Heating up at both ends of the table

It has been a pretty crazy month or so in the Premier League. When Manchester United opened up that massive lead at the top I was not alone in thinking the title race had been all but decided but then they had a blip and Liverpool caught up in impressive style. It nearly took another twist with United 2-1 down against Aston Villa but they managed to turn that game around and win 3-2 thanks to goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and 17-year-old debutante Federico Macheda.

The race looks to be a two horse one now, Chelsea are still up there but I don’t think they’ve got it in them to take the title this season. For me Chelsea just haven’t been good enough or up to their usual standard and I wouldn’t go betting on them taking the title at the end of the year. Liverpool still have it all to do and it is United’s too lose but at least it is looking like we’re in for a decent finale to a very interesting Premier League season.

At the wrong end of the table I would say West Brom have definitely gone, with Middlesbrough increasingly likely to join them. Boro were comprehensively beaten by Bolton at the weekend and although the 4-1 score-line was perhaps a bit harsh they certainly didn’t deserve anything out of the game and I expect them to be playing Championship football next season.

Of the other teams facing relegation Newcastle look the most likely candidates to face the drop at the moment. They may have Alan Shearer in charge but they’ve got some really difficult games ahead of them. This weekend the Toon travel to Stoke in a game which could define both sides season, if Newcastle win it will be a step towards safety and will bring them to within three points of Stoke. If Stoke win that should just about secure Premier League football for them next season in what will be a massive upset to the sports betting odds, where they were firm favourites to go down before the current campaign kicked off.

Of the teams fighting it out at the bottom I think Hull, Sunderland and perhaps Portsmouth are the most likely candidates other than Newcastle to go down. Stoke have been brilliant at home this season and they should be able to win maybe two of their remaining four games at the Britannia Stadium. This would probably be enough to keep them up and they managed their first away win last week against the doomed West Brom, if they can build on that and pick up some more points away they might even finish mid-table. Hull, Sunderland and Portsmouth are all in the middle of a bad patch and if Shearer can put a run together at Newcastle I think one of those three will suffer as a result.

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