Neil Humphreys: No one wants to win top-4 race
With Man City running away with the EPL title and Champions League places up in the air, our analyst examines the form and fortunes of the key contenders
MANCHESTER UNITED
The Red Devils' six-point cushion might just be enough to overcome the fact they can't beat anyone of the "big six".
Call it a lack of tactical swagger, no strength in depth or an over-reliance on Bruno Fernandes, but United rarely score against the "big-six" sides.
Unfortunately, they face two of them - Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur - in the coming weeks.
But Edinson Cavani's return to fitness should alleviate the goalscoring burden placed on Fernandes' weary shoulders.
Intriguingly, United's attack will also depend on Luke Shaw. The left-back's resurgence has provided a genuine feelgood story. But, when his deliveries arrive, someone needs to be on the other end.
Ultimately, United should still be sitting pretty on their six-point cushion.
Prediction: Champions League
qualification and a dash to sign Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland
LEICESTER CITY
Six injuries seem unfair, but the recent loss of both Harvey Barnes and James Maddison just feels needlessly cruel. The Foxes' defeat by Arsenal last weekend revealed a paucity of attacking options.
Their upcoming fixtures are kind, with winnable games against Burnley, Brighton & Hove Albion and Sheffield United.
But Brendan Rodgers' men looked shattered in the defeat by the Gunners. They missed out on Champions League qualification on the final day of last season and, once again, momentum appears to be slipping away.
Prediction: Heart-breaking history may repeat itself
WEST HAM UNITED
Watching the Hammers mess around in the top four is like watching that drunken uncle at the family wedding.
Everyone keeps waiting for the inevitable fall. But they are hanging on, miraculously, ridiculously.
At centre-back, Craig Dawson has morphed into one of the finest signings of the season at any club. But there's still a sense of over-achievement.
Tricky fixtures against Leeds United, Man United and Arsenal are next and West Ham would arguably need to prevail in all three to underline their top-four credentials, which seems highly unlikely.
Prediction: Europa League heads to East London
CHELSEA
Thomas Tuchel's men are like the content filler on Netflix's home page. They are there. We can see them.
But it's hard to find a compelling reason to watch. Typically, Chelsea spent over £200 million (S$371m), sacked a manager and drifted along the periphery. Results have improved, but the spectacle, not so much.
Three centre-backs dealt with Frank Lampard's previous leakage, but the failure to score enough at the other end remains.
At 34, Olivier Giroud stands as a beacon of consistency alongside his lacklustre teammates.
The next two fixtures against Liverpool and Everton are critical, but the Blues may still sneak into the Champions League, probably by boring their opponents into submission.
Prediction: They'll probably slip into the top four
LIVERPOOL
The Reds' position will be so much clearer on Friday morning, if they can answer that persistent, philosophical question.
Which Liverpool will show up against Chelsea? It's anybody's guess. The imperious Reds would beat the Blues. The fragile Reds would lose to the Blues. Who knows?
Three years of dominant football have taken a toll on mind and body, and the karmic gods appear determined to redress the balance.
Key injuries are one thing, but Alisson's family tragedy was something else entirely. An understandable loss of self-belief is arguably the least of their concerns.
Still, the erratic form of Sadio Mane remains a concern. Curtis Jones may represent the future, but he could use a little attacking support in the present.
After Chelsea, the Reds' fixtures improve so the significance of their next game cannot be overstated. It's not just fifth against sixth. It's going to shape the rest of Liverpool's season.
Prediction: The heart says, "top four". The head says, "only if Liverpool defeat Chelsea and get key players back".
EVERTON
The Toffees have breathed fresh air through an increasingly stale competition.
A wily Carlo Ancelotti, the superb Dominic Calvert-Lewin and James Rodriguez have led the way. Their reward is a relatively benign fixture list in the coming weeks, involving a few relegation contenders.
But inconsistency remains a problem for a squad that still lack the depth of those clubs above them.
Prediction: A Europa League slot would be a fitting accolade (along with Calvert-Lewin in England's Euro 2020 squad)
TOTTENHAM
Without Harry Kane and Son Heung-min, Spurs do not feature in this conversation. With them, Tottenham are still only eighth. No chance.
Prediction: Will Spurs appear in the European Cup? There's more chance of Mourinho's head appearing on a Euro coin.
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now
