Premier League Matchday, Week 26 Sunday

These are the footballing days we wait for.   The Premier League heads towards crowning a new champion with the four top contenders facing each other on the same day.

Arsenal v Leicester City

Pre season Arsenal were my tip to be the main contenders to a Chelsea side defending their crown.  Things have not worked out that way but the Gunners are right in the race at this point.

I expect it to be a very different style of game from the 2-5 we saw when Arsenal hammered the Foxes earlier this season.  In that match Leicester chose to play Arsenal at their own game by playing open attacking football.  It was a great watch but Arsenal and Alexis Sanchez in particular just picked off Leicester too easy.

Leicester learnt from the game and have since adopted the counter attacking style that suits their fast, high energy attackers.  Sitting deep, even too deep at times, they counter with at least four players and always with immediate quick balls forward into Jamie Vardy's feet or into space for him to exploit.  It was at its devastating best last week when they did to Man City what Arsenal had done to them months previous.

It's hard a game to predict the result but Leicester City's title bid will truly be on if they can walk away with an away win.  If Arsenal are victorious they will likely take the bookies favourite tag once more.

Aston Villa v Liverpool

Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp are a much better side away from Anfield.  Villa look doomed to relegation and watching Sunderland win and Norwich draw yesterday cannot of helped.  Villa simply must win this one.  If Leicester winning the Premier League is the greatest shock winners then Villa surviving may be the greatest escape of all time in the EPL.

Pool are a couple weeks away from the League Cup final and may have half an eye on that one.   Even if they have they have to be liked to win this one.

Manchester City v Tottenham

Normally this is a home win and see's Kun Aguero scoring 1, 2, 3 or even 4.  As I said in our fixture post, I think not this year.  This is a much better Spurs side right now and one that has already beaten City 4-1 this season.

Whilst all the focus is on other Spurs quietly are right in the hunt if they can win today.

My weekend fantasy so far

Fantrax

87 points with Roberto Firmino, Alexis Sanchez, Aaron Ramsey and Kun to go should mean a good week.

I have moved into 3rd place in our blog league and could do with very big days from Firmino and Ramsey in particular.  It's a pretty tight title race of our own.  I'm not sure which NMA member Baram Ulu Gunners, Nemesis FC, Fantastic X1, Team Devlin Red and Team Red_United FC are (plus all the others doing well) are but please introduce yourself in the comments section/live chat.  You are having a fantastic season and you should tell us all about it.

Togga

108.5 points with Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez and Firmino to go.

Not a great week but I'm sat in 2nd place in our blog league.   Buttchin has a clear lead and is so consistent.  Very well played sir.

Official

37 points and Alberto Moreno, Riyad Mahrez and Harry Kane left.

This is where is has all gone wrong for me.  In in 524th place in our blog league and have never been in the running at all near the top.   Next season this is the format I need to improve.  More work is required Stall!

Final word

We had some fun or maybe just I did with Ken over his Odion Ighalo selection.  There was nothing wrong with the pick as Watford exploited the shaky Palace defence as Ken had foresaw.   Sometimes in fantasy we are just all around the points and that is one of the most frustrating things of all when playing.   I was genuinely really hoping Ighalo scored and that in doing so Ken had the story of the weekend whilst we all looked on wishing we had followed the tip.  It may have been the biggest and longest GOOOAAAALLLLLL etc I have written yet.  It wasn't meant to be  - next time mate.

How have you done this week?  Who do you still have to play and what are your aims for our seasons end?

Stall