The Premier League is in its final stretch with only five or six matches remaining depending on the club. There are intriguing races up and down the table as we move into April. The bottom of the table is just about set as two clubs have already clinched a place in the drop zone. At the top, there is a two-team race for the title, with four clubs fighting below the leaders for the final Champions League spots. Behind the top six, there is another scrum, as Leicester City, Wolverhampton, Everton and Watford are in a battle for seventh place. The race to be the best of the rest in the Premier League will be determined in the coming weeks.
The Battle for Seventh Place and European Football
Each of these clubs have had spells this season where they look like the best team outside the top six. They have also endured their shares of inconsistencies and disappointing results. These four clubs are all within in a point of one another, good form during the run-in will be needed to push one of these teams ahead. A chance for European football awaits whichever club can finish the season strong.
Strength Amid Tragedy
The entire Premier League community was shaken when Leicester City owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha was killed in a tragic helicopter crash after a late October match. The 2016 champions had fought hard while carrying the burden of this loss, but things went south at the turn of the year. A run of six losses in eight contests had the club reeling after a 4-1 defeat to Crystal Palace. Leicester have rebounded well since that rough patch, winning five of their last six.
They have been on fire in front of goal as of late, bagging 14 goals in the last six matches. Jamie Vardy has seven of his team-high 15 league goals in that span. January addition Youri Tielemans has sparked the Foxes turn around. In his last six appearances, the Belgian midfielder has two goals and three assists, leading to five victories. Leicester leads the battle for seventh with 47 points and 14 wins on the season. Unfortunately, they have the toughest run-in with three of their five remaining matches against teams in the top six.
From Promotion to Europe
Wolverhampton have had an amazing promotion campaign. They are on pace for the highest finish and point total for a promoted club since Sunderland in 2000. The consistency of their performances has impressed all season. Wolves have a stellar record against the top six, earning points against all but Liverpool this season. However, they have dropped points to four of the bottom five in the table. They have 13 wins and 47 points, and also hold a game in hand over Leicester.
Wolves did excellent business in preparation for this season, with signings Raul Jimenez, Joao Moutinho, and Rui Patricio all playing huge roles in the club’s success. Jiminez has been perhaps the signing of the season across the league with his stellar play. His 12 goals and seven assists have spearheaded the attack. After this weekend’s trip to Southampton, they have three home matches and trips to Watford and Liverpool remaining. A strong finish could see them go all the way from promotion to Europe in a remarkable season.
A Blue Wall
Everton have struggled most of the season along the back line. Inconsistencies and errors have plagued them in an up and down campaign. The defence has improved of late, as the Toffees have five clean sheets in their last six contests. Three consecutive victories over London based clubs have vaulted Everton up to 46 points and levelled their record on the season. They have the best goal difference in the battle for seventh but have one less game to play than Wolves and Watford.
Goals have not been the problem for Everton this season, as they have been explosive at times in attack. Richarlison and Gylfi Sigurdsson have each bagged 12 league goals. The 22-year-old Dominic Calvert-Lewin has a career-best six goals in 30 appearances. The Toffees will need their stingy defensive form to continue down the stretch. If they can maintain the balance between defence and attack, they can sneak into a Europa League spot. This would be a stout turnaround from a season that seemed lost after three consecutive losses in February.
Two Paths; Same Goal
Watford currently sit on 46 points, with six matches remaining. They also have the power to make this entire discussion a moot point. Should they falter in the battle for seventh place, they could still steal the Europa League spot by virtue of winning the FA Cup final. They secured their place at Wembley with a 3-2 extra time victory at the weekend over Wolves. Now they will face Manchester City in the final on May 18th.
Much like Everton, Watford have been potent in attack most of the season. They have had 14 different players score a goal, with seven players scoring three or more. Captain Troy Deeney leads the attack with nine goals and five assists. Including the semifinal win over Wolves, they’ve beaten each of the teams around them in the table in the past month. Four of their final six contests are at home, where they have eight wins, two draws and five losses on the season.
Best of the Rest
Each of these teams have been bright at different times this campaign. Wolves and Watford both hold winning records, but Everton and Leicester are enjoying the better current form. This battle for seventh place in the table and a Europa League spot will likely come down to the final weeks.
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