The 4-3 tie remains undecided as the Champions League contenders continue to drop points, leaving the gap between third and sixth place at just six points.
With 10 matches remaining, the picture for runners and riders is very different, with the sponsored rider either nervous or heading into the home straight with more confidence.
Aston Villa are leading from the front and look well placed to achieve their desired finish. However, Unai Emery’s side have started to falter in recent weeks and Saturday’s draw with Leeds meant they missed out on another two points.
Liverpool have lost their title as champions and any hope of further victory is long gone. Salvation is currently being sought for Champions League qualification, but even that is far from guaranteed and performances have provided little inspiration.
Manchester United are attacking at the perfect time. Monday’s win was their fifth win in six games under manager Michael Carrick, and they are fourth in the table and are in control of their own destiny.
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Chelsea will be disappointed with Saturday’s draw against Burnley, but they remain in a good position. They occupy fifth place and will almost certainly be guaranteed Champions League football, given that England teams have dominated European competition this season.
Who can’t miss the top 5?
There is an argument to be made to suggest that all four of the aforementioned organizations not only want, but need Champions League football next year if their trajectories are to continue moving in the right direction. Perhaps nowhere is this more evident than at Liverpool, with their sixth-place finish perhaps representing one of the greatest collapses of modern times.
Arne Slott and Liverpool look to overcome mid-season uncertainty (Image: Getty Images)
Defending champions, invested £400 million and started the season with five wins from five races. Some had already handed out trophies, but their demise was tragic. How quickly things change! Arne Slott, who won praise in his debut season, needs to show a new side to his management style.
It’s easy to ride the wave of winning momentum, especially when there’s little pressure, but finding answers to new questions is a different skill. For weeks it looked as if there was no answer in the slot, but the Reds steadied the ship and the win at Nottingham Forest was a tenacious performance that showed plenty of fight and resilience despite being outclassed in the first half.
Jamie Carragher has insisted he won’t complain if Slott is sacked at No. 6 this summer. Liverpool are unlikely to take such drastic action, but the magic he had last year has certainly disappeared.
Speaking of magic, Carrick seems to have it. There’s an argument to be made that bouncing a new manager is always a dangerous way to judge anyone. Look at Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s early months. But United are getting results at the right time.
Aston Villa are in third place, but their form has declined and they will be forced to follow the pack.
They spent over £200m in the summer and some of those signings have been key to their recent breakthrough. However, the club continues to miss out on Champions League revenue and cannot move forward. No one expected them to be this competitive, especially given their poor start to the year, but they’re here now and almost to the point where they don’t have a chance in the Champions League.
The same can be said about the villas. Touted as the least likely favorites at the end of last year, they have won three of their last nine games since losing to Arsenal on December 30. Emery outstripped his own resources and his resulting reputation, bringing Villa into a team they probably didn’t deserve to be in.
But the Spaniards will probably only be able to do that for a limited time. Investments had to be measured to match PSR. That’s why the Champions League is so important and why Villa have the chance to spend even more money on their team. Some of Emery’s post-match comments seem to hide his frustration, but it’s there.
Chelsea occupy the last Champions League spot but have lost the lead in recent weeks (Image: Justin Setterfield, Getty Images)
Villa themselves have to play all three of their top-five rivals, with Chelsea playing in the next two weeks. The Blues made a managerial change at the start of the year, with Liam Rosenior quietly going about his job. The West Londoners returned to the Champions League stage last season, but need to find some consistency if they want to be a team that eventually challenges for the title.
The constant changes in the dugout don’t provide much continuity, but the squad also leads to changes on the pitch. The Blues have won four of their last six games and remain undefeated.
However, Rosenior laments that they have trailed by four points in the last two games. That ruthless edge can cost them, but none of their rivals even come close to being merciless. The last team to encounter that winning habit may well be planning for Thursday Night Football next season.
How do experts see it?
Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher don’t often see eye-to-eye, but both believe United can get over the line when it comes to fighting for Champions League qualification.
“I can’t imagine Manchester United not winning…it’s a mind game! No, that’s what I believe,” Carragher said after the win against Everton.
Neville agreed, adding: “I think they (Manchester United) could finish third, I really do. Like I said a few weeks ago, I think Villa might fall back a bit.”
Carragher believes a similar scenario exists for Villa, who are enjoying a strong run in the Europa League.
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