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Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool are the three most well-equipped teams in the Premier League this season. The trio currently occupy the top three positions in the Premier League and we expect them to maintain their stranglehold at the top.
This only leaves one UEFA Champions League position up for grabs, and there are quite a few clubs who fancy themselves for it.
Here are the top five clubs that could finish fourth in the Premier League at the end of the 2021-22 campaign:
#5 Leicester City - Currently 10th in the Premier League
2015-16 Premier League winners Leicester City are enduring a weird campaign this season. They have looked exceptional in some matches and have been rather ordinary in others.
Brendan Rodgers, who has been in charge of he club since February 2019, has not figured out the winning formula yet, which is hurting Leicester’s top-four ambitions.
In 14 Premier League games, the Foxes have only managed five wins. They have had to return empty-handed in five of their other nine matches.
Leicester's sub-par exploits in the Premier League have left them in 10th position, five points behind fourth-placed West Ham United.
Jamie Vardy has often been Leicester’s lone warrior this season, scoring nine goals in 14 Premier League appearances.
#4 West Ham United - Currently 4th in the Premier League
West Ham United have been the surprise package in the Premier League this season. Their gameplay is immersive, they love scoring goals, and the Hammers are not afraid of taking the fight to the big guys.
West Ham started the league campaign with big wins over Newcastle United and Leicester City, giving them an early boost. Their first defeat came against Manchester United on matchday five, but they did not let it dampen their spirits.
A 2-1 win at Leeds United followed, but then a shock defeat to Brentford shook some sense back into them. Learning from their shortcomings against Brentford, West Ham bagged four wins on the bounce in the Premier League.
Most notably, they beat Jurgen Klopp’s in-form Liverpool side 3-2, ending the Reds’ 25-game unbeaten run.
The Hammers, however, have been beaten twice in their last three Premier League outings, which has caused some concern among fans. With so many teams vying for a place in the Champions League, booking the fourth spot will not be straightforward.
West Ham must put their blip in the rearview mirror as soon as possible to get their campaign back on track.
#3 Tottenham Hotspur - Currently 6th in the Premier League
Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur looked out of sorts under Nuno Espirito Santo as they struggled to put their big assets to good use. Chelsea’s former Premier League-winning manager Antonio Conte has reorganized the club and is making them play a cohesive brand of football.
Spurs started the campaign with a surprising 1-0 win over Manchester City, which got the fans buzzing in anticipation. Unfortunately, they failed to produce the same level of football against the other big clubs in the Premier League.
Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United all bagged big wins over Spurs, which eventually got Santo sacked.
Conte still has his work cut out for him, but the club are in far better shape than they were a couple of months back.
In three games, Conte has led Spurs to two Premier League wins and a draw, helping them climb up the standings.
#2 Arsenal - Currently 5th in the Premier League
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal were subjected to their worst-ever start to a Premier League campaign this season. The Gunners were beaten comprehensively in their opening three fixtures, failing to score even a single goal.
Thankfully, Arteta plugged the holes in his defense in time to mount a comeback. Starting with a 1-0 win over Norwich, Arsenal went eight games unbeaten in the Premier League between September and November.
On matchday 12, they went up against Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool and got a nasty reality check. They bounced back from the 4-0 drubbing at Anfield with a win over Newcastle United. But Arsenal were once again subjected to a 3-2 loss at the hands of Manchester United on Thursday night.
Currently fifth in the Premier League rankings, Arsenal do have a strong chance of securing Champions League football for next season.
However, to make that happen, Arteta and co. must learn to shake off their nerves and produce strong performances against the Premier League biggies.
#1 Manchester United - Currently 7th in the Premier League
20-time Premier League champions Manchester United might not have enough quality to win the league, but they are our pick for the league’s fourth spot.
Last season, second-placed Manchester United finished 12 points behind Premier League winners Manchester City. The gap could be even wider this time, but the Red Devils should secure Champions League football for the next campaign.
After 14 rounds of Premier League action, Manchester United find themselves in seventh position, 12 points behind league leaders Chelsea. Before his dismissal, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer led Manchester United to only a solitary Premier League win in seven games, which hurt their league positioning.
Caretaker manager Michael Carrick helped Manchester United bag a draw and a win against Chelsea and Arsenal respectively, which has helped stop the bleeding.
Newly-appointed interim manager Ralf Rangnick is expected to build on the momentum United currently have and guide them to a respectable fourth-place finish this season.
