EPL race enters the home stretch

With their 2-1 win last weekend at Old Trafford, Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester United all but ended Arsenal's title hopes. Matthew Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images The Limey's Mailbag Keep the banter flowing to The Limey. Name: Email: Hometown: Question: SEND

After eight months and 32 games, the destination of this season's English Premier League title has been decided in the space of five days.

Old Trafford saw arguably the best game of the year last Sunday, a match that encapsulated and echoed Arsenal's season as a whole: dominating possession while playing beautiful, intricate soccer, but lacking the ability to hold onto a lead and finish games off.

Manchester United's 2-1 victory against Arsenal and Emile Heskey's injury-time equalizer for Wigan at Stamford Bridge the next day has virtually ensured -- barring a United meltdown in its final four matches -- the EPL trophy stays in the Old Trafford cabinet for yet another year.

Two months ago, Arsenal was five points clear of United at the top of the EPL table. In the 12 games since, the Gunners have won only twice: at AC Milan and Bolton Wanderers. In the last week, their meltdown culminated with a Champions League exit to Liverpool and Sunday's loss to United.

We touched on our view of the main reasons for the Gunners' collapse in our last column. At the beginning of the season, Arsenal's sweeping, quick passing style brushed aside all comers. But since Christmas, cracks have appeared, mainly in the form of injuries to key players that has shown the glaring lack of strength in depth in the squad compared to its title rivals, confirming that the likes of Philippe Senderos can't cut it at this level.

Despite Arsenal's third season in a row without silverware, Arsène Wenger has vowed not to change the way his team plays, and is convinced bad luck and bad refereeing decisions were behind its collapse: "I'm very proud of my team and we have to continue producing the kind of football we produce and not always be unlucky," he said.

Arsenal is likely to strengthen its squad for next season's assault on the title with the likes of Valencia striker David Villa, Lyon youngster Hatem Ben Arfa and Bayern Munich's Brazilian international Lúcio all rumored to be on Wenger's shopping list.

Meanwhile at Stamford Bridge, one of Team Limey's favorite subjects of comedy and abuse, Heskey, was an unlikely man to decide the fate of the EPL. He managed to move his lumbering frame enough to knock in Jason Koumas' cross to earn his Wigan side a vital point in the dying seconds.

Chelsea's title hopes realistically ended as the ball hit the net and boos rang out, firmly directed at manager Avram Grant. The Israeli's decision to rest Joe Cole, Dider Drogba and Ricardo Carvalho for the Everton clash backfired in spectacular fashion. However, it appears that Roman Abramovich has faith in Grant, and is ready to supply the funds to enable him to bring the players in to dominate domestically and in Europe.

At Liverpool, everything is looking rosy on the pitch. Last week's stunning Champions League victory over Arsenal -- and the electric partnership Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard are forming -- has got Reds fans salivating. However, the goings-on off the pitch have got the fans spitting blood.

In-fighting between the club's American owners -- Tom Hicks and George Gillett -- and the revelation that chief executive Rick Parry, Rafael Benítez's previously trusted confidant, was at the meeting with Jürgen Klinsmann to discuss him taking over as Liverpool boss, has raised the very real possibility that Benítez could walk. Real Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia all could be in the market for new managers at the end of the season, which means the Spaniard could have several outlets for his resume.

Alongside the EPL, Manchester United is also the favorite to win the Champions League, with only the small matter of a semifinal against Spanish giant Barcelona between it and an all-EPL final against Chelsea or Liverpool. What's intriguing is what team Sir Alex Ferguson will play against Barcelona.

In such a big game, against such strong opposition, United must play its strongest 11. Will there be a place for old hands Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs? The former is, however, guaranteed by Ferguson to play some role in the final, should United make it. Scholes missed the 1999 Champions League final through suspension.