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The Premier League is twenty-five match-days old and push has officially come to shove. The title race looks primed to culminate in a grand-stand finish, distinctly dissimilar to the romp Manchester City enjoyed last season.
At the moment, Liverpool sit at the top of the table but their lead has been trimmed to three points in recent weeks. The defending champions are hot on their heels and could move level with the Reds if the former win their mid-week fixture on Wednesday.
However, the title race isn’t only restricted to the aforementioned duo as Tottenham have shown dogged determination to remain in the equation and are only a couple of points adrift of second place.
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Thus, one gets the sense that any glitch by either of the three wouldn’t go unpunished by the others.
With the Premier League entering its home stretch, there are bound to be encounters which have the capacity to weaken or strengthen one’s title credentials.
Hence, through the lens of this article, we would look at seven match-ups which have the potential to tilt the title race in a trice.
#7 Bournemouth vs Manchester City (Scheduled for 2 March 2019)
Manchester City will take on Eddie Howe’s men at the Vitality Stadium in their 29th league fixture. Though the Cityzens have tricky games against Chelsea and Everton preceding the above match, one gets the feeling that their performance against Bournemouth could yet play a massive part.
Manchester City has lost four league games this term and all of them bar one has come against a ‘non-Big six’ team, with the only exception being Chelsea.
While it may be a little harsh, the only weakness City has portrayed this season is their inability to motivate themselves for the matches against the relatively smaller teams.
Thus, this match represents another probable banana skin for Guardiola’s troops.
Moreover, the Cherries have been in good form on their home patch and they have been defeated only thrice. Their recent humiliation of Chelsea emphasised that Bournemouth are an extremely tough nut to crack at the Vitality.
Even though Bournemouth might not be the toughest opposition City face between now and the end of the season, it surely is one that can throw a spanner in the Cityzens’ works.
For all we know, Howe could just become an overnight Liverpool legend if he manages to pull this one off.
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#6 Everton vs Liverpool (Scheduled for 3 March 2019)
The weekend which sees Bournemouth play host to Manchester City also comprises of the enigmatic Merseyside Derby.
The first instalment of the rivalry this season saw Liverpool edge past Everton courtesy a late Divock Origi winner. Yet, the manner in which the game panned out suggested that the blue half of Merseyside had enough in the tank to hurt their illustrious counterparts.
At the moment, Liverpool are massively short of numbers defensively and none of their defenders are expected to be back in the reckoning by the time the trip to Everton comes around. Thus, Everton would fancy their chances to sting the Reds at Goodison Park.
On paper, the Toffees’ team is definitely not as strong as the Reds’ squad. Yet, the Merseyside Derby can throw up its fair share of surprises.
After all, nothing in this world would satisfy an Evertonian more than prolonging Liverpool’s already lengthy wait for the Premier League crown.
#5 Manchester United vs Manchester City (Scheduled for 16 March 2018)
The Manchester Derby is one of the most fiercely contested intra-city derbies on the planet. Though Manchester City convincingly beat Manchester United in this season’s first edition at the Etihad, the latter looks an entirely different animal currently.
Since parting ways with Jose Mourinho, United has embarked on a spectacular unbeaten run with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer yet to taste defeat. The Red Devils have shown the attacking adventure they sorely lacked under Jose and have undergone a startling transformation.
Though the Manchester Derby always boasts of the likelihood for a surprise or two, United’s style of play has been exactly what City has struggled against this term.
Terrifying on the break, the likes of Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial would fancy their chances against the likes of John Stones, Kyle Walker and Nicolas Otamendi. Thus, Pep and his charges would need to bring their A-game to the plate come the 16 of March.
The last defeat City endured to United merely delayed the inevitable. Yet, a similar loss this time around would surely hurt Pep’s men a lot more.
#4 Chelsea vs Tottenham (Scheduled for 27 February 2019)
Chelsea versus Tottenham has been one of the storied London rivalries over the years with the former having the wood over their Northern peers.
More recently though, the feud has assumed greater importance with the pair invariably jostling over the same piece of turf in the league standings.
In 2016, Spurs made a real fist of the league and constantly harried Leicester City. However, the wheels came off their season after a controversial 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge. (Coincidentally, it was also the night Leicester’s dream became a reality)
Spurs have a lot of players on their treatment table currently with their talismanic English duo of Dele Alli and Harry Kane the most high-profile patients.
Thus, it would be a monumental task for Spurs to go to Stamford Bridge and eke out a result.
At this juncture, Tottenham are five points behind Liverpool and a loss could realistically end their title hopes. Hence, the battle against Chelsea is arguably more essential than it was three years back.
In the last few years, Spurs has built a notorious reputation of bottling it at the biggest stage and another defeat would ensure the chants of ‘Same Old Spurs’ ring louder than ever.
Yet, if Spurs can overcome their obstacle in West London, maybe they can finally start believing.
#3 Liverpool vs Tottenham (Scheduled for 31 March 2019)
Of the three teams still in the fray for the title, Spurs definitely have the hardest fixtures to negotiate and none are as tough as a trip to Anfield.
When the two sides clashed swords last, Liverpool got the better of Spurs 2-1 at Wembley. And another victory for Liverpool would boost their title charge while completely eliminating the threat of Tottenham.
The game is slated for the end of March and thus, one can expect a majority of the players making up the current injury list to be fit.
If both sides are at full strength, the advantage obviously lies with Liverpool. Coupled with the benefit of playing at home, the game would be Liverpool’s to lose.
Yet, in the years gone by, these are exactly the games Liverpool has had trouble winning.
Moreover, a victory for Spurs would keep them in the title picture.
By the time the two sides lock horns, both would have played 31 matches. With not much time left to resurrect the season after an unfavourable result, the game boasts of the potential to be yet another game-changer in this topsy-turvy campaign.
#2 Manchester United vs Liverpool (Scheduled for 24 February 2019)
The most decorated English rivalry of all time will play out its latest segment at Old Trafford on 24 February. Liverpool ran Manchester United ragged the last time the pair faced off but the latter is a different kettle of fish altogether under new management.
Of the fixtures on our list, the current one is the closest in proximity. At the moment, Liverpool is ravaged by injuries and Klopp is having sleepless nights trying to field a respectable defensive line.
Thus, the moment is ripe for United to cash in on the Reds’ defensive frailties and expose their already threadbare squad.
Moreover, Liverpool has been dented recently and another body-blow could just make them more vulnerable towards the business end of the season.
Though a United victory would inadvertently help out Manchester City (which might not be the best outcome for them), the Red Devils can certainly not afford any more blips in their own bid for fourth place.
Hence, the game has a lot riding on it and when one adds the spice of it being ‘Liverpool vs Manchester United’, sparks are destined to fly.
When Sir Alex Ferguson first took over, he wanted to ‘knock Liverpool off their perch’. Yet, thirty years down the line, Liverpool has the opportunity to complete the cycle and claim the ‘Premier League Throne’ United famously snatched from them.
Only time will tell how this pans out. But, yes, one can definitely get the popcorn ready.
#1 Manchester City vs Tottenham (Scheduled for 20 April 2019)
The defending champions will meet Spurs at the Etihad Stadium in the 35th Premier League match-week. By then, the title would most probably be a fight to the finish between two sides yet if Spurs can enrol themselves into that race, one can expect a photo finish.
The last time the Premier League contained three teams battling for the crown was back in 2013-14 when Steven Gerrard infamously slipped to hand City the initiative.
Though I hardly want another legend to undergo the same strife, one can’t help but wonder how nerves might shape the outcome of the fixture in question.
By the 35th game, at least one if not both would have something to play for. Hence, the stakes would know no bounds and with football being a game of terribly tiny margins, it could well come down to a piece of magic or an acrimonious error.
Of the three teams in the fray, City are the only team with experience of winning the league. Yet, don’t count out the possibility of the Cityzens falling prey to the pressure of a title hunt.
Thus, the game at the Etihad in the middle of April represents as intriguing a prospect as any.
While it may be construed slightly far-fetched by some to label a game as a title-defining match two months before it kicks off, the clash could yet end up deciding who holds the trophy aloft come the 12 of May.
