THE Premier League is back – and this time there’ll be no more interruptions.
That’s right, the final international break of the 2021-22 season is over.
The Premier League is set for a thrilling finale at both ends of the table
Domestic football is back for its final act – and it’s a big’un.
From the title race to the fight to avoid relegation and everything in between, every Premier League club has something to fight for.
But whose season will end in glory and whose in tears?
SunSport takes a look at the race to win the title, the final sprint for the all-important Champions League places and the desperate scrap to avoid relegation.
FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
And one of those games is Man City vs Liverpool at the Etihad – a game which could decide who will be crowned champion.
The Reds also face the likes of Manchester United, Everton and Tottenham, while City have a much easier run.
But confidence and momentum count for much more in the highly-competitive Premier League.
Whoever comes out of the blocks firing after the international break could be crucial.
One thing is for sure, it’s a straight fight between the two giants – who have shared the Premier League title every season since 2016-17.
Chelsea, who won the crown that year, are their nearest contenders – a whopping TEN points adrift.
Liverpool and Man City and locked in a straight fight for the Premier League titleCredit: AFP
TOP FOUR FIGHT
REMEMBER when Arsenal were locked in a “relegation battle”?
It seems a lifetime ago the Gunners were reeling from an opening-day defeat against newly-promoted Brentford before embarking on their start to a season in 118 YEARS after losing to Chelsea.
But now Mikel Arteta’s youth-inspired revolution is in full force with the North Londoners in control of the race to snatch fourth – or even third.
Arsenal are currently in fourth spot, five points behind Chelsea.
The Gunners sit three points ahead of Tottenham and four above Man Utd – and have a game in hand on both of their nearest rivals.
West Ham have seen their top-four bid cool in recent weeks, now six points behind Arsenal having played TWO extra matches.
But Arteta’s side have a few key games to get past before celebrating – including Man Utd, Chelsea and the North London derby vs Spurs, all of which are six-pointers at this stage.
Fortunately for the Gunners, their rivals have tricky run-ins, too.
United, for example, must take on Arsenal themselves as well title-chasing Liverpool – with Chelsea also on their dance-card.
Arsenal and Man Utd are two of arguably just three clubs fighting for the final Champions League qualification spotCredit: Reuters
RELEGATION BATTLE
IF you think that’s exciting, check out the foot of the table.
Incredibly, Newcastle’s big January transfer window appears to have saved their skin – now 14th and nine points clear of the relegation places having been near-certainties to go down at one stage.
But that’s bad news for the likes of Everton, Leeds and Brentford who have slipped deeper into the drop-zone drama.
Norwich sit bottom with just 17 points, joined in the bottom three by Burnley (21) and Watford (22).
The Clarets have TWO games in hand, though – and a win in both would see them climb to 17th, with Everton slipping into the relegation zone.
The Toffees also have games in hand of their own, with Leeds and Brentford arguably in more danger at this stage, unless the Frank Lampard’s strugglers fail to arrest their dismal slide.
Incredibly, only EIGHT clubs have reached the magic 40-point mark which so famously makes relegation near-impossible.
Ninth-placed Aston Villa have been in strong form under Steven Gerrard, but even they only have 36 points – and sit just six points above 15th-placed Brentford.
While Norwich seemed doomed, the final two spots really are up for grabs.
And with anywhere between eight and 11 games to play near the foot of the table, it’s anyone’s guess who goes down.
Watford and Leeds are just two clubs fighting to avoid relegation with a host of clubs drifting into the battleCredit: Reuters
