Premier League Title Race Heats Up: Man Utd, Liverpool and Chelsea Face Crucial Five-Game Gauntlet
Chelsea wrapped up the weekend's Premier League matches, but it was hardly a celebratory ending for the Blues as they lost further ground in their pursuit of Champions League qualification.
After watching Liverpool and Manchester United secure victories earlier, results that left them three points behind the former and six behind the latter, Chelsea desperately needed to extract something from their challenging visit to Arsenal, but ultimately fell short as they were compelled to settle for sixth place.
Securing a top-five finish will almost certainly guarantee qualification for next season's Champions League, and while Chelsea currently lag behind their rivals, numerous twists and turns await this season—some of which may unfold in the upcoming midweek fixtures.
Here's how the upcoming five Premier League matches stack up for Man Utd, Liverpool and Chelsea.
Man Utd, Liverpool and Chelsea's Next Five Premier League Fixtures
Man Utd, Liverpool and Chelsea's Next Five Premier League Fixtures
Man Utd (51 points) | Liverpool (48 points) | Chelsea (45 points) |
|---|---|---|
Newcastle (A) – March 4 | Wolves (A) – March 3 | Aston Villa (A) – March 4 |
Aston Villa (H) – March 15 | Tottenham (H) – March 15 | Newcastle (H) – March 14 |
Bournemouth (A) – March 20 | Brighton (A) – March 21 | Everton (A) – March 21 |
Leeds (H) – April 11 | Fulham (H) – April 11 | Man City (H) – April 11 |
Chelsea (A) – April 18 | Everton (A) – April 18 | Man Utd (H) – April 18 |
Liverpool clearly possess the most manageable Premier League schedule over their next five matches. There are certainly challenging encounters ahead, particularly for a team struggling to deliver consistent quality performances, but a visit to bottom-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers on Tuesday evening begins what appears to be a favorable run.
Following an FA Cup meeting with Wolves and their Champions League round of 16 first leg against Galatasaray, the Reds then encounter another relegation-battling side in Tottenham Hotspur. The faltering Spurs have a disappointing record at Anfield and are currently in terrible form.
Brighton & Hove Albion, whom Liverpool have already defeated twice this season, lie ahead before the March international break, while Fulham provide the opposition after the pause. In what represents a significantly tougher fixture for the Reds compared to others in the Premier League, the Merseyside derby against Everton concludes their next five matches.
Man Utd face more challenging fixtures than Liverpool over the coming six weeks, but they benefit from not participating in European competition or FA Cup matches for the season's remainder. By the time Liverpool complete their schedule before the March international break, they will have contested six games compared to just three for Michael Carrick's squad.
The Red Devils also have midweek action as they undertake the demanding journey to Tyneside to meet Newcastle United, who cannot be counted on for consistency week to week. The unpredictable Magpies are followed by an Aston Villa side experiencing a decline in form and potentially being drawn into the Champions League qualification battle themselves.
The encounter with Bournemouth before the international break will present difficulties, as will the clash with Leeds United upon the Red Devils' return. A crucial match follows as United travel to Chelsea in what could be considered a six-pointer in the Champions League race.
That fixture represents one of five challenging contests for Chelsea, who face a dreadful sequence of matches ahead. Even excluding their upcoming Champions League round of 16 encounters with defending European champions Paris Saint-Germain, the Blues are set for some uncomfortable fixtures.
They continue a terrible Premier League stretch that began away at Arsenal by confronting Aston Villa, who triumphed in the reverse fixture at Stamford Bridge, before Newcastle await Liam Rosenior and his team. Those two matches could result in defeat as readily as they could bring victory.
A somewhat easier fixture arrives just before the international period, with Chelsea meeting Everton, but home clashes against Manchester City and Man Utd arrive in April. The Blues typically elevate their performance against the division's elite, but they could find themselves virtually eliminated from the Champions League race should they falter repeatedly across their next five encounters.