EPL News: Week 35 Standings, Results, Week 36 Fixtures
Amazing Leicester City leading Premier League title race, Spurs hopes dimming
Leicester City can win the 2015-16 Premier League title in Week 36 if they defeat the Red Devils this weekend after Tottenham Hotspur played to a 1-1 draw at home with West Bromwich Albion. Leicester City can win the Premier League on Sunday if they defeat Manchester United at Old Trafford. However the Foxes will have to do without leading goal scorer Jamie Vardy. Striker Vardy will miss the game after the FA gave him an additional one-match ban for improper conduct following his dismissal against West Ham.
The Foxes could win their first league silverware in Week 36 after enjoying being on top of the Premier League Table since late January, losing only three matches in a stunning campaign-long battle to win the league title despite their doubters. Leicester can still win the title at home to Everton or away at Chelsea if they fail to beat Manchester United. Foxes boss Claudio Ranieri took charge at the start of the 2015-16 season when former Leicester boss Nigel Pearson was sacked last summer. Ranieri's legendary Leicester are now traveling in the final stages on the road to Premier League glory as favorites to win, despite starting as 5000-1 minnows, after a miracle finish and escape from relegation last season.
The East Midlands side are now almost certain to claim the first Premier League title in their history after defeating titan super clubs Manchester United, Arsenal, Manchester City and defending champions FC Chelsea with class and quality in an unbelievable achievement. Recently named top football player in the Premier League this season, Riyhad Mahrez gives credit for Leicester’s success to the focus among the squad. "It is not done yet," said Mahrez. "We have to keep going and focus on every game because it is difficult. We don't need to be nervous - this is just a bonus for us,” continued Mahrez.
“Nobody expected us to be where we are - so this is a bonus. If we do it, we do it. If not, that's life," added the twenty-five year old Algerian. "Like I said, we are not a big club. We don't have to win the Premier League." Even if the Foxes fail to beat United, Claudio Ranieri’s men only need three points from three games to finish top. Second-placed Tottenham did not take advantage of their chances in Monday's game with West Brom. The only scoring happened when the Baggies’ Craig Dawson netted for both sides resulting in a final score of 1 – 1. Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino's side possibly can still win the Premier League crown, however their dream to win their first top-flight trophy in 55 years appears to be all but over after losing needed points in Week 35.
The Spurs 1-1 draw with West Bromwich Albion left Claudio Ranieri's side 7 points clear at the top of the table. Harry Kane is the Premier League's top scorer with 24 goals. Superstar striker Harry Kane said the Spurs chances of winning the Premier League are out of their control, but the team will not give up in the final three games of the 2015 – 2016 season. "It's disappointing,” said Kane. "All we can do is move forwards and see what happens this weekend. I don't think it's over. There are still three games left. If Leicester loses the next game, you just never know, with the pressure,” added Kane. "Obviously, it is now going to be a lot, lot harder, and it's not in our hands. It's in Leicester's hands. If they win, they win. We've just got to go out and win our remaining three games."
"Hopefully Manchester United can do us a favor,” added Harry Kane. “It has not gone. We need to keep fighting. All we can do is keep fighting."Spurs are seven points adrift with only three games left, but manager Mauricio Pochettino said: "We still need to believe. We are not going to give up." Dele Alli, 20, who was crowned the PFA Young Player of the Year on Sunday, landed a “sneaky punch” into the stomach of Claudio Yacob during the Spurs match against West Brom on Monday. The England international let himself and his club down since the English FA can retrospectively ban Alli for violent conduct for the final three Spurs games of the season.
With only 3 games left, Spurs must pick up at least 7 points and hope Leicester lose all 3 of their remaining games. Pochettino’s Spurs reportedly have the best defense in the PL with just 25 goals conceded, and are the youngest team in the EPL. “You need to kill these games if you want to win the title,” Pochettino said to his young squad after they drew even with West Brom. “It’s very disappointing and it’s hard but in football you have to capitalize on the experience. We need to use this experience in the future. This was a game that we must have won.”
“We played very well in the first half and we spent a lot of energy when it was only 1-0. In the second half we lost a little bit of the control and allowed them to believe and create chances. When you do not kill the game, you always allow them to believe.” The Football Association is expected to look into Dele Alli’s incident. The midfielder appeared to punch Claudio Yacob in the belly. Referee Mike Jones took no action at the time during the game, opening the way to retrospective punishment. Alli claimed that Yacob hit him twice before he reacted.
“You know sometimes that the opponent tries to find Dele and to provoke him, as they know that he has a strong character and he could react,” said Spurs boss Pochettino. “But I did not see it. I don’t know what happened.” Argentinian Yacob made light of the incident after the game saying, “I don’t remember it. It was nothing. It stays on the pitch.” West Brom manager Tony Pulis said after the match that he wants the Foxes to win the title. "Leicester is such a wonderful story and I don't think it can happen anywhere else but in this country," he said. "I just think it's a wonderful, wonderful story, but they still have a lot of work to do." Leicester, owned by Thai billionaire Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, already qualified for a spot in the Champions League for the first time.
Tottenham Hotspur Squad
Lloris, Walker, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Rose, Dier, Dembele, Lamela, Alli, Eriksen, Kane.
Subs: Son, Mason, Vorm, Trippier, Chadli, Carroll, Davies
West Brom Squad
Myhill, Dawson, McAuley, Olsson, Evans, Yacob, Fletcher, Sessegnon, Gardner, McClean, Rondon.
Subs: Chester, Anichebe, Lambert, Sandro, Roberts, Leko, Palmer
England Premier League 2016 Match-week 35 Results
Tottenham Hotspur 1 - 1 West Brom
Manchester City 4 – 0 Stoke
Leicester City 4 – 0 Swansea City
Sunderland 0 – 0 Arsenal
Aston Villa 2 – 4 Southampton
Bournemouth 1 – 4 Chelsea
Liverpool 2 – 2 Newcastle
England Premier League Match-week 35 Title Race
After EPL Week 35, Leicester City remain in first place with 76 points at the top of the 2015 - 2016 EPL Table. The Spurs are second, still in pursuit with 68 points. Arsenal and Manchester City have 64 points; Manchester United 59 points, West Ham 56 points, and Liverpool has 55 points.
England Premier League 2016 Match-week 36 Fixtures
Watch the 2016 England Premier League title race live! Great legal, cheap Premier League tickets are for sale now securely on the 1st4FootballTickets.com marketplace, including tickets for:Saturday April 30
Everton v Bournemouth
Newcastle United v Crystal Palace
Stoke City v Sunderland
Watford v Aston Villa
West Brom v West Ham United
Arsenal v Norwich City
Sunday May 1, 2016
Swansea City v Liverpool
Manchester United v Leicester City
Southampton v Manchester City
Monday May 2, 2016
Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur
