It’s that time of the year again. The Premier League season is coming to a close and fixtures come in thick and fast. Teams up top are fighting for the title, and some are battling it out for the European spots. Clubs down at the bottom are fighting to avoid relegation, while others fight for pride. The 2018-19 season is almost done and dusted, and the race at the top could not be any tighter than this.
While there are only two contenders for the title; them being Manchester City and Liverpool (the Reds lead by 2 points, with City having a game in hand), it’s the battle for the 3rd and 4th that is stealing the headlines of late. With Tottenham, Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United competing for the last two top 4 spots, every game is a cup final for the quartet.
At the end of the latest match-week, Spurs sit in third with 67 points, with Chelsea in fourth with the same points and a lower goal difference. Arsenal occupy the fifth spot with 66 points and United complete the top 6 with 64 points. The Blues have played one game more, while the rest in contention have 4 games remaining.
The latest round of games saw all these clubs drop points, with Spurs losing to City, United getting demolished at Everton, Chelsea drawing at home to Burnley and Arsenal losing at home to Palace. With all four clubs not making any headway, the door is still wide open for the CL spots.
After their defeat, Arsenal players Mesut Ozil and Alexandre Lacazette took to Twitter to reassure the fans that there is still all to play for till the end of the season. Their messages to the fans have reinvigorated their belief of a top 4 finish, showing that they are ready to take on the challenge together; that they are determined to give the fans the opportunity to see the Gunners amongst Europe’s elite.
We Win Together.. We Loose Together.. Fight, and Believe until the End !! #Coyg #laca pic.twitter.com/axwxiBGkxj
— Alexandre Lacazette (@LacazetteAlex) April 22, 2019
It’s exactly the tonic that the fans needed before Wolves game after the loss to Palace seemed to have dented their aspirations.
Frustrating day at the Emirates. We have to stick to each other now. Four crucial @premierleague matches left this season. #WeAreTheArsenal #M1Ö #COYG @arsenal pic.twitter.com/aEhq6xVp4b
— Mesut Özil (@M10) April 22, 2019
It sets the tone for the final four games of the season, leaving fans and neutrals salivating over a grand-stand finish.
With the run-in looking intense and with four clubs battling it out till the death for CL hopes, will Arsenal finish in the top four? If indeed they do, would it be considered a successful season for PL managerial debutant Unai Emery?