Is It a Two Horse Race for the Premier League Title?

We are at a time in the season where we aren’t too far away from the rather packed Christmas schedule. It is a time where many points can be won and lost in a short period of time.

Many people claim it to be the most crucial part of the entire season.

For example, Chelsea have five Premier League games in December with four of these coming in a two week period as Christmas well and truly arrives. Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal have fairly similar schedules, so what does it mean for the title race?

Well, in my opinion it could confirm the fact that we have a two horse race on our hands. The Christmas period could almost certainly break Arsenal’s title challenge as they sit ten points adrift as it is. Something I’d like to suggest though is that it could be the end of Manchester United’s challenge as well.

Alex Ferguson’s men do have a game in hand at the moment, but their indifferent start to the campaign means they sit eight points behind Chelsea at the top of the table. They can ill afford a poor Christmas period and considering they have the Manchester derby and Tottenham away to contend with – there are times where they could drop points.

They also have the Carling Cup quarterfinal and the Fifa World Club Championship during December, meaning that in terms of games played they are likely to be a couple behind the rest. Constantly playing catch-up isn’t ideal going into the New Year and as much as the words coming out of Old Trafford won’t admit it—this is something that will affect them psychologically.

So, it is a realistic view that the Christmas period could spell the end for Arsenal and Manchester United’s title challenge. If nothing else, it will certainly mean that the football odds won’t fancy their chances come January. Of course, these two slipping up over the next few weeks isn’t all that will make the ‘two horse race’ notion suggested in the headline of this piece. Current leaders Chelsea and Liverpool must maintain their decent form and not drop too many points.

Looking at Chelsea’s fixtures during December, I have to say that I’m confident not too many games will end in anything other than a win for Scolari’s men. The Arsenal game this weekend aside, December then sees Chelsea take on Bolton, West Ham, Everton, West Brom and Fulham. Not the most daunting set of fixtures is it?

Overall, my point is that as long as Chelsea come through the Arsenal game and then the busy Christmas period relatively unscathed—the title could be in sight. Yes, there will still be a long way to go, but with there being a distinct possibility of Manchester United and Arsenal being too far adrift, it could be Chelsea and Liverpool going head to head in the final few weeks of the season.

Should this be the case, I have to say that I’d happily stick a lot of my football betting money on Chelsea winning the league and see off the challenge of a team that isn’t used to seeing out a season searching for honours at the top of the table.

By Thomas Rooney – A sports writer who blogs about football betting