The 2021-22 Premier League season has reached the business end of the campaign and the ‘run-in’ is going to be wild up and down the league.
While several big names teams are engrossed in a top four battle, some will have to take solace In qualification for the Europa League while many upstarts aim to sneak into the top seven.
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The likes of Arsenal, Manchester United, Tottenham and West Ham are battling it out to finish in the top four and Wolves have an outside chance but are more likely amongst a group of six teams hoping to slip into seventh at the expense of one of those first four.
Below we focus on the standings, fixtures and analyze the top four hopes for the teams in the hunt, and we will update this article each week between now and the end of the season.
Premier League run-in: Europa League battle – As it stands
3rd: Chelsea - 59 points (28 games) GD +38
4th: Arsenal - 54 points (28 games) GD +13
5th: Tottenham - 51 points (29 games) GD +11
6th: Manchester United - 50 points (29 games) GD +8
7th: West Ham - 48 points (30 games) GD +10
8th: Wolves - 46 points (30 games) GD +5
Arsenal
The league’s momentum side for the top four, it would be difficult to imagine the Gunners slipping out of the top seven given current form and games in-hand. Arsenal has shown an ability to tighten up shop in one-goal games but also to put matches into the win column early in the 90.
Remaining games: Aston Villa (A), Crystal Palace (A), Brighton (H), Southampton (A), Manchester United (H), West Ham (A), Leeds (H), Newcastle United (A), Everton (H). Date TBA: Tottenham (A), Chelsea (A), Liverpool (H)
Rating their chances: 35 percent (95 percent for UEL or UCL)
Manchester United
Ralf Rangnick’s side are struggling for confidence and have a pretty tough run-in too but they did beat Tottenham so maybe that will give them confidence as they still have Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea to come on the fixture list. Personalities are also an issue at United, where Rangnick has also found peculiar favorites in keeping Marcus Rashford from finding his stride. At this point, the UEL seems a given.
Remaining games: Liverpool (A), Leicester (H), Everton (A), Norwich (H), Arsenal (A), Brentford (H), Brighton (A), Chelsea (H), Crystal Palace (A)
Rating their chances: 30 percent (90 percent for UEL or UCL)
West Ham
The Hammers’ prolonged top-four run should again be lauded, but it would be a real surprise to see them discussing anything but another Europa League run the rest of the season. Do they need a big stumble from Spurs, Arsenal, and Man United, or are they the easy class of the “other” group and fit for seventh.
Remaining games: Everton (H), Brentford (A), Burnley (H), Chelsea (A), Arsenal (H), Norwich (A), Man City (H), Brighton (A)
Rating their chances: 20 percent (21 percent for UEL or UCL)
Tottenham
Antonio Conte has voiced his concern (many, many times) over the quality of the squad Spurs have, but the fixture list and star power in North London make them far more likely to surprise and take fourth than stumble all the way out of the top seven.
Remaining games: Newcastle (H), Aston Villa (A), Brighton (H), Brentford (A), Leicester (H), Liverpool (A), Burnley (H), Norwich City (A). Date TBA: Arsenal (H)
Rating their chances: 30 percent (80 percent for UEL or UCL)
Wolves
Okay, so they still have a slim chance, but their form over the last week has pretty much ended their unlikely top four push. Bruno Lage’s side have run out of steam in attack and have lost three-straight games to Arsenal, West Ham and Crystal Palace. They have a tough run-in and if they finish in the top seven they will be delighted with their season.
Remaining games: Aston Villa (H), Newcastle (A), Manchester City (H), Burnley (A), Brighton (H), Chelsea (A), Norwich City (H), Liverpool (A)
Rating their chances: 15 percent
