Man City must ‘improve’ to catch Arsenal in Premier League title race admits Guardiola
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Football fans rejoice, all 10 matches from Matchday 26 of the Premier League will be shown live on TNT Sports and discovery+.The blockbuster line-up could not have come at a better time, with the title race, the fight for a UEFA Champions League place and the relegation battle all heating up in recent weeks.Manchester City kept their hopes of chasing down league leaders Arsenal alive with a remarkable comeback victory over Liverpool at Anfield, while The Gunners maintained their lead with a 3-0 triumph over Sunderland.The defeat against City was a huge blow to Liverpool’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions League, and to make matters worse, their bitter rivals, Manchester United, are flying high after four consecutive wins under interim manager Michael Carrick.
Meanwhile, Chelsea and Aston Villa are also eyeing a place among Europe’s elite next term after recording a 3-1 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers and a 1-1 draw against Bournemouth, respectively, last weekend.
There were also twists and turns at the opposite end of the table.
Highlights: Man Utd punish 10-man Spurs to claim fourth win in a row
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West Ham United’s insipid season has burst into life in recent weeks, with Nottingham Forest, Leeds United, and even Tottenham Hotspur being dragged into a desperate relegation battle.
So, ahead of 10 crucial fixtures, let us take a look at what our old friend, the Opta supercomputer, makes of the state of play.
Title race
Arsenal’s victory against The Black Cats on Saturday saw them take another step towards their first Premier League crown since The Invincibles went an entire season unbeaten during the 2003/04 campaign.
They are now six points clear of City at the top of the table, and their dominance has been reflected by the Opta supercomputer, which has given them a 90.14% chance of lifting the trophy this May.
The Gunners will face Brentford on TNT Sports and discovery+ on Thursday evening, while City will go head-to-head with Fulham on Wednesday.
Slot reflects on Man City defeat with ‘anger and disappointment’
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The game at the Etihad will be key for Pep Guardiola’s side, who now have just an 8.15% chance of finishing top.
Aston Villa’s turn in form has seen their percentage drop to just 1.56%, while Chelsea and Manchester United are massive underdogs at this stage with 0.13% and 0.02% respectively.
Villa will hope to get back to their best against Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday, while The Red Devils will be aiming to make it five Premier League wins in a row at West Ham on Tuesday.
Chelsea face Leeds at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday, and all three fixtures will be shown live on TNT Sports and discovery+. TeamPL TitleArsenal90.14%Manchester City8.15%Aston Villa1.56%Chelsea0.13%Manchester United0.02%
Fight for a Champions League place
The Opta supercomputer says that Arsenal have all but qualified for next season’s Champions League, with a 99.99% chance after 25 games.
City are practically there too, with a 97.67% chance, while Villa are on 88.24% after a strong first-half of the campaign.
However, the Premier League looks set to receive a fifth spot due to the coefficient rankings, meaning the fight for the final two remaining spots is still wide open.
Chelsea lead the way as things stand with 47.88% despite currently occupying fifth place in the Premier League table, four points clear of Liverpool but one point behind Manchester United.
The Red Devils are on 35.11%, while Liverpool are on 21.63%, with a trip to Sunderland next up for Arne Slot’s side.
Brentford can still be considered dark horses on 7.25%, an amazing achievement for a side widely tipped for relegation at the start of the season.
However, it is a huge drop to Everton on 1.22%, with every other side in the league stuck with a less than 1% chance of qualifying for next season’s competition via the Premier League.
TeamUEFA Champions LeagueArsenal99.99%Manchester City97.67%Aston Villa88.24%Manchester United35.11% Chelsea 47.88%Liverpool21.63%Brentford7.25%Everton1.22%Sunderland0.24%Fulham0.19%AFC Bournemouth0.22%Newcastle United0.20%Crystal Palace0.05%Brighton & Hove Albion0.10%Tottenham Hotspur0.01%
Relegation battle
Look away now, Wolves fans.
Rob Edwards’ side may not be mathematically gone yet, but the Opta supercomputer does not give them a snowball’s chance in hell.
It says that Wolves have a 100% chance of getting relegated, and things do not look much better for Burnley ahead of Wednesday’s clash with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
Scott Parker’s side are not far behind them on 99.63%.
The relegation battle is not settled, though.
The Opta supercomputer may have West Ham as heavy favourites for the drop, but Forest are not out of the woods yet.
The Hammers gave their survival hopes a big boost with a 2-0 win at Burnley on Saturday, leaving them on 73.63%.
In stark contrast, Forest are on 15.41% after falling to a 3-1 loss against Leeds on Friday.
Sean Dyche’s side will hope to right that wrong when they host bottom-of-the-table Wolves at the City Ground on Wednesday.
‘I’m very proud of the players’ – Frank praises Spurs reaction to Romero red card
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Leeds’ win on the weekend left them on 6.77%, while Crystal Palace gave themselves some breathing room with a 1-0 win over Brighton on Sunday, leaving them on 0.51%.
Spare a thought for Thomas Frank’s Tottenham, though.
They may be through to the quarter-finals of the Champions League, but they still have a 2.29% chance of being relegated to the Championship, according to the Opta supercomputer.
Spurs will hope to boost their survival hopes when they host Newcastle on Tuesday, and just like every other match mentioned above, the clash will be shown live on TNT Sports and discovery+.TeamRelegationWolverhampton Wanderers100.00%Burnley99.63%West Ham United73.63%Nottingham Forest15.41%Leeds United6.77%Tottenham Hotspur2.29%Brighton & Hove Albion0.67%Crystal Palace0.51%Fulham0.39%Newcastle United0.29%Sunderland0.21%AFC Bournemouth0.17%Everton0.03%Watch the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League on TNT Sports and discovery+
