Wright drops top-four prediction

Ian Wright insists that Arsenal will finish in the top four ahead of the likes of West Ham, Spurs, and Manchester United.

The top four race is tight, with a number of clubs currently fighting it out for Champions League qualification.

As it stands, United are fourth with 43 points, while the Irons are fifth with 41 points. The two sides have played the same number of games.

In sixth, Arsenal sit four points behind United but they have three games in hand on the Red Devils, while Wolves are seventh with 37 points; they have two games in hand on United. Spurs, in seventh, have 36 points and also have three games in hand on United.

One of the games in hand that Arsenal have is against Spurs, which could go a long way to deciding which north London side are likely to make a real push for the top four.

And Wright insists that the Gunners will beat out the Hammers and the rest to qualify for the Champions League.

Speaking to the Ringer FC podcast, via Metro, he said: “When you look at Arsenal, they’ve got Spurs, Chelsea, West Ham, Man United soon, so it’s going to be tough.

“I said at the start of the season, if we could get sixth, I would be so happy and I think Mikel Arteta would be where he should be, in and around sixth-place, and then you start to progress from there.

“When you look at how everyone is doing at the moment, everyone is playing each other. If Arsenal can win games like the Wolves one, I’ll be happy with that.

“I fear for West Ham because they’ve got the seriousness of the Europa League coming now and it gets more intense now, they play more frequently and the games are tougher. That’s why you worry for them.

“I don’t think West Ham will be able to sustain it, with the Europa League as well.

“Spurs, I don’t know what’s happening with them and they go to Man City, United, Liverpool and Arsenal soon. Those are tough games for a Spurs who look the way they do right now.

“United have big games too so I can’t call it, I can’t. But when you look at how poorly some teams are performing, it’s interesting.

“I think we [Arsenal] are going to do it. They need four points from their games in hand (against Burnley and Spurs). Can Arsenal recognise that this is it now? This is the season.

“Whatever you say about United, they have the firepower and players and they will start to take their chances and click. That’s what worries me about United.

“But there’s something happening at the club with the in-fighting. If that’s happening, how do you continue to put in the performances to get the top-four? Southampton could have beat them [on Saturday].”