Race for the BPL Title

With just 6 games left of the 2015-16 Premier League season, Leicester sit top of the table with a 7 point advantage over nearest rivals Tottenham. Just four more wins from their last games secures Premier League glory in what has been an astonishing team performance galvanised by the managerial expertise of Claudio Ranieri at the helm. Where does this leave the 'top four regulars'?

After a horrific start to the season, Roman Abramovich quickly waved the axe at Jose Mourinho to be replaced by Guus Hiddink. Since then Chelsea have rose up the league table and are now hunting for a spot in Europe. Despite the supporters not wanting to admit it, neither Manchester United and Liverpool are ready for a title charge and contain too much 'dead weight', evidenced further by either side not being able to topple Leicester and Spurs. The other side of Manchester have faltered too much and Pellegrini has rightfully paid the price by not getting his contract renewed at the end of the year. Admittedly, injuries have not helped, but with the quality in depth in the City set up, they really should be blowing the rest of the competition away.

That just leaves Arsenal. Currently sitting in 3rd place, a point off their North London rivals, this was Arsenal's year, to borrow the phrase, and yet again they have blown it. Arsene Wenger will be held to account even more than in previous years, where they had the ever-young excuse of 'we can't compete against Chelsea/United/City (delete as appropriate) who spend all around them.' At 8 points adrift, I don't see Arsenal catching Leicester particularly with tricky away matches to West Ham and Manchester City. Admittedly, it the rest of their fixtures are against considerably weaker opposition, most of which are currently battling relegation. Dropped points at the weekend will make it very difficult to catch up and even if they throw together a run of form, it could be a case of too little, too late for the Gunners.

Leicester City have been a breath of fresh air for the Premier League this season and have quickly endeared themselves into the hearts of everyone. Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez have ripped defences to shreds and are rightly at the top of the pile and much of this can be attributed to the managerial expertise of Claudio Ranieri, who possibly would not have been at the club had his Greece side not succumbed to back to back defeats to Northern Ireland and the Faroe Islands. Nobody could have predicted the mesmeric rise of Leicester City and I can even be quoted as to say that they will finish outside the top 6! A win at the Stadium of Light on Sunday secures the side Champions League football next season, and nice amount of money for the owners to hopefully put back into the club.

The real challenges start when the league concludes for the East Midlands club. Regardless whether they win the title or not, they will come under pressure to sell their key men such as Kasper Schmeichel, Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez, N'Golo Kante among others. Ideally, I'm sure they would want to keep hold of most of their side and improve it with additions from the transfer window, but I don't think they would pass up on the opportunity to charge one of their rivals a fortune. After all, they got most of their players for pennies compared to the rumoured values of them currently. From a business aspect, it will be a win win situation.

On any other season, Spurs would be the side that everyone wants to win but they have been pipped to the post by Leicester. Spurs are beginning to reap the rewards of the signings that were acquired with the money gained from the sale of Gareth Bale. Nacer Chadli and Christian Erikson in particular have often gone under the radar in terms of performances. Erik Lamela blows hot and cold but on his day can be scintillating. It is often a frustration of mine that he cannot be more consistent and injury free as he has the talent to beat any defender on his day. Toby Alderweireld has been a revelation at the back having been bought from Atletico Madrid in the summer. Sent on loan to Southampton last year, the Belgian was constantly at the heart of the Saints' early run of form and has picked up from where he has left off.

Undoubtedly however, all the plaudits have been going the way of Dele Alli. The teenager was signed by Pochettino in February 2015 for an initial fee of £5m. Hindsight may be a wonderful thing but there will be many other sides kicking themselves at not purchasing the player. He announced himself to the stage with his first goal in the 1-1 draw against Leicester City, as well as scoring memorable goals against Crystal Palace as well as cracking strike in an international friendly against France. Like Leicester, Spurs have unearthed a lower league gem and one that has rose to be touted as one of the best English prospects. He will also be exciting to watch for English fans in the white jersey when playing at the European Championships this summer.

How will Spurs and Leicester fair in the transfer market and in the Champions League next season?

The club owners will be licking their lips at the prospect of Champions League football. From a financial point of view, they will receive €12m for competing in the group stage of the Champions League while also bagging a healthy €1.5m for each win and €500k for each draw.  On top of this, they have the added market pull of offering Champions League football. The money must be spent wisely, or else they will just descend back into mid-table mediocrity, particularly as the other teams around them will spend big. According to http://www.totalsportek.com/, the champions will collect just under £78.8m while the runners up will receive £77.6m and this is excluding television money. The managerial nous of Ranieri and Pochettino will be seriously tested as they aim to replicate what they have achieved this year.

The season is reaching an exciting climate and it is looking likely that we will have a new name on the Premier League trophy and I certainly look forward to see how the current top 2 sides approach the coming transfer market.