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LONDON. — Manchester City are closing in on a third English Premier League title in four years.
But, behind the runaway leaders, there are tense battles to qualify for next season’s Champions League and to avoid relegation.
Manchester United, Leicester and Chelsea are in pole position to finish in the top four.
However, West Ham, Everton, Tottenham and Aston Villa all have games in hand to bolster their challenge, while troubled champions Liverpool are not yet out of the running.
At the bottom Burnley, Newcastle, Brighton and Fulham are separated by four points in the fight to avoid joining the seemingly doomed Sheffield United and West Brom in the Championship next season.
The Europa League looked like the best route into the Champions League for both Tottenham and Arsenal less than two weeks ago and while that remains the case for the Gunners, Gareth Bale’s resurgent form has hauled Spurs back into top-four contention.
The Welshman had scored just one English Premier League goal all season prior to February 28, but bagged four in two games against Burnley and Crystal Palace either side of a hard-fought win at Fulham for Jose Mourinho’s men.
Still five points adrift of Chelsea, albeit with a game in hand, Tottenham can ill afford many more slip-ups if they are not to rely on cup glory to salvage Mourinho’s first full season in charge.
English Premiership Fixtures
Today: Leeds v Chelsea (2:30pm), Crystal Palace v West Brom (5pm), Everton v Burnley (7:30pm), Fulham v Manchester City (10pm)
Tomorrow: Southampton v Brighton (2pm), Leicester v Sheffield United (4pm), Arsenal v Tottenham (6:30pm), Manchester United v West Ham (9:15pm)
Monday: Wolves v Liverpool (10pm) — AFP.
Online Reporter