Health warning: Gareth Bale’s fitness holds the key to Tottenham’s hopes (Picture: Reuters)

Manchester United have all but sewn up the Premier League title with six games to go but the race for third and fourth place – and with it Champions League football – looks set to go down to the wire. Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham and Everton all have a chance but there’s little margin for error as time is running out. Metro Sport takes a look at how the four contenders hopes could play out.

ARSENAL appear to have the easiest path down the final stretch and can clear a major obstacle tonight if they beat Everton at the Emirates Stadium. That’s anything but a gimme, however, as the Toffees will be right in the mix if they pick up all three points and the Gunners were less than emphatic in Saturday’s 3-1 win at home to Norwich.



A trip to Fulham could also be tricky for Arsene Wenger if the Cottagers are at their best and there is the crunch game with Manchester United when Sir Alex Ferguson and Robin van Persie could conceivably wrap up the championship on Wenger’s home turf. Horrific for the Gunners, a joyous prospect for United.

A short journey across London to QPR could be a relative easy one if Rangers are already relegated but tense if former Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp still has a remote chance of escape and the final game of the season is at Newcastle, who may also need points to stay up.


Counting to four: Arsene Wenger has been here before (Picture: AFP/Getty)

Arsenal’s final home game of the season is against Wigan and needs to be rearranged before the Tyneside trek and if the Latics are still in relegation trouble that is also a tough one.

CHELSEA face severe fixture congestion and matters will only get worse if they reach the Europa League final.

The Blues have a midweek trip to neighbours Fulham, who will be revelling in the opportunity to throw a spanner in their top four works, and then go to Anfield to meet a Liverpool side who are old enemies and chasing a Europa League spot of their own.

A home game with Swansea will be a real test either side of the Europa League semis with Basle and then comes a daunting trip to Old Trafford to face a Manchester United team who will surely showing no mercy even if they have already celebrated winning the title.

Just three days after the Old Trafford test comes the rearranged home game with Tottenham which could prove the key to Chelsea’s chances – potentially a winner takes all contest.

After that it’s off to Aston Villa, who will be scrapping for their top flight lives, and no away win in the league since a 4-0 victory as Stoke in January is a big concern for Rafa Benitez. Everton visit Stamford Bridge on the last day of the season and that could yet be a real nerve-jangler.

TOTTENHAM have to prove they possess both the mental and physical strength to qualify for the Champions League.

If Gareth Bale, Jermain Defoe and Aaron Lennon return to full fitness and they gain a positive result against Manchester City at White Hart Lane on Sunday, Spurs will be back on track and difficult to stop.



Defeat and the absence of the three amigos could be catastrophic as next up Andre Billas-Boas and his boys face four desperate teams at the wrong end of the table in their last five matches.

That particular ball gets rolling with a demanding test at Wigan before Southampton travel up from the south coast to north London.

Next comes the potentially decisive trip to Chelsea and after that Spurs go to Stoke, who could be fighting for their top flight lives, before rounding off their campaign against Sunderland.

The London derby will be compulsive viewing with so much at stake but Tottenham may get very lucky if Southampton, Stoke and Sunderland are either safe or doomed when they play them.

Party pooper: Can David Moyes and Everton, left, upset Tottenham’s Andre Villas-Boas? (Picture: AFP/Getty)

EVERTON were expected to have slipped out off contention by now. Once again, however, David Moyes has worked his magic and the blue half of Merseyside is dreaming of Champions League football next season.

Victory at Arsenal would send expectations crashing through the roof before Saturday’s trip to Sunderland which looks tougher than it did before the Black Cats’ Tyne-Wear derby win at Newcastle.

Everton should polish off poor travellers Fulham at home but next up is a real test of their character when they go to Anfield for a Merseyside derby with Liverpool.

West Ham could provide three much needed points in the last home game of the season then comes the trip to Stamford Bridge when dreams could come true.

FINAL RECKONING

Tottenham -69 points, third place

Arsenal – 68 points, fourth on goal difference

Chelsea – 68 points, fifth on goal difference

Everton – 67 points, sixth