Underdogs Could Shake Up Top Four: Champions League Race is On!

With only 10 games left, the fight for Champions League spots in the Premier League is super exciting this year. Only nine points separate third place from 10th, so it’s a real battle for a spot in Europe’s best club competition. Also, England might even get an extra Champions League place, making things even wilder. Underdogs Set to Shake Up Top Four.

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Some big names are in the mix, like Manchester City, who haven’t been playing their best. Plus, there are surprise teams like Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth. Right now, Forest, Chelsea, and Man City are in third to fifth place, but Owen Hargreaves thinks that will change because the Premier League is always crazy.

A Fight to the End

Hargreaves thinks the rankings will keep changing as the season ends. On The Kelly and Wrighty Show on Optus Sport, he said that how well individual players do will decide which teams get those spots.

“I think all of those spots from third to ninth are going to change until the very end,” he said. “Qualifying for the Champions League is a big deal because it changes a team’s money and how well they can compete. Underdogs Set to Shake Up Top Four

Nottingham Forest have gone from maybe being relegated to fighting for the top four under Nuno Espirito Santo, which is amazing, but they still have a hard road ahead. Still, Hargreaves thinks their fast counter-attacks could help them.

“They’ve done the opposite of what the top teams do. While other teams want to control the ball, Forest are beating teams on the counter, he said. “They defend well and attack fast, like Leicester did when they won the league.”

Man City is Having a Tough Time

Man City is usually fighting for the title, but they’re in fifth place right now. Hargreaves and Ian Wright from Arsenal both think they could still make the top four, but they also said City has some problems this season.

“This City team is looking shaky,” Wright said. “We’ve been waiting for them to get on a winning run, but it hasn’t happened because they’re changing things up. Any team that is well-organized can give them trouble.”

Hargreaves said that some of City’s main players aren’t at their best. “They’re getting old. Kevin De Bruyne isn’t the same, and even Bernardo Silva is struggling. They need to bring in some fresh faces.”

Chelsea’s Issues: Attack and Goalkeeping

Chelsea is in fourth right now because City isn’t playing great. But Chelsea hasn’t been playing well since December. Hargreaves said that injuries and not having enough good players have hurt them, especially when attacking and defending the goal.

“I’ve never seen a team need a goalkeeper as much as Chelsea,” he said. “They went from [Edouard] Mendy to spending a lot of money, but they still don’t have a great keeper. And without Nicolas Jackson, no one else is scoring goals. If they had a good striker and goalkeeper, Chelsea would easily be a Champions League team.”

Could Aston Villa, Brighton, or Bournemouth Surprise Everyone?

Because this season is so unpredictable, teams like Aston Villa, Brighton, and Bournemouth might sneak into the top four. Aston Villa has added good players in January under Unai Emery and keeps playing well.

“Bringing in players like Asensio and Rashford in January was great,” Hargreaves said. “Emery knows a lot about European competitions, so you can’t count Villa out.”

Brighton has been winning a lot after losing badly 7-0 to Nottingham Forest. Wright believes that their good form has come at the right time.

“They’re beating the teams around them, so every game feels really important,” he said. “It’s amazing how they’ve bounced back.”

Bournemouth is another team that people aren’t paying much attention to. Wright praised their manager, Andoni Iraola, for getting them into a good spot.

“Iraola deserves a lot of credit for what he’s done this season,” he added. “Bournemouth could surprise everyone and mess up the race.”

An Amazing Finish is Coming

With so many teams in the mix, the last few weeks of the season should be exciting. No matter which teams get the Champions League spots, this will be one of the craziest finishes in years. You can watch it all live on Optus Sport! Underdogs Set to Shake Up Top Four.