I have to confess something to you. A few weeks ago it was all clear to me, West Brom would be the first team to go down and Man City, Man United, Liverpool and Tottenham would finish in the top four. We can already dismiss the first one, since Stoke City is relegated this weekend. West Bromwich Albion is still not officially relegated, but that’s just a matter of time. The Premier League top four race however is still open after last weekend. Chelsea won against Liverpool, while the Spurs lost against West Bromwich Albion. In this post we discuss the remaining fixtures for the teams that play for a top 4 finish.
Premier League top four race
Liverpool 72 points, 37 matches
The Reds are currently third on the table, but they will be fourth when Tottenham wins against Newcastle United tomorrow. The gap between Chelsea and Liverpool is 3 points, with one match in hand for the Blues. They can draw level on points with Liverpool tomorrow. Liverpool has a far better goal difference, so they need to win their last match against Brighton & Hove Albion (who are safe) to remain a place in the top 4. Even though Liverpool will have a focus on the Champions League final, I can’t see them give this away. They will be very motivated to secure the top four against a freewheeling Brighton.
Tottenham Hotspur 71 points, 36 matches
The Spurs lost their focus since they looked to have secured their top four finish. They could have been safe by now, but they collected on four points out of their last four matches. The pressure is on the last two matches now. They will play against Newcastle United on Wednesday night. On Sunday they play at home against Leicester City. The Spurs really need to up their level from the last week to win both home matches. One draw and one victory would also be enough, but losing one of these matches may result in a fifth place finish.
Chelsea 69 points, 36 matches
The Blues are in the worst position of these three teams. They can win both of their remaining matches and still finish fifth. This is due to their own failures during this season. Chelsea plays on Wednesday against Huddersfield Town at Stamford Bridge and finishes the season on Sunday against Newcastle United away. Based on their form (four consecutive Premier League wins) and their opponents, their is a big chance Chelsea wins both matches.