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8 months ago
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The Premier League returns this weekend for the season run-in. Ten games to go and everything on the line. Here’s Mail Sport’s 10 things to look out for on the final stretch.
1. Tightest Premier league race ever?
One point separates Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City. In only four other 20-team Premier League seasons has one point split the top three so late on.
The last time was 10 years ago when Steven Gerrard slipped, and Manchester City beat Liverpool and Chelsea to the title.
In 2001-02 and 2009-10, one side fell away and finished at least 10 points behind the winners. It does not feel like the same thing will happen this time.
One point separates Bukayo Saka's Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City at this late stage
The last time things were this tight was 10 years ago when Steven Gerrard slipped, and Manchester City won the title
Erling Haaland leads the Golden Boot race, but he has scored in only three of his last 10 games
2. Can anyone catch hotshot Haaland?
Erling Haaland leads the Golden Boot race but his wiring has started to fray. He has scored in only three of his last 10 league games.
Haaland is key for City, of course, but having the division’s top scorer is rarely important in the destination of the trophy.
Haaland’s heroics last term made it the first time in 10 seasons the Golden Boot winner had played for the champions.
3. Unlikely Champions League shootout
Who’d have thought Aston Villa and Harry Kane-less Tottenham would be the two clubs fighting for fourth place.
Spurs are three points behind with a game in hand. Villa, though, have the tougher run-in.
Both still have Arsenal, Liverpool and City to play but Spurs also face every side in the bottom four. It wouldn’t be like Spurs to slip up against them, right?
Mohamed Salah's Liverpool will bid for the title, and be key in the race for Champions League
4. Race for top… five?
Villa and Spurs might both end up in the Champions League.
Next season, Europe’s top two leagues will have an extra UEFA place. One will be from England or Germany. It all depends on who goes deeper in Europe.
So, will Tottenham fans cheer on Arsenal in their Champions League quarter-final against Kane’s Bayern Munich?
Aston Villa and Tottenham could both make the Champions League with UEFA's new rules
5. Will United give us some entertainment?
Only Sheffield United and Luton have faced more shots per game than Manchester United (16.7), who have conceded at least 20 in five of their last six games.
Yet they’re still dull. United’s matches have only produced 78 goals. Only Everton’s have produced fewer.
Manchester United have conceded at least 20 shots per game in five of their last six outings
6. Is Arteta ready for his defining moment?
Arsenal head to Manchester City on Sunday for the biggest test of their title credentials.
Mikel Arteta lost his first six Premier League games against mentor Pep Guardiola before beating him at the Emirates in October.
Arsenal haven’t done the double over City since 2001-02. They’re on a run of eight wins in a row. The three times they won nine on the bounce (97-98, 01-02, 03-04), they also won the title.
7. Race for the Golden Glove
David Raya has nine clean sheets for Arsenal since ousting Aaron Ramsdale.
Ederson, Bernd Leno, Andre Onana and Jordan Pickford are all one behind him.
They’ll need clean sheets in more than half their remaining games to better the lowest tally to win the Golden Glove, which is City’s Joe Hart (14) in 2014-15.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta seeks a defining moment, while David Raya leads the race for the Golden Glove
Manchester City's Ederson is one of four goalkeepers just one clean sheet behind Raya
8. Goals galore
We’re seeing more Premier League goals than ever — the current rate of 3.25 per game is the most in the top flight since 1965.
More than one in five matches (22 per cent) have produced more than five goals.
Last term, it was only 17 per cent and, over the 10 campaigns before that, just 14 per cent.
9. Nerve-shredding relegation fight
With points deductions flying around, it’s getting twitchy.
Brentford could get sucked into the relegation fight after losing 14 of their last 18 games.
Luton have scored in their last 17 games, with only Newcastle in 1993-94 (20) enjoying a longer streak as a promoted side.
Luton must keep it going, though. They face trips to Tottenham (on Saturday), Arsenal and Manchester City in their next four games. Good luck.
Luton Town must keep their streak of scoring in every game going if they want survival
10. Waiting game
We could be in the ludicrous situation of not knowing who’s been relegated until after the season has finished.
Nottingham Forest have appealed their four-point deduction. Everton await the result of their second charge and could well appeal that.
The Premier League’s deadline to sort it all out is May 24 — five days after the season is over.
Nottingham Forest appealed their four-point deduction, and it could drag beyond the final day
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