It’s hard to believe but the Premier League season is already winding down. There are 10 matches remaining for teams to finalize their position in this year’s table. In a season of uncertainty, naturally, just about every big race is wide open, except for the title which seems to be locked in for Man City. Today, I’ll be looking back at my predictions from the start of the season and sharing my thoughts on how this riveting Premier League campaign will end.
Champions: Man City
I felt pretty good about my title pick at the start of the season and I feel even better now. Man City are 14 points up in the title race, even after losing to Man United last season. It’s clear that they are far and away the best team in the league. City got off to a bit of a rocky start but Pep Guardiola quickly righted the ship, going an a 29-match unbeaten streak that saw them soar to the top of the table. Their depth is unparalleled and even without Sergio Aguero for most of the season, City will win their third title in four years.
Top Four: Man City, Man United, Chelsea, West Ham
The top four race has been especially intriguing this season because there are 6-7 teams that are still in contention for the Champions League places. Shockingly, Liverpool are all but out of the race. No one could’ve expected the stunning fall of Liverpool this season. They looked shaky for most of the season but right now they are going through a horrid run of form, unlike anything the Reds have experienced since Jurgen Klopp became manager. Liverpool has lost six straight match at Anfield, including a devastating loss to Fulham on Sunday. Meanwhile, West Ham has only one loss in their last five matches. I wrote a whole article last week about why I think West Ham will finish in the top four and I’m sticking with my prediction. The Hammers have never finished in the top four in Premier League history but I believe this will finally be their year. Chelsea and Man United look primed to finish in the top four once again, in second and third place respectively. Leicester City are third in the table at the moment, but injuries have finally caught up to the Foxes. Johnny Evans and James Maddison will miss multiple weeks due to injury which will leave Leicester’s defense vulnerable. As reflected by their 3-1 loss a couple weeks ago to a below average Arsenal squad, Leicester just don’t have the firepower right now to stay in the top four.
Relegation: Newcastle, West Brom, Sheffield United
Man was I off with my relegation picks at the start of the season. I had West Ham, Crystal Palace, and Fulham getting relegated and of course, two of those clubs massively overachieved. Fulham is still in a relegation fight but they have a good chance to stay up due to their recent success. Scott Parker’s side has had a bit of a rebirth in recent weeks, taking seven points in their last four matches. Sheffield United and West Brom are all but finished however the third relegation position will be very tight. I say Newcastle will go down because they have less overall talent than both Brighton and Fulham. It’s difficult to get a read on these teams and one injury or one bad performance could change everything.
As for the other races, I think Mo Salah will take home the Premier League golden boot for the third time and Leicester will clinch fifth place to play in the Europa League next season. In the craziest of crazy seasons, Liverpool will miss out on European qualification the season after winning the title and barring a fantastic run of form, both Tottenham and Arsenal will miss the top six.
Featured Image: Reuters
