Considering how unpredictable this Premier League season has been, it’s only fitting that there’s no clear title favorite heading into the final 12 games.
Two matchups this weekend between top-four teams led many to believe that we’d start to have a better picture of how things would shake out. Instead, no one’s position in the standings changed, and things are as muddled as ever.
First up was Leicester City and Arsenal in the early Sunday fixture. Not even the most deluded Foxes fan could have foreseen their team sitting atop the league table as late as February — if anyone tells you otherwise, they’re lying — but that’s just where they were heading into the game with third-place Arsenal.
Claudio Ranieri’s side had the lead at halftime thanks to a penalty kick from Jamie Vardy. It was a great turn of events for a team that would have been more than happy with a draw, but then defender Danny Simpson was sent off for a second yellow card (an utterly pointless one, at that) in the 54th minute. A quarter of an hour later, the Gunners’ Theo Walcott leveled the score, and 24 minutes after that, Danny Welbeck, fresh off a year-long injury absence, headed in a beautiful spot kick to earn Arsenal the victory.
While Leicester can feel unlucky to have lost out on a point, Arsenal were the dominant team after Simpson’s sending-off. Arsene Wenger’s side is relentless on offense when things are clicking, and that’s what happened in the game’s closing stages. The team also will be heartened to get a goal from the Welbeck, whose presence was sorely missed while he was out with a knee injury.
All’s not lost for Leicester City, though. They still are in first and know they can hang with the league’s best, even when everything isn’t going their way. In addition to playing a man down for 40 minutes, they also had to cope with their best player, winger Riyad Mahrez, not being anywhere near his best.
Arsenal may have vanquished the league leaders, but they are still in third place on goal differential, because their hated London rival Tottenham was victorious in the day’s late game against Manchester City.
Spurs went up shortly after the start of the second half after Harry Kane calmly stroked in a penalty (the result of an absurdly harsh handball call). City evened up the score in the final ten minutes on a forceful goal from 19-year-old Kelechi Iheanacho. But then, six minutes from full time, Christian Eriksen got on the end of a well-placed through ball from Erik Lamela to claim the win and three priceless points for the London club.
Manchester City may have been ripped to shreds just last week, but they weren’t pushovers on Sunday. Still, Tottenham won because they did what they’ve been doing all season long — never letting up the pressure, playing solid defense and taking advantage of their chances.
In addition to keeping pace with Leicester and Arsenal, they may have killed City’s chances at the title. The team’s board hoped that clarifying head coach Manuel Pelligrini’s status — he’ll be replaced by Bayern Munich’s Pep Guardiola this summer — would galvanize the players, but it’s done just the opposite. Six points isn’t insurmountable by any means, but they’re chasing three teams who are playing much better than they are.
It’s hard to pick a current favorite. Had Leicester been able to beat Arsenal, they’d be four points clear, with an easy run of fixtures ahead. They still could pull off the miracle, but you have to wonder if such a painful loss may haunt a team that hasn’t had to deal with much disappointment this season. Arsenal will surely feel good about their chances. Though their ever-pessimistic fan base will predict doom in some fashion, they probably have the most talented side of the three contenders and, finally, a reliable goalie in newcomer Petr Cech.
But, I’ll take Tottenham. This is a Spurs team that might finally transcend being a Spurs team. Though they lack Arsenal’s depth, Mauricio Pochetino’s side is blessed with talent. They’re the hottest team in the country after six wins in a row. If their hard-pressing style doesn’t leave them exhausted going into the season’s final month, the combination of the league’s best defense and one of its best offenses will out-pace their rivals.
There’s still a lot of drama to come, however, especially with the two London clubs set to play on March 6. It’s hard to think of a more appropriate way for this season to end.
Beware Southampton
With Manchester United’s hope of a top-four finish all but over after a dreadful 2-1 loss to Sunderland, it looks as if Leicester City, Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester City’s spots in next year’s Champions League are all but wrapped up. But if there’s one team whose recent form means they shouldn’t be counted out just yet, it’s Southampton.
Ronald Koeman’s team has won five of its last six and is one point behind fifth-place United. The main reason: recently returned goalkeeper Fraser Forster, who’s currently playing the soccer of his life.
Forster returned on Jan. 13 following a 10-month absence due to a fractured kneecap. That first match, a 2-0 victory over Watford, was the start of six-game stretch without a loss. Across those six games, the team has scored just eight goals, but Forster has yet to let one ball get past him. The standout performance of the half-dozen games was in a 0-0 draw with Arsenal in which the keeper somehow pulled off 11 saves.
A top-four finish from Southampton is still a long shot — they are seven points behind fourth-place Manchester City — but as long as no one can get a shot past Forster, it’s possible. It’s also possible the keeper’s play might make English national team manager Roy Hodgson wonder if he’s deserving of the starting job, which currently belongs to City’s Joe Hart, heading into this summer’s European championship. It wouldn’t be the worst idea.
Goal of the Week
Well, that’s certainly one way to make a good impression. Stoke City’s latest acquisition, midfielder Giannelli Imbula, scored his first goal and helped stop his team’s skid on Saturday (0:10 mark). The Frenchman scored the opener in the club’s 3-1 victory over Bournemouth, calmly volleying in a bouncing ball in the ninth minute. It was the classiest of finishes, and should give skeptical fans an idea why Mark Hughes spent a club-record $26 million on the player.
Terrible Pass of the Week
Newcastle were embarrassed in nearly every aspect of Saturday’s 5-1 thrashing at the hands of Chelsea, but Rolando Aarons really covered himself in shame in the ninth minute. The Magpie player set up the Blues’ Pedro (0:15) for the second goal of the game when his lazy cross-field pass was intercepted by the speedy winger. Sure, the Spaniard had a beautiful finish, but he really couldn’t have been handed an easier path to goal.
Post Premier League Rankings
Tottenham make their case as the EPL’s best team, Chelsea regain their swagger and things go from terrible to apocalyptic for Aston Villa (Last week’s rankings in parentheses).
1. Tottenham (2)
2. Leicester City (1)
3. Arsenal (3)
4. Manchester City (4)
5. Southampton (7)
6. West Ham (5)
7. Manchester United (6)
8. Watford (8)
9. Liverpool (10)
10. Chelsea (12)
11. Everton (9)
12. Stoke (11)
13. Crystal Palace (13)
14. West Brom (14)
15. Bournemouth (15)
16. Swansea (16)
17. Sunderland (19)
18. Norwich (18)
19. Newcastle (17)
20. Aston Villa (20)