Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
THERE are now clearly defined strata in the Premier League table as the season hurtles headlong towards a fascinating conclusion.
With the FA Cup returning this weekend, it’s a good time to pause for breath and take stock of the situation.
Liverpool and Manchester City are in the title race, way out on their own locked in gladiatorial combat.
The duel is too close to call, with a lot of football still to be played. Liverpool enjoy a four-point advantage over their Mancunian rivals, and have the arguably easier fixtures. However, unlike Pep Guardiola’s troops, they don’t have the experience of getting over the line and securing titles, a factor which could prove crucial when the pressure ramps up.
Tottenham (51 points) lead the rest of the top four currently, with Chelsea (47 points), Arsenal (44 points), and Manchester United (44 points) all likely to battle it out as well.
Those four teams will make up the last two UEFA Champions League spots, and the first two UEFA Europa League positions, come May.
It was just a month ago, under former coach Jose Mourinho, many Manchester United fans would have been forgiven for thinking that the race for the top four was all but dead. However, the Red Devils continued their renaissance last Saturday, with a 2-1 win over Brighton & Hove Albion. Marcus Rashford scored for the fourth straight league match, as the Reds recorded their sixth Premier League victory in a row.
United are now three points off the top four, having been 11 behind when Solskjaer, who spent 11 seasons at Old Trafford as a player under Sir Alex Ferguson, returned to the club.
The 45-year-old Norwegian said: “The gaffer [Ferguson] used to challenge us at times and say: ‘why can’t you win 10 games on the bounce?’
“As long as you take one game at a time and prepare well we should go into any game thinking it is a winnable one.
“If this momentum keeps going, and the train keeps rolling, we will get loads of points on the board, and hopefully it will take us up the table.”
Thanks to Arsenal’s efforts, after the Gunners comfortably beat Chelsea 2-0, the three sides are separated by just three points.
Has the league finally figured out Sarri-ball? The Blues have not been able to get much going offensively over the last month, and are now in danger of falling out of the top four.
Chelsea have a massive Carabao Cup semi-final with Tottenham tomorrow, and the Blues are down 1-0 in the tie with their season threatening to unravel.
The two Sunday games saw the bottom two teams find different ways to lose.
Huddersfield Town put up no fight against Manchester City, and look certain to be relegated. But it was Fulham, just seconds away from a huge point at home against a top three side, which found a way to drop all three points. Harry Winks’ header, which should have been collected by keeper Sergio Rico, found the back of the net in the 93rd minute to keep the Cottagers on 14 points in 19th spot.
Fulham are now seven points behind Newcastle United in 17th. Sandwiched between them are Cardiff, who are more defensively sound than their other counterparts in the relegation zone, but don’t have the firepower to trouble most sides.
Some may suggest my predictions are notoriously dodgy, but here is how I see the rest of the season playing out.
I think Manchester City will win the title. Now, that’s written partly out of hope because I’d rather Man United get relegated to League Two before I have to suffer seeing Liverpool win the league, but I really do think experience will play a huge part when it comes to the crunch.
As for the top four, I’m confident that Man United can continue their upwards trajectory and secure a spot. The team is brimming with confidence and has a good run of fixtures. Tottenham are deep in an injury crisis with Harry Kane and Dele Alli needing treatment and rest, and star midfielder Son Heung-Min away at the Asia Cup.
Chelsea are in a mess, with no centre-forward and their best players shoehorned out of position to fit their manager’s rigid system, whilst Arsenal are … Arsenal. I’ll take United and the Gunners.
As for the three to go down, I’m sorry to say that I think the three that are currently there now; Cardiff, Huddersfield and Fulham, will stay there.
All three look like Championship sides playing a level too high, so that’s why I believe they will slide back down to where they belong come May.
Hull City, one of the form teams of the world, will get promotion through the play-offs according to a slightly-biased editor, Stan.
