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Pivotal Weekend For Tottenham’s Title Chances
The Leicester City fantasy suffered some blows last weekend for the first time this season and Tottenham are poised to take advantage if the dream does not become a reality. Both clubs have winnable home matches in this weekend’s live TV schedule and in theory the gap at the top of the table could be anything between two and eight points. Leicester are tipped to draw with Swansea so Tottenham can be just three points off the pace after beating West Brom at White Hart Lane on Monday.
Yesterday we saw a 4-0 win to Manchester City at home to Stoke and today Arsenal at Sunderland need a win because Manchester United are right in the mix for a top four place and qualification for the Champions league.
West Brom are becalmed in lower to mid-table safety with no threat of relegation and no chance of qualifying for Europe. Sunderland are still in the mire despite beating Norwich away last weekend because Newcastle have picked up five points from three matches and are battling for survival.
If Arsenal drop points United will be the main beneficiaries. It could turn out to be one of their best weekends after beating Everton in the FA Cup semi-final that set up a final with a team from the bottom half of the table. United are now big favourites to beat Watford or Crystal Palace but qualifying for the Champions league is more defining for Louis Van Gaal and more important for the club’s finances. Sunderland could beat Arsenal which may lead to the departure of Arsene Wenger in the summer.
Just about everything has run smoothly for Leicester since the start of the season and they are now odds on to win the league having been backed at 5,000/1 at the start of the season. Jamie Vardy is on the short list for the Player of the Year and injuries and refereeing decisions have fallen kindly for the team that are on the verge of causing the biggest upset in sports betting history. However, the first hint that it could all go pear shaped appeared last week against West Ham.
The decisions made by the referee probably evened out and a 2-2 draw seemed like a victory for Leicester having been behind at the end of normal time. They got out of jail with a penalty in injury time which balanced one they conceded for an offence that happens countless times without a spot kick resulting. Vardy was sent off for two yellow cards and his aggressive reaction getting him into deeper trouble left punters who backed him at 500/1 to be top scorer seething.
Leicester had got in the habit of winning matches 1-0 and the same outcome looked likely in the last ten minutes against the Hammers. The match was turned on its head but Leicester still earned a point which allowed Tottenham to make ground with a 4-0 win at Stoke. Tottenham statistically have the best defence and attack in the division and the most balanced overall side and they could still win the league. They are playing well enough to win their last four matches so Leicester are not home and hosed.
The fact that Swansea are safe from relegation will work in Leicester’s favour but this could be one match too far for title favourites who will be without Vardy. The tension and pressure will intensify and if it comes down to the last two fixtures Tottenham will have the players and direction to clinch their first title since the double winning season of 1960-61. They have a nucleus of young England players which augurs well for the Euros as long as Roy Hodgson is brave and plays them.
Dele Alli and Harry Kane are the stars but Eric Dier, Kyle Walker and Danny Rose have excelled and all five are worthy of selection for England’s first match against Russia in June. It would be a great boost for the national team if so many starters had just won the league with their club. Vardy could be a one season wonder but this is that season and his confidence should help England in the summer. However, he could be arriving in France having finished second in the league with Leicester.
