Liverpool could cause upset in Champions League race

While Chelsea are running away with the Premier League title, the race for the three remaining Champions League places is tighter than ever.

Five points separates second-placed Spurs from Manchester United, who are sixth, with Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool sandwiched between them.

On current form, Arsenal and Liverpool are the clubs most likely to miss out, with the Gunners losing 3-1 to Chelsea on Saturday – their second loss in a week following Tuesday's home humiliation to Watford – and the Reds going down 2-0 at Hull.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

A few weeks ago, Liverpool were considered Chelsea's main rivals for the title, but five league matches without a win have put paid to their hopes.

Nevertheless, Jurgen Klopp's men could still the influence the outcome of this season's title when they host Spurs on Saturday.

Spurs trail Chelsea by nine points and are realistically the only club that can catch the Blues, but if they lose at Anfield, they'll be out of the race – save for a sensational slump in form from the Premier League leaders.

That looks unlikely given Chelsea's forthcoming fixtures between now and 1 April: Burnley (away), Swansea (home), West Ham (away), Watford (home), Stoke (away) and Crystal Palace (home).

If Chelsea negotiate those six games without a mishap, the title will probably be theirs a month before the end of the season, a position made stronger by the fact all their rivals, bar Liverpool, have European fixtures coming up.

On current form, Manchester City are favourites to finish second, thanks in no small part to Gabriel Jesus. The 19-year-old Brazilian scored twice for the Sky Blues in Sunday's 2-1 defeat of Swansea, adding to the goal he scored in his Premier League debut the previous week against West Ham.

"Gabriel Jesus is strong, fast and has really good movement," said City manager Pep Guardiola. "He has arrived really, really, well. He is Gabriel Jesus. We are happy to have him."

City's neighbour also won on Sunday, inflicting a 3-0 defeat on last season's champions, Leicester City. Zlatan Ibrahimovic was among the goal scorers – his 15th of the season – as Manchester United moved to within a point of fifth-place Liverpool.

"I am happy," said United manager Jose Mourinho. "We don't have a league defeat since October and if we tried to transform the unlucky draws to victories, we would be in an amazing position."

The defeat leaves Leicester one point above the relegation zone, and the Foxes have yet to score a league goal this year.

"Last season was terrific, but we are Leicester and every time we have to fight," said manager Claudio Ranieri. "We are together. I am fully confident in my players and the players are confident in me."