Watford midfielder Tom Cleverley gave his two cents on how he feels the race for the top four of the Premier League will turn out. The former Manchester United man says both his former club, and the second team in town, Manchester City, will both make the cut.
Given that Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are both locks to get in, it leaves Arsenal, and more relevant to his situation, Liverpool, are on the outside looking in. The Gunners are in such a deep hole now that almost no one will be projecting them making a top four finish.
Likewise with Chelsea and Tottenham on the other side. They are so firmly safe that hardly anybody could see them missing out.
Tom Cleverley makes the remarks heading into Watford’s Monday night home clash against the Reds (and before the two Manchester clubs drew against lower table competition on Sunday). He says his Hornets will play spoilers and be a major factor in the top four run-in.
“We will have a big say in what happens at the top of the league,” Cleverley told ESPN FC. “We still have to play City, Chelsea, Liverpool and Everton in the last five games.
“It’s a big challenge for us, but we really want to finish the season strongly and end up in the top 10. When you get three points that people don’t expect against the top clubs, it gives you a real buzz. You really get the confidence that you can mix it with the best and we will be hoping to do it again on Monday night.”
“I think it’ll be Chelsea and Spurs as the top two and then the two Manchester clubs making up the top four. I might regret saying that with Liverpool coming on Monday night, but hopefully we can do United a favor.”
It’s funny that Tom Cleverley says that- “do United a favor,” as he was a frequent target of scorn from the most vocal and zealous components of the United fanbase. Quite often, he was brutally criticized by much of the supporter base. He had to shut down his Twitter account due to abuse and endure petitions calling for his removal from both the England national team and MUFC.
Cleverley’s Hornets beat United at home earlier this season, and lost 6-1 at Anfield. However, they did beat Liverpool 3-0 in the most recent meeting of the clubs at Vicarage Road.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes to WGN CLTV and KOZN.
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