Fitter and faster Leicester City can go on to win Premier League title

With 13 games left to be played, Richard Jolly takes a look at the top-four contenders for the closely-contested Premier League title. Leicester City: 1st on 53 points Grounds for optimism They have confidence and form, with three successive wins. Their defence, conceding only two goals in the last seven league games, has been the most frugal of late. After beating Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City away, they are defeating their rivals and taking points away from them. They have, in Jamie Vardy, the most prolific player in the division. Riyad Mahrez is arguably the player of the season. Leicester have more continuity than anyone else, fewer fixtures and seem fitter and faster. Grounds for pessimismKey games Besides Arsenal on Sunday, their final two away matches, at Manchester United and Chelsea. They are potentially difficult, but perhaps neither will have anything to play for. Key manTottenham Hotspur: 2nd, 48 points Grounds for optimism They have reeled off four straight wins, scoring 11 goals. They have lost only two of 24 and are unbeaten away from home since August. They have statistically the best defence in the division and the best goal difference which, if it proves tight, might be crucial. They feel like a team that is still improving and recent influential contributions from substitutes show the merits of their squad, particularly in midfield. Plus, with the focus on Leicester, they are under less pressureGrounds for pessimism Like Leicester, they lack experience in such situations. With Jan Vertonghen out for another six weeks, they are missing a cornerstone of that defence. They do not have a genuine back-up for Harry Kane. And there is the perennial problem for Tottenham: the Europa League. Will their results suffer on Sundays when they have been playing on Thursday nights? Key games The big five. Spurs still have to play Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea. They won only one of their first five matches against the established order this season. Key man Kane. Seems indestructible but is irreplaceable. Scorer of 17 goals in 21 games and the only out-and-out striker in their squad. Will Spurs regret not signing another last month? Arsenal: 3rd, 48 points Grounds for optimism They have gone on extending winning runs under pressure before, usually to clinch fourth place. Now the task is to do the same to secure their first title since 2004. Their injured players are finally returning, with Alexis Sanchez and Francis Coquelin back and Santi Cazorla and Danny Welbeck to follow. Mesut Ozil has been the most creative player in the league and Petr Cech statistically the best goalkeeper. Grounds for pessimismKey games The away fixtures. Manchester United, Tottenham, Everton, West Ham United, Sunderland and Manchester City. They may need to win at least four of those matches and Arsenal have only beaten one of the current top eight – Leicester – away from home so far. Key man Sanchez. On his day, perhaps the best player in the league. Arsenal started to suffer when he was out for eight weeks. The Chilean’s return should make Arsenal more potent. Manchester City: 4th, 47 points Grounds for optimism They have won the league twice in the last four seasons, each with a late rally in the title race. They have the most expensive squad of the contenders, with the most ability, and the outstanding striker, in Sergio Aguero. City have more high-class players than anyone else and, with Pep Guardiola arriving, everyone has the incentive to impress. And Vincent Kompany should be back soon. Grounds for pessimism Their defending is the most haphazard, with neither structure nor enough individual excellence. Yaya Toure, seems to be declining in midfield. City’s record against the rest of the top six – four points from 21 – is poor and Manuel Pellegrini has been found wanting tactically in such encounters. And they have both a lengthy injury list, including the pivotal Kevin de Bruyne, and the most crowded fixture list. They already get outrun at times and fatigue could be the defining factor. Key games The next three. At home to Tottenham, away at Newcastle and Liverpool, while they are in four competitions and they have a sizeable sidelined contingent. They could be cast adrift by early March. Key man Kompany. He has started eight league games and City have conceded only once in them. The various struggles of Nicolas Otamendi, Eliaquim Mangala and Martin Demichelis render him more important.