Premier League Top 4: Who Do You Think Has The Edge?

[Yash]

Premier League is heading towards a dramatic end. Where in one hand Liverpool rewrote the history books after 30 years and will look to complete a 100 point record, Man City kept their Champion league hope alive after UEFA overturned the verdict of 2-year ban. Which also meant, that the top 4 will only qualify for next year’s Champions League.

Chelsea, Leicester City and Man United are on the hook and are desperate to finish in the top 4. With Chelsea defeating Norwich today, they hold their spot with 63 points and have 2 matches in hand. One away game against Liverpool and Wolves at home. United, on the other hand, had a chance to jump to the third spot but they coughed up a late lead at home to Southampton which has left them hanging at 59 points with Leicester.

Leicester host Sheffield United and later travel to Spurs. They will square off against United on the decision day. But all three clubs have difficult games to play between now and the finishing line. The top 4 race will go down to the wire and there will be so many twists and turns ahead in the final three matchweeks of the 2019-20 season. So what are your predictions of top 4? Who do you think will qualify for the UCL?

[Hemant]

1. Liverpool
2. Man City
3. Chelsea
4. Leicester City

[Praveen]

Man City
Liverpool
Chelsea
Leicester City

[Yogesh]

Liverpool & ManC are confirmed. I would expect Chelsea and ManU to claim rest two spots. It would be a delightful surprise if Leicester City Makes it.

Betting odds are also suggesting this.

[Abhishek1]

Leaving Liverpool and Man City , its tough to decide which team will make it to top four between Leicester city, Man United and Chelsea. But in my opinion the top 4 will look like this.
1-Liverpool
2-ManCity
3-Chelsea
4-ManUtd

As the red devils are in tremendous form since the restart of the season.

[Jay]

My predictions for Top 4 & Champions League qualification

1. Liverpool

2. Man City

3. Chelsea

4. Man United

Premier League champions Liverpool and Manchester City have already booked their place in next season’s Champions League. Man City who have a comfortable lead of 9 points over Chelsea will definitely finish second and hence qualify.

Chelsea, Leicester and Manchester United will have to battle it out for the final two Champions League group stage spots. Although mathematically Wolves, Sheffield United and Tottenham could all also qualify for the final 2 spots.

Current Premier League Standings

Chelsea

Chelsea’s 1-0 win over Norwich gives them a big boost in their hunt for a Champions League spot.

Chelsea’s remaining games : Liverpool (22 July), Wolves (26 July)

Chelsea, who are 4 points clear of 5th place, need 4 points from their remaining games to be sure of a top-four spot.

Leicester City

Leicester City’s remaining games : Sheff Utd (16 July), Spurs (19 July), Man Utd (26 July)

Leicester City are on the 4th spot, but only above Manchester United with a higher goal difference.

They need to win their final 3 games to be sure of finishing in the top 4. However, Foxes have only won one of their 6 games post pandemic restart.

Manchester United

Man Utd remaining games : Crystal Palace (16 July), West Ham (22 July), Leicester (26 July)

Man United will guarantee a top-four finish if they win all three games.

However, there is a caveat to the top 4 team qualification rule:

There is a possibility only the top three would qualify for the Champions League if the two major European club trophies of this season are both won by English teams who finish outside this season’s top four.

As per rules, there can be a maximum of five English teams in the Champions League.

So if Chelsea win the Champions League this season and Manchester United or Wolves win the Europa League - and neither finish in the top four, then both sides would qualify for next season’s Champions League. The 4th place club (who would have otherwise qualified being in the top 4 in the Premier League) would only earn a Europa League spot and exit from the Champions League qualification.

[Varshith]

Keeping an eye on the recent form, Manchester United look comfortable in claiming the 3rd Spot on the decision day. Chelsea will also meet United in the FA Cup semifinals on Sunday which might be a challenging one for the players as they might be fatigued playing 2 matches in 2 days. The Red Devils are unbeaten in 18 games in all competitions and have a front three of Martial, Rashford and Greenwood with an exceptional midfield of Pogba and Bruno Fernandes in form.

My Final Standing-

1. Liverpool
2. Manchester City
3. Manchester United
4. Chelsea

[Yash]

Leicester have tasted victory and United continue their good run. If Chelsea beat Liverpool they will secure the 3rd spot. If not it’ll all come down to the decision day clash between Leicester and Manchester United. The Premier league is getting exciting.

[Abhishek1]

What do Manchester United, Chelsea and Leicester City need to do to finish in top four and qualify for UCL?
Here is the qualification scenario

Manchester United- A point will be enough against their fellow contender Leicester.If they lose, then they will need Chelsea to do the same.
Chelsea- A draw will be enough for Chelsea to qualify. If they lose, then they will need Leicester to do the same.
Leicester- A win against their rivals will guarantee a top four spot. Failing that, their superior GD means that a draw will be enough if Chelsea lose.

[Varshith]

Final week of the season and things are getting on nerves.

Chelsea would clinch top-4 with: Win/draw v. Wolves
OR
Loss v. Wolves AND Manchester United win at Leicester

Manchester United would clinch top-4 with: Win/draw at Leicester
OR
Chelsea loss v. Wolves ( Assuming MU maintain GD advantage over Chelsea (MU: +28 / CHE: +13)

Leicester would clinch top-4 with: Win vs Manchester United
OR
Draw v. Manchester United AND Chelsea loss v. Wolves

In terms of tiebreakers, here is the order and format in which league position will be sorted by if teams finish level on points:

• Goal difference
• Goals scored
• Points won in head-to-head meetings
• Away goals in head-to-head meetings

[Yogesh]

Very tight race for the remaining two of top four spots. Great for football. Tight finishes are good for the game.

Leicester would be most people’s favorite I guess.

[Yash]

Manchester United and Chelsea make it to the Champions League next season. Not a bad season for Ole looking at the way Red Devils started in the first half of the season and then turned it to an unbeaten run in 14 Premier League games. Their mission of regaining a place in the Champions League is accomplished and they stand 3rd on the table.