Premier League: Tottenham, the justice of the peace in a fight for the title

Arsenal to be crowned 20 years after “the invincibles”, Manchester City to make history by retaining their crown for a 4th consecutive season and Liverpool to offer Klopp a farewell gift. Which of these three teams will be champions at the end of the season after a tough fight? The verdict is coming and Tottenham could well be the justice of the peace and choose who will be crowned. Spurs, who are battling with Aston Villa for a place in the Champions League, will face the Gunners, the Reds and the Skyblues in the coming weeks. And it starts this Sunday with the reception of the Premier League leader (3 p.m.).

“This has to be one of the biggest north London derbies for 20 years,” says former Gunner Paul Merson. This Sunday, Tottenham hosts its biggest rival Arsenal in a North London derby which promises to be hot. Spurs and their supporters intend to thwart the plan of Arteta's men and deprive them of the title. “It’s potentially going to be like a bloodbath in the first 15 to 20 minutes. "Tottenham fans don't want Arsenal to win the championship," Gary Neville said on his podcast of the same name.

This 183rd derby in the history of the Premier League between Tottenham and Arsenal is the “big moment of the season” for the Gunners according to Neville. For his part, Paul Merson sums up this match as “the season in a nutshell for Tottenham”. This meeting between two rival teams since the late 1800s, which gained momentum after World War I, could be a turning point in the final sprint.

Since this Wednesday and its defeat against Everton in the Mersey derby (2-0), Liverpool is no longer master of its destiny. In their quest for the title, the Reds must hope that their competitors lose points. For their part, they must no longer leave any on the way. For this, the whole group must feel involved. “Very disappointed in many ways. I think everyone needs to look in the mirror, look at their own performance and ask themselves if they really gave it their all. Do they really want to win the championship?,” Virgil Van Dijk reacted after Wednesday’s defeat.

West Ham, this Saturday at the opening of the 35th day of the championship, and especially Tottenham are Liverpool's next two opponents. Spurs will travel to Anfield on Sunday May 5. As a reminder, Ange Postecoglou's men created a surprise in the first leg by winning 2-1 thanks to goals from Son and Matip, against his side, in added time of the second half (90 6).

Late poster for the 34th day, Tottenham-Manchester City will be played on May 14. A perilous trip in prospect for the Skyblues who have never won in the new Tottenham stadium. The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London is a real trap. Indeed, the 2023 European champion remains on 4 defeats in as many matches played in the league in the Spurs lair!

Even more serious, Pep Guardiola's players did not score a single goal. An unfortunate statistic for a team that has had one of the best attacks in the world for years. With its jewel Phil Foden in its ranks, Manchester City intends to break this curse and move towards its fourth consecutive championship title. A first in the history of English football.