While Liverpool hang on to runaway leaders Manchester City’s coat-tails at the top of the Premier League, and Chelsea seem to be settling into third place the other clubs hoping to make the 2022/23 Champions League have one place to aim for.
But nobody seems to want it, with the chasing pack falling over themselves to drop points, and off-field problems distracting from the day job of winning games. On the assumption Newcastle United avoid relegation, then surely the Magpies will join the handful of teams with the ambition to dominate in Europe and it will get harder at the top; but in the meantime let’s take a look at the clubs in the race this season.
4th West Ham United
Head coach David Moyes is working wonders again at the London Stadium and his stated intention is to reach the Champions League for the first time in the Hammers’ history, but controversy off the pitch and a stutter on it has opened the door for the chasers to fly past them in the coming weeks. West Ham faced an out of sorts Leicester City on Sunday and they needed a controversial Craig Dawson equaliser in the dying moments to help them escape with a 2-2 draw.
Centre back Kurt Zouma has been embroiled in an animal cruelty story after footage of him kicking and slapping his pet cat appeared on social media, and he missed the match with the Foxes due to illness. Moyes says it might have been ‘something he ate’ which is stretching it a little. Zouma knows he will be booed wherever he goes and, as the Hammers’ best defender, that could spell the end of the club’s Champions League ambitions.
5th Manchester United
Interim head coach Ralf Rangnick has recently said Manchester United cannot finish above 4th and you can see why when you look at the Red Devils’ recent Premier League 2022 results and performances. A 1-1 draw with Southampton on Saturday was the fourth time in six games, in all competitions, that Manchester United were ahead at half time and failed to win.
Cristiano Ronaldo recently suggested some of United’s younger players refuse to take his advice and one of them, Mason Greenwood, has his own off-field problems, and CR7 showed his frustration when he stormed off the pitch in a recent 1-1 draw with Burnley. The Red Devils have a chance to put things right when they entertain Brighton and Hove Albion on Tuesday night.
6th Arsenal
The Gunners had arguably the best weekend of the top four hopefuls by not playing when all around them faltered. They now sit two points behind West Ham with three games in hand, and they’ll have three in hand on the Red Devils after tonight’s game. The latest Premier League 2022 betting odds reckon Mikel Arteta’s team could do it and without the departed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang there might be more unity in the squad. The continued top form of creative midfielder Emile Smith-Rowe could be the key to Arsenal’s success.
7th Wolves
Three wins on the bounce have propelled Bruno Lage’s Wolves into contention and they showed they deserve to be there after beating Antonio Conte’s Spurs at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday. Goals from the returned Raul Jimenez and defensive midfielder Leander Dendoncker saw off the Whites and lifted Wolves to within four points of West Ham with two games in hand.
Don’t rule them out. Wolves made a poor start to the campaign and have made up a lot of ground.
8th Spurs
Wolves’ delight was Tottenham’s despair as the defeat dropped them to eighth and, though they still have three games in hand on fourth, the signs are worrying. It was Spurs’ third defeat in a row after setbacks against Chelsea and Southampton, and a mistake from keeper Hugo Lloris, Spurs most dependable player, will be giving Conte sleepless nights.
So far so good for the new Newcastle
Saudi owned Newcastle United went on a spending spree in January in an attempt to buy their way out of the relegation mire and so far it looks like working. The Magpies spent around £90m on a collection of decent (better than they already had) players and one world star in Kieran Trippier.
They are now four points clear of the drop zone and our SBOTOP stats guys are backing the Geordies to survive, but with a note of caution.
A broken bone in his foot will now keep Tripper out, possibly for the whole season and that is a huge blow to Newcastle. Not only is he the best player they have, a clever defender and attacking threat, already with two goals, Trippier is a strong character in the dressing room. Secondly, while they have had three wins on the bounce, they have fought hard and defended well to beat Leeds, Aston Villa and Everton, these are three teams in the bottom half of the table and all in patchy form. The Magpies have a difficult run in and, if they don’t increase their four point cushion then nerves will creep in, but they should have enough to stay in the top flight.
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