The race for Champions League places in the 2021/22 Premier League...

[Firebat]

The current state of play in the Premier League:



With the front 3 teams fairly ahead of the pack, that leaves 4 teams vying for the final Champions League spot: Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham and West Ham.

Due to Covid there is a big disparity in games played, but as of now there is very little to separate the sides in contention. There are a fair few games to come between these teams too:

Man United vs Spurs - 12 March
Spurs vs West Ham - 20 March
Arsenal vs Man United - 23 April
West Ham vs Arsenal - 30 April
Spurs vs Arsenal - TBD

The next few months will be quite nerve-wracking for those teams' fans, as UCL places have become far more coveted in recent seasons.

Which team do you think will grab 4th spot?
Which 2 teams will take the Europa League spot?

Discuss here and vote above!

 

[Firebat]

I am of course biased, but I really think Arsenal have a good chance of getting it. A relatively easy run-in and a very tight-knit team who have been showing a lot of backbone in recent times. I'm cautiously optimistic.

 

[MenInG]

As it stand.

I would also say Arsenal

 

[Maher96]

Looking harder and harder for Manchester United this year to get into Top 4.

 

[Firebat]

Spurs and United both drop points!

 

[Firebat]

3 consecutive defeats for Spurs, 2 draws in a row for United.

Advantage Arsenal...

 

[Maher96]

I think as hard as it sounds for United currently, by the end they will be in the top 4.

Will be quite a disaster if with Ronny returning they miss out on UCL.

 

[MenInG]

 

[James]

Arsenal favourites for me.

 

[Firebat]

Looking better and better for Arsenal. Playing Watford tomorrow too, just got to not screw up the games in hand too hard.

 

[James]

Arsenal now in 4th place and they have three games in hand. It is theirs to lose, and I don’t think they will. They could even finish 3rd at this rate and push Chelsea down a place.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Arsenal look good for 4th.

United are a very poor side who may be lucky to get into Europe.

 

[MenInG]

Arsenal now in 4th place and they have three games in hand. It is theirs to lose, and I don’t think they will. They could even finish 3rd at this rate and push Chelsea down a place.

You said it....

 

[Firebat]

Man United vs Tottenham tomorrow. A huge game for either side to stay in the race for top 4.

 

[MenInG]

Arsenal messed up their chance to go above Tottenham with a home loss to Brighton so can Spurs capitalise and give themselves a three-point gap between them and their north London rivals in the fight for fourth - and the last of the Champions League places?

Aston Villa v Tottenham is our late-afternoon entertainment with that one beginning at 17:30 BST.

 

[James]

Well I said that it was Arsenal’s to lose. And they seem to be doing their very best to lose it.

It now might be Tottenham who end up getting over the line.

We are seeing with a series of massive results across the PL that we are truly entering the business end of the season now, and the Spurs are peaking at the right time.

 

[MenInG]

So Arsenal with another chance to get into the top 4 race after THFC's defeat

 

[MenInG]

 

[Kianig89]

Spurs favourites atm Man U are in complete disarry

 

[MenInG]

Defeat for Tottenham against Brighton at the weekend. Four defeats in five for Arsenal. One win in four for both Manchester United and West Ham.

Fourth place looks to be there for the taking - but the sides in contention continue to drop points.

It's a big, big week for Arsenal's hopes of returning to the Champions League for the first time since 2017. First up it's Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, before hosting top-four rivals Manchester United on Saturday.

The Gunners also have West Ham and Tottenham to come in their remaining fixtures...

 

[MenInG]

Arsenal back on 4th....

Well, there we go. Arsenal are back in fourth for at least a few hours as Tottenham don't take on Brentford until 5.30pm this evening.

 

[Kianig89]

It's between Arsenal and Spurs and Spurs are favourites with Conte at the helm

 

[Firebat]

Between Arsenal and Spurs, and will most likely all come down to the derby between the 2.

 

[Firebat]

And Spurs drop points in a 0-0 draw at Brentford...

As it stands after 33 games:

4. Arsenal - 60
5. Spurs - 58

Arsenal fixtures: West Ham (A), Leeds (H), Spurs (A), Newcastle (A), Everton (H)

Spurs fixtures: Leicester (H), Liverpool (A), Arsenal (H), Burnley (H), Norwich (A)

 

[topspin]

Between Arsenal and Spurs, and will most likely all come down to the derby between the 2.

Agreed. I think there will be more ups and downs. There'll be more games from these two where you expect them to win but end up falling short. That's why the derby could be the game to decide it.

It'll be interesting to see how we do against West Ham. Luckily the game will be played between the 2 Europa League legs so I expect them to play a slightly (if not entirely) weakened side.

 

[MenInG]

Arsenal holding on to 4th...

 

[MenInG]

Arsenal ahead ....

 

[topspin]

Arsenal ahead ....

Just hope we can avoid defeat in the NLD on Thursday! If we can accomplish at least a draw that should be decisive.

If we win, top 4 is certainly is ours.

 

[Firebat]

If Arsenal win the NLD, they will be qualified for the Champions League.

 

[MenInG]

Judgement day for 4th place?

Its Spurs v Arsenal tonight

 

[Saj]

Must win game for Spurs tonight against Arsenal.

Lose tonight or even a draw and it's going to be nearly impossible to make that top 4.

Big match needed from Kane.

 

[Firebat]

Spurs right back in it after that 3-0 destruction of Arsenal.

The state of play with 2 games left for both sides:



And the remaining fixtures:





Who's going to get over the line? Will be going down to the final day most likely.

 

[James]

Spurs will get it now.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Spurs will get it now.

Burnley wont be easy while the Gunners win both games , they qualify.

Any other team I would agree with you but its Spurs, they are Spursy.

 

[James]

Burnley wont be easy while the Gunners win both games , they qualify.

Any other team I would agree with you but its Spurs, they are Spursy.

Burnley at home (their last home game of the season — Spurs will want to put on a show) and then finally the lowly Norwich away.

After crushing the NLD then Spurs will smash both of these remaining games imo. Two of their easiest fixtures of the season.

Conte’s Spurs also seems to be a slightly more confident and resilient Spurs side than most of the others from the past.

 

[MenInG]

Spurs on their way....

HALF-TIME
Tottenham 1-0 Burnley

Relief for Tottenham as the whistle goes for half-time. They were struggling before it, but that VAR intervention means they are where they want to be.

Burnley players continue to remonstrate with the ref as they walk off.

 

[MenInG]

FULL-TIME
Tottenham 1-0 Burnley

Tottenham into the top four. Over to you, Arsenal.

Burnley could do with a favour from Brighton this afternoon.

 

[Saj]

Harry Kane's penalty saw off a stubborn Burnley side as Tottenham moved above Arsenal into fourth place and kept the Clarets' survival hopes in the balance.

On a tense afternoon in north London with so much at stake at both ends of the table, Kane's spot-kick in first-half stoppage time proved enough to give his side three vital points in their bid for Champions League football.

Spurs move two points clear of the Gunners and will stay above them going into the final day of the season unless their north London rivals beat Newcastle at St James' Park on Monday.

Burnley stay 17th and could fall into the relegation zone later on Sunday if Leeds beat Brighton.

The Clarets had to survive some intense early pressure but began to find their way into the game before it swung on Tottenham's penalty, awarded on the stroke of half-time.

Davinson Sanchez's attempt to flick on a ball in the Burnley box saw the ball brush against Ashley Barnes' outstretched arm.

Referee Kevin Friend did not spot the incident and Harry Kane went close to turning in a Ryan Sessegnon pull-back as play continued, before VAR intervened.

After consulting his monitor, Friend pointed to the spot and Kane made no mistake, planting his penalty into the bottom corner.

That was not the end of Burnley's threat, however. Clarets keeper Nick Pope made two brilliant saves from Son Heung-min after the break to keep the game in the balance, and his side almost levelled when Ashley Barnes fired against the post.

By the end, the home fans were imploring Friend to blow the final whistle as Burnley pumped balls into their box in the closing seconds, and they got their wish as Spurs held on for an important victory.

 

[MenInG]

Big game for Arsenal - loss to Newcastle and their hopes of a UCL place will be pretty much gone.

 

[Saj]

So Spurs go into the last round of matches 2 points ahead of Arsenal.

Spurs away against Norwich whilst Arsenal face Everton.

 

[James]

Pretty much already decided now.

 

[Firebat]

Antonio Conte: Tottenham boss plays down food poisoning outbreak

Tottenham boss Antonio Conte says Harry Kane will be fit to play their crucial final match despite feeling unwell and reportedly missing media commitments.

Kane has been ill along with other players and staff, but Conte denied there was a food poisoning outbreak.

Fourth-placed Spurs will qualify for the Champions League if they win at Norwich City on Sunday (16:00 BST).

"In this moment, this virus is the last of our problems," said Conte. "We are close to a big achievement."

Former Tottenham forward and Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker tweeted on Friday that he had heard of a possible food poisoning outbreak at his old club.

Spurs suffered a sickness outbreak - which was labelled 'Lasagne-gate' - on the final day of the season in 2006 when they lost 2-1 to West Ham and were denied a Champions League spot by north London rivals Arsenal.

Ironically, Arsenal - currently fifth and two points behind Spurs - will finish ahead of them again if the Gunners beat Everton at home on Sunday and Conte's side lose at relegated Norwich.

"I'm not interested to go deeper into this story," added the Italian when asked about comparisons to 'Lasagne-gate'.

"I think that we are in a good moment of form. We have worked well this week and prepared very well. We have to be concentrated."

England captain Kane, 28, has scored 16 times in the Premier League this season - five fewer than team-mate Son Heung-min - including four in his past four top-flight appearances.

He was reportedly due to attend a media event on Friday, but withdrew as a precaution.

"Yes for sure [Kane will be fit], and because in the last game we had Dejan Kulusevski and he didn't train on Saturday, but was good to play," said Conte.

"Harry doesn't want to miss this type of game."

Conte said there had been "three or four cases of stomach problems" surrounding Tottenham's previous match, a 1-0 win over Burnley on 15 May when Kane scored a decisive penalty.

"In this week I have to be honest, we had a couple of cases but we overcame the situation," he said.

"Also members of the staff, one day they were not feeling so good. I don't know why, the last week but also this week, we faced this situation."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61528604

 

[MenInG]

Spurs are often mocked for doing things described as 'Spursy' - meaning throwing away leads and grasping defeat from the jaws of victory.

It would take something especially 'Spursy' for them to miss out on a Champions League spot this season.

Their hard-fought win over Burnley on Sunday, followed by Arsenal's deserved defeat at Newcastle the following day, means Tottenham go into the final day two points ahead of their fierce rivals.

With their vastly superior goal difference, Antonio Conte's side can afford a draw at relegated Norwich.

Tottenham boss plays down food poisoning outbreak
Only a win will do for Arsenal, who are at home to an Everton side now assured of Premier League football next season. If the Canaries can provide a dead cat bounce at Carrow Road and beat Spurs, a win will see the Gunners nick it.

BBC

 

[MenInG]

Spurs all set. Arsenal can sit and wonder where it went wrong.

 

[MenInG]

Tottenham secured Champions League qualification, denying north London rivals Arsenal in the process, with an emphatic victory over already-relegated Norwich at Carrow Road.

Spurs needed just a draw to seal a top-four finish, and got the job done in stress-free fashion after first-half goals from Dejan Kulusevski and Harry Kane quickly dispelled any pre-match nerves among the travelling supporters.

Kulusevski added a third with a brilliant left-footed strike on 64 minutes before Son scored twice to put him level with Liverpool's Mohamed Salah in the race for the Golden Boot on 23 goals apiece.

Spurs finished two points clear of Arsenal, whose victory over Everton ultimately proved inconsequential.

BBC

 

[Saj]

Brilliant end to the season by Spurs - really built momentum and found their form.

Deserved 4th place.

 

[James]

Easy for Spurs in the end.

Fantastic run for them and a well deserved 4th place.