Arsenal, Chelsea or Man United? The fight for fourth
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With 14 games of the season to go, the fight for the Champions League spots has become closer than ever.
Arsenal currently occupy fourth, ahead of Chelsea on goals scored. But Manchester United are the in-form team, and sit just two points behind the London duo.
The trio will now fight it out for the final Champions League spot, with Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur all homing in on the top three positions.
But who will grab fourth in May? We profile the three contenders…
Arsenal – 2/1
It says much that even though Unai Emery’s side are fourth right now, they’re at the back of the pack in the betting at 2/1.
The Gunners have bolstered their ranks by bringing in Denis Suarez on loan, although question marks linger over their defensive qualities. A number of long-term injuries isn’t going to help their cause, either.
But in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette, the Gunners have a mighty strike force. The duo have already netted 24 league goals between them this term. Can they score enough to haul Arsenal back into the Champions League?
The fixture list is relatively kind too. Only three of the Gunners’ remaining 14 matches (and none of their final six) are against top-six opposition.
Next match: Man City (A) – Match Odds @ 17/2
Chelsea – 1/2
Maurizio Sarri appears to be on a collision course with his dysfunctional Chelsea side, but the Blues remain favourites among this trio to secure fourth place.
That’s because when they’re on-form, the Blues can be untouchable.
They’ll be desperate to bounce back after Wednesday night’s 4-0 trouncing at Bournemouth, and Gonzalo Higuain will be out to impress in his new colours.
Of the Blues’ final 14 games, four are against top-six sides.
Next match: Huddersfield (H) – Match Odds @ 2/11
Man United – 7/4
The Red Devils appeared down and out of this fight towards the end of the Jose Mourinho-era. But Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has brought the good times back to Old Trafford.
With eight wins and a draw from his opening nine games in charge, Solskjaer has allowed Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, Paul Pogba and Jesse Lingard to be at their free-flowing best.
And with Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez fully fit now too, United will be confident of overhauling the two-point deficit in the remaining months.
Like Chelsea, four of United’s final 14 matches are against the rest of the top six.
Next match: Leicester (A) – Match Odds @ 21/20
Click here for all our Premier League odds.
All Odds and Markets correct as of date of publication
