Wins for Leicester City, Chelsea and Manchester United last week meant that the race for the top four in the Premier League is set to go down right till the end.
After 33 rounds of fixtures, the Foxes sit third in the tally with 58 points, with Chelsea only a point behind in fourth. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Manchester United acquired fifth spot with 55 points, and the upcoming line of fixtures is set to determine where these teams will ply their trade next season.
While the battle at the top is steamy, the mid-table clashes are equally appetising, to say the least. In fact, only 10 points separate fourth-placed Chelsea to eighth-placed Sheffield United, who have endured tough outings since the Premier League restart.
Tottenham Hotspur vs Everton
The fact that Tottenham have scored 16 goals against Everton in their last five appearances makes this fixture worth keeping an eye on. Jose Mourinho’s men have endured a mixed start since the restart, starting with a 1-1 draw against Manchester United, followed by a 2-0 win over West Ham before eventually losing 3-1 to Sheffield United.
Everton, on the other hand, have registered two victories and a draw during that period. The Toffees sit just a point away from Spurs at 11th and a win would be a massive boost for them to carry for the rest of the campaign.
However, given Tottenham’s recent run of form, where they have won just once in their last nine outings in all competitions, expect this game to be a tight affair.
Watch out for:
Harry Kane: The Tottenham Hotspur forward has enjoyed a decent start since returning from a long injury. Having scored 12 goals in 23 league appearances this season, the English star hasn’t really enjoyed fruitful outings against Everton in his last two appearances, but the fact remains that he has notched eight goals against them in six matches. Expect him to strike.
Arsenal vs Leicester City
Leicester City have been utterly dominant against Arsenal in the recent past, with the Foxes winning three of their last five outings against the Gunners. Brendan Rodgers’ team, however, have seen a massive slump in form since the restart, having won just a solitary game in that period.
Arsenal, for their part, started off with an unconvincing show against Manchester City, but back-to-back wins over Southampton, Sheffield, Norwich and Wolves gave them much-needed momentum against Leicester. The Gunners, in fact, have scored at twice in four of their last six games.
Watch out for:
Jamie Vardy: Striker Jamie Vardy, who has scored 21 goals in 30 league appearances this season, have doomed Arsenal, having scored six goals against the Gunners in his last five games. The Englishman, just like his club, has struggled for form recently, but a brace against Crystal Palace last weekend is duly expected to give him a much-needed push.
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Feature image courtesy: AFP / Oli Scarff
