The Races To Watch As The Premier League Heats Up
With international commitments taken care of, it’s a straight sprint to the finish in the Premier League – and what a climax it looks like being! We’re not going to tempt fate by predicting how things will finish, but we can definitely pick out the most dramatic storylines set to dominate the agenda in the coming weeks. A dynamic duo at the top tussling over the title, four heavyweight contenders battling it out for the two remaining Champions League spots, and the traditional dogfight to avoid relegation; it’s what sporting dreams are made of!
TIGHT AT THE TOP
The battle for the big one is a two-horse race, with Manchester City and Liverpool still in lockstep at the summit. Pep Guardiola’s men have the experience, while Jurgen Klopp’s side have the weight of almost three title-less decades on their shoulders. The run-in might just favour the Anfield side though, with City’s unenviable schedule including back-to-back ties against Tottenham Hotspur and crosstown rivals Manchester United later this month. There could be merriment on Merseyside yet, then!
Key Games
Liverpool v Chelsea, April 14th @ 4pm, Sky Sports Main Event Virgin TV 401
Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur, April 20th @ 11.30am, Sky Sports Main Event Virgin TV 401
Manchester United v Manchester City, April 24th @ 8pm, Sky Sports Premier League Virgin TV 405
FOUR INTO TWO WON’T GO
The race to join the leaders in next year’s Champions League is one of the year’s most thrilling storylines, with four of the biggest sides in England slugging it out. Spurs, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United are all within a handful of points of one another – and unless a Premier League side wins the continental showpiece in Madrid in June, there will only be room for two of the four in next year’s tournament. That means we’re set for an almighty armwrestle in the coming weeks…
Key Games
Everton v Arsenal, April 7th @ 1pm, Sky Sports Main Event, Virgin TV 401
Tottenham Hotspur v Huddersfield Town, April 13th @ 11.30pm, Sky Sports Premier League, Virgin TV 405
Manchester United v Chelsea, April 28th @ 4.30pm, Sky Sports Premier League, Virgin TV 405
A BATTLE FOR SURVIVAL
Huddersfield and Fulham already look to have their tickets to the Championship all but stamped, but the third side to slip out of the to flight is still to be determined. In fact, there’s a clutch of sides bunched together at the edge of the cliff, so some nerve-wracking afternoons are in store as the unlucky loser is decided! To make things extra interesting, some of the sides scrapping for survival will be locking horns with teams chasing success at the other end of the table – meaning there could be a few real double-whammies before the year is out!
Key Games
Southampton v Liverpool, April 5th @ 8pm, Sky Sports Main Event, Virgin TV 401
Cardiff City v Liverpool, April 21st @ 3.30pm, Sky Sports Main Event, Virgin TV 401
Chelsea v Burnley, April 22nd @ 8pm, Sky Sports Premier League, Virgin TV 405