The drama in the ongoing Barclays English Premier League is captivating. Every game tells a unique story either at the top of the points’ table or at the bottom. So competitive is this season that within the top four, there is another competition that will see one of Manchester United, Chelsea, Tottenham or Arsenal missing out of the European inter-club competition next season. No wonder most big players want to play in England, irrespective of the poking eyes of the British media, which can be very nauseating, especially with exposes on players’ out of the pitch activities.
At the bottom of the rung, there are two clubs which won’t be in the elite class next year, having been relegated – Fulham and Huddersfield FCs. They will play in the English Championship, yet Fulham beat an improving Everton FC, which won four games on the trot, at the Cottage Stadium on Saturday 2-0. What Fulham’s victory signifies is that the club’s management has accepted its fate, having sacked two managers recently. The club is using the remaining Barclays English Premier League matches to prepare for the tortuous campaign in the Championship next year. Fulham lost 4-0 to Tottenham last week but it was very competitive in the early stages of the game.
Three teams will go down. Fulham and Huddersfield are gone. Cardiff may be the third candidate for relegation, only if Liverpool whip them this week with as many as four goals. Brighton played against Cardiff on Tuesday night with the latter winning 2-0, not enough to push Brighton down the ladder. Interestingly, Cardiff with 31 points have Liverpool as their opponents this weekend. This is a mountain to climb, going by the Reds’ quest for its first EPL title in 29 years. Brighton cannot afford to celebrate any advantage over Cardiff because their outstanding game is against Tottenham at away. This is a must-win fixture for Tottenham if they hope to finish third on the log and earn a ticket to the 2019/2020 UEFA Champions League.
What the Cardiff and Brighton scenario portends is that the two teams will play till the last day to decide which of them is relegated. Brighton and Cardiff have difficult fixtures in the last two weeks against teams seeking a berth in the top four. Cardiff confronts Manchester City in an away game on the last day while Brighton visits Manchester United at Old Trafford. It is easy to say that the Manchester sides will win both games. But football is like biscuit, you never know where it will crack.
For Tottenham, Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea, this season’s league is one to forget in a hurry. The four teams have played in the Champions League; they know what it entails. To imagine that two of them won’t be at the next edition explains why their last matches will be ones to follow. Arithmetically, anything is possible in search for the last two teams to make up the Top Four.
But looking at the permutations in the EPL dispassionately, it appears Manchester United and Chelsea won’t make the top four, if we consider their fixtures. On April 24, Manchester United must beat their noisy neighbours Manchester City to stand a chance for top-four finish in a rescheduled tie. Indeed, Chelsea would have expectedly beaten Burnley at Stamford Bridge, putting pressure on Manchester United to win the City clash. Should both teams win their outstanding games, their clash at Old Trafford on April 28 will be the clincher for the winner. Should Manchester United beat Chelsea, then the Blues are out of the UEFA Champions League for next year. If they draw, both teams will be out or they will pray that Arsenal falters in the away fixture against Leicester on April 29.
Today at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester City’s quest for a back-to-back EPL title feat will be on their players’ minds, knowing that a slip could hand the title over to Liverpool who will wait until Sunday to rip Cardiff apart in an away fixture. Liverpool has enjoyed a fixture where they either wait to see Manchester City’s result or play ahead of City in the title chase.
Tottenham and Manchester City have met twice in seven days, with today’s game their third encounter in 11 days. The first two games have defined their season with contrasting fortunes, although Tottenham have every reason to thank the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) machine for returning verdicts in their favour, even though they were the right decisions. Manchester City lost the first game 1-0 to Tottenham in London, but were eliminated from the UEFA Champions League’s away goal rule, even with the 4-3 victory over Spurs at the Etihad Stadium.
Again at the Etihad this evening, Manchester City players and coaching crew must forget about the team’s elimination from the Champions League by today’s opponents and beat Spurs. If they draw or lose (God forbid), they would have given Liverpool the chance to dethrone them on May 12, if the Reds win their remaining four matches. On Sunday, Liverpool will strive to beat Cardiff at home. Liverpool will be further boosted to whip Cardiff, if Manchester City doesn’t beat Tottenham today.
“It is cruel but it is what it is and we have to accept it.) After 20 minutes we were 3-2 up. In the second half we created a lot of chances and we scored the goals we needed. Unfortunately, it was a bad end for us. So, congratulations to Tottenham and good luck for the semi-finals,” said Guardiola, who has asked his players to put behind them the Champions League ouster.
“We’ve to stand up and react. It is a close (short amount of) time and the same team. We can’t think too much now.) We have to try to sleep as much as possible and the day before the game we are going to prepare for the game. We have fought for nine or 10 months in the Premier League and still we are there. It is in our hands. Today is tough and tomorrow will be tough too but the day after we will be ready,” he said.
Asked whether reaching the Champions League semi-finals for the first time had sunk in, Tottenham’s manager Mauricio Pochettino said: “I think it means a lot. We still haven’t realised because we are still in a dream. We are still in a bubble. We felt the happiness of the fans and the messages of our family and friends. But because we are so focused and busy preparing for Saturday, you do not allow yourself to live your reality. But in some ways that’s good, because our job is to be focused and try to be ready for Saturday. Of course, we are so happy and it means a lot for everyone. We feel so proud but there is a lot of work to do until the end of the season.”
The Argentine said: ‘’You know I didn’t want to watch again because in the moment they scored, I took off my jacket, threw my jumper, I started to think very bad things. Then I hear my assistant Jesus (Perez)’s voice say ‘Oh, maybe offside and VAR is checking.’ Then I was alive again. I understand the situation in bench of City. City were on top of the world and then to the disappointment. It’s unbelievable. The emotion was amazing. You feel sorry for them when that situation happened. Maybe another night… but what can you do? Enjoy, be respectful,’’ Pochettino said.
Liverpool can start dreaming about their first EPL title in the new era of the competition in the last 29 years, if Tottenham leaves the Etihad Stadium unscathed. If it doesn’t happen and Manchester City wins today, then Liverpool and their teeming fans will be looking towards Manchester United for favour on April 24.
The Manchester derby has some very exciting templates. For Manchester United, they are torn between two rivals- Liverpool are their fiercest foes in terms of records in the English game. Manchester united has won the title, including in the new era, 20 times. Liverpool has 18 titles to its name, excluding winning it in the new era. Will Manchester United beat Manchester City to spark celebrations at Anfield, home of Liverpool? Or will they rather allow their neighbours win to spite Liverpool and cause their fans pain?
It will be difficult for Manchester United’s fans to watch City beat them at home, especially as the team needs to win all its games to stand a chance of qualifying for one of the UEFA inter-club competitions next year – Champions League or Europa Cup. Of the four teams, Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham, the Red Devils have the toughest fixtures. I hope they don’t walk alone out of European football next season.
Let Mikel go to Egypt
John Mikel Obi is playing again. He was picked by foreigner Coach Tony Pulis who saw him excel at Chelsea in the EPL when the Nigerian became a free agent in January. Pulis wasn’t interested in Mikel’s fitness, having known his potential.
At Middlesbrough, many doubted Pulis’ choice of Mikel based on his form where he was coming from – China. Pulis stuck to Mikel and it didn’t take long for doubters to see what informed the Nigerian’s choice.
Things went on smoothly for Boro until they ran into a string of consecutive losses. Not one to ponder on issues such as this, Pulis pulled Mikel aside and got his consent to captain the side in subsequent matches. It has turned out well for Pulis and Boro as the team hasn’t lost a game since Mikel wore the captain’s arm band.
The lessons from this Boro experience is that Mikel isn’t just a good player, he is a lucky leader, a role which comes with his experience in the game.
I have chosen to liken Mikel’s performance at Boro to the debate over his inclusion in the Super Eagles’ squad to Egypt for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. If Mikel says he wants to play for Nigeria, he should be registered. The argument that Mikel waited for Nigeria to qualify before signifying his interest to play is bunkum.
Mikel opted out of our games to gain fitness playing for Boro. Now that he is ready, he should go with the Eagles. Happily, Ahmed Musa, who has been acting as the team’s captain, says he is doing so on Mikel’s behalf.
