ith Leicester and Chelsea each shedding, the race for European spots is heating up within the Premier League.
Leicester as soon as appeared sure of returning to the Champions League, however is now winless in 4 video games after a 2-1 loss to Everton on Wednesday. Only Chelsea’s 3-2 loss at West Ham stored Leicester in third place – forward of Frank Lampard’s facet by one level.
Manchester United and Wolverhampton are solely two factors behind Chelsea with six video games remaining of a season that resumed two weeks in the past after the three-month pandemic-enforced break.
Even north London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham may have renewed – if fainter – hopes of returning to Europe’s elite competitors.
After beating last-place Norwich 4-0, Arsenal moved inside six factors of United in fifth place, which can safe a Champions League spot if Manchester City’s two-season European ban is upheld.
Tottenham may transfer inside 4 factors of United with a victory at Sheffield United on Thursday. The recreation that completes the 32nd spherical on Thursday is Liverpool touring to Manchester City for its first recreation since dethroning Pep Guardiola’s facet as champions.
LEICESTER SLUMP
Four years after its shock run to the title, Leicester had been having fun with one other standout season. Until January no less than.
When the Foxes beat Newcastle on New Year’s Day, they had been 15 factors away from sixth place. Now they’re solely three in entrance of Wolverhampton.
Leicester has solely received two of its 11 league video games since January 1, with 5 losses.
The newest got here after Richarlison struck 10 minutes in and Gylfi Sigurdsson doubled Everton’s lead six minutes later with a penalty. Kelechi Iheanacho’s second half-goal could not spark a Leicester restoration.
“How we have performed for the best part of this season has got us into a strong position,” Leicester supervisor Brendan Rodgers stated. “Our form hasn’t been the best for a period now but we still have it in our hands to achieve what would be a dream for us, getting into the top four. But we can only get that if the performance is right.”
WEST HAM BOOST
West Ham circled an evening of frustration towards Chelsea to seal a victory that moved the facet three factors away from the relegation zone.
Tomas Soucek was denied an opener for offside after a prolonged VAR assessment. But his purpose from one other nook did stand in first-half stoppage time to cancel out a penalty transformed by Willian after Christian Pulisic was tripped.
Michail Antonio put the hosts in entrance at the beginning of the second half and Willian appeared like recovering some extent for Chelsea when he netted for a second time within the 72nd minute.
But Andriy Yarmolenko accomplished a counterattack to finish a run of three successive losses since earlier than the season was suspended.
It ended Chelsea’s three-match successful run within the league.
“We had an opportunity to move third,” Chelsea supervisor Frank Lampard. “If there’s moments when you switch off you are going to encourage teams on. It’s been there. I’m very aware of it. The players then have to show that extra mentality, that extra bit.”
