With Manchester Metropolis and Liverpool battling for the title and Chelsea on monitor to complete third, Manchester United, West Ham, Arsenal and Tottenham seem poised to battle it out for fourth place.
In the mean time, there are solely seven factors separating fourth-placed Manchester United from eighth-placed Wolverhampton, creating an fascinating race to qualify for subsequent season’s Champions League.
Right here we consider the contestants and jockeys within the battle for fourth place, their type and dates till the top of the season…
Table of Contents
Desk…
The fixtures…
Manchester United
place: the fourth
Performed matches: 27
factors: 47
Sky Wager odds within the prime 4: 9/4
Energetic cup competitions: Champions League
Again-to-back league wins at the beginning of Ralf Rangnick’s interim run have been adopted by three wins in six to place Manchester United firmly again into the race for the highest 4.
After a disappointing loss to Wolverhampton and a draw with Aston Villa, United reclaimed consecutive victories over Brentford and top-four rivals West Ham, nevertheless, factors slipped at Burnley and at dwelling to Southampton, inflicting United to swing of their Champions League title coaching. spot.
Nonetheless, Man United achieved an essential 2-0 win at dwelling in opposition to Brighton in a re-arranged match earlier than Christmas. Cristiano Ronaldo broke an alarming drought with the addition of Bruno Fernandes once more to push United into fourth place.
United went on to beat Brighton with an exhilarating 4-2 victory over rivals Leeds, however they faltered once more with a 0-0 draw with Watford at Previous Trafford.
They’re now coming into a troublesome second a part of the season, with clashes in opposition to the highest 4 contenders in March and April. After downsizing their squad with the departures of Anthony Martial, Amad Diallo and Donny van de Beek (all on mortgage) in January, United face a significant take a look at of their Champions League credentials.
The primary compositions: Manchester (a) Sunday, March sixth; Kick-off 4.30pm (Dwell Sky Sports activities), Tottenham (h) – Saturday 12 March; Kick-off 5.30pm (Dwell Sky Sports activities), Liverpool (a) – Sunday 20 March; Kick-off 4.30pm (Dwell Sky Sports activities), Lister (h) – Saturday 2 April; kick-off at 3 p.m., Arsenal (a) – Saturday, April 23; kick-off at 3 p.m., Chelsea (h) – Sunday, Might 15; Match begins at 3 pm.
West Ham
place: Fifth
Performed matches: 27
factors: 45
Sky Wager odds within the prime 4: 16/1
Energetic cup competitions: European League and FA Cup
West Ham had an important begin to the season. Underneath David Moyes, the Hammers have been flying excessive and appeared like an actual contender for the highest 4. Regardless of the victories at dwelling in opposition to Liverpool and Chelsea, they suffered little from back-to-back defeats at Wolverhampton and Man Metropolis in November earlier than back-to-back defeats to Arsenal and Southampton in December.
They responded properly, and victories over Watford, Crystal Palace and Norwich put them again in drive within the race to qualify for the Champions League. However defeat to Manchester United on January 22 noticed them shed fourth place on the weekend as Arsenal misplaced factors and Tottenham misplaced to Chelsea.
A slim win at Watford put Watford again on monitor, however subsequent attracts in opposition to Leicester and Newcastle noticed the top-four show falter earlier than concluding February with three essential factors at dwelling to European rivals Wolverhampton.
West Ham’s tour of the season appears difficult, with journeys coming to Liverpool, Tottenham, Chelsea and Brighton. They will even face Arsenal and Man Metropolis at dwelling.
If they’re to make the highest 4, West Ham should do it the exhausting means.
The primary compositions: Liverpool (a) – Saturday 5 March; Kick-off 5.30pm (Dwell Sky Sports activities), Tottenham (a) – Sunday 20 March; Kick-off at 2 p.m. (Dwell Sky Sports activities), Chelsea (a) – Saturday, April 23; kick-off at 3 p.m., Arsenal (H) – Saturday, April thirtieth; kick-off at 3 p.m., Manchester (h) – Sunday, Might 15; kick-off at 3 p.m., Brighton (a) – Sunday, Might 22, kick-off at 4 pm.
Arsenal
place: VI
Performed matches: 24
factors: 45
Sky Wager odds within the prime 4: 1/1
Energetic cup competitions: nobody
Arsenal suffered a powerful begin to the season, shedding their first three video games to endure their worst begin to a season in 67 years. They have been on the backside of the Premier League with Mikel Arteta urgent, however the Spaniard oversaw a formidable restoration on the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal is at the moment ranked sixth and has three matches postponed with Manchester United. Their controversial New Yr’s Day defeat to Manchester Metropolis ended their – and spectacular – four-game profitable streak.
A draw in opposition to Burnley prevented them from gaining extra floor within the prime 4, however an audacious win at Wolverhampton – achieved regardless of one other pink card – and two 2-1 dwelling wins at Brentford and once more at Wolverhampton put them two factors off fourth. His place is Man United.
Arsenal are not competing in any of the cup competitions and can solely dedicate their efforts to reaching a coveted place within the Champions League.
The primary compositions: Lister (H) – Sunday, March thirteenth; Kick-off 4.30pm (Dwell Sky Sports activities), Liverpool (H), Wednesday 16 March; Match kicks off 8.15pm (Dwell Sky Sports activities), Brighton (h), Saturday 9 April; kick-off at 3 p.m., Manchester United (h), Saturday 23 April; kick-off at 3 p.m., West Ham (a) – Saturday thirtieth April; kick-off at 3 p.m., Chelsea (a) – to be decided later, Tottenham (a) – TBC
Tottenham
place: seventh
Performed matches: 25
factors: 42
Sky Wager odds within the prime 4: 3/1
Energetic cup competitions: FA cup
The wheels appeared as if they have been out of difficult Tottenham Hotspur within the prime 4 beneath Antonio Conte after three successive league defeats, however a surprising 3-2 win over Manchester Metropolis made Spurs dream once more of a return to the Champions League.
The defeat at Burnley final week led to a different main dip in Spurs’ bid to complete within the prime 4, with Conte questioning his future on the membership.
Tottenham are taking part in two postponed matches in opposition to United and West Ham, after the checklist of matches has been sophisticated by delays since Conte’s arrival, and his 4-0 victory over Leeds in his final match gave him a glimmer of hope once more.
There are some pivotal fixtures coming in addition to they face top-four rival United at Previous Trafford and host West Ham in March, whereas the date for the re-arranged North London derby in opposition to Arsenal stays to be confirmed.
The matches in hand nonetheless give Spurs, who’re nonetheless battling within the FA Cup as they seek for their first silver medal since 2008, a glimmer of hope, however there may be a whole lot of work to be carried out, particularly on the subject of consistency after these back-to-back damages. She was defeated in opposition to Chelsea, Southampton and Wolves, after which the defeat by Burnley.
The primary compositions: Manchester United (a) – Saturday 12 March; Kick-off 5.30pm (Dwell Sky Sports activities), West Ham (H) – Sunday, March 20; Kick-off at 2 p.m. (Dwell Sky Sports activities), Brighton (h) – Saturday, April 16; kick-off at 3 p.m., Lister (H) – Saturday, April thirtieth; kick-off at 3 p.m., Liverpool (a) – Saturday 7 Might; kick-off at 3 p.m., Arsenal (h) – TBC
Wolves
place: VIII
Performed matches: 26
factors: 40
Sky Wager odds within the prime 4: 33/1
Energetic cup competitions: nobody
Wolves had a troublesome begin to the season with three consecutive defeats beneath new coach Bruno Lage, which noticed them end 18th within the league. A type of losses got here in opposition to Tottenham Hotspur Nuno Espirito Santo, who departed final season to take cost of the north London membership.
Nonetheless, Lagg has since oversaw the advance of his crew’s type with spectacular victories in opposition to Aston Villa, West Ham and Brighton. Though they’re the third crew to attain the fewest objectives within the division with 24 objectives within the Premier League, their defensive intelligence has been a key factor of their rise to the desk. They’ve conceded solely 21 occasions this season, a file that solely Manchester Metropolis, Liverpool and Chelsea have surpassed.
Their begin to 2023 was spectacular, with consecutive victories over Manchester United, Southampton and Brentford.
Residence and away defeats by Arsenal have been setbacks, however they instantly responded to Molino’s loss to Arsenal with key victories over Tottenham and Leicester, which hold Wolves in pursuit of European qualification – though it appears unlikely subsequent season. . Champions League after shedding 1-0 on Sunday in opposition to West Ham.
The primary compositions: Manchester (h) – Saturday, April 16; Kick-off 3pm Brighton (H) – Saturday, April thirtieth; Kick-off 3pm Chelsea (a) – Saturday 7 Might; Kick-off 3pm Liverpool (a) – Sunday, Might 22; Kick-off at 4 p.m
What do critics say?
Sue Smith from Sky Sports activities
“West Ham had a slight stutter, so I believe it is essential to get these three factors [against Wolves on Sunday] and put themselves again heading in the right direction.
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Free to look at: Highlights from West Ham’s win over Wolverhampton within the Premier League
“Wolves are going to be upset after two slim defeats to groups in and round them. I nonetheless managed to get a extremely good run of outcomes and hold themselves secure. [it to remain in the mix for a top-four place] However they are going to be very upset with the efficiency and the outcome.”
Stephen Warnock of Sky Sports activities
“A variety of occasions what we have seen from Manchester United after they have not performed properly this 12 months is that there was a scarcity of focus on the different finish they usually stopped taking part in and conceded objectives.
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Free to look at: Highlights from Manchester United’s draw with Watford within the Premier League
“Optimistic [from the goalless draw with Watford] They have been not less than not conceding, and got here out with some extent. I believe the essential factor to take a look at is the factors in each recreation since Rangnick got here in and it is a good comeback.
“I believe while you consider the gamers they’ve at their disposal, you’ll say that they’re positively succesful. I believe they’d take the fourth place.
“I’ve simply stepped again and flowed about who would do this, I’ve checked out it and I simply assume what they’ve is a greater crew. They have a bit extra depth inside their squad and I believe Rangnick has carried out an honest job since he did Come to the Membership.
“So I’ll put my neck on the road and say they are going to make the highest 4.”
Watch the Champions League qualifier race unfold dwell on Sky Sports activities.
