Top-four battle set to go to wire
Arsenal appear to have claimed a decisive advantage over Manchester City in the title race, but the battle for Champions League spots behind them is starting to reach fever pitch. The top four are guaranteed a Champions League berth, and it is looking almost certain that at least one extra place will be secured too, thanks to the performances of Premier League clubs in Europe .
Even though Chelsea , Newcastle and Tottenham all crashed out last week, England boast a huge lead over nearest challengers Spain and Portugal in UEFA’s coefficient table and are on the verge of securing a fifth Champions League qualification spot.
Regardless of how many English teams get into European football's top club competition, though, the fight for a top-four finish in the Premier League is still set to be a keenly fought one, which is likely to go to the wire.
Man Utd
Red Devils Rising
Manchester United , having missed out on Europe completely this season, are 1/8 with BOYLE Sports to earn a top-four finish for only the second time in five years. The Red Devils were twice pegged back by Bournemouth in a 2-2 draw on Friday night, but that proved to be a point gained with Liverpool and Chelsea both losing the following day.
The reigning champions were beaten 2-1 at Brighton , leaving them fifth and six points behind Michael Carrick's United, and they have drifted out to 7/5 to finish in the top four. Chelsea , meanwhile, have slipped to 5/2 after losing 3-0 at Everton to remain a point behind Liverpool in sixth.
Worryingly for the Blues , that was a fourth successive defeat for Liam Rosenior’s side after a Champions League drubbing by Paris St Germain and a 1-0 loss at Newcastle , and they will be hoping the international break will spark a change in fortune as they face Manchester City and Manchester United next up.
Outside Bets
Can Toffees stick around?
Everton were the big movers in the BOYLE Sports odds over the weekend. The Toffees have not finished in the top four since 2004/05, but they are now 22/1 to end that wait this year, with David Moyes’ men looking primed to capitalise on the inconsistency above them.
The Toffees’ impressive win over Chelsea was a third victory in four games, the other being a late loss at Arsenal, and they are now eighth in the table on 46 points, level with seventh-placed Brentford (33/1 to finish in top four), while Fulham (350/1) are two points back.
Aston Villa are the other team in the thick of the battle and are now 6/4 to claim one of the top four spots. The Europa League quarter-finalists have dropped out of the title race following a difficult start to the year, but Sunday's 2-0 win over West Ham left them fourth, and they are now five points ahead of Liverpool .
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