TOP-FOUR CHASE: ADVANTAGE ARSENAL OVER UNITED

Arsenal and Manchester United are the top-two favourites in the race to secure fourth spot at the end of this season’s Premier League campaign campaign. They are the bookmakers’ top-two favourites ahead of other teams such as Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The general consensus is that the top three teams namely defending champions Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea will qualify for the Champions League next season thus leaving five teams with just one spot for Champions League football since only four teams can represent the Premier League.

North London giants Arsenal were handed a massive boost at the weekend after Manchester United played out a goalless draw at home to Watford who are in the relegation zone. The Red Devils were massive favourites for the home game with the Hornets and it is a case of two points dropped for them in the top-four race. Also, the dropped points from United have also boosted their rivals hopes of securing that much-coveted fourth spot including Arsenal.

Manchester United began the Watford game in fourth spot and with a one-point lead over Arsenal in fifth place having played two more games than the Gunners. They could have stretched that advantage to four points with a win since the Gunners were not in action at the weekend. Arsenal were meant to play Liverpool at home, but the game had to be postponed due to the Reds’ commitment in the Carabao Cup final.

After the draw with the Hornets, Manchester United are now two points ahead of Arsenal with three more games in comparison to the North London team. Arsenal have dropped from fifth to sixth spot on the league table after West Ham United beat Wolves 1-0 through a Tomas Soucek goal before the hour mark to move above the Gunners on goal difference and within two points of United having played the same number of games.