Aston Villa to Liverpool on Monday within the aspect’s penultimate recreation of the season. Unai Emery and Villa had the prospect to clinch a spot within the UEFA Champions League subsequent season by ending fourth. A win would have created a seven-point hole over Spurs, with Tottenham having two video games left. As an alternative, Spurs can shut the hole to 2 factors if it picks up a win over Manchester Metropolis on Tuesday.
That recreation in opposition to Manchester Metropolis now has added significance for Tottenham. Had Villa gained, it might have put a cap on Tottenham’s season at fifth. That’s solely adequate for the Europa League. Nonetheless, the North London aspect’s recreation in opposition to Metropolis had added penalties for the league as an entire. With one thing to play for, on this case Champions League qualification, there is no such thing as a want for Ange Postecoglou’s aspect to take a seat again and loosen up in opposition to Manchester Metropolis.
Now, Spurs require wins to have an opportunity on the prime 4. Tottenham has had success in opposition to Manchester Metropolis, together with dropping simply two of the final 9 video games in opposition to Pep Guardiola’s aspect in Premier League play. Final season, Spurs defeated the eventual champions at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium courtesy of a lone aim from Harry Kane. An identical consequence would imply a win within the remaining matchday in opposition to bottom-of-the-table Sheffield United could ship Spurs to the Champions League.
That isn’t a assure, although. Aston Villa would nonetheless have management of which membership finishes fourth even when Tottenham defeats Manchester Metropolis. Nonetheless, Villa should tackle an in-form Crystal Palace aspect that has been flying underneath Oliver Glasner in current weeks. Tottenham requires Aston Villa loses within the remaining matchday in opposition to Palace to have any likelihood to succeed in the Champions League subsequent season.
Tottenham now has a say on the Premier League title race
Aston Villa might be watching intently to see if Manchester Metropolis can ship it a Champions League spot. That won’t be a simple job although, as the sport now will get more and more more difficult for Manchester Metropolis.
Villa and Liverpool’s draw on Monday provides Tottenham a little bit of hope. Even when Ange Postecoglou’s aspect not too long ago misplaced 4 video games on the bounce, having the chance to qualify for the Champions League presents a lift. Moreover, Spurs will enter the sport with confidence based mostly off earlier outcomes in opposition to Manchester Metropolis. Within the return fixture within the present season, Dejan Kulusevski scored a late equalizer to offer Spurs a 3-3 draw on the Etihad. Having the backing of followers at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium might be the distinction as Spurs hunt for a fifth consecutive league win over Metropolis when taking part in at residence.
Tottenham’s need on this recreation has extra of a say than simply the Champions League. Arsenal, paradoxically, might be one of many greatest Tottenham supporters on Tuesday as this recreation can put Arsenal within the driver’s seat for the league title. Having performed yet one more recreation than Metropolis, Arsenal has a one-point lead than Pep Guardiola’s aspect. But, with a much better aim differential, remaining stage on factors can be optimistic for Mikel Arteta.
Pep Guardiola is aware of how large Tuesday’s recreation is, too. He conceded that if Metropolis loses, Arsenal will win the title. Granted, nothing can be safe. Arsenal would nonetheless must match or higher Metropolis’s consequence in opposition to West Ham when the Gunners face Everton. Nonetheless, based mostly on kind, Tottenham may be the deciding issue within the league title race if it will get one thing out of the Metropolis recreation.
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