Historically, a Premier League trophy has been a fairy tale for clubs like Tottenham and Leicester. Both the clubs have played brilliant football this season and deservedly rank in the top two.
The element of surprise and ambiguity startles when thinking about a Premier League throne going not to Chelsea, Manchester, or Arsenal, but to one of the two clubs who were never even in the limelight of Europe in the past few decades.
From this point on, realistically, Leicester has a clear shot at the title while Tottenham, with all its inventory of classy midfielders and strikers, has not been able to compete with a supreme approach of Leicester’s duo of Riyad Mahrez and Jami Vardy.
Nonetheless, anything can happen from this point on, of course, but let us break down factually and rationally, the chances of a Leicester slip and an EPL title for Tottenham as the week game approaches.
Leicester’s Approach no Different at the Death:
Ranieri has been successful in his stint with the Foxes because his strategy is somewhat similar to how Jose Mourinho managed Porto at one time. Although Leicester doesn’t crave possession during the match, when they attack, they do it with zeal and a full heart and try to shoot the ball into the net. Leicester’s cause is a living testament to the kind of form Vardy and, in particular, the ‘Magical Mahrez’ have carried throughout the tournament.
However, in the previous fixture against Swansea City, Leicester showed character and proved that the club is not only about the two big players. Although Leicester started the game without its star striker, Jamie Vardy, the Foxes were able to pull off a magnanimous and characterful victory.
In fact, even Mahrez did not steal the show this time. The Foxes midfielder, Leonardo Ulloa ran away with two goals and a man of the match performance while Marc Albrighton also appeared on the goal sheet.
Since Jamie Vardy is suspended for the upcoming clash against Manchester United due to the suspension from FA for his misconduct, his absence will not hurt Leicester much. The kind of game Ranieri XI is playing, it is only about someone being in the right position to net the ball home, be it Vardy or in Swansea’s case, Ulloa.
Staggering Tottenham Can’t Afford to Lose Hope
As Baggies defender, Craig Dawson buried a header into the net from six yards, Hotspur’s title hopes shattered and incapacitated. The second-half equaliser from West Brom against Tottenham put Leicester City only three points away from clinching its first ever Premier League title.
Had the Spurs triumphed in that game, they would have been only five points behind the league leaders, with better chances of stealing the title. Against dismantled West Brom, Spurs were set up with an own goal from Dawson.
Pochettino, or perhaps everyone, thought that Spurs would narrow the gap to five points with three games left. However, the same defender made amends by heading Gardner’s cross into the net from six yards, which meant that Spurs went seven points behind the league leaders.
That header from Dawson paved the way for Leicester’s glory. If Leicester City comes out victorious against Manchester United on Sunday, they will be crowned champions and Spurs cannot do anything to change that. That is how simple the Premier League equation is at the moment.
Unfortunately enough for Pochettino and co, Dele Alli has been handed a three match ban by FA for misconduct and will not be featuring in rest of the season. Alli has netted ten goals and provided nine assists in the league so far and has played a significant hand in Tottenham’s success so far. His absence means that Pochettino is out of attacking options in the centre, and luck isn’t on their side this time.
