After the break, comes the run. The international break in March is always an interesting one. It serves as a break for what has come since November, more so in this season with little breathing space. Its aftermath also means no more halts until the end of the season, as we enter crunch time. For the Premier League top four battle, it looks to be crunch time.
Premier League Top Four Battle
With nine games left to play after the break (ten for some teams), the battle for the Champions League places is keenly contested. Manchester City are all but guaranteed to win the title, but there’s more to play for. There’s a nine-point gap between second and fifth place, while fourth and eighth are separated by five points.
Here is a rundown of the teams challenging for the Premier League top four:
Manchester United (2nd Place – 57 Points)
Manchester United had a less than ideal start to the season. By the end of October, they had lost 3-1 at home to Crystal Palace, and 6-1 at home to Tottenham Hotspur. But the Red Devils have swung between forms of consistency so far this season. On one hand, they’ve beaten Manchester City at the Etihad; on the other, they lost at Old Trafford to bottom-placed Sheffield United. There was a brief dalliance with the title race, but that’s out of the window now.
Right after the international break, Manchester United play Brighton & Hove Albion at home, a team they were lucky to beat in the reverse fixture. Then come away games at Spurs and Leeds United, either side of a home game against Burnley. A meeting with Liverpool in April is also crucial.
United are nine points off fifth place, and despite a season in which things can turn around quickly, a Premier League top-four finish seems certain.
Leicester City (3rd Place – 56 Points)
There was a time when Leicester City looked to be gunning for the title. But although that dream has been knocked out, this is still an impressive season from the Foxes. Brendan Rodgers’ side are sitting pretty in a top-four position, with an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley to look forward to.
Leicester face leaders Manchester City next, a team they dismantled 5-2 back in September. Then comes a trip to fellow Champions League chasers West Ham United, before games against Crystal Palace, Southampton, and Wolves.
Leicester’s form and mood around the club has them among the favourites to finish in the Premier League top four. But they blew an even bigger advantage last season, and wouldn’t rest easy just yet. Not to mention their final three games are against Manchester United (away), Chelsea (away), and Spurs (home).
Chelsea (4th Place – 51 Points)
When Chelsea spent big in the summer transfer market, there was mooted talk of a title challenge from the Blues. However, things didn’t quite go according to plan, and with the club underperforming, Frank Lampard was sacked. But things have been on the up since Thomas Tuchel took over, with Chelsea unbeaten under the German manager, in an FA Cup semi-final, and a Champions League quarter-final. They’ve conceded just twice since Tuchel arrived, and look to be making a top-four place their own.
Chelsea’s next two games seem easy on paper, as they host West Bromwich Albion and then visit Crystal Palace after the international break. The Blues then face fifth-placed West Ham, before visiting Manchester City and hosting Arsenal.
Chelsea continue to be on the up and look like favourites for a top-four spot. But there are questions as to how this side will react to their first setback, and the goals don’t seem to be coming yet.
West Ham (5th Place – 48 Points)
At the start of the season, West Ham looked to be in chaos. Captain Mark Noble voiced his discontent at the club selling Grady Diangana, and they kicked off the season with a defeat at Newcastle United. A mutiny looked to be brewing. But the Hammers have picked themselves up since, and lie in with a shout of a Premier League top four place, having picked up wins against the likes of Spurs, and Leicester.
David Moyes’ side go up against Wolves immediately after the international break, before hosting Leicester and visiting Newcastle. The Hammers then play Chelsea and Burnley.
West Ham have no other distractions as they aim for the top four, and will be content with being seen as the underdog. But the Hammers are starting to show something of an inferiority complex with teams, with a tepid display at Manchester United followed by throwing away a three-goal lead against Arsenal.
Tottenham (6th Place – 48 Points)
In December, Spurs were starting to look like title favourites. They had beaten North London rivals Arsenal, as well both Manchester sides, while taking a point at Chelsea. They were lying at the top of the table, but after losing at Liverpool in that month, everything started to go downhill. Spurs are now closer to the bottom three than the top spot, and even a top-four place seems unlikely.
Spurs face Newcastle next before going up against Manchester United and Everton. Yorkshire sides Sheffield United and Leeds are also on the fixture list.
After being eliminated from the Europa League, Spurs can focus their attention on a top-four finish. Yes, they still face Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final, but they remain just three points from fourth place.
Liverpool (7th Place – 46 Points)
Well, who’d have thought this? Not many, when Liverpool steamrolled their way to the title last season, and not when they looked to be the team that would take charge of the title race back in December. But such has been Liverpool’s form that, not only have been blown out of the title picture, their top-four hopes are hanging by a thread. Not since Leicester in 2017, has there been a title defence this sloppy.
Liverpool face Arsenal at the Emirates next, followed by a home game against an Aston Villa side that hit them for seven back in October. Then come trips to Leeds and Manchester United, either side of a Newcastle game at home. It says much about their recent form that there’s no certainty as to whether Jurgen Klopp’s side will win those games.
The Reds have another Champions League qualifying avenue in the main competition itself. Given their performances in that, their best shot of getting Champions League football next season might be to win it this year.
Everton (8th Place – 46 Points)
There’s a chance for Everton to finish above rivals Liverpool for the first time in eight years. Carlo Ancelotti’s side are level on points with their Merseyside rivals but have a game in hand. A decent start was punctured by an inconsistent mid-season, but their top-four hopes are not gone just yet.
On one hand, Everton going up Crystal Palace and Brighton in the next two games seem like winnable matches. On the other, these are probably must-win to keep their top-four hopes alive. Games against Spurs and Arsenal follow, as does a home encounter with Aston Villa.
Everton have only the league to play for between now and the end of season. This might benefit the Toffees in this season of compression. But questions remain over the side’s ability to get the job done when the stakes are high.
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