3 Reasons why Tottenham Hotspur will still finish in the top 4
The race for the all-important Champions League spots – the top four positions in the Premier League – is now as hot as it’s ever been this season. Sure, it looks like Manchester City and Liverpool have the top two places sewn up, but when it comes to finishing 3rd and 4th, we have a four-way shootout between Manchester United, Tottenham, Arsenal and Chelsea with a hell of a lot on the line.
Right now many observers are predicting that Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham will miss out. They’re on a horrible run of form that’s seen them pick up just 1 point in their last 5 league games, but despite that, it’s still highly likely that they’ll make the top 4 – and could still even finish third.
Here are 3 reasons why Spurs won’t be the side to lose out in this race.
#1 They have a relatively simple run-in
Arsenal appear to have the softest run-in of the four chasing clubs, as they haven’t got to face any fellow Top Six sides during their last 7 games, but a closer look might tell you differently. The Gunners do have to play Wolves – who are currently 7th in the table and are coming off a win over Manchester United – and Leicester, who look increasingly dangerous since Brendan Rodgers took over the helm, and of their remaining fixtures, 5 of them are away.
Manchester United have six games remaining – one less than any of their rivals – and two of those games come against Manchester City and Chelsea, while the Blues themselves also have to face Liverpool and Leicester as well as United. Tottenham though? They still have to visit the Etihad, granted, but outside of that their fixtures seem relatively simple.
The list of teams they have left to face, ignoring City? Crystal Palace, Huddersfield, Brighton, West Ham, Bournemouth and Everton. 5 of those are home games, and more to the point, all six sides have lost to Spurs earlier in the season in Premier League action, with Bournemouth and Everton shipping 11 goals between them.
Basically, there’s a distinct possibility that Pochettino’s side could win all of their final 7 games apart from their showdown with Man City – and if they do that and take 18 points, it seems highly likely that they’ll finish the season in the top 4.