Can Leicester City perform a miracle and win the Premier League title? Photo / AP
Leicester City are just seven games away from performing a modern day miracle. But can the Foxes hold on and win the English Premier League title?
NZME's football experts predict how the final two months of the season will play out.
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How it plays out:
Tottenham's title challenge will fall apart in their next two games against Liverpool and Manchester United. Leicester will grind out 1-0 wins in their next four games against Southampton, Sunderland, West Ham and Swansea to put them out of sight. Leicester's title win will be celebrated as the greatest football story of all time and Gary Lineker will then emotionally present Match of the Day in his undies.
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I think it'll be decided over the next four games. Leicester have Southampton (H), Sunderland (A), West Ham (H) and Swansea (A) and will target eight points from those matches. If they can get them, it will give them crucial breathing space over Spurs ahead of their final three games. Tottenham have tough matches against Liverpool, Manchester United and Stoke in the next three weeks and if they're unable to close the gap to less than five points by the time May rolls around, I can't see them hauling the Foxes in, in the run-in.
Much as I'd like West Ham to grab fourth, I think Manchester United might just pip both them and Manchester City, who have their eyes on upcoming Champions League games against Paris St Germain. I think the Hammers will win the FA Cup though.
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I really hope I'm wrong but I wonder if Leicester's incredible challenge might peter out in the last few weeks of the season, as they travel to Old Trafford, host Everton and then go to Stamford Bridge. Especially as Chelsea have a history of upsetting EPL fairy tales late in the piece, after their dastardly deeds at Anfield two years ago. Spurs - for a change - don't have Europa Cup distractions to throw them off track and could grasp their best opportunity at an English league championship in decades.
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How it plays out:
Leicester City will draw at Stamford Bridge on the final day of the season to clinch their maiden Premier League title. Spurs will cut Leicester's lead to one point before being held to a draw by Chelsea in early May. Arsenal will do enough to stay third, while West Ham will win at Stoke City on the final day of the season to secure the final Champions League berth. Manchester City will falter with their Champions League commitments, while Manchester United will focus its energies on the FA Cup. Rafael Benitez will drag Newcastle out of the relegation mire just ahead of their neighbours Sunderland, who won't make an incredible escape this time.
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Leicester City's run-in appears tough on paper, but there's nothing to fear about hosting a 12th-place Everton or visiting a Chelsea side who have won only five of their 16 league fixtures at Stamford Bridge. Plus, they will pick up enough points in the next few weeks to afford a stumble against, say, top-four-chasing Manchester United. The Foxes winning the league will be the biggest fairytale since football was invented in 1992.
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I really want Leicester City to win it but I won't be confident they can do it until they actually lift the silverware in what will be one of the greatest sporting achievements of all time (simply for the fact the season is so long and how much money other teams have spent comparatively). It's going to come down to that last game against Chelsea and I can see the defending champions, who've played no part in the campaign at all, ruin it for fans of the underdog and hand across-town rivals Arsenal the title. Arsenal need to win at least seven from eight (against Watford, West Ham, Crystal Palace, West Brom, Sunderland, Norwich, Manchester City and Aston Villa) to do this and I'm predicting they will, including a win at City in the penultimate round. Sorry Leicester City fans but hey, no shame in a Champions League spot.
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