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Manchester United will finish number one and Manchester City will finish number second, there can be no doubts about this. But the next two places are very hard to predict. Chelsea have 65 points with four games to play, Arsenal have 64 with 3 left and Tottenham have 62 with 4 left. This article will look at the fixtures of these three teams and try and predict the standings at the end of their respective 38 games.
Chelsea – Chelsea had a fantastic start to the season, with both City and United trailing them and no one could have imagined the present numbers game that they find themselves in. But the sacking of RDM and some inconsistent performances before and after the sacking, coupled with the tiring schedule, have had a disastrous impact on their season. And though they are best placed to finish third, they have by far the toughest fixtures out of the three. Manchester United, Tottenham and very good Everton are all more than capable of defeating them. I expect them to lose at Old Trafford, draw against Tottenham at Stamford Bridge and win against both Everton and Aston Villa which though tricky, should be easy 6 points.
Final tally = 72 points.
Arsenal – Arsenal seem to be offering nothing different from what they have been doing in the recent seasons, a strong finish. With the experienced Arsene Wenger at the helm, they are certainly not expected to falter at this crucial stage. Arsenal have played one extra game and are two points ahead of fifth placed Spurs. The good thing is that, on paper, they have the easiest fixtures with Newcastle, Wigan and QPR all not expected to pose much of a challenge, particularly when Arsenal are going through their characteristic strong finish. I expected them to win all of their three games.
Final Tally = 73 points.
Tottenham – Tottenaham are fifth placed at the moment and would certainly have been frustrated with the difference in quality in the performances against Manchester City and Wigan. AVB will certainly have a point to prove to his old club when they meet at Stamford Bridge, next week. Other than the Chelsea game, they shouldn’t have too many problems against Stoke, Sunderland, and Southampton. But Tottenham have recently showcased their inability to win against lower ranked opposition , and I expect them to draw one of the three “easy” games.
Final tally = 70 points.
So there you go, Arsenal will finish third, Chelsea fourth and Tottenham fifth. But one thing is for sure – the fight for Champions League spots will be very entertaining.
