With the Premier League title now done and dusted as Chelsea were crowned champions with their win over Crystal Palace this weekend, here’s a look at the remaining issues to be sorted before the end of the season, with predictions on the outcomes in the FA Cup, Champions League, relegation battle and more…
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1) FA Cup
With an FA Cup final between Arsenal and Aston Villa still to look forward to for fans of English football, can the Gunners retain their trophy against a Villa side that has been reborn under the management of Tim Sherwood? Arsene Wenger’s men will no doubt be favourites, but they were run pretty close by Hull City last year so it is by no means a given that they will take home the trophy again. Still, with Arsenal ending the season well and Alexis Sanchez’s ability to produce a moment of magic, they probably look a better team than this time last year and should emerge victorious at Wembley.
Prediction: Arsenal
2) Champions League
Without wishing to discount Juventus, the three managers at Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich will surely be the main contenders for Europe’s biggest prize this season. Of the three at the moment, it is Luis Enrique’s Barca side that look at their absolute peak form, blowing teams away in La Liga and looking mouthwateringly good upfront with their trio of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez. In Pep Guardiola, Bayern probably have the best manager, but his team look somewhat in decline at the moment and have injuries. Real Madrid, meanwhile, should make the final but don’t look as good as they did when they won the trophy last season.
Prediction: Barcelona
3) Premier League relegation
It couldn’t happen could it? At the moment Newcastle United are in absolute freefall under the management of John Carver and may find themselves in real trouble before the end of the season. The team look completely clueless at present and it’s hard to imagine them turning things around, with both Sunderland and Hull City having games in hand on the Magpies. With Burnley and Queens Park Rangers presumably already gone, our bet is that the Toon Army will be joining them in the Championship next season.
Prediction: Burnley, QPR, Newcastle
4) Premier League top four
There is still a battle on for the three places just below Chelsea as Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool hope to qualify for next season’s Champions League. The Gunners have two games in hand at the moment and could leapfrog City into second place, though one also feels they are due a bit of a slip and still have to play at United, whom they have a terrible record against. Louis van Gaal’s side may have lost three games on the spin, but it looks a little too late for Liverpool to get back in, especially as they have to play champions Chelsea.
Prediction: Chelsea, Manchester City, Arsenal, Manchester United
5) La Liga
It is very close indeed in La Liga right now as Barcelona and Real Madrid go head-to-head for the Spanish league title. Barca currently have a two-point lead and are on a sensational winning run, but Real are starting to look back on track themselves after recent games. It may well be that the two giants will finish level on points, in which case aggregate score between them in the two El Clasicos this term will decide it, making Madrid champions. With it being as tight as it is, that might just be the factor that proves decisive.
Prediction: Real Madrid
6) Ligue 1
Although Lyon looked like causing a major upset and winning Ligue 1 this season, it now looks as though the expensively-assembled Paris Saint-Germain are back in control. Last season’s champions are now three points ahead and on a six-game winning streak, with no more distraction of the Champions League to contend with. Although it would be nice to see the unfancied and youthful Lyon side go all the way, it would be brave to bet against PSG now with the big names they have at their disposal.
Prediction: PSG