A 1-1 draw with Manchester City moved Premier League leaders Chelsea one step closer to securing a league title. They maintained their five-point lead ahead of their biggest competitor while stealing away another chance for them to cut in to the deficit.
The Blues added another element to their title run when they signed star midfielder Juan Cuadrado away from Fiorentina this week to solidify the heart of their attack and it will be very interesting to see what he brings to the table.
Chelsea will have another chance to build on its lead atop the table on the road against Aston Villa this week but there is one game that has bigger implications and is absolutely crucial for two contenders that have really heated up of late.
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Tottenham vs. Arsenal – Saturday, 7:45 AM ET
EPL Odds: Arsenal +120, Tottenham +205, Draw +248
Before City tries to loosen Chelsea’s hold on top spot in the Premier League, the game of the week could unfold between two teams vying for a spot in the Champions League. Arsenal currently sits in a tie with Southampton for fourth spot with 42 points while Tottenham is just two back of them with 40 points, and could potentially leapfrog both with a win and a Southampton loss (to QPR). The Spurs have impressed in each of the past two weeks with consecutive wins over Sunderland and West Brom by a combined 5-1 score but they will have a much tougher time holding off a Gunners attack that has scored nine more goals than them in league play this season. Arsenal is coming off a 5-0 crushing of Aston Villa and beat Manchester City 2-0 as the visiting team just a couple of weeks ago, so don’t expect a let up as they aim for a fourth straight win. Pick: Arsenal
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Aston Villa vs. Chelsea – Saturday, 10:00 AM ET
EPL Odds: Chelsea -319, Aston Villa +929, Draw +374
The fact that Jose Mourinho’s men were able to hold on for a key point despite being down a couple of star players in Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas last week is testament to both their depth and the club’s resolve heading in to the stretch run. That depth was bolstered even further with the acquisition of Cuadrado, although there are some that feel the club was wrong to let Andre Schurrle get away in order to facilitate the signing. Only time will tell if Chelsea made the right move and right now the focus has to be on avoiding a letdown this week. Villa is coming off a 5-0 drubbing at the hands of Arsenal and hasn’t won a league game since early December, so the Blues should be able to secure another important three points this week. Pick: Chelsea
West Ham United vs. Manchester United – Saturday, 11:15 AM ET
EPL Odds: Manchester United -110, West Ham +299, Draw +239
There was some surprise when Manchester United didn’t make any major moves before the January transfer window closed but Louis van Gaal’s men have been in fine form over consecutive wins and getting healthy will be just as important as anything else heading in to the stretch run. United hasn’t completely bowed out of the title race just yet but the main objective right now has to be approaching every game one at a time and adding as many points as possible to help secure a spot in the Champions League. The weekend will wrap up with a visit to West Ham to face a club with just one win in its last six league games. While desperation might be a factor for the home side, it could work against them as long as United is able to remain composed and continue to rely on the counterattack to get the job in terms of scoring. Pick: Manchester United
