Why Arsenal should be confident of beating Chelsea & Man Utd to top 4 spot

It’s gearing up to be a fascinating summer in the transfer market with all the big Premier League clubs expected to be busy and no doubt it will have a big impact on how the table will shape up next season.

We saw Manchester City and Liverpool run away with it last year and they’re expected to comfortably finish as the top two again next season with Pep Guardiola battling it out with Jurgen Klopp for the title once again.

However, the race for the top four was extremely tight last season with just three points separating third-placed Chelsea from fifth-placed Arsenal. Tottenham were sandwiched in-between their London rivals in fourth with Manchester United five points adrift in sixth.

It was a tense battle to clinch the Champions League qualification places and we should expect Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham and United to fight it out for the remaining two top four places once again this coming campaign.

Champions League finalists Tottenham are currently the favourites to finish third with bookmakers offering odds of 4/6 and Mauricio Pochettino will be confident of securing a top four place if he can land some of his big-money transfer targets this summer.

Surprisingly, it’s Man Utd who are the 10/11 fourth favourites with the bookies to finish in the top four. United just edge out Chelsea – who can be backed at 5/6 – while Arsenal are 11/8 to get themselves back in the Champions League places next season.

Top 4 odds:

• Man City 1/50
• Liverpool 1/10
• Tottenham 4/6
• Man Utd 10/11
• Chelsea 5/6
• Arsenal 11/8

However, the tipsters at SmartBettingGuide think the bookies have got this one wrong and I agree. Spurs will probably have enough to finish in the top four but I actually think Arsenal have a great chance of finishing above Chelsea and United.

Chelsea are in total disarray. They’ve just sacked Maurizio Sarri – a manager who finished third and won the Europa League – and will replace him with an unproven club legend in Frank Lampard – who has no experience managing in the Premier League. The Blues have lost their star player in Eden Hazard and can’t replace him as they’re under a FIFA imposed transfer ban so I think next season could be tough for Chelsea.

United are also in a bit of turmoil right now. They finished sixth last season and I see nothing this summer to suggest they’ll make up serious ground on those above them. Solskjaer’s record was woeful after signing his contract and several players are being linked with moves this summer. Paul Pogba wants out, Romelu Lukaku, Anthony Martial and David De Gea are being linked with moves while Ander Herrera has already gone.

Man Utd are expected to strengthen with Aaron Wan-Bissaka tipped to follow Daniel James to Old Trafford while Harry Maguire is also being strongly linked. However, I still don’t see them being strong enough to challenge next season and Arsenal should have nothing to fear.

The Gunners finished last season poorly as they were focussing on the Europa League final and in truth they threw a top four finish away after failing to beat Crystal Palace, Wolves, Leicester or Brighton during the final games. Unai Emery is going to add to his squad and if he can sort out their defence and keep Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette, I see no reason why Arsenal shouldn’t be right in the mix for the top four.

As it stands, I see Arsenal as being best placed to finish fourth ahead of Chelsea and Man Utd but obviously things can change quickly in football so it will be interesting to see how things develop over the summer.