Let the games begin

The Premier League is heating up and the best is yet to come.

We’re coming into what the pundits call the “business end” of the season. Spurs won the League Cup and the Champions League knock-out has started. In the Premier League the major races for the title, Champions league spots and relegation are really heating up.

For the first time in years all these races are wide open and there is a real chance that an English team will win the Champions League and possibly the UEFA Cup.

Just like in the old days, Arsenal and Manchester United are fighting it out for the Premier League title and the mind games are surely about to begin as words fly between those two wily old foxes, Arsene Wenger and Alex Ferguson.

Chelsea are effectively out of it, despite an incredible squad that surely has a chance of bringing European silverware to London for the first time in ten years. I think Arsenal will crumble this spring, with United’s squad of experienced stars and explosive youngsters winning out in the end, unless Cristiano Ronaldo is injured. Arsenal’s young guns have thrilled us this year but cracks are beginning to show, including heavy defeats against United and Spurs recently.

Once again, Liverpool have been caught up in an undignified race for fourth place. That may sound arrogant but consider Liverpool’s squad: Jose Reina, Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres. They are among the best players in the world in their position and their rivals’ players pale in comparison. I believe Liverpool will overhaul Everton and take their place among Europe’s elite. That’s not to bash Everton; they’ve made incredible progress in the last six years. However, I can’t see the likes of Lee Carsley, Andy Johnson and Phil Jagielka competing with teams such as Inter Milan, Barcelona and Real Madrid at Europe’s top table.

Villa, Pompey and City have worked miracles to get to this stage of the season with genuine hopes of a European place, but just like 2005, the final Champions League spot will go to one of the Merseyside teams. However, unlike 2005, it will be Liverpool this time.

The relegation race is often the most exciting although the least glamorous of the races. Without doubt it is also more dangerous for a football club than the other two. With the Championship Play-Off Final dubbed the £50 million match, relegation costs just as much. Teams can go into financial ruin following relegation (Coventry, Leeds) and things can go terribly on the pitch (Bradford, Leicester, and Southampton).

By October, there is usually one team that everyone knows is going down. 2005 bucked this trend, with all relegation spots open on the last day, which was dubbed “Survival Sunday” by Sky Sports. In the same year, West Brom were bottom at Christmas and survived, something that never happened before or after.

This year, Derby looked doomed from the start and considering they have amassed one win and nine points, they could go down with the lowest points total ever. Fulham, unless they go on a remarkable run, á lá West Ham and Portsmouth in 2007 and 2006 respectively, look doomed. The final spot, currently occupied by Reading, is up for grabs, with Birmingham, Sunderland, Wigan and possibly Newcastle fighting it out to avoid the drop.

I think this season has been fascinating and exciting, and surely the best is yet to come.

By: Ciarán Leinster