Three points separate Leicester in third place and Manchester United in fifth place and six points between Leicester and Wolves with five games to play as race for Champions League spots intensifies.
Champions Liverpool are the only club certain of their place in next season’s Champions League as the teams below them jostle for position and Manchester City await a court ruling.
But the outcome of their appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, set to be announced in mid-July, will decide whether a two-season ban from European competitions is upheld.
Should City’s appeal fail, fifth place would be good enough for the riches of Champions League football next season, and results since the Premier League’s restart have tightened the race for a top-five finish.
The odds are favouring Manchester United @4/9. While Chelsea are @8/15 and Leicester @ 11/10.
Leicester have spent most of the campaign in third and were even Liverpool’s closest challengers for two months earlier in the season as they strung together an eight-game winning run between October and December.
However, that good work has come undone during a run of three wins in 12 league games, including just five points from a possible twelve since the restart against Watford, Brighton, Everton and Crystal Palace.
Leicester face a tough end to the campaign, with Arsenal, Tottenham and a final-day clash with Manchester United to come.
Frank Lampard’s men were brought back down to earth with a defeat against Wednesday after fine form following the restart had them eyeing third rather than looking over their shoulders.
Failure to qualify for the Champions League would be a huge blow to the Blues’ ambitious plans for next season after the signings of Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech, who will add an extra dimension to the Chelsea attack.
Upcoming games against Palace, Sheffield United and Norwich give Chelsea the chance to get back on track and they will be hoping to have a top-four finish wrapped up before a trip to Liverpool and a home game against Wolves in the final week of the season.
The Portuguese international has since been joined in the middle of the park by a fit-again Paul Pogba to add an extra dose of creativity as the Red Devils have taken seven points from a possible nine since the Premier League’s return.
At the back, United have kept 11 clean sheets during a 16-match unbeaten run in all competitions and there is cause for optimism up front too, with 18-year-old Mason Greenwood forming a thrilling front three alongside Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial.
United also have the softest run-in to go with their momentum, with Aston Villa, Southampton, Crystal Palace and West Ham to come before they face Leicester.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s men could be the biggest winners after a three-month break in the season.
Wolves had played 48 games in the first eight months of the campaign due to their early start in the Europa League qualifiers but have come back refreshed.
Victories over West Ham, Bournemouth and Villa have been achieved with the minimum of fuss and without conceding a single goal.
Tougher tests lie ahead but there are few sides better prepared for a high volume of games in a short period without making many changes.
If the Manchester City is cleared of their charges then the last day of the league that is 26th will see two interesting games where Leicester would be hosting Manchester United and Chelsea would be playing wolves at home.
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