Triumphant Toffees’ top four claim back on after Arsenal draw
Published:Arsenal will be feeling very nervous indeed about holding on to fourth place in the Premier League, after Mathieu Flamini’s last minute own goal against Swansea – which resulted in a draw – allowed Everton to close the gap. They are still odds-on at 1/5 to stay in the top four.
The Toffees continued their fine form by comfortably seeing off Newcastle United 3-0 to make it four league wins in a row, and they now lie just six points behind the Gunners with a game in hand. As a result, Everton’s odds to finish in the Champions League places at the end of the season have halved from 9/1 to 9/2.
It now seems that the FA Cup is Arsenal’s only hope of silverware this term, for the first time since 2005, as they have slipped six points behind Premier League leaders Chelsea, with a price of 100/1 to win the title. They are odds-on at 4/9, however, to lift the FA Cup, with only Wigan Athletic, Hull City and Sheffield United left in the competition.
Roberto Martinez is quietly going about his business, but will know he faces a tough run-in in his final eight matches of the season. Their extra game on Arsenal is at home against Crystal Palace, so the Spaniard will fancy his chances in that fixture.
However, they still have to face the two Manchester clubs at home (United and City), but the crucial match-up will be against Arsenal themselves on April 6th at Goodison Park. The other remaining fixtures are Fulham (A), Sunderland (A), Southampton (A) and Hull City (A).
Arsene Wenger will at least be encouraged by his slightly easier run-in. Their next two are Man City at home and then Everton, but the last five are certainly winnable with three of them (West Ham, Newcastle and West Brom) being at home. Away fixtures to Hull and Norwich on the last day complete the list.
Meanwhile, Man Utd are just 40/1 shots for a top four finish following their dreadful 3-0 defeat to City in the Manchester derby at Old Trafford. Manuel Pellegrini’s men leap-frogged Liverpool (3/1 title chances) into second place in the table and are now just three points behind Chelsea (11/5), with two games in hand. They are priced at evens to reclaim the Premier League trophy.
