Easy run-in means that Chelsea will win the Premier League

One glance at the Premiership table suggests that this could be the tightest battle for the title for many years. Chelsea’s win over Spurs gave them a seven point gap over second placed Liverpool but the three teams below the leaders all have games in hand. In fact, Manchester City had played three games less than the West London club, thanks to their cup exploits and wins in all three would see Manuel Pellegrini’s men climb to the summit.

Tight at the Top?

The table may indicate that this is a very open battle but in reality, the title is very much Chelsea’s to lose and one glance at the fixture list backs up that theory. While their rivals have tough games in the weeks ahead, Jose Mourinho’s squad have a comparatively easy run in that should hand them their fourth Premier League title, which is reflected in the fact that they are the favourites at Betfair at just 1.77.

Chelsea begin that crucial run in with a visit to Aston Villa who currently sit in tenth place. That may sound like a comfortable position but once again, the table is deceptive with the Villains currently just six places off the final relegation slot.

Struggling Sides

Of the remaining eight games, Chelsea play six teams in the bottom half of the table – Stoke City, Swansea, Crystal Palace, Norwich and Sunderland before a last day trip to struggling Cardiff. Mourinho’s men may have come unstuck against some of these sides before – most notably in December when a late Oussama Assaidi goal sealed three points for Stoke – but their title challengers would surely swap their remaining fixtures.

Arsenal continue a difficult month with an away game to Spurs and although the hosts have issues with form and injury, the Gunners haven’t won at White Hart Lane since the 2007-08 season. Wenger’s side complete a horrific March schedule with a home game against title rivals Manchester City before April comes in with an away fixture at Everton.

Manuel Pellegrini’s City have that tricky trip to the Emirates before heading to Anfield to face Liverpool on the 13th April. The backlog of matches is unlikely to help City’s cause while all three challengers will face each other, meaning that dropped points will only aid Chelsea’s title quest.

The Crucial Battles

Only two fixtures stand in the way of Jose Mourinho’s team – at home to Arsenal on the 22nd of March and away to Liverpool on the 27th April. Even if they fail to register a single point from those two matches, which is an unlikely outcome, the schedule is still working in their favour.

At this stage of the campaign, a seven point gap is a very significant one and as we’ve seen from the fixture list, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City will take points from each other when they clash during their respective run ins.

Chelsea really should get at least two points from the two toughest games with Liverpool and Arsenal and with a relatively easy remaining schedule against a number of struggling teams, Stamford Bridge is the likely destination for the 2013-14 Premier League title.