Title hunt
> Blues look to hold off charging Spurs while Moyes’ Black Cats running out of lives <
EYES WILL be focused on both ends of the Premier League table this weekend as Chelsea and Tottenham continue their title fight and Sunderland could say goodbye.
Chelsea hold a four-point lead over surging Tottenham after both teams won midweek. The duo face tricky tests on Sunday with the Blues visiting Everton and Spurs hosting north London rivals Arsenal.
“We have to focus on ourselves and of course Chelsea have to lose some points but this was our chance to keep going and we took it,” Christian Eriksen said after Tottenham beat Crystal Palace yesterday for their eighth straight league win.
“This result gives us a confidence boost for the last five games.”
As they did in beating Southampton on Tuesday, Chelsea again have the chance to throw down an early marker by playing before Tottenham. The Blues have lost five of their last seven League visits to Everton and a rare victory would put the ball squarely back in Tottenham’s court. “It’s always good to play before Tottenham so we put pressure on them,” midfielder Eden Hazard said. “We can stay at home and watch the game. We will see.” After flirting with relegation the past few seasons, Sunderland’s luck has just about run out. The Black Cats are firmly rooted to the foot of the table after a loss to second-bottom Middlesbrough midweek left them 12 points from safety. They’ll go down if they fail to beat Bournemouth at home tomorrow and 17th-placed Hull get a point at Southampton.
“We know our position, we’re not daft, we know exactly where we are,” manager David Moyes said.
“We have to try and pick up every win. “I’ve never been in this position before so it’s new to me as well. It’s something I’m not enjoying.”
Back up the table, the race for a top-four finish and the Champions League continues. Only six points separate four teams battling for the final two spots behind Chelsea and Tottenham.
As it currently stands, Liverpool are third on 66 points followed by Manchester City (64), Manchester United (63) and Arsenal (60).
Liverpool have played two more games than the other three and the standings could have changed after this morning’s Manchester derby. No matter that result, the chasing trio will have the chance to put on some pressure as they play Sunday while Liverpool aren’t in action until Monday at Watford. Arsenal have by far the toughest task at Tottenham while the Manchester teams face sides in the drop zone with United hosting Swansea and City at Middlesbrough. “What is important is that we go there, try to win the game and focus on our own performance,” Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said. “We do not want to go into any speculation on that. Sport is great but you’re never happy when others do badly and you do badly. You’re happy when you do well.” Stoke host West Ham, Leicester are at West Brom and Crystal Palace take on Burnley in tomorrow’s other games. – dpa