ALEX CROOK SPECIAL: Premier League Final Run-in

Star Sports football ambassador Alex Crook reviews the state of play in the Premier League approaching the home straight with just 10 matches remaining for the main title contenders…

The last international break of the season feels like a good time to take stock and evaluate where the value lies heading into the final run-in.

With the most open title tussle in years, a thrilling battle for the Champions League and European places, and a scrap to avoid relegation heavily influenced by points deductions, there is so much on the line with very few cubs having nothing to play for.

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Let’s start at the top of the table where Manchester City narrowly hold favouritism over fellow contenders Liverpool and Arsenal. That is likely to change depending on the outcome when the two meet at the Etihad in the first game back after the two-week gap.

At odds against of ? with starsports.bet, I think now is the time to back the champions to retain their trophy for a record-breaking fourth season in a row as the price is certain to tumble if they beat Arsenal, which given their imperious home record is the most likely outcome in my eyes.

Apart from a trip to Tottenham, their bogey ground in recent seasons, and a home game with a stuttering Aston Villa, City’s run-in after the visit of Mikel Arteta’s men is pretty serene whereas the Gunners still have to go to north London rivals Spurs and Manchester United, where historically they have struggled for wins.

Liverpool have surprised me with how consistent they have been after a summer of change and following Jurgen Klopp’s bombshell departure announcement. The Reds have still lost only two league games and I can see them running City all the way and ultimately finishing as gallant runners-up.

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With England now looking certain to be granted an extra European place, both Tottenham and Villa should be playing Champions League football. I tipped up Spurs in our mid-season review to nick fourth place and will stand by Ange Postecoglou’s men as I think Villa’s bid to win the Europa Conference League (my pre-season NAP) will be enough of a distraction, especially with the safety blanket of fifth place to fall back on.

The bet that appeals most in terms of the European places is Brighton at ? with starsports.bet to finish in the top six. The Seagulls have not been the force they were this season but after being dumped out of the Europa League by Roma last week I saw a steely determination in manager Roberto De Zerbi’s eyes to make sure they get back there next season.

Despite their wildly inconsistent form, Manchester United have managed to cling on to sixth place but I cannot back Erik ten Hag’s side at odds-on prices. Chelsea and Newcastle are also too short in my eyes so I’ll take on chance on Brighton, particularly as they are so strong at home and as De Zerbi’s teams have a tendency to finish seasons strongly.

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The race for a top half finish features some surprising names with Wolves and Fulham, both widely expected to struggle this season, among the contenders.

Gary O’Neil has to be in the conversation for manager of the season given the mess he inherited from the moaning Julen Lopetegui just days before the campaign began but Pedro Neto’s potentially-season ending injury is likely to curtail their bid for a place in the top ten.

I don’t think anybody from 13th placed Bournemouth down are good enough to put together the run of form required so that leaves a straight shootout between Newcastle, Chelsea and Fulham. Finishing in the bottom half could have dire consequences for Eddie Howe and Mauricio Pochettino but Fulham are a dangerous floater in the market.

In Rodrigo Muniz they have a striker who looks like he is going to score every time he steps out onto the pitch and if they can strong together some results on their travels to match their brilliant home form I think ? with starsports.bet is a very backable price.

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That brings us nicely on to the relegation rat-race and Forest’s four-point penalty for financial breaches will have fans of Sheffield United and Burnley believing they can still pull off a miracle escape. They can’t!

The reality is one from Forest, Luton, Everton, and Brentford will be joining the Blades and the Clarets in the Championship.

Brentford at ? with starsports.bet to go down looks too big after an awful run of two wins in 20 games, but while they have won a lot of plaudits for the way they have competed with England’s elite on a minimal budget Luton seem to have forgotten how to win at just the wrong time. They also concede far too many goals, not helped by the continued absence of their inspirational captain Tom Lockyer.

I am a massive fan of Rob Edwards as a manager and as a person but in the brutal world of profit and loss Luton to make it a clean sweep of newly-promoted teams going straight down at ? with starsports.bet is the most likely to line punters’ pockets.

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