The top four race of the 2020/21 Premier League season is heating up and on the course to draw out mouth-watering conclusions we are to experience for years now. Merely seven-game weeks remain on the calendar but there is still no confirmation about the top four berths yet. Nobody could predict without a hitch the team's faith in the points chart this late in the season.
Manchester City are all but confirmed to lift this season's Premier League title with arch-rivals Manchester United making the second place of their own. So, eyes are set to the rest of the places. As many as five teams are seeking their opportunity. We take an in-depth look at the possibility of all the clubs involved in the race to finish in the Champions League places at the end of the season.
5. Tottenham Hotspurs (50 points)
Spurs have a very slim chance to enjoy Champions League football next season. Already out of Europa League and inconsistent performance in the Premier League has caused a denting blow to their top four ambition. Once a title favorite, Jose Mourinho's stubborn tactics have backfired piling up the misery. Tottenham have to hope for a miracle of other sides falling from their grip to stand a chance. They sit in the seventh position with five points off the top four.
4. Liverpool (52 points)
Nobody thought Liverpool will be in the top four discussions let alone being a title challenger at the start of the campaign. Injuries and formless displays have formed a major crisis to the defending champions who see themselves get shattered even at Anfield. The team that was hard to beat is losing to relegation candidates. However, they have steadied their ship a little despite champions league disappointment and are desperate to get into the competition next season. Fortunately, they have an easier run of fixtures than the rest with only a North West derby to worry about.
3. Chelsea (54 points)
Liverpool will be hoping for a fall off from this disciplined side to stand a chance. Except from the 5-2 mauling received from West Brom at home, Chelsea have been largely impenetrable under Thomas Tuchel. Sitting two points ahead of Liverpool on fifth at the time of writing and one point off the top four, Chelsea are more likely than Liverpool and Tottenham to book themselves in the UCL group stage next season. They also have a semifinal tie with Real Madrid to look for in the competition. However, they have a tough ending to the season as they face Manchester City, Arsenal and Leicester simultaneously next month. All of those fixtures are enough to derail them but if they are consistent with their impressive doing till now anything is possible.
2. West Ham (55 points)
Without a second thought, fans and pundits never thought for a second that they would see West Ham so high up in the table. Escaping relegation on a narrow margin last term, David Moyes have transformed the London club's faith with witty signing moulded into sheer tactical brilliance. Tomas Soucek, Vladimir Coufal and the January arrival of a revived Jesse Lingard from Manchester United on loan has helped them draw unimaginable result on the pitch. They are dreaming of Champions League football now and why shouldn't they? West Ham also have only Chelsea in their way in the next group of winnable fixtures. If they keep their form intact we could be witnessing a fascinating story unfolding before our eyes.
1. Leicester City (56 points)
Brendan Rodgers's Leicester City cannot afford to repeat their fate of last campaign. The Foxes were so ferociously good and clinical on their way throughout but are now facing pressure mounting on them just like before. This is the time they cripple so badly to forgo their ambition to do something bigger. They also have a hard ending to the season with Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham the last three games to play. Altogether, Leicester have to learn from their mistakes from the past in building up strong both physically and mentally. They are also unlucky to have Liverpool and Chelsea as their quality and experience in honesty are superior to those of the Foxes. But with an immensely talented squad, Leicester can break the threshold of the past and make something happen.
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