London Clubs Eye Return to Europe

The race to the title may be a foregone conclusion in the Premier League, but it’s all to fight for a few as they look to seal their spot in Europe next season. 

With the title theirs to lose, Manchester United are effectively closing in on their 20^th title. Their ‘noisy neighbours’ and outgoing champions Manchester City have tried hard to recreate the magic of last season but have fallen way short and will have to settle for second place . With both the Manchester sides securing their participation in the UEFA Champions League for next season, the drama now shifts to which other English sides can claim the remaining places left in what is considered the best club football tournament in the world. 

There are only a handful of games left to play till the end of the season and three London clubs have emerged as primary contenders to these prized spots. Barring a sudden dip in form from any of these sides, it’s going to be a fight to the finish between close rivals, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham. 

Lets take a look at each of these sides and what their chances are in grabbing their ticket to next seasons Champions League.

Arsenal

The Gunners have an impressive record of never missing out on Europe’s elite club competition in the last 16 years. Shadowed though by underperformance, self doubt and losing big players in the last few years, not many would have given them the chance of finishing in the top four this season, but yet here they are in the mix and looking to prove their detractors wrong once again.

Wenger’s young guns will not have the distraction of other competitions to turn their heads away from the task that is at hand. An empty trophy cabinet and a subsequently not so crowded fixture list may just work in Arsenal’s favour this time. Currently fifth and sitting two points behind Spurs in fourth with a game in hand, Arsenal are peaking at the right time. Having won five of their last six premier league games to cut the gap on their rivals, they are a team in good form. Their next few games though bring them up against hard working and Europe chasing Everton and champions elect Manchester United. If they can get points out of these tough games and not drop any while on the road to Fulham, QPR and Newcastle, another top four finish is certainly not beyond their reach.

Chelsea

Chelsea have the toughest run in among all the sides chasing a top four spot. With their participation in the Europa League and the FA Cup, interim manager, Rafa Benitez has a mountain of a task on his hands with a crammed schedule for the next few weeks. Fighting on three fronts he will have to decide whether to go all out in a bid to win silverware or to ensure a top four finish. That call will definitely not be easy for him to make knowing that his future at the club is not secure. Having had to enforce player rotation to deal with fatigue and avoid injuries during the business end of the season, he has done well for himself to transform what would have otherwise been a dismal season for the club to one that one could call a relative success.

Currently occupying third spot in the league Chelsea have been impeccable at home in the league, having won their last five games, but on the road they have shockingly managed just one point from their last four fixtures. In their remaining home fixtures Chelsea might easily extend their winning run against Swansea, Everton and Spurs, but it is on the road that they would need something special. With tough trips to Liverpool and Manchester United added to a derby game against Fulham, the Blues have their work cut out in their hunt to secure another top four finish. 

Tottenham

Spurs under the stewardship of Andre Villas Boas have done their reputation no harm as one of the most exciting sides in English football. With both manager and club desperate to prove that their past success is no flash in a pan, a top four finish this season may seem imperative. But the responsibility of ensuring that success is slowly beginning to fall on the shoulders of one man – Gareth Bale.

The Welshman is being touted as one of the best talents to have set foot at White Hart Lane and some even mention his name in the same breath as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Blessed with pace and guile, his goals this season have proved key to Villas Boas’ tactics that see them holding on to fourth spot. Champions League qualification has now become a necessity for Spurs if they have to guarantee that this superstar stays with them next season. But their over reliance on him too could lead to their downfall. Spurs recent winless run and them crashing out of the Europa League coincides with Bale's absence on the pitch. Out with an injury that saw him miss the game last week against Everton, Spurs are racing against time to get him fit for this weekend’s crucial clash against Manchester City. In the weeks that follow Spurs also have to make tough trips to Wigan, Stoke and Chelsea. Without Bale, Spurs lack the cutting edge that brings in the confidence required to overcome high pressure situations. How quickly he recovers and how long he stays injury free in the coming weeks will define Spurs season.