The for the top four has hot up. A resurgent Liverpool, a resilient Arsenal, an awful Manchester United, and a flattering Spurs. It’s all jumbled up there.
The for the top four has hot up. A resurgent Liverpool, a resilient Arsenal, an awful Manchester United, and a flattering Spurs. It’s all jumbled up there. Here is what the table currently looks like from second place City to sixth place Spurs. With 10 games to go, only five points separate Arsenal in third and Southampton in seventh, with Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham the teams in the middle. The games between the challengers will be crucial. It starts this weekend with United hosting Spurs tomorrow and travelling to Anfield the following weekend.
TEAM P pts
1. CHELSEA 27 63
2. Man City 28 58
3. Arsenal 28 54
4. Man United 28 53
5. Liverpool 28 51
6. Tottenham 28 50
Although every other pundit is considering the top two a done deal, we cannot rule out the fact that Manchester City are struggling for form at the moment.
Besides, they still have to face some contenders for Champions League space.
MANCHESTER CITY predictions
Burnley 1-3 Man City
Man City 2-2 West Brom
Palace 2-1 Man City
Man Utd 0-2 Man City
Man City 2-1 West Ham
Man City 1-1 Aston Villa
Tottenham 2-3 MAN cITY
Man City 4-0 QPR
Swansea 2-1 Man City
Man City 3-2 Southampton
Total points from last ten games 20
Total points to amass 78
Manuel Pellegrini is slowly being proven a fluke. A fluke because he won the title last season largely because Liverpool choked. This season, he can’t win it because Chelsea might be babies in Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s eyes, but they are not Liverpool.
Manchester City’s last ten fixtures are not particularly flattering. They face some small sides that are like boils in the groin when it comes to battles on the pitch because they are fighting for survival. Today, they start the battle against Burnley, a side that is as resilient as a pest. Then they have to face Palace, Swansea, Villa, Saints, Hammers, Baggies and Rangers. These are simple fixtures on paper, not the size of the fight in these dogs. The only sure win fixture for City in these games seems to be the derby against Manchester United.
Arsenal predictions
Arsenal 3-1 West Ham
Newcastle 2-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 1-2 Liverpool
Burnley 1-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 2-0 Sunderland
Arsenal 0-2 Chelsea
Hull 2-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 3-0 Swansea
Man Utd 0-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 4-0 West Brom
Total points from last ten games 20
Total points to amass 74
Look at Wenger’s fixture. He has some tough games to navigate, games he will need his true mettle to deal with. Jose Mourinho called Wenger the ‘specialist in failure’ and it would be understandable for the Gunners coach to avoid him at all cost. Not so for the fixture. They must meet at Old Trafford. The best Arsenal does when this happens is a draw, but Chelsea will not be in the mood for that. Then there is Liverpool also visiting The Emirates, a stadium where they pumped home four goals in under 20 minutes to leave Wenger reeling. Althought Wenger finally exorcised the ghost of Manchester by beating United at Old Trafford in Cup quarters last week, they will still face it rough when they travel although with Van Gaal misfiring at all fronts, Wenger will be relaxed this time.
Manchester United predictions
Man Utd 1-2 Tottenham
Liverpool 2-0 Man Utd
Man Utd 2-1 Aston Villa
Man Utd 0-2 Man City
Chelsea 3-0 Man Utd
Everton 1-2 Man Utd
Man Utd 2-0 West Brom
Crystal Palace 2-1 Man Utd
Man Utd 0-2 Arsenal
Hull 1-1 Man Utd
Total points from last ten games 10
Total points to amass 63
Sorry, Manchester United fans, but it’s how things could turn out. United have fallen to hard times at the worst moment in the season. The decision to stick with Marouane Fellaini is not a tactical gamble but ineptitude. The Dutch gaffer has already confessed before that he does not know what tactic suits United. In other words, his has been experimenting all season. At some point, the experimentation chalked up wins, lucky wins and propelled the team to third place. But that is all to talk home about. Now United face Spurs, Liverpool, City, Chelsea and Arsenal, all top sides in contention for title or top four finish. Also, he has tougher fixtures against strugglers West Brom, Everton, Villa and Hull City. What can they win? They will be lucky to take 10 points from these fixtures.
Liverpool predictions
Swansea 0-1 Liverpool
Liverpool 2-0 Man Utd
Arsenal 1-2 Liverpool
Liverpool 2-0 Newcastle
Hull 0-3 Liverpool
West Brom 2-2 Liverpool
Liverpool 4-0 QPR
Chelsea 1-1 Liverpool
Liverpool 2-0 Palace
Stoke 2-3 Liverpool
Total points from last ten games 26
Total points to amass 77
I have been Brendan Rodgers’ biggest critic this season but I must admit the gaffer has put me to shame with his turn-around. The season got better for Liverpool a little too late, but with the way they are playing, it will be hard to stop them. They are unbeaten this year in the league and, although the projections above show that they will remain so until the end of the season, there could be a slip here or there or a turn for the worse later. However, if they play as well as they have been doing, they will amass the most points from the last 10 games.
Tottenham predictions
Man Utd 1-2 Tottenham
Tottenham 2-0 Leicester
Burnley 1-3 Tottenham
Tottenham 1-1 Aston Villa
Newcastle 2-1 Tottenham
Southampton 3-1 Tottenham
Tottenham 2-3 Man City
Stoke 2-1 Tottenham
Tottenham 2-0 Hull
Everton 1-3 Tottenham
Total points from last ten games 16
Total points to amass 66
Spurs have been the most inconsistent side of the top six. Their indifferent season is the reason they are lagging behind yet they could as well been among the top three currently. Their fixture is tricky, as they face City, Man United, Newcastle and Everton. However, they should be able to pick 16 points from the remaining fixtures, enough to get a total of 66.
PROJECTED FINAL STANDING
TEAM P pts
1. CHELSEA 38 champs
2. Man City 38 78
3. Liverpool 38 77
4. Arsenal 38 74
5. tottenham 38 66
6. Man United 38 63
*Seaman is a Liverpool fan