Premier League title-race run-in: Will Arsenal, Liverpool or Manchester City come out on top?
- Published
One of greatest Premier League title races ever?
That's what football pundits are starting to think, as Arsenal made it eight wins in a row by beating Brentford on Saturday to go top of the table.
It might just be for one day, with second-placed Liverpool hosting third-placed Manchester City on Sunday, but all the signs are that this is a battle that is going to go down to the wire.
"There is still a long, long way to go but they [Arsenal] are right in the mix," former Tottenham midfielder Jamie Redknapp said on Sky Sports.
"This is one of the best Premier League seasons we're ever going to have. Three amazing teams."
The win against the Bees means Arsenal are top on 64 points, one point ahead of Liverpool and two above Manchester City.
Relaxed Arteta relishing Sunday's Anfield battle
Arsenal did what they needed to do by beating Brentford on Saturday, but it was a very different type of win to what they have managed recently.
They had won their four games prior to the visit of the Bees by four or more goals, but edged this one 2-1 thanks to Kai Havertz's late winner.
"After the 6-0, 5-0, 4-1, 6-0, this was a very different game," added Redknapp.
"It was an emotional one that reminded me of last season when there was a bit of chaos and they had to win.
"Is this team better than the one last year? In a lot of ways, yeah. Have they got more points than this time last season? No. But they certainly look a stronger team."
The three points put Arteta in a relaxed mood before Sunday's huge game at Anfield between Liverpool and Manchester City.
"It will be a great day to watch some fantastic games of football," said Arteta.
"It is not in my hands. It is a joy to be part of this league and a joy to be part of something special that we are trying to achieve."
How are things shaping up for the remaining games? Who has the tougher run-in? And who are the favourites to win the title?
Current table
Premier League table as of 9 March | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Team | Played | Points | GD | Form (past 5 games) |
1. Arsenal | 28 | 64 | +46 | WWWWW |
2. Liverpool | 27 | 63 | +39 | LWWWW |
3. Man City | 27 | 62 | +35 | WDWWW |
Just two points separate the top three teams in the Premier League - and it is only the second time in the competition's history that three different sides have 60+ points heading into the final 11 games.
What are the remaining fixtures?
Liverpool | Manchester City | Arsenal | |
---|---|---|---|
March | Manchester City (H) | Liverpool (A) | |
Brighton (H) | Arsenal (H) | Manchester City (A) | |
April | Sheffield United (H) | Aston Villa (H) | Luton (H) |
Manchester United (A) | Crystal Palace (A) | Brighton (A) | |
Crystal Palace (H) | Luton (H) | Aston Villa (H) | |
Fulham (A) | Tottenham (A) | Wolves (A) | |
West Ham (A) | Nottingham Forest (A) | Tottenham (A) | |
May | Tottenham (H) | Wolves (H) | Bournemouth (H) |
Aston Villa (A) | Fulham (A) | Manchester United (A) | |
Wolves (H) | West Ham (H) | Everton (H) | |
Postponed to date tbc | Everton (A) | Brighton (A) | Chelsea (H) |
Pep Guardiola's Manchester City arguably have the most difficult run of fixtures in the coming weeks with games against both title rivals, starting with the highly anticipated trip to Anfield to face leaders Liverpool on Sunday.
Arsenal visit City on the final day of March.
As for Liverpool, the loss in north London on 4 February remains their only league defeat in their past 19 games. As well as Jurgen Klopp's team hosting City on 10 March, they have a trip to Goodison Park for the Merseyside derby to fit into a busy schedule.
What do the prediction models suggest?
Predicted Premier League final table - Opta | ||
---|---|---|
Team | % chance of winning title | Current position & points |
1. Man City | 49.4 | 3rd - 62 points |
2. Liverpool | 35.4 | 2nd - 63 points |
3. Arsenal | 15.3 | 1st - 64 points |
Opta's 'supercomputer' prediction model estimates the probability of each match outcome (win, draw or loss) by using betting market odds and the Opta team rankings - based on historical and recent team performances. These are simulated thousands of times to create the probabilities.
Predicted Premier League final table - Nielsen's Gracenote | |||
---|---|---|---|
Team | Predicted points | % chance of winning title | Current position & points |
1. Man City | 87 | 43 | 2nd - 62 points |
2. Liverpool | 86 | 42 | 1st - 63 points |
3. Arsenal | 83 | 14 | 3rd - 58 points |
Whatever happens, there are certain to be plenty of twists and turns between now and the final day of the campaign on 19 May.
If you are viewing this page on the BBC News app please click here to vote., external
Our coverage of your Premier League club is bigger and better than ever before - follow your team and sign up for notifications in the BBC Sport app to make sure you never miss a moment