Any debate about whether Ronald Koeman’s Southampton side was a serious contender for Champions League football next season was at least temporarily put to rest this past weekend. The Saints marched in to Old Trafford and secured their first road win versus Manchester United in nearly three decades. And while many people felt that United might make a run and close the gap to the top two, Southampton actually leapfrogged them for third spot in the Premier League and closed the game between them and Manchester City to just eight points. There is no denying they are a legitimate threat to secure a Champions League spot following a win like that.
While that win was quite impressive, it wasn’t the only thing we learned this weekend. Here are our three biggest takeaways from this week’s EPL action:
Southampton Is A True Champions League Contender
A string of five straight losses had many experts questioning whether Southampton had what it takes to finish in the top four in the Premier League but they showed their resiliency in wins over Everton and Arsenal late in the year before holding Chelsea to a draw. Sunday was the cherry on top as they made a real statement with a 1-0 win at Old Trafford. The victory lifted the Saints in to third in the Premier League table and perhaps just as importantly, should provide a real confidence boost after so many questioned their ability over stretches this season.
The offense is still a work in progress but considering the chances they created and the fact they held a talented United side without a single shot on goal, there is no denying they have what it takes to be a top three team in the league this season. Clearly, the backbone of this team is stellar defense as they’ve allowed just 15 tallies all season long. That’s the fewest in the Premier League and that’s why they’re in third place.
Chelsea Has Resolve
There are many that wondered aloud whether manager Jose Mourinho and his side would be able to stand up to the pressure that came with their recent struggles, along with the fact that Manchester City had close the gap on them for top spot in the table, But they showed their resolve again this weekend with a 2-0 win over Newcastle. Diego Costa continued his dominant run with his 15th league goal of the season while Oscar chipped in with another goal to make the difference in the victory. This was sweet revenge as Chelsea had dropped a 2-1 result to Newcastle in early December, which is when they first started to show cracks in the armor.
The good news is that Chelsea’s win combined with City’s draw versus Everton allowed the Blues to retake a two-point lead at the top of the table. It’s clear this team has the resolve to finish what they started this season.
Leicester Is Not Done Yet
Left for dead at the bottom of the table, it will certainly be an uphill climb for Leicester City to avoid relegation. However, there is reason for hope following a 1-0 win over Aston Villa on Saturday. Leicester has now won two of its last three games with a 2-2 draw versus Liverpool sandwiched in between. With seven points in their last three games they are now only three points back of Crystal Palace, Sunderland, and Burnley for reprieve from the relegation zone. That’s a quite impressive little stretch of soccer when you consider that this team only reaped 10 points from their first 18 matches.
They still have an uphill climb the rest of the way but considering their recent play both in the Premier League and knocking out Newcastle in the FA Cup, it’s clear that Leicester is far from finished just yet with a lot of games still left to play. Next up are a couple of manageable opponents with Stoke on Saturday and Burnley the week after.
