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Ned Howard-Vyse

The Premier league: The run in

As the Premier League reaches its final few weeks, both Arsenal and Manchester City compete to be crowned Champions of England.



Following a painful exit from the Champions League to Real Madrid on penalties, City will be eager to hold onto the Premier League. With the likes of Phil Foden in red-hot form, its hard to see how they won’t win their remaining games, a feat that would seal the title. Arsenal currently top the table by a single point, but with a game in hand, Man City will be full of confidence, especially with the fixtures they have left to play.


The Gunners have impressed all season and have undoubtedly transformed under Mikel Arteta. An agonising end to the 2022/23 season in which they were at one time eight points clear at the top of the league will add to Arsenal’s desire of winning a first league title since their Invincible 2003/04 season. Standout players throughout the season include Declan Rice, their £100 million man, Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard. It’s incredible how Arsenal have been the best team in the league this season and still might not win the title, which shows how strong Pep Guardiola and his men are. They know how to win matches. Their toughest fixture will come against Arsenal’s north London rivals and the Gunners will be hoping for an upset which would see them regain the upper hand in the title race.


At the bottom end of the table, Sheffield United are already relegated. It has been a dismal season for the Blades, with only 16 points in 36 matches. They have conceded more than 100 goals this season, which encompasses how poor they’ve been. It appears Burnley are also heading back down to the Championship, five points adrift safety with only two games left. It would take a miracle for them to stay up. Luton and Nottingham Forest will battle it out for survival in the final few weeks. Forest have a three-point cushion over the Hatters, and have seen their appeal against their points deduction rejected, so anything can happen in the remaining matches,


The main disappointments this season have come from Chelsea and Manchester United. Chelsea have salvaged something, as they eye European football, mainly thanks to the many goal contributions from Cole Palmer. He has been excellent, and sits second in the golden boot, with 21 goals. Man United have been woeful, and after a 4-0 loss to Crystal Palace, their hopes of European football look slim, as they sit in 8th place. Questions will be asked whether Erik ten Hag is the right man to lead the Red Devils next season. However, they still have a chance at silverware as they face their biggest rivals Man City in the FA cup final.


The most impressive team this campaign has undoubtedly been Aston Villa. A good season last year which saw them qualify for the Europa Conference League, has laid the foundation for Unai Emery to really cement them as one of the league’s top teams. They are seven points clear of Spurs in 4th, which should see them playing Champions League football next season. Since the competition was rebranded in 1992, Villa have never played in Europe’s elite club competition. They have, however, famously won the old European cup in 1982. Talisman Ollie Watkins has been on fire this season, with 19 goals and 12 assists, he must get a look in for the England squad for the Euros.


The Euros comes at a good time for English players and fans, as many of our top players are in fantastic form ahead of the summer. Saka and Foden have been pivotal to their team’s success this year. Albeit playing in a different league, Jude Bellingham’s first season at Real Madrid has been phenomenal and if he can bring the same quality to this England side, there is no reason that they cannot put the heartbreak of Euro 2020 behind them and end 57 years of hurt for the English national team. There are so many players eyeing a spot in the squad, which shows the standard of English players now. They will travel to Germany as one of the favourites for the competition, as well as the hopes of all English fans on their shoulders.


As the 2023/24 season draws to a close, it is fair to say that it has been an unforgettable one. With Liverpool dropping valuable points recently, the three-horse race has turned into two. European spots are still all to play for, as is survival at the bottom. It has had everything from Alejandro Garnacho’s breath-taking bicycle kick to Cole Palmer’s late winner against Man United. It has been fabulous entertainment for the last eight months, cementing why the Premier League is the most competitive league in the world. As a neutral fan, I would love to see Arsenal win the title and end City’s streak, but it is hard to see how City will drop points in any of their last three matches.


Written by Ned Howard-Vyse

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