It’s the penultimate matchday of the English Premier League season, where the race for European spots is intensifying.
With just six points separating second place from seventh, the final fortnight promises a thrilling conclusion.
Chelsea face Manchester United in a pivotal clash, with the Blues currently holding on to 5th place.
Their three-match winning streak came to an end with a 2-0 defeat to Newcastle, leaving Chelsea level on points with 6th-placed Aston Villa and only a point ahead of 7th-placed Nottingham Forest.
Fortunately for Chelsea, they’re up against a Manchester United side that hasn’t won in their last seven Premier League games. The Red Devils haven’t tasted victory since March 16th and have conceded six goals in their past two matches.
Since Ruben Amorim took charge, United has struggled, ranking 16th for goals scored (42) and 13th for goals conceded (53). The team has been inconsistent, and like Tottenham, it’s uncertain whether they’ll field a full-strength side, as they prepare for the Europa League Final next week.
Speaking ahead of the Chelsea-Man United match on Hit the Target powered by Hollywoodbets, England football analyst Nigel Naicker suggested a managerial change could be in the works if Chelsea don’t secure a victory here.
Naicker said, “Its a game that they (Chelsea) know they can win. I think his job could be on the line as well. If they don’t get Champions League, we know the merry go round at Chelsea when it comes to Chelsea.
The bar is very high, they haven’t made (UEFA) Champions League for two seasons now and I think the pressure will be on him to get a victory against United here.”
With Chelsea’s loss last week, Villa are now tied on points with Chelsea for 5th place, keeping their Champions League hopes alive. Meanwhile, Tottenham’s winless streak stretched to five games after a 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace, leaving them in 17th place. Spurs’ main focus now is next week’s Europa League Final, so it’s unclear if they’ll field their best squad this weekend.
Hit the Target, powered by Hollywoodbets, has you covered with the best Premier League tips ahead of the action! Listen to the full episode here.