Premier League: Blue ribbons, crazy relegation dogfight

Manchester City all but secures the title with emphatic win over Arsenal, while relegation battle heats up with surprising results - Premier League

Manchester City seems primed to land the title again, but who will go down to the championship among the hot favourites? (Photo credit: Premierleague.com)

The English Premier League served a new round of twists and turns in midweek; Arsenal completely lost hold of the title to Manchester City, and the relegation dogfight became favourites to go down.

City’s emphatic 4-1 win over Arsenal suggests it’s all over, and Arsenal can now take solace in their first Champions League qualification in six seasons.

Fans can nurse their hurt because they came so close yet are so far away.

Manchester City was simply majestic; Arsenal couldn’t get anywhere near them.

And in all sincerity, the Gunners got drunk on their own success and drew three games on the bounce, dropping six points and allowing the champions to gain ground on them.

In the top four race, Newcastle followed up their 6-1 annihilation of Spurs with another emphatic win away at Everton to all but confirm they will be in the Champions League next season for the first time since 2002.

Everton went into the game knowing they were fighting against the drop and that only a win would save them from going down for the first time since 1958.

The game was always going one way, and Newcastle ran out 5-1 winners, with Callum Wilson starring as always against the Toffees.

You have to feel for Southampton

How do you go from picking up points away at Arsenal to losing a relegation six-pointer at home to Bournemouth?

It’s looking increasingly likely that the Saints will conduct their next service of songs in the championship.

Leicester City is in the mix, as are Leeds United, Everton, and Nottingham Forest, but for now, we will excuse Chelsea considering they have a game in hand.

You shouldn’t be surprised that relegation and Chelsea football club appear in the same sentence; it is what it is.

The Blues play Arsenal next in the league, and that is at the Emirates.

The leaders are wounded; they certainly won’t be leaders by the time they play Chelsea, and that counts for something in the context of how wounded they would be against Frank Lampard’s team.

The next round of Premier Leaguegames is crucial to everyone in the league.

It’s a strange season, and you can’t tell what will happen next.

Nothing is assured for anyone yet, but that’s not going to be the tale at the top; City will be Premier League champions.