Sport
Five unfinished storylines in the Premier League
With the Bundesliga confirmed for an imminent return, it is looking increasingly likely that the Premier League will follow suit. It’s been so long since a game was played that it’s easy to forget the state of play in the division. So here are five unfinished storylines in the Premier League.
Can Sheffield United qualify for Europe?
The continued threat to the Premier League campaign could mean a very cruel outcome for Liverpool but, in some ways, the entire season being voided would be even tougher on Sheffield United.
At the climax of the 2006/07 season, West Ham were saved from relegation at the expense of Sheffield United on the final day. The scorer of the West Ham goal that sent them down that day? One Carlos Tevez, a player who had been signed, alongside compatriot Javier Mascherano, in a double move that breached FA rules on third party ownership.
West Ham were eventually forced to pay £20m to The Blades in compensation but it was a mininal return for the 12 years in Premier League exile that followed, until they finally returned this season.
Regarded as the clear favourites to go down, not only are Sheffield United 16 points clear of the relegation zone and effectively safe with ten games remaining but they are currently in with a real shot at European qualification.
Currently seventh in the table and two points clear of Tottenham, of whom they also have a game in hand, Chris Wilder’s men are just two points behind Manchester United in fifth. Keeping in mind Manchester City’s Champions League ban, fifth would provisionally earn qualification.
After they had their hearts broken in 2007, having another dream snatched away from the in this manner would be too cruel to consider.
Will Jamie Vardy be caught in the race for the Golden Boot?
A man who continues to defy the laws of aging, Vardy notched 17 goals in Leicester’s first 18 games to zoom clear in the race for the Golden Boot.
Unfortunately a slight injury and a couple of missed games then led to a ten game drought for he of ‘Chat shit, get banged’ fame but a brace in Leicester’s final match before the league’s suspension put him on 19 for the season.
That’s just three shy of the winning total from last year, shared in a three way tie between Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Mo Salah and Sadio Mane, but may not be enough this time round with a host of players now hot on Vardy’s heels.
Aubameyang (17), Salah (16), Sergio Aguero (16), Danny Ings (15), Mane (14) and Marcus Rashford (14) are all within five of Vardy’s total and would be hopeful that a late scoring run could be enough to snatch the award.
Vardy is still in pole position and, at the age of 33, will be determined to become the oldest player to win the award.
Could Arsenal AND Spurs miss out on European football?
A beloved Arsenal tradition, St Totteringham’s Day, is celebrated in seasons that The Gooners finish above their rivals and can no longer be mathematically caught. However, would they still celebrate, or Spurs if the positions are reversed, if neither club even makes it into Europe?
The pair are used to fighting it out for the Champions League places but this season there is a real danger that neither will even qualify for the Europa League.
Spurs are currently in eighth place and Arsenal ninth, with the latter just a point behind and with a game in hand. However, although the gap is admittedly small to the clubs above them, it is also perilously close to those below.
Manchester City’s ban means that the European qualification positions will likely stretch as far as eighth this season and, with Manchester United in fifth and just eight points above Everton in 12th, we could still see a fascinating eight way tussle for the four available European places (assuming that Liverpool, Manchester City and Leicester are all effectively safe).
Could the likes of Sheffield United and Crystal Palace keep the mighty Arsenal and Spurs out of Europe?
Will West Ham sink without a trace?
At the start of the season West Ham would have had their eye on one of those European berths. Now, though, they’d just be happy to stay in the Premier League.
Despite spending just under £100 million on their squad, including hefty outlays on attacking players such as Sebastien Haller, Pablo Fornals and Jarrod Bowen, the Hammers are in 16th place and only outside the relegation zone on goal difference.
At the time of the league’s suspension, The Hammers had won just once in their previous ten games in all competitions, keeping no clean sheets. In fact their last clean sheet came on January 5th against League One side Gillingham in the FA Cup.
Fortunately for them, Watford, Bournemouth and Aston Villa were in equally poor form and hadn’t taken advantage of The Hammers slump. However, after two months without playing it’s anyone’s guess as to who would recommence the season in good form. If two of the sides below them pulled a couple of wins out of the bag then David Moyes’ team could be bang in trouble.
Can Liverpool break the highest points tally?
Despite discussing how horrible voiding the season would be for Sheffield United, it would be absolutely gutting to Liverpool fans if they were denied a title that was, to all intents and purposes, in the bag.
Two wins from the eight remaining games would be enough to secure Liverpool their first Premier League title and that assumes that Manchester City win all of their matches, highly unlikely given their form this season. In fact, if Liverpool finished with their current points tally they’d have a fair chance of winning the league anyway.
All that was really left for Liverpool to prove was just how dominant they could be and they must have had half an eye on eclipsing Manchester City’s record 100 point total, set in the 2017/18 season.
Currently on 82 points with nine games remaining, Liverpool could feasibly reach an absurd 109 points if they won all of them. Their remaining fixtures are Everton (a), Crystal Palace (h), Manchester City (a), Aston Villa (h), Brighton & Hove Albion (a), Burnley (h), Arsenal (a), Chelsea (h) and Newcastle (a).
Not an particularly difficult run and Jurgen Klopp would would be confident of winning, at a minimum, the six games required to equal City’s record, or presumably do even better. Don’t forget that The Reds have already been on one 18 game winning streak this season, nine in a row might not be beyond them.
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