool, who all will be sweating until the last whistle of the season blows 25games into the league season, currently the 3rd to 7th positions looks like this:
Points Goal difference
3-Chelsea 46 +24
4-Tottenham 45 +13
5-Everton 42 +10
6-Arsenal 41 +20
7-Liverpool 36 +12
So with 13 games remaining, I am going to try to predict the future with my crystal ball, thus deciding who are the best equipped teams to survive and earn a top 4 place.
I start with third place Chelsea, who won last year’s Champions League. They have been very disappointing this season despite spending big in the transfer market, and have already been knocked out this year’s Champions League tournament. So instead they will be in the Europa League played on Thursday nights. This could hinder their chances of performing at top level come the weekend fixtures. They are also still in the FA cup mix, which again could play havoc with the fixture list if they progress or if replays are needed. They still have two very tough away fixtures at both Manchester United and City, and have massive home games with two of their closest rivals in Tottenham and on the final day against Everton (this game could be huge). These four games really could decide whether Chelsea make it into the Champions League for the 10th year running.
The next team up is Tottenham, who have looked solid all year with Gareth Bale being the star man once again. The Europa League could be a hindrance if the fixtures start piling up, but having been knocked out the FA cup really could be a blessing in disguise for them. The key games are Arsenal, Everton at home, and Chelsea and Liverpool away. So once again, four massive games could decide whether they make it or not for the second time in recent history.
Everton have never been in the Champions League and have done amazingly well this season. They are an overachieving side that works hard for each other with a great team spirit, but they have many very tricky away games awaiting them in Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea. They have by far the most difficult fixtures left, so in my opinion even though they have been superb this season I really cannot see them getting enough points. I believe they will miss out.
Next is Arsenal, who has incredibly made the Champions League the last 13 years running. Will it be “unlucky 14”? A very topsy-turvy season, but they have looked more together lately. They are still involved in Champions League and the FA Cup, so a fixture pile-up could be a real possibility. Spurs away and United and Everton at home will have a huge bearing on their final finishing position, but they look to have a slightly easier run than the other teams in the mix.
Liverpool are a real Jekyll and Hyde team that can be great and terrible in the same game. I really think that the few points they are behind the rest is just too much for them to reverse. They have three really tough home games against their main competition in Tottenham, Chelsea and Everton, and these games are must wins. Their star names, Stevie Gerrard, Luis Suarez and newly signed Daniel Sturridge, will need to be immense in the last 13 games to have any chance. Even though they’re very capable of producing top class performances, I think they will just miss out.
I have gone through all the fixtures that every team has left and this is the points I think they will get in them games; Chelsea-24, Tottenham 23,Everton 19,Arsenal 27 and Liverpool 25. The means my final table would look like this:
Points
3-Chelsea 70
4-Arsenal 68
5-Tottenham 68
6-Everton 64
7-Liverpool 63
Amazingly, I cannot split the two North London clubs, Arsenal and Tottenham, with both finishing on 68 points. With the Gunners already holding a +10 goal difference more than Tottenham, this in my opinion will be the margin between the two of playing in the Champions Leagues or the Europa League next season. A few goals really could be the difference-maker and worth millions to the teams that can hit the jackpot of competing in Europe’s most elite football tournament.
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