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As we turn into the last hurdle, the EPL title race still looks very much like a heated 3-horse race and nobody can really tell who the eventual winner maybe with any degree of certainty.
 
Man Utd may lead the pack now, but a quick look at their remaining fixtures would reveal they are actually 3rd on the candidates list, after both Chelsea and Arsenal.
 
United will have to face Liverpool, Chelsea, Spurs and Man City. That’s 4 games out of their remaining 8 that they could potentially drop points in. 3 are at home, granted, so the most difficult one could be the short trip to Eastlands, but also the top clash vs Chelsea they will need to win as a draw only serves Arsenal. Let’s also not forget Spurs, Liverpool and Man City are all playing for the Champions League 4th spot.
 
Of course we have disregarded Stoke at Old Trafford, as well as Bolton, Blackburn and Sunderland away as potential banana skins, but if either proves to be one then Man Utd can probably forget about the EPL title already.
 
If the Red Devils are relying on Rooney as their most dangerous striker, they have to pay much attention to Didier Drogba, Jermaine Defoe, Carlos Tevez and Fernado Torres, so their defense line will probably be as important as Rooney upfront.
 
Chelsea maybe 2nd on the table, but they do have  game in hand that should potentially put them a point ahead of Man Utd and 3 points better than Arsenal.
 
Let’s 1st agree that Bolton, Stoke and Wigan all at the Bridge, as well as Blackburn and Portsmouth away are potential 15 points won by Ancelotti’s men already. That leaves us with yet another European contender; Aston Villa at home, with 3 tricky away games to Man Utd, Tottenham and Liverpool.
 
Chelsea will be relying on Drogba, Anelka, Lampard and –lately- Malouda for potential match-winners. However, their defense line is under performing, and they have a problem with their keepers, which doesn’t look good for their title challenge, especially coming against Defoe, Torres, Heskey, Agbonlahor, and most of all Wayne Rooney.
 
Now Arsenal maybe 3rd on the table now, but they have a huge edge in the fact they will face none of the other big four in their remaining games. They are likely to win all 4 home games vs West Ham, Wolves, and even Man City and Fulham, while Wigan and Blackburn on the road are also likely to end in their favour.
 
That leaves them with only 2 potential slippery trips (as opposed to 4 for each of Man Utd and Chelsea) and these are the trips to Birmingham this weekend and then to the White Hart Lane in 3 weeks time.
 
Now if the Gunners were to emerge winners at St Andrews, chances are they will need a draw at best from the Lane to be crowned champions, assuming they win their other fixtures. If they draw at St Andrews, however, they may need to win at the Lane, depending on how good their competitors do in their respective difficult games.
 
Arsenals best assets are: Ball possession and energetic youth. Of course their vulnerability stems from being occasionally unable to drive the ball into the net, as well as lack of experience, and let’s not forget the catastrophic slip ups of their keeper. Fortunately they only get to play Defoe away from home, while Tevez at the Emirates is much less of a threat than he is at Eastlands.