Premier League Top 4; Race for 3rd and 4th places heats up

Updated: 5th August 2021

2020/21 EPL Top Four finish odds update:

With Manchester City's chances of finishing in the Top Four a certainty and Manchester United cementing their place in the space with their weekend victory over Tottenham Hotspur, the battle for 3rd and 4th places have been thrown wide open.

Leicester City

Leicester City who are the bookmakers' third favourites have seen their odds lengthen from 2/5 (1.40) to 4/5 (1.80). Losses to Manchester City followed by an even telling defeat to West Ham last weekend have done the Foxes' cause no good.

But with fixtures against struggling sides like West Bromwich, Crystal Palace, Southampton and Newcastle coming up immediately, Brendan Rodgers’ men have a golden opportunity to ensconce themselves firmly in the Top Four. This, despite the fact that their final three fixtures will be with Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham.

Liverpool

Liverpool have enhanced their chances of finishing inside the top four by coming from behind to beat Aston Villa 2-1 at Anfield and registering emphatic wins over Arsenal and Wolves before that. The return from injury of the prolific young striker Diogo Joto has put the mojo back into Liverpool's attack with Mohammed Salah finding himself on the scoreboard after eons.

Barring a tough outing against Manchester United at Old Trafford in early May, five of their last six fixtures are against Newcastle United, Southampton, West Bromwich, Burnley and Crystal Palace.

Chelsea

Chelsea have seen their odds lengthen from 8/11 (1.72) to 5/6 (1.83) after their freakish 2-5 defeat to relegation candidate West Bromwich. Despite coming back strongly with a 1-4 away win against Crystal Palace and an otherwise tremendous 18-match run under new boss Thomas Tuchel, the Blues will have a battle on their hands staying inside the Top Four.

West Ham

West Ham are the bookmakers‘ sixth favourites especially after their impressive victory over Leicester City on Sunday. The Hammers' odds have shrunk dramatically from 7/2 (4.50) to 4/7 (1.57) after they catapulted to the Top Four of the EPL table after the weekend win.

From the seven games remaining, the Hammers' only noteworthy opponents are Chelsea and a less-than-confident Everton. The remaining fixtures coming up for them are against struggling teams like Newcastle, Burnley, Brighton, West Brom and Southampton. Never a better chance than this for David Moyes' men to fulfill their European aspirations.

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