THE FIGHT FOR TOP FOUR IN THE ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE HIT FULL SWING

The fight for top four in the English Premier League

With Chelsea and Tottenham consolidating their positions in the Champions League next season, the battle to secure the remaining two positions intensifies as the premier league draws to an end. Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal are fighting to achieve their minimum requirement of top-four finish while Everton feels they have a slim chance under Ronald Koeman to finish top-four.

We look at the chances each team has and the prospects of ensuring a top-four finish this season. The likes of Wenger, Guardiola and Mourinho has already reinstated the fact that finishing top-four is like a trophy. How will these teams fare in the fight for a top-four finish, 5 teams-2 spots, very intense and very interesting?

Liverpool currently in third place with 66points from 33 games.
They are on a 7games unbeaten run at a time their team is battered by injuries. The team has been winning with just a single goal for the past two games despite losing their top scorer Saido Mane to injury for the rest of the season. Liverpool has 5 games to go and 3 of them are home games and do not have to face any of the top 8 teams of the premier league again this season. But Klopps team has been vulnerable to the smaller teams

Manchester City: 64points (from 32games).
This team has had a difficult run against Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool yield only two points. With Sergio Agueros current form of 11goals from 11 games and the return of their captain Vincent Kompany, there is hope for a fight to the finish. Asides Arsenal, Manchester City has been the most consistent qualifier of the Champions league. Confidence level has dropped since Sundays 2-1 loss at Wembley to Arsenal at the FAcup.

Manchester United: 60points(31 games)
Mourinhos side are on a 22 match unbeaten run but have only been able to rise from 7th position to 5th position since October 23 last year. There are too many draws to this success story. With Zlatan Ibrahimovic injured, it is expected that Marcus Rashford and Wayne Rooney will step up to the task of making sure the team does not miss the injured Zlatan who has scored 28 goals this season already.

United last games proved very difficult. They play at home to Swansea and Crystal Palace. Crystal Palace has defeated Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool in their own sudden rejuvenation, other games are away to Manchester City, Arsenal, Tottenham, Burnley and Southampton. Manchester United’s safest chance is in the Europa League. If United can win the Europa league, they will bounce one of the teams in the EPL to secure a stop in the Champions League next season.

Arsenal: 60points (32 games). Arsenals form has been zigzag of recent. Having lost four away games in a row and defeat to Westbrom and Crystal Palace conceding three goals each, they have defeated Middlesbrough with a new 3-5-2 formation giving the defence solidity. This new formation proved vital in their FAcup victory on Sunday against Manchester City.

Arsenal face a tough test in their last matches facing Tottenham away and Manchester United at home will prove difficult. Arsenal will have to keep up their FAcup semifinal performance to have a chance of finishing top 4 this season or else they will be out of the competition for the first time in 21 years.
Everton: 57points (33 games)

With the rattling form of Romelu Lukaku who has scored 24 goals and has refused to sign a new contract, Everton has been able to remain unbeaten with the exceotons of Tottenhama and Liverpool. Everton have also scored an impressive 2 goals in their last six games at home.

Everton has only qualified for the Champions league once in it history. With away games at Arsenal and Swansea and home games against Chelsea and Watford, Ronald Koemans sides chances seem rather slim. Even if they attain 4th place, if Manchester United win the Europa League, they will be outsted.
Predictions on how the table will look like at the end of the season

1st Chelsea
2nd Tottenham
3rd Liverpool
4th Arsenal

(Well I had todo that because I am an arsenal fan)