Is united back in the top-four race?

Premier League Game Week 24: Chelsea's Comeback, Man United's Clutch Win, Spurs' Late Victory.

United players celebrate after beating Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday to blow the top-four race wide open. (Photo credit: ESPN)

Game week 24 served lots of delicious results, and we’re here to look at the good, the bad, and the damn right ugly through the games involving top-four contenders and, a certain pretender in the Premier League over the weekend.

Chelsea wrapped up the game with a 3-1 comeback win over a hapless Crystal Palace side. It was supposed to be a routine win for Chelsea, with Michael Olise and Ebere Eze both injured. A depleted Palace side wasn’t expected to drag the game with the Blues, but we thought wrongly.

Palace took the lead through a sensational strike at the edge of the Chelsea area, sailing over the grasps of Petrovic in the Chelsea goal. The Blues didn’t have a single shot on target in the first half, passing around without real penetration.

Some urgency showed in Chelsea’s second-half display as Connor Gallagher scored from a neat Malo Gusto pass to level early in the second half. It was drab from there until the dying seconds, as Cole Palmer assisted Gallagher again to make it 2-1 and Enzo Fernandes to make it 3-1.

If the 3-1 result flattered Chelsea, the situation with Roy Hodgson is one you can’t explain. The oldest manager to ever manage in the Premier League is on the brink of the sack after another uninspiring loss at home, but he can take solace in his youngsters. They caved at the end, but they are promising.

Elsewhere at the weekend, Aston Villa lost again to Manchester United, not for lack of effort, but it’s looking like a mentality thing now. Rasmus Hojlund has now scored in five consecutive league games. United has the wind in their sails for the race for fourth; it will be an interesting one.

Scott McTominay proved once again that he’s the real deal when it comes to clutch goals. His late header handed Manchester United the win, condemning Aston Villa to a costly defeat. The hosts would have gone up to fourth, above Tottenham, if they had won the game.

There are no European football headaches for Manchester United, having been eliminated, and that can help in their pursuit of fourth. Tottenham is in the mix and probably the most favored, but United will push them till the very end.

Tottenham managed to earn a big win against Brighton, scoring with the last kick of the game and from a Heung Min Son assist on his return. If Spurs can’t throw their hat in the title ring, they can lead the chase for Champions League qualification.