The fight for the fourth spot in the Barclays Premier League and final UEFA Champions League spot is in the spotlight as we enter the final week of the league season.
As we can see in the league standings, Tottenham’s away win at the weekend against Stoke City keeps them in the fourth spot with one game to go in their season. Arsenal, on the other hand, have two games left, and are two points behind Spurs, giving them more-than-a-fair chance to get back into the lead for fourth. However, Arsenal’s task is not an easy one with two games to go.
Let’s have a look at Arsenal’s remaining fixtures:
Tuesday – Arsenal vs Wigan Athletic
Sunday – Newcastle United vs Arsenal
Both fixtures are against opposition in the lower half of the table, and as Newcastle managed to secure their status in the Premier League with their impressive 2-1 win against QPR last weekend at Loftus Road the Wigan match has to be the more difficult task out of the two as Wigan are still trying to stave off relegation. Having just won the FA Cup against Manchester City at Wembley, Wigan are on a high after winning the trophy for the first time in their history. Wigan must win both their remaining fixtures to have a chance of staying up which really is the biggest possible incentive for the side!
Tottenham, on the other hand, face Sunderland at White Hart Lane, a match where Sunderland might also need to win to be sure that they survive in the top division.
This makes for an excellent end to the season, where teams facing each other are not just fighting for Champions League qualification, but also to stay in the Barclays Premier League.
For Arsenal To Qualify
– Win against Wigan and Newcastle
– Draw Against Wigan, Win against Newcastle + Tottenham fail to win against Sunderland
– Lose Against Wigan, Win against Newcastle + Tottenham lose against Sunderland
For Spurs To Qualify
– Win against Sunderland + Arsenal win one match and lose/draw the other
Arsenal look to have their qualification in their hands, while Spurs will be hoping Wigan or Newcastle can pop up a surprise at the Emirates Stadium and St. James Park respectively.