SHOCK. Silence. Despair.
Then a polite applause in recognition of their side’s effort.
“Well played this season, lads.”
The moments after Tottenham’s 1-1 draw with West Brom had a feeling of closure, the home fans conceding their collective hopes of a first Premier League title had finally evaporated.
Seven points now separates Spurs from first-placed Leicester with three matches remaining.
Should Leicester lose all three, Spurs must win at least two and draw the other to win the title
Should Leicester draw two and lose the other, Spurs must win all three.
But if Leicester picks up three points at any stage, Spurs are gone.
The latter seems the most likely scenario and the White Hart Lane faithful recognised as much.
Spurs visit London rivals Chelsea next weekend. What motivation the Blues will have to play, to drive the final nail into Tottenham’s coffin.
Meanwhile Leicester travels to Old Trafford to seal the title. What better way to end the fairytale than by securing the title against the most successful side of the Premier League era.
For all of Manchester United’s successes, Old Trafford may well be Leicester’s Theatre of Dreams come early Monday morning.
The races for the EPL title, European qualification and relegation are well in their final stages. Here’s what every team in the thick of the battles must do between now and season’s end.
RACE FOR THE TITLE
LEICESTER CITY — 1ST, 76 POINTS
FORM: WWWWDW
INJURIES: Leonardo Ulloa
REMAINING MATCHES: Manchester United (A), Everton (H), Chelsea (A)
KEY DATE: 1 May — v Manchester United, Old Trafford. A win would seal the title.
DISTRACTION: Jamie Vardy’s suspension. He’ll be missing again against Manchester United.
Tottenham’s draw with West Brom has made Leicester’s equation simple. Win at Old Trafford this weekend and win the title.
Without Vardy they thrashed Swansea 4-0 and looked all over a champion side. Now prices at $1.05 to win the title, it is hard to see them not picking up three points between now and season’s end.
TOTTENHAM — 2ND, 69 POINTS
FORM: WWDWWD
INJURIES: Nabil Bentaleb, Eric Dier
REMAINING MATCHES: Chelsea (A), Southampton (H), Newcastle (A)
KEY DATE: 3 May — v Chelsea, Stamford Bridge. Their slim title hopes rest on a win.
DISTRACTION: Nil
Tuesday morning’s 1-1 draw against West Brom was a bitter blow for Mauricio Pochettino’s side, leaving Leicester seven points ahead with three games remaining.
With a superior goal difference to the Foxes, Spurs’ hopes rest on winning their final three games and Leicester picking up no more than two points.
RACE FOR EUROPE
Who qualifies?
England gets four Champions League spots (three automatic and one play-off) and three Europa League spots.
But, the winner of the Europa League also qualifies for the Champions League — and Liverpool are well and truly alive on that front.
The EPL can get a maximum of five teams into the UCL, so the most extraordinary of twists, where fourth would miss out, would only happen if: Manchester City wins the UCL, Liverpool win the Europa League AND Manchester City DON’T finish in the top four.
The three Europa League spots go to 5th, the FA Cup winner and Capital One Cup winner.
So the League Cup spot will essentially go to sixth, because Manchester City should make the UCL. But the FA Cup could be an unlikely route to Europe for Everton, Crystal Palace or Watford.
MANCHESTER CITY — 3RD, 64 POINTS
FORM: LWWWDW
INJURIES: Yaya Toure, Fernando, David Silva
REMAINING MATCHES: Southampton (A), Arsenal (H), Swansea (A)
KEY DATE: 8 May — v Arsenal, Etihad Stadium. A must win to secure Champions League football.
DISTRACTION: Champions League semi final v Real Madrid, 27 April & 5 May
A disappointing draw with Newcastle followed by a 4-0 thumping of Stoke has City once again level with Arsenal on points and slightly ahead on goal difference.
A tricky run home awaits, with the added distraction of Champions League football meaning Manuel Pellegrini has his work cut out to secure a top four finish.
ARSENAL — 4TH, 64 POINTS
FORM: WWDDWD
INJURIES: Nil
REMAINING MATCHES: Norwich (H), Manchester City (A), Aston Villa (H)
KEY DATE: 8 May — v Manchester City, Etihad Stadium. This could be a top four decider.
DISTRACTION: Nil
A win over West Brom followed by a draw at Sunderland — it seems whenever Arsenal looks to be getting it together, they always take a step back this season.
Aside from their clash with City, the Gunners have an easier run home than their most direct rival and can be expected to account for Norwich and Villa. But then again …
MANCHESTER UNITED — 5TH, 59 POINTS
FORM: LWWLWW
INJURIES: Will Keane, Adnan Januzaj, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Luke Shaw
REMAINING MATCHES: Leicester City (H), Norwich City (A), West Ham (A), Bournemouth (H)
KEY DATE: 11 May — v West Ham, Upton Park. Should Arsenal or City slip up, this could be a top four decider.
DISTRACTION: Nil — the FA Cup final is after the final round.
Despite all the talk of United ‘horror’ season, Louis van Gaal side continues to lurk there and thereabouts on the fringes of the top four.
With a game in hand on City and Arsenal, the Red Devils are poised to pounce should either rival stumble.
WEST HAM — 6TH, 56 points
FORM: WDDDDW
INJURIES: Carl Jenkinson
REMAINING MATCHES: West Brom (A), Swansea (H), Manchester United (H), Stoke (A)
KEY DATE: 16 May v Stoke, Britannia Stadium. A Europa League place may hang on a final day win.
DISTRACTION: Nil
West Ham’s Champions League hopes appear all but over, with eight points separating them from the top four, albeit with a game in hand.
Their attentions must now turn to securing a Europa League place, with no continental football sure to be a major blow in their first season at the Olympic Stadium.
LIVERPOOL — 7TH, 55 POINTS
FORM: LDWWWD
INJURIES: Divock Origi, Emre Can, Jordan Henderson, Christian Benteke, Jordan Rossiter, Danny Ings, Joe Gomez
REMAINING MATCHES: Swansea (A), Watford (H), Chelsea (H), West Brom (A)
KEY DATE: 12 May — v Chelsea, Anfield. Their most difficult remaining fixture.
DISTRACTION: Europa League semi finals v Villarreal, 29 April & 6 May
Surrendering a two-goal lead against Newcastle to draw 2-2 was a huge blow for Jurgen Klopp’s side. Which would have risen to sixth had it held on for a win.
Their only path to the Champions League from here appears to be winning the Europa League.
SOUTHAMPTON — 8TH, 54 POINTS
FORM: WWLWDW
INJURIES: Charlie Austin, Florian Gardos
REMAINING MATCHES: Manchester City (H), Tottenham (A), Crystal Palace (H)
KEY DATE: 16 May — v Crystal Palace, St Marys Stadium. Plenty will be riding on their final day result.
DISTRACTION: Nil
Ronald Koeman’s Saints continue to rack up the points and keep their outside hopes of European qualification alive. They will require a big slip up from those above them, though.
RELEGATION BATTLE
SUNDERLAND — 17TH, 31 POINTS
FORM: DDDLWD
INJURIES: Jeremain Lens
REMAINING MATCHES: Stoke (A), Chelsea (H), Everton (H), Watford (H)
KEY DATE: 16 May — v Watford, Vicarage Road. A third straight home match to finish the season.
DISTRACTION: Nil
‘Big Sam’ Allardyce looks to have masterminded another remarkable salvage campaign, this time in the north east.
The Black Cats continue to snatch points off more fancied opposition, last weekend’s draw with Arsenal lifting them out of the relegation zone.
NORWICH CITY — 18TH, 31 POINTS
FORM: LDWWLL
INJURIES: Andre Wisdom, Timm Klose, Alexander Tettey
REMAINING MATCHES: Arsenal (A), Manchester United (H), Watford (H), Everton (A)
KEY DATE: 16 May — v Everton, Goodison Park. It could be all or nothing on the final day.
DISTRACTION: Nil
Norwich faces a tough task to live itself out of the relegation zone, with a difficult trip to Arsenal followed by a visit of Manchester United to test their resolve.
NEWCASTLE — 19TH, 30 POINTS
FORM: DLLWDD
INJURIES: Steven Taylor, Daryl Janmaat, Rob Elliot, Fabricio Coloccini, Massimo Haidara, Tim Krul
REMAINING MATCHES: Crystal Palace (H), Aston Villa (A), Tottenham (H)
KEY DATE: 16 May — v Tottenham, St James’ Park
DISTRACTION: Nil
Consecutive draws against Manchester city and Liverpool displayed the mettle Rafa Benitez has instilled into his side.
Whether that will be enough to lift them out of the relegation zone, with both Norwich and Sunderland holding a game in hand, remains to be seen.
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