I know, never say never. It’s not over until it’s over etc, etc. But, just between me and you, I think Manchester United have won the Premier League this season. It’s not been confirmed yet, fair enough. Mathematically Manchester City (and a few others for that matter) can still end the season as Champions, but United’s 15 point lead with 11 games to go does seem unassailable. So, season over, right? Wrong.
There are still key battles being fought all over the league table as various clubs jockey for position. The league may (just may) be won but there is still plenty to play for.
For starters, there’s the top end of the Premier League, well, everyone behind Manchester United anyway. Manchester City look nailed on for a Champions League place with 9 points separating them and 5th place. But behind that it’s all to play for. Arsenal, Spurs and Chelsea are not only battling for a place in Europe’s top cup competition but also for the capital's bragging rights.
Chelsea and Arsenal have been London’s top club at various points over the last decade, it’s years since this has been the case for Spurs. One of these clubs will give their fan base something to shout from the rooftops about, the glory of being better than your rivals, officially.
After all, the league table doesn’t lie. One of these clubs won’t even make the top four. While Spurs have wobbled since their North London derby win, Chelsea and Arsenal have each had a mini resurgence. Only 5 points separate 3rd place Chelsea and 5th place Arsenal and there is still a lot of football to be played.
Merseyside too will also be keeping one eye on the Champions League places. It may be too late for Everton and Liverpool to mount a push now but they will keep battling to the end with places in the much maligned Europa League at stake.
It can be viewed as an unwanted distraction for the managers and players involved as the late Thursday night games in Eastern Europe can clearly have a detrimental effect on the league campaign. But the chairmen and coin-counters of these clubs will surely appreciate the TV windfall that comes with any continental competition. West Brom will certainly have their eyes on Europe too.
But, as always seems to be the case, the real entertainment could be found at the bottom of the league. The relegation dog fight has so much riding on it, so many fall out of the Premier League spotlight and take years to come back, if at all. Just look at the plight of Blackburn and Wolves, relegated last year, both languishing in the bottom half of the Championship now.
Reading, Southampton, Queens Park Rangers, Sunderland, Wigan Athletic, Aston Villa, all under real threat of the drop. All with their own unique story. You could take an interest in Nigel Adkins, taking over at Reading and trying to move the club past the unpopular sacking of Brian McDermott. And maybe relegating Southampton in the process, who of course sacked Adkins earlier this year.
There’s perennial relegation candidates Wigan, always everyone’s number one tip to go down at the start of the season. Surely they couldn’t engineer another great escape, could they? Or could it be Harry Redknapp who applies his midas touch to QPR’s season. Or Sunderland, who can’t buy a goal at the best of times and today found out that they will be without talismanic forward Steven Fletcher for the rest of the season.
No one is talking about West Ham and Newcastle but they’re only 6 points from safety, Norwich and Stoke above them only 7 points off the drop. These four need to maintain their form too. As the teams below them all seem to be capable of picking up points on their day.
So don’t cancel that Sky Sports package just yet. The real business of the Premier League is only just beginning. You’ll still see it all, the winning, the losing, the heartache, the euphoria, the shots of grown men and children alike blubbering like over-sized babies.
If anything, I’m glad that pesky title race is done and dusted. Now the real fun can begin.