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With the Premier League set to resume on the 17th of June, fans will be waiting with bated breath to watch their favourite teams in action.
The winners of the 2019/20 edition of the Premier League are all but decided, with Liverpool opening up an unprecedented 25 point lead over rivals Manchester City at the top of the EPL table.
The Premier League top-four race is heating up
Despite being completely out of sight of the Premier League title, Manchester City has been able to consolidate a second-place finish relatively well and are 4 points ahead of Leicester City with a game in hand.
While the top two spots in the Premier League table are all but decided, an intense race is only days away from starting as seven clubs battle each other for the third and the fourth place. Sheffield United and Wolves may be termed the underdogs and may only have an outside chance, but their ability to surprise cannot be discounted. A lack of squad depth, however, severely cripples their chances of a top-four finish.
Here, we take a look at five EPL teams and their likelihood of finishing in the Premier League top four and qualifying for the Champions League next season.
#1 Leicester City - 9/10
Leicester City has managed to surprise the Premier League fanbase yet again with its exceptional performances this season. The Foxes sit pretty at third place in the EPL table and have an 8-point lead over fifth-placed Manchester United. The team's giant-killing ability has also ensured that their rampage to Champions League qualification cannot be attributed merely to luck.
Leicester City's talisman Jamie Vardy has been brilliant this season and is the Premier League's top scorer with 19 goals. With the likes of Wilfred Ndidi and the precocious James Maddison in midfield, the Foxes are well on their way to a top-four finish and should remain in third place comfortably. Only an absolute disaster can deny the team Champions League qualification now.
#2 Chelsea - 8/10
When Frank Lampard was appointed Chelsea's manager, pundits and fans called for patience. The Chelsea legend was managing a Premier League side for the first time in his career and had to also deal with a crippling transfer ban.
Despite the transfer ban, Chelsea has one of the most well-rounded sides in the Premier League. Frank Lampard has created a near-perfect blend of experience and youthful exuberance to defy expectations and make a serious case for a top-four finish.
Tammy Abraham and Mason Mount started the season by proving sceptics wrong and displaying skills that were meant exclusively for the Premier League. Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic have formed an excellent partnership in midfield, and the emergence of Christian Pulisic has made Frank Lampard's side a strong contender for Champions League qualification
#3 Manchester United - 6.5/10
Manchester United's fall from grace has been spectacular. The Red Devils have struggled to present meaningful challenges for silverware in the past few years and are a shadow of their former selves.
That being said, the break may have come as a blessing in disguise for Solskjaer's side. Marcus Rashford has been a consistent performer for the side but often cuts a lonely figure on the pitch due to the absence of a good creative midfielder. The acquisition of Bruno Fernandes will certainly solve several problems for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Paul Pogba is also set to make his Premier League return and could prove an asset alongside McTominay and Fernandes in midfield. Solskjaer is famous for pulling rabbits out of the hat and may well take the Premier League's race for the top four into stoppage time.
#4 Tottenham Hotspur - 4.5/10
For a team that has some of the Premier League's premier attacking talent in Heung-min Son, Harry Kane, and Dele Alli, Tottenham's position in the EPL table is a catastrophe. The Spurs are stranded in ninth place and are currently behind both Wolves and Sheffield United in the Premier League standings.
Tottenham started the season in a decent fashion but their fortunes soured when captain Harry Kane suffered a hamstring injury in December. Harry Kane is still Tottenham's top scorer with 10 goals but his team has struggled in his absence.
Mourinho's conservative approach has also not helped the team. With the manager's vast experience, however, the Spurs still have a remote chance of making it to the top four.
#5 Arsenal - 3/10
At the start of the season, big things were expected from Arsenal. Fans of the Gunners expected the side to finish in the top four of the Premier League, at the very least. Arsenal's performances this season have been dismal.
Under Unai Emery, the side simply could not keep a clean sheet. Despite Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's best efforts, Arsenal's lack of cutting edge meant that its season was over before it even started.
Mikel Arteta's appointment as Arsenal manager has rejuvenated the side. The Spanish manager has solidified Arsenal's defence and has overseen improved performances from Nicolas Pepe and Granit Xhaka.
Arsenal takes on Manchester City in a critical clash on the first day of the restarted Premier League and will need to win its game in hand to have an outside chance of making it to the top four on the EPL table.
