Leicester City have gone five points clear at the top of the Premier League after a 1-0 victory over Newcastle United. Shinji Okazaki’s superb first half strike increased the pressure on both Tottenham and Arsenal as the season nears its conclusion.
With eight games to go, Leicester have inched closer to a remarkable title, and would no doubt be the most surprising winners in Premier League history.
Meanwhile, Newcastle missed out on valuable points as they continue to hover in the relegation zone. This game was their first under new manager Rafa Benitez, his first appointment since being sacked by Spanish giants Real Madrid earlier this season.
The Champions League winning coach will turn his attention towards Newcastle’s next fixture against bitter rivals Sunderland. The outcome will most likely decide the fate of both relegation-threatened sides.
North London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham have their work cut out for them as the season starts to wind down and their title hopes continue to fade. Although only five points behind, Tottenham have a tough draw, needing to collect valuable points on trips to Chelsea, Liverpool and Stoke, while also defending home turf against Manchester United.
It’s a similar story for the Gunners who still have to travel to Manchester City in a game that could crush their title hopes altogether. Having threatened to overtake Leicester and run away with the title, Arsenal have won just two of their last nine games.
For leaders Leicester, only a major capitulation could halt their golden run. Led by former factory worker turned goal-scoring machine Jamie Vardy and Algerian magician Riyad Mahrez, the Foxes have had a sensational turnaround. At the same time last year, it seemed almost certain that their stay in the Premier League would last only a single season, as they found themselves on the bottom of the table.
Much of this turnaround could be attributed to Leicester’s Italian manager Claudio Ranieri, who took over the side at the conclusion of last season and has steered the side to within reach of the league title. Yet Ranieri refuses to get carried away and continues to state that both Tottenham and Arsenal remain favourites to finish champions.
The next round of fixtures begins this weekend. Leicester and Arsenal will travel to Crystal Palace and Everton respectively, while Tottenham hosts Bournemouth. Meanwhile, a battle for a Champions League place will be underway in Manchester as cross-town rivals Manchester United and Manchester City square off on Monday morning.