Spurs could be favourites for fourth spot heading into the last day

16/05/22 1535

There are so many issues still to be resolved in the Premier League and the English top-flight campaign finishes on Sunday. The title race is still far from over, as is the fight for survival.

Then there is the race to clinch fourth spot and a place in the Champions League next season. This battle is made the more interesting by the fact that the two teams competing for the spot are arch-rivals.

Tottenham are currently in fourth place. They are two points clear of north London rivals Arsenal in fifth.

The Gunners have a game in hand, which they play at Newcastle on Monday night. A win would move Mikel Arteta’s team back into pole position for fourth spot.

However, opponents Newcastle have a strong recent home record in the Premier League. The Magpies have won six of their last seven league matches on home soil, with the exception of a narrow 1-0 defeat by title-chasing Liverpool.

Arsenal was also on a four-game winning run until a disastrous 3-0 derby defeat at Tottenham in the north London derby in their last outing. Anything but a win in the north east would mean that Spurs are in control of the final Champions League spot.

The last day fixtures seem to favour Tottenham too, as they travel to already-relegated Norwich. Meanwhile, Arsenal host Everton on the final day, a game from which the visitors may need something from to maintain their Premier League status.

At this point in time, it looks very much advantage Tottenham in the race to secure that vital fourth Champions League spot.

Mikel Arteta’s team has it all to do to secure a top-four spot this season that looked theirs for the taking a few weeks ago.