With the championship crown seemingly heading towards Manchester United, most of the attention at the top is focused on the fight for the remaining Champions League places.
A crucial fixture tomorrow will be the clash at White Hart Lane as Tottenham host Arsenal in a North London derby that can have a decisive impact on both teams’ prospects of a top-four finish.
Tottenham, buoyed by Monday’s dramatic 3-2 win at West Ham, are currently enjoying a four-point lead over Arsenal in fifth place.
Spurs have more than a score to settle with the Gunners after conceding a 5-2 defeat in the corresponding first round fixture at the Emirates.
Gareth Bale has been the absolute protagonist for Spurs in recent weeks. The Welsh international has scored 15 league goals this season and his form has been decisive to propel Totten-ham to third place.
Arsenal are heading towards another trophy-less season but manager Arsene Wenger insists that a top-four finish is not beyond his troops. Midfielder Jack Wil-shere maintains that it’s the players and not Wenger who should carry the blame for Arsenal’s poor campaign so far.
In the last decade, Arsenal can boast only two wins at Spurs’ den − 2007 – 3-1; 2004 – 5-4.
United maintained their firm grip on top spot with a 2-0 victory at bottom-placed QPR last weekend.
The Red Devils are 12 points clear of Manchester City and with the champions not in action this weekend they can further stretch the gap with victory over Norwich City at Old Trafford this after-noon.
Norwich’s impressive 2-1 win at Everton has seen the Canaries fly to 12th place and further away from the relegation zone.
Ferguson’s role
Alex Ferguson sees himself becoming a director at Manchester United when he finally decides to quit management.
The 71-year-old Scot, who shelved retirement plans more than a decade ago, still has no idea when he will call it a day.
“There’s no getting rid of me,” Ferguson, who has been in the Old Trafford hot seat since 1986, was quoted as saying yesterday.
“I will probably become a director. Nobody knows (when I will step down). It won’t be a doctor that tells me to quit.”
On Monday, City play at Aston Villa who are third bottom and lost six times at home this season.
Manager Roberto Mancini is in no mood to concede the title without a fight and following Sunday’s 2-0 win at home to Chelsea he urged his players not to worry too much about the standings.
Chelsea will continue their quest for a top-four finish and today they entertain West Brom at Stamford Bridge.
In midweek, the Blues set up an FA Cup quarter-final clash with Manchester United after beating Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium. However, it was still a difficult night for manager Rafael Benitez who lashed out at the club’s fans and announced that he would leave the Blues in summer.
West Bromwich are currently two points adrift of sixth-placed Everton and striker Shane Long has stated he is committed to the club for next season despite rumoured interest from Sevilla and Lazio.
Swansea will parade the League Cup trophy before their match against Newcastle today.
The fans kept shouting Michael Laudrup’s name at Wembley as they are hoping the Danish manager will remain at the Liberty Stadium next season.
Fixtures and Forecast
Premier League
Chelsea-West Brom 1
Everton-Reading 1
Man. United-Norwich 1
Southampton-Qpr1
Stoke-West Ham X
Sunderland-Fulham 1
Swansea-Newcastle 1
Wigan-Liverpool (18:30) 2
Tomorrow:
Tottenham-Arsenal (17:00) X
Monday:
Aston Villa-Man. City (21:00)2
Standings: Man. United 68; Man. City 56; Tottenham 51; Chelsea 49; Arsenal 47; Everton 42; West Brom 40; Liverpool 39; Swansea 37; Stoke City 33; Fulham, Norwich 32; West Ham, Newcastle 30; Sunderland 29; Southampton 27; Aston Villa, Wigan 24; Reading 23; Qpr 17.
Championship
Barnsley-Bolton X
Blackburn-Peterborough 1
Blackpool-Bristol City 1
Brighton-Huddersfield 1
Charlton-Burnley X
Hull City-Birmingham 1
Ipswich-Leicester 2
Leeds-Millwall (13:30) 1
Middlesbrough-Cardiff 1
Sheff. Wed-N. Forest (18:20) X
League One
Brentford-Scunthorpe 1
Bury-Crawley X
Coventry-Swindon X
Crewe-Portsmouth 1
Doncaster-Hartlepool1
L. Orient-Bournemouth 2
Mk Dons-Preston 1
Notts County-Carlisle 1
Oldham-Sheffield Utd 2
Stevenage-Colchester 1
Walsall-Shrewsbury 1
Yeovil-Tranmere 1
League Two
Accrington-Torquay 1
Aldershot-Gillingham 2
Bristol Rovers-Burton X
Cheltenham-Wimbledon 1
Dagenham-Chesterfield X
Exeter-Northampton 1
Morecambe-Rochdale 1
Oxford-Port Vale 2
Plymouth-Barnet 1
Southend-Rotherham X
Wycombe-Fleetwood X
York-Bradford City X
Hot Four
Chelsea, Everton, Manchester United, Southampton.