If Liverpool manage to beat Arsenal on Wednesday the gap at the top of the Premier League will be reduced to one point. Yes folks, by one point.
Not so long ago, pundits around the world and even some of us here at SBOTOP were lining up to present Manchester City with the 2022 title as they swept all before them.
But a January draw with Southampton and then a shock defeat at home to Tottenham opened the door for second-placed Liverpool to peep through. And on Monday night, the Sky Blues were in action again.
The drama on the pitch is reaching new heights week on week. Meanwhile, shockwaves have been rattling the furniture in some of the league’s boardrooms and the training grounds are busy as ever as the fixtures just keep on coming.
Has there ever been a time when the Premier League 2022 news was more diverse? Well, here’s where we are right now.
On the pitch
League leaders Manchester City made a trip to South London on Monday night to play Crystal Palace in the hope of extending their lead to six points with a win and that’s how it should have played out.
But some glaring misses, a handful of fine saves from the Palace keeper Vicente Guaita, and the woodwork twice denied the Sky Blues.
City midfield ace Bernardo Silva believes his team still has the upper hand and he’s right, saying: “Nine games to go, but it’s still better to be in our position than in Liverpool’s and they have to play in our stadium so it’s going to be exciting.”
The latest Premier League 2022 betting odds back the Sky Blues to win the title at odds of around 1.45, but it’s clearly a two-horse race now as Liverpool are in to just over 3.00.
Meanwhile, Manchester City’s neighbours had a rare weekend of delight when Cristiano Ronaldo hit superb hat-trick as Manchester United beat Tottenham in a five-goal thriller.
His first was a perfectly struck long-range effort which gave Hugo Lloris no chance, and the second was a well-timed run resulting in a tap-in while the third was a powering header to win the game.
It was CR7’s first Old Trafford hat-trick in 14 years and the smiles were back in the Theatre of Dreams.
Down in West London, there was another great story as Brentford’s Christian Eriksen put in a brilliant 85th-minute cross for Ivan Toney to head home and win a crucial relegation six pointer against Burnley.
The recovery of Eriksen is one of the most heartwarming stories in football and his signing looks like it may well save the Bees.
In the boardroom
With Chelsea in utter turmoil off the pitch, the future of Blues’ manager Thomas Tuchel has come into question and fans up at Old Trafford are hoping that their board can persuade the German coach to bring the glory days back to Manchester United.
Tuchel has said he wants to stay in England whatever happens at Stamford Bridge, but the sanctioning of former owner Roman Abramovich has thrown his current club into disarray.
The Blues are effectively state-owned at the moment and have been allowed just £20,000 for travel expenses for their Champions League tie in Lille. That equates to around £500 a man if Chelsea can restrict their party of players, coaches, physios, doctors. and nutritionists to 40.
They may have to transport themselves there and back via the Euro Tunnel and Tuchel has joked he’d be happy to drive the bus.
Up in Newcastle, the Geordies were happily singing “We’ve got our Club Back” after they were swallowed up by a Saudi-led consortium, and their results on the pitch following a £100-M spending spree in January have been good enough to pull them away from relegation.
It took the UK authorities 18 months to wave through the deal led by the Saudi Public Investment Fund, so eyebrows were raised on Monday when the Saudi Media Group owner Mohamed Alkhereiji announced his he was considering a bid for the beleaguered Blues.
He is a Chelsea fan after all.
On the training ground
Back on the grass, six more teams are going through their paces with midweek matches to come. There’s a huge clash on the cards on Wednesday when Arsenal face Liverpool at the Emirates and fans on both sides of Manchester will have a keen eye on this one.
A win for Liverpool would mean the Reds are within a point of the Sky Blues, while fifth-placed Manchester United will hope Arsenal don’t pick up any points as the Gunners hold fourth place and have three games in hand on the Red Devils.
Also on Wednesday, Spurs will hope to reignite their top four push with a win over mid-table Brighton and there is a meeting full of intrigue on Thursday when Everton host Newcastle United.
Had this game been played three months ago it would have been a home banker, but the Magpies’ place in the relegation scrap has been taken by the Toffees – who are on a disastrous run and out of the bottom three on goal difference alone. They have a nightmarish run-in with West Ham, Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea, Leicester City, and Arsenal to come.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
