By Benjamin Wanguba
Over the weekend, both Manchester United and Arsenal suffered blows in the fight to finish in the top 4. Manchester United suffered a 1-0 loss to relegation threatened Everton whilst Arsenal lost 2-1 at the hands of Brighton.
Both teams are engaged in a stiff competition on who gets to be a part of the top 4. The Arsenal defeat came at a time when many arsenal fans were hopeful that they were on the rise. The loss follows a prior shock defeat to Crystal Palace where the Eagles won 3-0 against the Gunners. In recent weeks they have also dropped points against Liverpool as well. The Gunners now sit in 5th place with 54 points although they have played one game less than 4th placed Tottenham. Although the loss was detrimental to their chances of a Champions League spot they could still stand a chance if they regain the form they had picked up in the second half of the season. Their remaining fixtures are tough as they have to face off against fellow top 4 contenders, Manchester United, Tottenham, 3rd placed Chelsea and West Ham. They also will face off against Everton who are currently fighting to avoid relegation by any means possible. This was seen in their weekend 1-0 win over Manchester United.
An Anthony Gordon strike was enough to secure a win for the Toffees. The win came as a surprise as Everton have been struggling to pick up wins and are even engaged in a relegation battle. They had even lost their last 2 league engagements against West Ham and Burnley. The win now puts them at 17th place, 4 points above 18th placed Burnley, offering them some breathing space. United on the other hand have to up their game or else find themselves competing in the Europa League next season. In moment of frustration after the game, star man Cristiano Ronaldo knocked the phone of a fan to the ground while walking towards the tunnel proving just how much this loss meant to him and the team.
Meanwhile Tottenham won convincingly against Steven Gerard’s Aston villa 4-0. Heung Min Son’s hattrick and a goal from January signing Dejan Kulusevski ensured that Tottenham land at the 4th spot for the time being. West ham is also in the fight for that Champions League spot but also dropped 3 vital points over the weekend against Brentford.