SOCCER PREMIER LEAGUE ARTICLES

The window of opportunity feels like it's starting to just nudge shut on Arsenal. In a year where Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United have all fallen apart, the Gunners really had a chance to win the Premier League. Instead, they've fallen six points back of Leicester City with just 10 matches left to play.... 

If Manchester City has any hopes whatsoever of challenging for the Premier League title in 2015-16, it had better take three points from the lowliest team in the top flight on Sunday, as Aston Villa pays what will likely be its last visit to the Ethiad in quite some time.... 

Almost quietly, Manchester United pieced together a really good last week and a half of soccer. With no one else really stepping up to seize control of the Premier League, there's still an outside chance to go on a big time run and at least get into European competition for next year. The Red Devils should theoretically not have huge troubles against Watford at home on Wednesday as long as they keep their heads about them.... 

Jurgen Klopp praised his Liverpool side on Sunday following the Capital One Cup Final. His Reds were beaten by Manchester City, but they can get a huge bit of revenge when the two teams turn right back around and face each other again on Wednesday in the Premier League.... 

Though Chelsea has successfully navigated away from the threat of relegation once and for all, Norwich City isn't so lucky. The Canaries sit level with Newcastle, just one goal up in differential of the dreaded red line. They're going to need to be at their best to get anything out of their match at home against the perennial contenders on Tuesday.... 

The frustration is really starting to mount for Swansea City as the relegation line gets closer and closer.

The Swans could really use some points on Sunday against Tottenham, but getting a result at White Hart Lane is a tough ask for anyone.... 

There's only one team in England which has allowed a single goal since the middle of January. How many guesses would it have taken you to get to Southampton as the correct answer? The Saints have made a nice run away from any potential threat of relegation, and all of a sudden, they're on the verge of competing for a spot in the Europa League next year. A win over Chelsea at home would be massive on Saturday.... 

Opportunity is still knocking for Manchester United, as it's being presented with a glorious chance to claim three points against Arsenal on Sunday. Anything less than a win though, and in all likelihood, the Red Devils can kiss any chance of playing in the Champions League next year goodbye.... 

There is still a perception that England has some of the best soccer in the world. Though the Premier League might be the deepest of all of the leagues across Europe, there's no doubt that the top of La Liga is stronger than the top of any league anywhere else on the planet. That's why Barcelona, a team poised to win the La Liga title this year, is favored on the road against Arsenal, a team which could still capture the EPL championship, in the first leg of the last 16 tie between these two behemoths in the Champions League.... 

Louis van Gaal continues to be under some of the toughest scrutiny in the world. His Manchester United side continues to massively disappoint this season, and after losing on the road to FC Midtjylland in the Europa League on Thursday, it will have to rebound quickly to keep any hopes alive of winning the FA Cup. A last 16 tie against Shrewsbury Town should be a slam dunk, but we've seen worse things happen to the Red Devils this year.... 

A busy weekend is ahead for Tottenham. The Spurs have to play in the Europa League against Fiorentina on Thursday night, but from there, they have a quick turnaround to get ready for an equally important duel with Crystal Palace in the last 16 of the FA Cup.... 

There isn't a heck of a lot left for Chelsea to play for this year, but it can still work its way into European competition next year by winning the FA Cup. The last 16 will play this weekend, the showcase game of which pits Chelsea against Manchester City.... 

The silence was deafening last Saturday at the Ethiad. Manchester City wasn't just beaten by Leicester City; it was destroyed. The final match tally read 3-1, but it could've just as easily been 6-0. The minnows of the Premier League, who were certain to be relegated to the Championship at this time last year, not only survived, but they've thrived to sit atop English soccer. Now, Manchester City is left reeling, and it has to get back on the horse in a hurry with another top flight team coming to Manchester on Sunday, Tottenham.... 

"Why shouldn't they be champions?"That's the question which was posed on the broadcast of last Saturday's duel between Manchester City and Leicester City. The Foxes are sitting atop of the English soccer world and have five points to spare. Even if they got crushed by Arsenal on Sunday at the Emirates, the two-week stretch on the road against two of the giants of the sport both in England in across the world, they'd be completely fulfilled. However, if they could, by chance, steal the spoils fro... 

Momentum is a funny thing in soccer, and it tends to stick around from game to game. Last weekend, Manchester United blew a 1-0 lead on the road against Chelsea late and walked away with just a point, while Sunderland came back from down 2-0 in the last quarter of an hour and celebrated swiping a point at Anfield against Liverpool.... 

Whether Chelsea would like to admit it or not, it's still in the thick of the relegation fight in the Premier League. The Blues can probably cement their status in the top flight with a win on Saturday, but a loss to Newcastle, and all of a sudden, the drop zone will look a whole heck of a lot closer as we head down the stretch of the campaign.... 

In spite of the fact that Leicester City has set at or near the top of the Premier League all season long, few truly believe that it is going to hold on and win the league. The Foxes are more or less playing with house money on Saturday. If by chance they can go on the road and get any result whatsoever against Manchester City, their chances of capturing their first ever Premier League title will go through the roof.... 

Massimilano Allegri is set to take over as the new manager for Chelsea next season.

With that news permeating through Stamford Bridge, there could be a lot of tension with Manchester United coming to town for a Sunday soiree.... 

Manchester United's chances of winning the Premier League are just about down to nil at this point with just 15 matches left in the season. If the Red Devils lose at home to Stoke City though, the real reward, a spot in the Champions League next season, could be gone once and for all as well.... 

Manchester City has its sights set on a lot of goals here in the second half of the season. The Citizens could still win the Premier League, and they also could have the FA Cup and the Champions League on their radar as well. However, they also have the Capital One Cup to contend with once again on Wednesday afternoon, as they have to overcome a 2-1 deficit to Everton if they want to reach the finale at Wembley Stadium next month.... 

This is going to be a tough week for both Liverpool and Stoke City. Both teams were on the pitch on Saturday and will have relatively quick turnarounds on Tuesday when they have to face each other in the second leg of the semifinals of the Capital One Cup.... 

Derby County is only a few years removed from playing in the Premier League. Part of the reason why the Rams had such a short stay in the top flight in 2007-08 is because it never stood a shot against the big boy teams like Manchester United. Now though, there's a legitimate chance for Derby to put itself in the limelight when it takes on the Red Devils in what might be the last 90 minutes for Louis van Gaal at Old Trafford if things don't go according to plan.... 

On Tuesday and Wednesday, the Capital One Cup will be back in full swing once again, and the last four teams standing will be fighting it out for the right to go the final on February 28 at Wembley Stadium.England's version of the Final Four of its secondary cup will pit Liverpool against Stoke City, while Manchester City will duke it out with Everton.... 

Everton is going to have a heck of a fight in front of it over the course of the rest of this season. Steven Naismith has already been transferred to Norwich City, and Tim Howard and Romelu Lukaku might not be all that far behind. Certainly, it's worth watching the transfer window in the days leading up to the match between the Toffees and Swansea.... 

Petr Cech was more or less thrown out of Stamford Bridge after last season, as Chelsea didn't think it needed one of the top goalkeepers in the world when it also had Thibaut Courtois to man the pipes. Cech though, found a good home at Arsenal, and he'd love nothing more than to help put another dagger in his former team's season when these two London foes meet at the Emirates in a huge showdown on Sunday....