As top-flight football takes a breather, Sportsmail's experts assess the race so far and predict who'll win gold and who'll fall flat on the last leg...
Is it still a three-horse title race?
CHRIS SUTTON: I’d say it’s looking more like a two-horse race now. If Manchester City lost the title from here, I wouldn’t label it a collapse of Devon Loch proportions. That’s because the horse coming up from behind is Red Rum.
City and Liverpool are both capable of embarking on extraordinary runs and they won’t relent until the very end. Chelsea were my tip at the start of the season because of Romelu Lukaku, but it just isn’t happening for him and Thomas Tuchel. The likelihood is Pep Guardiola will secure his fourth title but it’s far from over.
Chris Sutton expects Pep Guardiola to lead Manchester City to another Premier League title
MARTIN KEOWN: I tipped City and haven’t seen anything that makes me change my mind. They’ve only dropped 12 points and have already faced all of the ‘Big Six’ away from home. But Guardiola and his players will know it isn’t over until the fat lady sings. With their game in hand, Liverpool can move to within six points of City, who they play at the Etihad in April. There may be a few twists and turns yet.
Who’s going to finish fourth?
KEOWN: With their squad, Manchester United should be finishing fourth. Tottenham have games in hand which, if won, would propel them into the top four. They go to United in March, too, so can take control of this race.
But United won 3-1 at Brentford — where big clubs like Arsenal and Liverpool have failed to win — and followed that up with a 1-0 win over West Ham. I expect the confidence from those wins to start flowing through them.
SUTTON: I’m going for United, too, but that isn’t to say I’m totally convinced by them. I don’t think Ralf Rangnick, the players and the supporters are even convinced.
They’ve resembled a team of under-performers for too long, with players like Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho doing nowhere near enough. But they’ve got themselves into a good position.
If you had to sign for United, West Ham, Arsenal or Spurs now, where would you go?
SUTTON: Tottenham, because they’ve got the best manager. That would draw me towards their project. Antonio Conte is a coach with a winning history. If backed by the board, he can take that club to the next level.
Sutton would opt to join Tottenham rather than their top four rivals if he was still playing
I admire David Moyes, too, and there isn’t as much pressure on West Ham, which makes that a nice environment to be in. But it’s Conte who would get my signature. I’d have to be willing to work hard, though, because Conte isn’t one for passengers — as Dele Alli and Co seem to be finding out.
KEOWN: Take a wild guess! These are four clubs in transition. United haven’t won the league since 2013 and are still trying to get back to that level.
Tottenham last won a trophy in 2008 and West Ham in 1980. Arsenal have at least enjoyed some success of late in the FA Cup. I turned United down in 1989 and I’m doing it again now. It’s Arsenal for me.
What does Conte need to fix at Tottenham?
KEOWN: Conte has a decent track record in the transfer market. He signed N’Golo Kante, Antonio Rudiger, Marcos Alonso and Oliver Giroud, among others, for Chelsea. Not to mention he signed Romelu Lukaku for Inter Milan.
Tottenham need to give Conte the spending power that will enable him to take them into the top four and stay there.
SUTTON: Harry Kane is world class, Son Heung-min is great and Steven Bergwijn is talented. But throughout the rest of the outfield, Spurs need upgrades. Conte needs better defenders and some creativity in midfield.
Harry Winks is decent but Tottenham can do better. Do not be surprised to see Conte leave if he isn’t backed.
Does Mikel Arteta need to make up with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang?
KEOWN: Arsenal haven’t scored in their last four games. They’ve got tremendous young talents but don’t have an experienced goalscorer. Yet, technically, they do in Aubameyang. It was a bold decision by Arteta to take the captaincy away from him. I hope when he did, he reassured Aubameyang he had a future at the club because Arsenal could definitely do with
