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As the Premier League season rolls into March, the club at the top of the table is all too familiar with the race for the title. It has been part of that race for the best part of 20 years, and shown up on the winning side 12 times. This fact and the current 12 point gap at the top has led many fans, and also many TV pundits, to claim that the title will now make its way from the blue half to the red half of Manchester.
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“It’s Manchester United, they won’t let a 12 point gap go”, “City have been inconsistent, no guarantee that they will win all their games (which they need to do)” and “Ferguson and his team won’t repeat the mistake of last season” have been some of the reasons given by supporters of not only United, but rival clubs as well, to explain their reasons for already accepting the Red Devils as English Champions.
Currently, it seems hard to see City overcoming a twelve point lead, as their rivals seem to be having the momentum. A momentum that has brought United 8 wins in the last 10 games. Even the goals at the back have dried up, with only 3 being conceded since the 4-3 against Newcastle, back in December. This, inevitably, helped the Red Devils to open up a 12 point lead over their blue half.
But, and there is always one of that, if anyone saw the game between Chelsea and City on the weekend, you would have seen the kind of performance that lifts the spirits up of a club. Joe Hart made a fantastic save from a Lampard penalty and that confidence booster led the current League champions to beat the current European Champions two goals to nil.
This is where the next week is key for both the clubs. Manchester United play Norwich City in the Premier League, Real Madrid in the Champions League and then Chelsea or Middlesbrough (unless the game ends as a draw) in the FA Cup. Now, if Norwich were to manage a draw at Old Trafford, and Mourinho and his men managed to knock United out of the UCL, it would be a big dent to the confidence of the Premier League leaders. A defeat in the FA Cup could make it worse. Then, you could see a free fall, with City taking advantage of it.
That is, of course, the worst case scenario, but it is one that is possible. For all you know, United could win all those games to end up winning the treble come May (oh,how I would love that!). The point being that fans should probably show some restraint in their celebrations of “No.20″, because as it was proved last season by City, and Manchester United many times before, it’s not over till it’s mathematically impossible.
The race for the Champions League Spot
Everyone seems to have their eyes now gazed on spot no.3 and 4 in the Premier League table, with the current leaders seemingly running away with the league title.
A few weeks ago, both the Merseyside clubs were talking about a possible battle to reach the top 4. Not that recent results have dampened that belief, and it should not. Everton surely still have an outside chance for the fourth spot, with Chelsea, under Rafa, looking all too shaky and inconsistent in their performances. Rafa Benitez could possibly focus more on either the FA Cup or the Europa League, opening up an opportunity for those below, mainly Arsenal (2 points behind) and Everton (7 points behind) to possibly take over 4th spot. Tottenham, barring a meltdown in the last 12 games, seem to have all but ensured their place in next season’s Champions League, though many Spurs fans would remind you of last season, and would hope AVB has sorted that out this season. Liverpool have a small outside chance to reach the top 4, but will need to show consistency in their results (not performance but results), so as to make a late charge for the fourth spot.
The games between the challengers for 3rd and 4th spot would be the key to decide who ends up where on the table. This is one race which is still wide open, and it needs two teams to get into a consistent run of form to take charge of the battle. Whosoever does that best, will come out of it with the spoils.
| Arsenal | Chelsea | Everton | Tottenham | Liverpool |
| March 3-Tottenham(A) | April 14- Tottenham(H) | March 9-Arsenal(A)* | March 3-Arsenal(H) | March 10- Tottenham(H) |
| March 9-Everton(H)* | April 21- Liverpool(A) | March 16-Man City(H) | March 10- Liverpool(A) | April 21- Chelsea(H) |
| April 28- Man Utd(H) | May 4- Man Utd(A) | April 7-Tottenham(A) | April 14- Chelsea(A) | May 4-Everton(H) |
| May 19-Everton(H) | May 4- Liverpool(A) | April 21- Man City(H) | ||
| May 19- Chelsea(A) |
*The game could be postponed due to a possible clash with Everton’s commitments in the FA Cup. Postponement of the clash will only take place in the event of Everton beating Oldham.
So who do you think will end up in the top 4? Post your views in the comments section below.
