It’s currently do or die time for all Premier League teams as we now enter the business end of the 2021/22 campaign. Everything from the title race to the battle to beat the drop is still up in the air, with a lot still to be decided in the next couple of months.
No race is more interesting than the one for the last Champions League place though, with several teams looking to nab the converted fourth spot and gain the substantial financial reward that goes with it.
Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea look set to take the top three places in the league, unless there’s a serious drop in form from one of those sides which is unlikely to happen. Each of these teams have some of the best squads in Europe, along with world-class managers all boasting impressive CV’s and track records.
Still, that leaves the last Champions League qualification spot up for grabs with Manchester United, West Ham, Tottenham and Arsenal all in the running, along with Wolves and Brighton who both still have an outside chance.
At the other end of the table, things are every bit as much up in the air, with five teams embroiled in a battle to beat the drop.
Here at Fan Banter we take a look at each of the teams fighting for a top-four finish and hoping to beat the dreaded drop, including their current form and if their January signings could have an impact.
Top Four Contenders
Manchester United
The Red Devils have had a mixed few months under interim boss Ralf Rangnick, but remain in pole position and are firm bookies favourites to finish in fourth place. United only have the League and Champions League in their fixtures calendar after a humiliating FA Cup exit at the hands of Championship side Middlesborough.
The pressure on Ronaldo and co to clinch the last CL qualification spot will be immense and the financial implications for the club if they fail do not bear thinking about. They have it all to do though, with matches against Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea all coming up in the next few months – but with a very expensive and talented squad, they should be more than capable of securing fourth place.
West Ham
The Hammers are flying under David Moyes this season, finding the perfect balance between defensive solidarity and attacking flair. In Declan Rice, they boast one of England’s finest midfielders who has carried on his form from the Euros last summer to become one of the most sought after players in the World.
However, many fans criticised the club for not strengthening enough in the January transfer window , which could undo their chances of securing a place. They will face a hectic schedule with Europa League and FA Cup fixtures on top of Premier League games. Barring an injury crisis, they stand as good a chance as any after they have proven they can beat anyone on their day this season.
Arsenal
Gunner’s fans did not expect much going into this season, but they will be delighted to see so many young talented players step up and prove their worth. Arteta’s side have recovered remarkably well after a disastrous start to the campaign (albeit with a very tough run of games) and have now held their own on many occasions when facing sides higher in the table.
With no European campaign to clog up their fixture list, Arsenal can have a clean run at a top-four finish and remain well in the hunt with a game in hand on United and two on West Ham who both sit above them currently. Gaining a CL qualification spot would be seen as a very successful campaign for the North London club and perhaps even exceed the boards’ expectations.
Tottenham
Antonio Conte has once again proven he is a world-class coach, with Tottenham’s form improving a lot since he came through the door. The Italian of course has a proven track record and majestic CV, but he’s yet to be applauded for getting Spurs back in the running for the top four, as they looked well off the pace prior to his appointment.
Much like their fierce rivals Arsenal, Tottenham have a clean run at it with no European competition potentially hampering them. It’s just as well because their squad (although bolstered by a couple of January additions) looks thin on the ground. An injury to a key player like Kane would in all likelihood end their chances of a top-four finish.
Wolves
Wolves have well-exceeded expectations this season and stand an outside chance of gaining Champions League qualification, which would feel like a dream for supporters should they defy the odds and achieve it. Not much was expected of Bruno Lage when he took over in the summer, but after a few successful signings, he has Wolves playing wonderful football this season.
The Midlands side have to play most of their top-four contender rivals in the remaining fixtures, including Arsenal twice, giving them the perfect opportunity to gain ground. The midfield pairing of Portuguese duo Moutinho and Neves, along with goalkeeper Sa have been crucial to Wolves success this season and Lage will be hoping he can hang onto all three beyond this season.
See all the latest odds on who will finish in the top four and get £50 in free bets when you sign up with Bet365.
Relegation Candidates
Burnley
Sean Dyche’s side have endured a torrid season so far, currently sitting bottom of the table. Although they do have games in hand on their relegation rivals, it’s not a good position to be in and the pressure on those fixtures will be unrivalled.
But the Lancashire club are now seen as survival specialists, as they have proven time and time again that they can get themselves out of positions of peril. But make no mistake, this time it will be their biggest challenge to date. They will be hoping new January signing Wout Weghorst will be an upgrade on Chris Wood (who was sold to Newcastle) and get the goals that will fire them to safety.
Newcastle
The Magpies have been all over the news this season after becoming the richest club in the world, backed by an extremely controversial Saudi led consortium. They wasted no time either, spending in excess of £100 million in January on the likes of Kieran Trippier, Chris Wood and Brazilian midfielder Bruno Guimaraes.
Eddie Howe needs them all to have an instant impact though, with the club in serious danger of being relegated. That would seriously hamper the new owners’ plans of making Newcastle a top-six Premier League team, an ambition that seems some way off at present. A season in the Championship though would mean more delay to those plans and something which would considerably lower the level of player(s) they could attract in the summer.
Watford
Veteran manager Roy Hodgson became the latest to take on the seemingly poisoned chalice of Vicarage Road a few weeks back, and he has no time to waste in turning the ship around. The former England boss needs to find a winning formula and shore things up at the back, with the Hornets conceding goals for fun this term.
However, on paper, they do stand a better chance with him at the helm, as Hodgson is famed for his robust defences which have been evident throughout his career, particularly with his successful spells at Fulham and Crystal Palace. Time is against him though with games running out fast. It will be interesting to see if he has another trick up his sleeve in order to pull off another great escape.
Norwich
The Canaries were everyone’s favourite to go straight back down at the beginning of the season. But the change of manager seems to have done them good as Dean Smith’s appointment has given them a bit more hope with some better results.
Still, despite his good efforts so far, Norwich have the worst goal difference in the league by some distance which could end up being a decisive factor in the relegation scrap, given the table is extremely tight at the bottom. Fans, however, will surely be lost for words after a head-scratching January transfer window where there were 11 outgoing players but no incomings. You have to ask, do the Norwich board care if they go down at this point?
Everton
The Toffees unbelievably find themselves battling relegation from the top flight, something that has only ever happened twice in their 144-year history, with the last coming in 1951. Since the current owner, Farhad Moshiri took over in 2016, they have spent well over £550 million on new players. A staggering amount, which was intended to propel Everton into regular top six finishers.
Fans have rightly been outraged this season and the board has responded by replacing Rafa Benitez with Frank Lampard, and signing Deli Ali and Donny Van De Beek on deadline day. Lampard is facing a huge task here, but has a playing squad full of talent at his disposal to utilise. He must now repeat his managerial performances at Derby and the start of his Chelsea stint to keep Everton out of the relegation zone.
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