With only six games remaining Leicester extended their lead at the top of the table to seven points after a narrow win at home over Southampton.
As closest positioned rivals Tottenham Hotspur dropped two points, only managing a draw against Liverpool the day before, the door was open for the surprise title favourites to widen the gap.
A header from captain Wes Morgan was the difference between the two sides on the day, with the centre-half’s first goal of the season putting the Foxes’ Premier League title dreams very much in their own hands.
Sadio Mané was denied a goal in the first-half after his chip over Kasper Schmeichel looked to have been handled by Danny Simpson and José Fonte saw his stinging 30-yard drive well saved. Aside from this though, the visitors did not have too many chances and Ronald Koeman’s decision to change to a 3-5-2 formation seemed to more favour the home side, rather than giving the Saints the desired attacking edge.
The home side, on the other hand, had a flurry of chances and were only kept from extending their advantage through some excellent goalkeeping from shot-stopper Fraser Forster.
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Can Leicester be caught?
What still seemed a long shot months ago is almost a certainty now – Leicester City can win the club’s first ever Premier League title. After facing a relegation battle the season prior, the Foxes are in prime position to finish 2015-16 top of the table.
Now with six games left in the campaign, Claudio Ranieri’s men can confirm the title with four more wins. On recent form and with three of those matches against teams currently positioned in the bottom-half, the onus definitively belongs the team from King Power Stadium.
The fairy-tale story of Leicester City Football Club in 2015-16 is far from complete, but with each match the team edges ever closer. With no major injuries in Ranieri’s side, the manager has a selection of his full team. This rhythm and regularity in the squad is highlighted by stats revealing that the Italian has made the least number of changes to the starting lineup in the league (25).
Perhaps Jon Champion put it best at the game’s conclusion when he said “If Saints can’t stop them then what chance do mere mortals?”
What a difference a year makes…https://t.co/7cDjGtmfa8
— Premier League (@premierleague) April 3, 2016
Do Southampton have enough to carry themselves to a top five finish?
Now equal on points but holding seventh spot on the table due to goal difference over Stoke City, this result sees the Saints lose a little traction in pushing for European football. Sitting only four and six points behind West Ham United and Manchester United respectively, who both have a game in hand, the Saints are hardly out of the running but will be desperate to finish strongly.
Ronald Koeman will surely be demanding maximum points from matches against Newcastle, Everton, Aston Villa and Crystal Palace, who are all currently sitting in the bottom-half. Games against Tottenham and Manchester City seem far tougher tasks, though a win from one of the two or a pair of draws seem realistic expectation.
Would 14-15 points be enough to secure at least a Europa League spot though? Last year Spurs finished fifth with 64 points, Liverpool sixth with 62 and the Saints were seventh with 60. The one or two extra points on last season may be enough to see the South Coast club qualify on position but other results going their way seems also a major factor.
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