Arsenal's late win against Leicester City closed the gap on the Premier League

leaders to two points - then Tottenham turned up the pressure a notch by

moving second with victory at Manchester City.
This could be seen as a pivotal weekend in the title pursuit and certainly for the top
four, with a six-point gap between Manchester City in fourth and fifth-placed
Manchester United, despite a second successive home defeat for Manuel Pellegrini's
side.
So is the top four now a closed shop, especially given United manager Louis van
Gaal's admission that the Europa League is their best chance of reaching the
Champions League?
And what shape are the top four currently in?

Leicester
Form: The Foxes were seconds away from a point that would have seemed like a
victory at Arsenal - achieved with a numerical disadvantage after Danny Simpson's
sending off and would have completed a haul of four points from away fixtures
against the Gunners and Manchester City.
Instead, Danny Welbeck's late winner changed the landscape but, as Foxes
manager Claudio Ranieri pointed out, if they had said before they would pick up two
points from those games that would have looked good.
We have seen the brilliance of Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez, but Sunday was a
day that demonstrated they can dig in and have character and guts all over the field,
with midfield man N'Golo Kante and keeper Kasper Schmeichel outstanding.
Six points from a home game against Liverpool and these two tough away fixtures is
an excellent tally and, despite the loss, there was nothing at Arsenal to suggest they
cannot recover.

This was the ninth time this season that Vardy has scored the opening goal of a Premier
League game - more than anyone else
Momentum: Still plenty and when they face Norwich City next at the King Power
Stadium in front of their own fervent fans, you would back them to get back to
winning ways.

Fixtures are also acceptable too - they have already played their six fixtures against
the other teams in the top four and have a return of eight points. Momentum still
intact and nothing to fear in the weeks ahead.
X Factor? X Factors for and against here. Who knows how Leicester will react to a
painful defeat, or the growing recognition that they can no longer hide beneath the
radar or play down their chances?
And of course there is always the worry of injuries (longer-term at least) to Vardy,
Mahrez or Kante.
These are the unknowns - but even in defeat at Arsenal this was a Leicester City
team that was rich in strength and team spirit. They play without fear and it will serve
them well.
Next five fixtures:

Norwich - 27 Feb (h)

West Brom - 1 Mar (h)
Watford - 5 Mar (a)
Newcastle - 14 Mar (h)
C Palace - 19 Mar (a)

Statistically speaking: Leicester City have lost just three Premier League games this
season, but two of those have come against Arsenal.
The run-in: Points collected against the teams to play again this season: Total - 32
points
Verdict: Leicester City are still top by two points, have favourable looking fixtures
and their players will come back refreshed after a week's holiday given as a reward
for their efforts by Ranieri.
The pressure will increase now but they have shown nothing to suggest they are
going away - Leicester City will be in this until the end.

Tottenham
Form: Outstanding - and backed up by a real statement of a victory at Manchester
City. The doubters, many of them Spurs fans, always look for the soft underbelly, the
weakness at the pinch point - not on Sunday at the Etihad.
Yes, they carried luck with the penalty decision but they also showed strength of
character to come back and secure the win after Manchester City's equaliser. This is
the sign of a strong team going places.

Analysis: Spirit, fitness and belief - why Spurs can win title
Big players such as Harry Kane and Christian Eriksen are performing, as well as the
outstanding Dele Alli - but in so many respects the key figure at Spurs is manager
Mauricio Pochettino.
The 43-year-old Argentine, in his second season at White Hart Lane, has this Spurs
team playing exactly as he wants them. They pressurise opponents, look so solid at
the back and have players who can make a difference in attacking positions. Looking
the full package.
Spurs have the best defensive record in the Premier League, conceding only 20, and
are third in the goal charts, behind Leicester and Manchester City who have 48, with
47.

Spurs earned a fifth league win in a row

Momentum: Will pick up with that win at Manchester City - and that is five league
wins in a row since they lost 1-0 at home to Leicester.
How big is that north London derby going to be when they face Arsenal at White Hart
Lane on Saturday, 5 March?
They still have to visit Liverpool and Chelsea along the way but no terrors for a team
in this form.
X Factor? Again similar to Leicester City. How will they cope with the hope and
expectation of a fanbase that have not sampled a title since 1961? And how would
they handle an injury to someone like Kane?
Pochettino also carries weighty responsibility - but he looks such a safe pair of
hands.
Next five fixtures:

Swansea - 28 Feb (h)

West Ham - 2 Mar (a)
Arsenal - 5 Mar (h)
Aston Villa - 12 Mar (a)
Bournemouth - 19 Mar

Statistically speaking: Tottenham have won five consecutive Premier League games
for the first time since a run of six in December 2011.

The run-in: Points collected against the teams to play again this season: 18 points
Verdict: The rising anticipation among Spurs supporters that the long wait may finally
be over is fully justified. This is a team that have lost only once away from home in
the league this season, on the opening day at Manchester United, and look solid as
a rock.
This is as good a title chance as Spurs have had in recent memory.

Arsenal
Form: Picking up - and it needed to. Arsenal had suffered an indifferent couple of
results at home when they lost to Chelsea and were held to a goalless draw by
Southampton.
Arsene Wenger's side needed to answer back and they have done so with victory at
Bournemouth and showing great persistence and character to break through
Leicester's blue wall of defiance.
It was required because old questions were being asked about the Gunners and
their character. Now they can clear their heads and move forward.

Danny Welbeck's goal was his first for Arsenal in the league since December 2014
Momentum: Regained with these recent wins and must now be maintained through a
couple of tough away fixtures on the horizon at Manchester United - always difficult
despite their struggles - and that fixture of huge significance at Spurs.
Wenger felt they passed a mental test against Leicester and there was a sense that
the wind was back in their sails.
X Factor? Same as ever - will the pressure of not winning a title since the season of
'The Invincibles' in 2003-04 engulf them, as it has seemed to do so often before?
If they can conquer that, and come through those hazardous away fixtures
unscathed, then supporters who have so often been disappointed by their team's title
challenges in recent years can really believe.
The calming influence of keeper Petr Cech, a four-time title winner at Chelsea,
cannot be underestimated. They must not lose him.
Next five fixtures:

Man United - 28 Feb (a)

Next five fixtures:

Swansea - 2 Mar (h)

Tottenham - 5 Mar (a)
West Brom - 12 Mar (h)
Everton - 19 Mar (a)

Statistically speaking: Arsenal have kept five clean sheets in their last eight Premier
League games.
The run-in: Points collected against the teams to play again this season: 29 points
Verdict: Will never have a better chance to reclaim the title that has eluded them for
12 years. If they blow it the recriminations will be loud and long.

Manchester City
Form: Bad. It's been a desperate eight days for Manuel Pellegrini's side. Two home
defeats by title rivals Leicester and Spurs have left them off the pace and struggling
to regain the title they have won twice in recent years.
It is made all the more frustrating by the fact this is a team full of talent who too often
look off the pace - and are clearly capable of better. They do, however, have the
capability to string together a winning sequence and this may yet be their saving
grace.
One telling factor should be a cause for concern. In five games against the other
teams around them in the top four, they have only gained one point from an away
draw at Leicester.

City have now lost two consecutive home league matches for the first time since December
2008
Momentum: Currently being lost - but this team are so enigmatic it can be regained
just as quickly. They would have expected six points from these two important home
games. To come away empty-handed is simply not good enough.
City still have to visit Chelsea and Liverpool and have a home derby with Manchester
United on 20 March - and there could yet be a defining meeting with Arsenal at the
Etihad on Saturday, 7 May.
First, however, they will have to make sure they are still in the race.

X Factor? Has the confirmation of Pep Guardiola's arrival next season had an impact
on Manchester City's players? The feeling here is that it has not but he will certainly
cast a shadow if they continue to lose games. They have lost both since that
appointment was rubber-stamped.
City also have a heavy programme to deal with, with an FA Cup fifth round tie at
Chelsea next Sunday followed by a Champions League last 16 game against
Dynamo Kiev in Ukraine - with the matter of a Capital One Cup final against
Liverpool at Wembley to consider at the end of February.
Next five fixtures:

Liverpool - 2 Mar (a)

Aston Villa - 5 Mar (h)
Norwich - 12 Mar (a)
Man United - 20 Mar (h)
Bournemouth - 2 Apr (a)

Statistically speaking: Manchester City have won just one of their 10 Premier League
games against sides currently in the top eight this season, losing six and drawing
three.
The run-in: Points collected against the teams to play again this season: 23 points
Verdict: City have now pushed themselves into the position of title outsiders with
these two losses and for a team with so many outstanding players they too often
look uninspired and short of drive and energy.
Still capable of winning the title - but chances are receding on current evidence.
Arsenal's late win against Leicester City closed the gap on the Premier League
leaders to two points - then Tottenham turned up the pressure a notch by
moving second with victory at Manchester City.
This could be seen as a pivotal weekend in the title pursuit and certainly for the top
four, with a six-point gap between Manchester City in fourth and fifth-placed
Manchester United, despite a second successive home defeat for Manuel Pellegrini's
side.
So is the top four now a closed shop, especially given United manager Louis van
Gaal's admission that the Europa League is their best chance of reaching the
Champions League?
And what shape are the top four currently in?

Leicester
Form: The Foxes were seconds away from a point that would have seemed like a
victory at Arsenal - achieved with a numerical disadvantage after Danny Simpson's
sending off and would have completed a haul of four points from away fixtures
against the Gunners and Manchester City.
Instead, Danny Welbeck's late winner changed the landscape but, as Foxes
manager Claudio Ranieri pointed out, if they had said before they would pick up two
points from those games that would have looked good.
We have seen the brilliance of Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez, but Sunday was a
day that demonstrated they can dig in and have character and guts all over the field,
with midfield man N'Golo Kante and keeper Kasper Schmeichel outstanding.
Six points from a home game against Liverpool and these two tough away fixtures is
an excellent tally and, despite the loss, there was nothing at Arsenal to suggest they
cannot recover.

This was the ninth time this season that Vardy has scored the opening goal of a Premier
League game - more than anyone else
Momentum: Still plenty and when they face Norwich City next at the King Power
Stadium in front of their own fervent fans, you would back them to get back to
winning ways.
Fixtures are also acceptable too - they have already played their six fixtures against
the other teams in the top four and have a return of eight points. Momentum still
intact and nothing to fear in the weeks ahead.
X Factor? X Factors for and against here. Who knows how Leicester will react to a
painful defeat, or the growing recognition that they can no longer hide beneath the
radar or play down their chances?
And of course there is always the worry of injuries (longer-term at least) to Vardy,
Mahrez or Kante.
These are the unknowns - but even in defeat at Arsenal this was a Leicester City
team that was rich in strength and team spirit. They play without fear and it will serve
them well.

Next five fixtures:

Norwich - 27 Feb (h)

West Brom - 1 Mar (h)
Watford - 5 Mar (a)
Newcastle - 14 Mar (h)
C Palace - 19 Mar (a)

Statistically speaking: Leicester City have lost just three Premier League games this
season, but two of those have come against Arsenal.
The run-in: Points collected against the teams to play again this season: Total - 32
points
Verdict: Leicester City are still top by two points, have favourable looking fixtures
and their players will come back refreshed after a week's holiday given as a reward
for their efforts by Ranieri.
The pressure will increase now but they have shown nothing to suggest they are
going away - Leicester City will be in this until the end.

Tottenham
Form: Outstanding - and backed up by a real statement of a victory at Manchester
City. The doubters, many of them Spurs fans, always look for the soft underbelly, the
weakness at the pinch point - not on Sunday at the Etihad.
Yes, they carried luck with the penalty decision but they also showed strength of
character to come back and secure the win after Manchester City's equaliser. This is
the sign of a strong team going places.
Analysis: Spirit, fitness and belief - why Spurs can win title
Big players such as Harry Kane and Christian Eriksen are performing, as well as the
outstanding Dele Alli - but in so many respects the key figure at Spurs is manager
Mauricio Pochettino.
The 43-year-old Argentine, in his second season at White Hart Lane, has this Spurs
team playing exactly as he wants them. They pressurise opponents, look so solid at
the back and have players who can make a difference in attacking positions. Looking
the full package.
Spurs have the best defensive record in the Premier League, conceding only 20, and
are third in the goal charts, behind Leicester and Manchester City who have 48, with
47.

Spurs earned a fifth league win in a row

Momentum: Will pick up with that win at Manchester City - and that is five league
wins in a row since they lost 1-0 at home to Leicester.
How big is that north London derby going to be when they face Arsenal at White Hart
Lane on Saturday, 5 March?
They still have to visit Liverpool and Chelsea along the way but no terrors for a team
in this form.
X Factor? Again similar to Leicester City. How will they cope with the hope and
expectation of a fanbase that have not sampled a title since 1961? And how would
they handle an injury to someone like Kane?
Pochettino also carries weighty responsibility - but he looks such a safe pair of
hands.
Next five fixtures:

Swansea - 28 Feb (h)

West Ham - 2 Mar (a)
Arsenal - 5 Mar (h)
Aston Villa - 12 Mar (a)
Bournemouth - 19 Mar

Statistically speaking: Tottenham have won five consecutive Premier League games
for the first time since a run of six in December 2011.
The run-in: Points collected against the teams to play again this season: 18 points
Verdict: The rising anticipation among Spurs supporters that the long wait may finally
be over is fully justified. This is a team that have lost only once away from home in
the league this season, on the opening day at Manchester United, and look solid as
a rock.
This is as good a title chance as Spurs have had in recent memory.

Arsenal
Form: Picking up - and it needed to. Arsenal had suffered an indifferent couple of
results at home when they lost to Chelsea and were held to a goalless draw by
Southampton.

Arsene Wenger's side needed to answer back and they have done so with victory at
Bournemouth and showing great persistence and character to break through
Leicester's blue wall of defiance.
It was required because old questions were being asked about the Gunners and
their character. Now they can clear their heads and move forward.

Danny Welbeck's goal was his first for Arsenal in the league since December 2014
Momentum: Regained with these recent wins and must now be maintained through a
couple of tough away fixtures on the horizon at Manchester United - always difficult
despite their struggles - and that fixture of huge significance at Spurs.
Wenger felt they passed a mental test against Leicester and there was a sense that
the wind was back in their sails.
X Factor? Same as ever - will the pressure of not winning a title since the season of
'The Invincibles' in 2003-04 engulf them, as it has seemed to do so often before?
If they can conquer that, and come through those hazardous away fixtures
unscathed, then supporters who have so often been disappointed by their team's title
challenges in recent years can really believe.
The calming influence of keeper Petr Cech, a four-time title winner at Chelsea,
cannot be underestimated. They must not lose him.
Next five fixtures:

Man United - 28 Feb (a)

Swansea - 2 Mar (h)
Tottenham - 5 Mar (a)
West Brom - 12 Mar (h)
Everton - 19 Mar (a)

Statistically speaking: Arsenal have kept five clean sheets in their last eight Premier
League games.
The run-in: Points collected against the teams to play again this season: 29 points
Verdict: Will never have a better chance to reclaim the title that has eluded them for
12 years. If they blow it the recriminations will be loud and long.

Manchester City

Form: Bad. It's been a desperate eight days for Manuel Pellegrini's side. Two home
defeats by title rivals Leicester and Spurs have left them off the pace and struggling
to regain the title they have won twice in recent years.
It is made all the more frustrating by the fact this is a team full of talent who too often
look off the pace - and are clearly capable of better. They do, however, have the
capability to string together a winning sequence and this may yet be their saving
grace.
One telling factor should be a cause for concern. In five games against the other
teams around them in the top four, they have only gained one point from an away
draw at Leicester.

City have now lost two consecutive home league matches for the first time since December
2008
Momentum: Currently being lost - but this team are so enigmatic it can be regained
just as quickly. They would have expected six points from these two important home
games. To come away empty-handed is simply not good enough.
City still have to visit Chelsea and Liverpool and have a home derby with Manchester
United on 20 March - and there could yet be a defining meeting with Arsenal at the
Etihad on Saturday, 7 May.
First, however, they will have to make sure they are still in the race.
X Factor? Has the confirmation of Pep Guardiola's arrival next season had an impact
on Manchester City's players? The feeling here is that it has not but he will certainly
cast a shadow if they continue to lose games. They have lost both since that
appointment was rubber-stamped.
City also have a heavy programme to deal with, with an FA Cup fifth round tie at
Chelsea next Sunday followed by a Champions League last 16 game against
Dynamo Kiev in Ukraine - with the matter of a Capital One Cup final against
Liverpool at Wembley to consider at the end of February.
Next five fixtures:

Liverpool - 2 Mar (a)

Aston Villa - 5 Mar (h)
Norwich - 12 Mar (a)
Man United - 20 Mar (h)
Bournemouth - 2 Apr (a)

Statistically speaking: Manchester City have won just one of their 10 Premier League
games against sides currently in the top eight this season, losing six and drawing
three.
The run-in: Points collected against the teams to play again this season: 23 points
Verdict: City have now pushed themselves into the position of title outsiders with
these two losses and for a team with so many outstanding players they too often
look uninspired and short of drive and energy.
Still capable of winning the title - but chances are receding on current evidence.
Arsenal's late win against Leicester City closed the gap on the Premier League
leaders to two points - then Tottenham turned up the pressure a notch by
moving second with victory at Manchester City.
This could be seen as a pivotal weekend in the title pursuit and certainly for the top
four, with a six-point gap between Manchester City in fourth and fifth-placed
Manchester United, despite a second successive home defeat for Manuel Pellegrini's
side.
So is the top four now a closed shop, especially given United manager Louis van
Gaal's admission that the Europa League is their best chance of reaching the
Champions League?
And what shape are the top four currently in?

Leicester
Form: The Foxes were seconds away from a point that would have seemed like a
victory at Arsenal - achieved with a numerical disadvantage after Danny Simpson's
sending off and would have completed a haul of four points from away fixtures
against the Gunners and Manchester City.
Instead, Danny Welbeck's late winner changed the landscape but, as Foxes
manager Claudio Ranieri pointed out, if they had said before they would pick up two
points from those games that would have looked good.
We have seen the brilliance of Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez, but Sunday was a
day that demonstrated they can dig in and have character and guts all over the field,
with midfield man N'Golo Kante and keeper Kasper Schmeichel outstanding.

Six points from a home game against Liverpool and these two tough away fixtures is
an excellent tally and, despite the loss, there was nothing at Arsenal to suggest they
cannot recover.

This was the ninth time this season that Vardy has scored the opening goal of a Premier
League game - more than anyone else
Momentum: Still plenty and when they face Norwich City next at the King Power
Stadium in front of their own fervent fans, you would back them to get back to
winning ways.
Fixtures are also acceptable too - they have already played their six fixtures against
the other teams in the top four and have a return of eight points. Momentum still
intact and nothing to fear in the weeks ahead.
X Factor? X Factors for and against here. Who knows how Leicester will react to a
painful defeat, or the growing recognition that they can no longer hide beneath the
radar or play down their chances?
And of course there is always the worry of injuries (longer-term at least) to Vardy,
Mahrez or Kante.
These are the unknowns - but even in defeat at Arsenal this was a Leicester City
team that was rich in strength and team spirit. They play without fear and it will serve
them well.
Next five fixtures:

Norwich - 27 Feb (h)

West Brom - 1 Mar (h)
Watford - 5 Mar (a)
Newcastle - 14 Mar (h)
C Palace - 19 Mar (a)

Statistically speaking: Leicester City have lost just three Premier League games this
season, but two of those have come against Arsenal.
The run-in: Points collected against the teams to play again this season: Total - 32
points
Verdict: Leicester City are still top by two points, have favourable looking fixtures
and their players will come back refreshed after a week's holiday given as a reward
for their efforts by Ranieri.

The pressure will increase now but they have shown nothing to suggest they are
going away - Leicester City will be in this until the end.

Tottenham
Form: Outstanding - and backed up by a real statement of a victory at Manchester
City. The doubters, many of them Spurs fans, always look for the soft underbelly, the
weakness at the pinch point - not on Sunday at the Etihad.
Yes, they carried luck with the penalty decision but they also showed strength of
character to come back and secure the win after Manchester City's equaliser. This is
the sign of a strong team going places.
Analysis: Spirit, fitness and belief - why Spurs can win title
Big players such as Harry Kane and Christian Eriksen are performing, as well as the
outstanding Dele Alli - but in so many respects the key figure at Spurs is manager
Mauricio Pochettino.
The 43-year-old Argentine, in his second season at White Hart Lane, has this Spurs
team playing exactly as he wants them. They pressurise opponents, look so solid at
the back and have players who can make a difference in attacking positions. Looking
the full package.
Spurs have the best defensive record in the Premier League, conceding only 20, and
are third in the goal charts, behind Leicester and Manchester City who have 48, with
47.

Spurs earned a fifth league win in a row

Momentum: Will pick up with that win at Manchester City - and that is five league
wins in a row since they lost 1-0 at home to Leicester.
How big is that north London derby going to be when they face Arsenal at White Hart
Lane on Saturday, 5 March?
They still have to visit Liverpool and Chelsea along the way but no terrors for a team
in this form.
X Factor? Again similar to Leicester City. How will they cope with the hope and
expectation of a fanbase that have not sampled a title since 1961? And how would
they handle an injury to someone like Kane?

Pochettino also carries weighty responsibility - but he looks such a safe pair of
hands.
Next five fixtures:

Swansea - 28 Feb (h)

West Ham - 2 Mar (a)
Arsenal - 5 Mar (h)
Aston Villa - 12 Mar (a)
Bournemouth - 19 Mar

Statistically speaking: Tottenham have won five consecutive Premier League games
for the first time since a run of six in December 2011.
The run-in: Points collected against the teams to play again this season: 18 points
Verdict: The rising anticipation among Spurs supporters that the long wait may finally
be over is fully justified. This is a team that have lost only once away from home in
the league this season, on the opening day at Manchester United, and look solid as
a rock.
This is as good a title chance as Spurs have had in recent memory.

Arsenal
Form: Picking up - and it needed to. Arsenal had suffered an indifferent couple of
results at home when they lost to Chelsea and were held to a goalless draw by
Southampton.
Arsene Wenger's side needed to answer back and they have done so with victory at
Bournemouth and showing great persistence and character to break through
Leicester's blue wall of defiance.
It was required because old questions were being asked about the Gunners and
their character. Now they can clear their heads and move forward.

Danny Welbeck's goal was his first for Arsenal in the league since December 2014
Momentum: Regained with these recent wins and must now be maintained through a
couple of tough away fixtures on the horizon at Manchester United - always difficult
despite their struggles - and that fixture of huge significance at Spurs.
Wenger felt they passed a mental test against Leicester and there was a sense that
the wind was back in their sails.

X Factor? Same as ever - will the pressure of not winning a title since the season of
'The Invincibles' in 2003-04 engulf them, as it has seemed to do so often before?
If they can conquer that, and come through those hazardous away fixtures
unscathed, then supporters who have so often been disappointed by their team's title
challenges in recent years can really believe.
The calming influence of keeper Petr Cech, a four-time title winner at Chelsea,
cannot be underestimated. They must not lose him.
Next five fixtures:

Man United - 28 Feb (a)

Swansea - 2 Mar (h)
Tottenham - 5 Mar (a)
West Brom - 12 Mar (h)
Everton - 19 Mar (a)

Statistically speaking: Arsenal have kept five clean sheets in their last eight Premier
League games.
The run-in: Points collected against the teams to play again this season: 29 points
Verdict: Will never have a better chance to reclaim the title that has eluded them for
12 years. If they blow it the recriminations will be loud and long.

Manchester City
Form: Bad. It's been a desperate eight days for Manuel Pellegrini's side. Two home
defeats by title rivals Leicester and Spurs have left them off the pace and struggling
to regain the title they have won twice in recent years.
It is made all the more frustrating by the fact this is a team full of talent who too often
look off the pace - and are clearly capable of better. They do, however, have the
capability to string together a winning sequence and this may yet be their saving
grace.
One telling factor should be a cause for concern. In five games against the other
teams around them in the top four, they have only gained one point from an away
draw at Leicester.

City have now lost two consecutive home league matches for the first time since December
2008

Momentum: Currently being lost - but this team are so enigmatic it can be regained
just as quickly. They would have expected six points from these two important home
games. To come away empty-handed is simply not good enough.
City still have to visit Chelsea and Liverpool and have a home derby with Manchester
United on 20 March - and there could yet be a defining meeting with Arsenal at the
Etihad on Saturday, 7 May.
First, however, they will have to make sure they are still in the race.
X Factor? Has the confirmation of Pep Guardiola's arrival next season had an impact
on Manchester City's players? The feeling here is that it has not but he will certainly
cast a shadow if they continue to lose games. They have lost both since that
appointment was rubber-stamped.
City also have a heavy programme to deal with, with an FA Cup fifth round tie at
Chelsea next Sunday followed by a Champions League last 16 game against
Dynamo Kiev in Ukraine - with the matter of a Capital One Cup final against
Liverpool at Wembley to consider at the end of February.
Next five fixtures:

Liverpool - 2 Mar (a)

Aston Villa - 5 Mar (h)
Norwich - 12 Mar (a)
Man United - 20 Mar (h)
Bournemouth - 2 Apr (a)

Statistically speaking: Manchester City have won just one of their 10 Premier League
games against sides currently in the top eight this season, losing six and drawing
three.
The run-in: Points collected against the teams to play again this season: 23 points
Verdict: City have now pushed themselves into the position of title outsiders with
these two losses and for a team with so many outstanding players they too often
look uninspired and short of drive and energy.
Still capable of winning the title - but chances are receding on current evidence.