The season has been full of disappointments for many London-based teams, with Liverpool easily clinching the title and Manchester City being as clear runners-up. Chelsea is still clinging on the third place in the Premier League, by far the best position of any London team. Tottenham has struggled all season and are fighting for the Europa League qualification on the seventh spot at the moment, Arsenal’s torrid run has got them 10th – a position usually targeted by another London outfits like West Ham, who are now 16th and in the relegation battle but in good shape to stay up, or currently 14th placed Crystal Palace, doomed to mid-table mediocrity once again.
The FA Cup shed some like to the otherwise gloomy season in London, with two London clubs ousting their Manchester rivals in the semi-final. First Arsenal took the scalp of Manchester City at the empty Wembley with two Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s goals, despite being heavily out of possession throughout the game. City succumbed to their bad habits of wasting the ball possession of 71% and only managing a single shot on goal all game. Arsenal progressed to the final with 2-0 win, leaving Pep Guardiola scratching his head ahead of the return to Champions League.
Manchester United had returned from the Covid-break as the hottest club in English football, rising to challenge Leicester and Chelsea for their Champions League qualifying positions on 3rd and 4th. Their unbeaten run came to an abrupt end in the FA Cup semi-final against one of the main rivals Chelsea, who took United by surprise playing dynamic and efficient football, leaving Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men wonder what had hit them. Oliver Giroud took Chelasea ahead in the garbage time of the first half, and Mason Mount added the insurance right out of the gate on the second half. Harry Maguire’s own goal on the 74th minute was the icing on the cake and Chelsea took the spoils finally 1-3, with Bruno Fernandes bagging a consolidation penalty on the 85th minute.
The London clubs Arsenal and Chelsea will take on each other in the FA Cup final on the 1st of August.
