Everything is set for a dramatic conclusion to the Premier League season, with all to play for at both ends of the table.
The March internationals always disrupt the club calendar just as the Premier League and the Champions League are nicely ramping up and this year was more frustrating than most because the top flight is reaching such a thrilling end.
Now the focus returns to the Premier League and, with 11 match-rounds to go, all 20 clubs still have something to play for. Even Chelsea and Aston Villa, seemingly marooned in 10th and 11th place, can approach their final games with optimism.
Villa have quietly been transformed by Unai Emery and are one of the form sides in the League since the turn of the year, while Chelsea have the quality to go on a run if they click under Graham Potter. Both should be cautiously eyeing a European tour rather than their summer holidays.
Below them, there are nine teams in a relegation battle royale, with just four points separating Crystal Palace in 12th from rock-bottom Southampton. It has never been this tight in the Premier League era, with the seven points between 12th and 20th with 10/11 games left in 2010-11 the next closest.
You can make a case for any three of the nine to go down and it is so congested that a mini-run or slump could make all the difference. It promises to be a relegation run-in for the ages and perhaps a final day with an unprecedented set of permutations.
Writers’ predictions
Premier League
Dan Kilpatrick
Top 4: Arsenal, Man City, Man Utd, Liverpool
Relegated: Leeds, Nottm Forest, Soton
London order: Arsenal, Spurs, Brentford, Chelsea, Fulham, C Palace, W Ham
Outside bet: Brighton to finish above Spurs
Nizaar Kinsella
Top 4: Man City, Arsenal, Man Utd, Newcastle
Relegated: Nottm Forest, Soton, B’mouth
London order: Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea, Brentford, Fulham, W Ham, C Palace
Outside bet: Bukayo Saka to beat Erling Haaland to Player of the Year
Simon Collings
Top 4: Arsenal, Man City, Man Utd, Liverpool
Relegated: Nottm Forest, Soton, B’mouth
London order: Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea, Brentford, Fulham, C Palace, W Ham
Outside bet: Brighton to win FA Cup
Malik Ouzia
Top 4: Arsenal, Man City, Man Utd, Newcastle
Relegated: Nottm Forest, Soton, B’mouth
London order: Arsenal, Spurs, Brentford, Chelsea, Fulham, C Palace, W Ham
Outside bet: Brighton to win FA Cup
Dom Smith
Top 4: Arsenal, Man City, Man Utd, Newcastle
Relegated: Nottm Forest, Soton, B’mouth
London order: Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea, Brentford, Fulham, C Palace, W Ham
Outside bet: Chelsea to secure Europa Conference League spot
Palace are banking on the controversial return of Roy Hodgson being enough, while directly below them Wolves, Leeds and Everton have also gambled on changing managers this season in the hope of avoiding the drop. Everton will believe Sean Dyche’s experience of these situations, and their home form, will steer them out of trouble.
It is hard to say if Leicester or West Ham are merely in transition or have simply gone stale under Brendan Rodgers and David Moyes, respectively, and Nottingham Forest appear to be a side who have simply made too many additions to the squad to function coherently and are dreadful away from home.
The drop off in quality in Southampton’s squad from their heyday under Mauricio Pochettino to now is stark and they feel like a club suffering the consequences of no longer being smarter than their rivals in the transfer market. Bournemouth are also short of quality, if well-coached by Gary O’Neil.
At the other end of the table, there is an enthralling title race shaping up, the old master in Pep Guardiola facing his most successful pupil, Mikel Arteta. Arsenal have had a remarkable campaign and held their nerve superbly since stumbling at the start of February but what makes this year’s title race all the more engaging is the sense that neither the Gunners nor Manchester City are perfect.
Guardiola’s City have struggled for consistency this term, while Arsenal are likely to feel the pressure during a tricky run-in, which includes a trip to the Etihad. In contrast to last season, when City and Liverpool barely put a foot wrong in their final 10 games, this could be more of a traditional title race, with actual twists and turns.
Improving Manchester United look a good bet to be the best of the rest but, below them, the battle for fourth is difficult to call and, as is so often the case, being contested by a group of deeply-flawed sides.
Liverpool could have offered no better demonstration of their inconsistency by following up the 7-0 win over United by losing against Bournemouth, while Eddie Howe’s Newcastle have appeared in danger of running out of steam and goals, despite a recent upturn. Spurs are currently in fourth, despite having been unconvincing in all but a handful of games this season, and it is unclear if new acting head coach Cristian Stellini will prove Antonio Conte by proxy of a breath of fresh air for the squad.
Brighton could still cap an excellent debut season for Roberto De Zerbi with a late push for Champions League football, which would confirm their status as English football’s most impressive disruptor club and the Italian’s place as the game’s best up-and-coming coach.
Brentford’s push for Europe under Thomas Frank is also one of the stories of the season, which could yet have a fairytale ending. It has not felt quite like this across the division for a number of years and, while there is still gaping inequality and arguably a dearth of really quality teams, the competitiveness of the Premier League is something to celebrate and savour going into the run-in.
