As the English Premier League season heads into its final stretch, the pressure is mounting, both on and off the pitch. Key positions are still up for grabs and every result now carries extra weight for clubs chasing European football. Managers are under scrutiny, squads are being tested and big decisions are being made behind the scenes.
From tactical moves and influence on the training ground to contract uncertainty and potential summer moves, this is a defining period for several top sides. Emerging talent is also taking center stage at a crucial moment, offering equal measure of hope and unpredictability.
The coming weeks will not only shape the final standings but could also dictate the direction clubs take heading into next season.
THE RACE FOR THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE IS ON
Five teams will qualify for next season’s Champions League competition, with Arsenal and Manchester City virtually certain to qualify. The question is: who will join them?
Manchester United are considered favorites to win the place. Michael Carrick’s side have lost just once in their last 10 games and the atmosphere in the dressing room at Old Trafford is one of excitement and confidence. It feels like a completely different club with Carrick in charge and Ruben Amori gone. His influence has grown and was one of the main reasons Harry Maguire signed a new one-year contract extension this week.
United also hold a seven-point lead over sixth-placed Chelsea. Aston Villa, Chelsea and Liverpool are in contention, with Everton also vying for a place alongside Brentford. Fulham can join them with a win away at Liverpool, but Brentford play Everton so one of them is likely to slip through unless the game is a draw. Michael Carrick’s influence at Manchester United has grown. (Image: Reuters)
Villa have a tough away game at Premier League survival strugglers Nottingham Forest, but manager Unai Emery looks set to conjure up wins from next to nothing. Forest are specialist long-range goalscorers, joined by Morgan Gibbs-White, Callum Hudson-Odoi and even attacking midfielder Elliot Anderson.
Villa have been missing Youri Tielemans and John McGinn for a few games, but Emery is a smart coach and is likely to get his team over the line. However, they have two difficult finals against Liverpool and Manchester City.
Chelsea players are still trying to master Liam Rosenior’s style of football. They have battled but need to win their next three games against both Manchester clubs at home and against Brighton away to have any chance of finishing in the top six while keeping Brentford and Everton behind.
Liverpool are the most unpredictable team as their form has been hot and cold. Arne Slot is under pressure, but he has quality players to choose from. They have had a difficult end of the season, a trip to United and Aston Villa, but they are also at home to Chelsea.
Having spoken to all the main contenders for a Champions League place, most clubs think United will make it and Liverpool will finish fourth. Villa and Chelsea could clinch a place in Europe, but Everton and Brentford could spoil the party.
DE ZERBI PROVIDES FOR TRAINING
Last week, newly appointed Tottenham coach Roberto De Zerbi had his first training session. It was typical of the man, a De Zerbi classic.
The Italian was in the middle of everything, shouting, pointing, pushing, praising and instructing the players to motivate their team. He organized a rondo, a physical warm-up and drill that relied on players maintaining possession of the ball from one end of a full-size training pitch to the other. He ended up setting up six-player games using all available players to form three teams.
I was impressed that he spent a lot of time with Lucas Bergvall. He stood with his arm around the young Swede’s shoulder and had three separate long conversations. He also targeted Mathys Tel during the rondo, telling him to look around and move the ball more before passing.
One golden gem that all budding footballers will remember was aimed at 20-year-old Archie Gray. De Zerbi told him that many teams now play man-to-man, so the pressure is on the defenders when they have the ball. The key is to get through quickly with one or two touches and nothing more.
Spurs have been notoriously poor at playing from the back this season, but De Zerbi believes that high pressing and quick tackles need to be used when winning the ball. He said, “Win the ball. Get the pressure. Get the pressure.”
De Zerbi commanded respect from the start and either some players did their research on the new coach or remembered that the Italian played top-class football as a No.10 in Serie A.
There was no sign of Pedro Porra, club captain Cristian Romero or Pape Matar Sarra after returning from international duty, and goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario is still recovering from hernia surgery.
I’ve seen and heard enough to think this could be an exciting revival for Spurs if relegation can be avoided.
MAX DOWMAN, ARSENAL’S ACE FOR WINNING EPL
After Arsenal’s surprise FA Cup collapse to Southampton and his Carabao Cup exit to Manchester City, Mikel Arteta defiantly said: “Now we have to show who we are.”
Arteta is under huge pressure not to throw another season away for the fourth consecutive year. A win against Sporting CP in midweek helped him. He was criticized for withdrawing players from their international calls, suggesting injury, but only Gabriel started against Southampton and left injured after 72 minutes.
Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard and Piero Hincapie didn’t even make the trip to the south coast. However, Rice and Trossard started midweek. Max Dowman could be the key to Arsenal’s PL title win. (Image: Reuters)
One bright light is the arrival of Max Dowman, who was Arsenal’s best player in the cup defeat to Saints. The 16-year-old was fresher, more energetic, more influential and more skilled than his teammates. He literally glided past defenders with silky runs.
Speaking to Arsenal fans after the loss, they all agreed that Arteta had done a good job of protecting the schoolboy by playing him sparingly in cup games and coming on as late substitutes. That means now is the time to use every available asset to push Arsenal over the line and lift the Premier League trophy after the final game of the season.
The Gunners have not won a trophy for six years and Max Dowman is the player who could help change that. They need him now.
BERNARDO SILVA WILL LEAVE MAN CITY
Pep Guardiola’s highly-respected assistant coach Pepijn Lijnders has confirmed that Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva will leave the club at the end of the season.
Bernardo told close friends last September that 2025/26 would be his last year in the UK, but this is the first official comment to come from the Etihad Stadium.
I’m told Benfica want to re-sign the 31-year-old. He came through their youth academy but made just three appearances for the senior team before being sold to Monaco in 2014 after falling out with then-coach Jorge Jesus. Benfica have always regretted letting a player of Silva’s quality leave.
The attacking midfielder has made 450 appearances for City since joining from Monaco for £43m in 2017. He has worked well with Guardiola and won 19 trophies, including six Premier League titles.
KONATE IS STILL CONFIRMING CONTRACT EXTENSION
Liverpool defender Ibrahim Konate is still only 26 and it is unusual for a top player to be 11 weeks out of contract without any clarity on whether he will stay or leave. That’s the position Konate finds himself in.
Liverpool have said they want to keep him but his agents have yet to sign a deal and he could become a free agent at the end of the season. However, the feeling in the Anfield dressing room is that he will stay, even if a deal is still a long way off. Ibrahima Konate wants better deal at Liverpool (Image: AP)
Konate earns £140,000 a week and wants a salary to match some of the top clubs. Florian Wirtz earns £250,000 a week, while Mohamed Salah takes home £400,000, plus bonuses and commercial endorsements which increase that figure significantly. However, Konate is not looking for such a salary.
Real Madrid have shown some interest in the Frenchman, but that has cooled. Bayern Munich were also in the picture, but Dayot Upamecano has extended his contract until 2030, closing another potential door.
Much depends on whether Arne Slot stays and continues to support Konate, but Liverpool do not want to dramatically increase their wage structure unless necessary. It currently stands at £428 million in total.
LIVERPOOL’S PLANNING FOR NEXT SEASON
After hearing the news about Arne Slot’s future at Liverpool, I traveled 300 miles north of London to Anfield to explore what is likely to happen at the club this summer.
A lot depends on the final run. A 4-0 loss to Manchester City in the FA Cup didn’t help Sloto’s cause. There is still an outside chance that the Reds could lift the trophy, but progressing to the Champions League will be a big challenge. Their hopes of retaining the Premier League title were lost some time ago and qualifying for next season’s competition will be tough.
There was talk of Slot being replaced by former player Xabi Alonso, who has had a successful managerial career. However, I’m told Liverpool are unconvinced of Alonso’s preferred back three formation as they don’t believe it would suit their current squad.
Slott has told friends and family that he expects to remain in charge next season after discussions with the owners, Fenway Sports Group.
After spending big on “technical” players last summer, Liverpool now recognize that the Premier League has moved towards a more physical style, with pace and energy on the wings and more direct play through the middle. Set pieces and long balls for the forwards also came to the fore and Liverpool’s defense struggled to deal with it at times.
With Mohamed Salah expected to leave, Liverpool are set to sign two new wide players. RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande is closely watched and a top target. Leipzig want to keep him for another season, but Liverpool are reportedly ready to offer £100m.
– The end
Issued by:
Amar Panicker
Published on:
10 Apr 2026 20:01 IST
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