The Gunners dominated possession, shots, and chances, and (of course) had several penalty shouts waved off. Two fine strikes from medium distance (ESR and Saka) were enough to make sure of the three points, though it was disappointing to concede a sloppy consolation at the end to spoil the clean sheet. West Ham dropped two points against Newcastle (Joe Willock scored his first for the Magpies this season to equalize), but Tottenham were sensational in a back and forth contest at the Etihad to take an unlikely three points against the champions. Top four dreams are very much in the realm of possibility, but with 15 games to play anything can happen. A few losses and we could be staring at no European football; winning those games could send us to a Champions League play-in.
Crystal Palace gave up a late goal to Chelsea at Selhurst, drifting down in the table. There are seven teams below them, so it would be quite a collapse for them to be relegated, and they are just too good to go down, I hope. Newcastle's big spending seems to have bought them a Premier League spot next year, unfortunately. Everton, Leeds, and Brentford have a realistic chance of going down, if Watford and/or Burnley get hot, but those two and Norwich look like favorites for the drop.
It's been quite a season and it may just get more interesting, with City's loss today. Liverpool is just six back, with a game in hand, and a game against the champions. Both have imposing goal differentials that are very close. Chelsea seems nailed on for third place, and then we get into the scramble for fourth, which is too close to call. West Ham is fading, and Wolves need to start winning, but they're in the thick of it. Man U and Spurs are in prime position with Arsenal. One of those five will get no European football. One will go to Europa Conference League, the kiddie table. Two get Europa League tickets (unless an outsider wins the FA Cup), and just one gets the big prize, a lucrative date with Europe's elite in the ECL.
Notts County beat Eastleigh to stay in the hunt for a promotion playoff spot. That's a real dogfight.
CP has not been playing well lately, and their lack of scoring is becoming dismal. I am hopeful they will get it back together soon and add a few more points onto their standing.
ReplyDeleteAny Arsenal supporter reveres Patrick Vieira, but he is not bringing out the best in Palace now. I like the way they're transitioning to a younger squad, and that will take some time to bear fruit. Maybe staying out of the relegation battle is achievement enough this year, and they can try to improve in the transfer window and push to move up the standings next season.
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