WHAT will the EPL be without Manchester City, Liverpool, and Chelsea? Almost nothing, mostly nothing. Their dominance of EPL has also shown in their prominence in the UEFA Champions League where their ferocity has left its marks on Europe. They are keeping us all on the edges of our seats in the concluding days of the EPL.
Nobody seems to remember Manchester United these days unless if the matter is history or passing references on how much United has contributed to the ruination of Cristiano Ronaldo. Ardent United fans blame him for where United is. United no longer counts.
A look at the table takes one down to see United, once title contenders, at others relieved each time they drifted towards a top-four position.
The failure of Liverpool and Man City to widen the gap between them after their encounter in the past week left the anxiety in EPL where it was before their tie that one had predicted could be decisive. Too much respect for each other, fears of committing monumental mistakes, restraints in committing to the game, and concealed intentions, have left us waiting for another day to decide the EPL.
UEFA Champions League quarter-finals had the EPL stamp on it. Had Chelsea successfully completed the stunt they pulled Tuesday night on Real Madrid, three English teams would have made it to the semi-finals of the UEFA League. Liverpool and Man City on Wednesday kept the English presence alive. Both have high ratings to win the Champions League which has been reduced to an English-Spanish affair.
It is exactly this quality that the teams have imposed on EPL, raising the standards, keeping the competition high, and leaving the title to go all the way down to the 38th game. Who will win the 2021/2022 EPL title? We ask the question weekly, yet the answer is not in sight. It remains a tight race and a close finishing is guaranteed.
EPL will be dull without the participation of the trio whose dominance includes the English FA Cup. Man City, Liverpool, and Chelsea are all involved in the semi-finals of the FA Cup. The ties are as interesting as they come.
Liverpool and Man City would square for a place in the final of the FA Cup. Their unsettled EPL tie last week would be brought back to life again and so soon. From the fight for the best in Europe to the EPL, FA Cup is in their calculations for a terrific treble this season.
The other fixture is Chelsea against Patrick Viera’s Crystal Palace, another of Palace’s show of increasing presence in English football. Chelsea would go all out to rescue an opportunity to win something in England.
Europe is gone. EPL is out of the question. All there is to win of significance in England is the FA Cup. Palace will take their chances as they have done unexpectedly in the EPL.
The EPL has four postponed fixtures to accommodate the FA Cup.
Enjoy a great weekend of football. Whether it is EPL or the FA Cup, the difference would almost be the same – all the fixtures are EPL teams.
Saturday 16 April
Tottenham v Brighton
Man Utd v Norwich
Watford v Brentford
Southampton v Arsenal
Wolves v Man City (postponed)
Aston Villa v Liverpool (postponed)
Everton v Crystal Palace (postponed)
Leeds v Chelsea (postponed)
Sunday 17 April
Newcastle v Leicester
West Ham v Burnley
FA Cup (Semi-Finals)
Saturday 16 April
Man City v Liverpool
Sunday 17 April
Chelsea v Crystal Palace
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