Chelsea will win the Premier League by 13 points ahead of Arsenal in second, research suggests
The Independent has teamed up with the makers of Football Manager to simulate how the final few games will unfold and the table will finish
Chelsea will win the Premier League title by a staggering 13 points this season with Arsenal finishing ahead of Manchester City in second, according to a simulation run by Sports Interactive, makers of the Football Manager series of video games.
Jose Mourinho's team currently lead the way by six points but rather than faltering over the final few fences, the former 'little horse' will romp home to win by the biggest margin since Manchester United won the title by 18 points during the 1999/2000 season.
When Mourinho won his first Premier League crown at Chelsea during the 2004/05 campaign, the Blues won ahead of Arsenal by 12 points, making this his most impressive season during his time at Stamford Bridge.
The simulation also settles the top four conundrum in which Manchester City, Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool, Southampton and Tottenham have been competing.
Football Manager predicts that Arsenal will beat reigning champions Manchester City to second place by one point. Manuel Pellegrini's side will finish third whilst the final Champions League qualification place will go to Manchester United.
Louis van Gaal's team have put themselves in a commanding position with their recent win over Liverpool at Anfield, which sees them current sitting five points ahead of their fierce rivals. According to the simulation, by the end of the season they will have extended their lead over Liverpool to six points.
Manchester United's best XI of the season so far
Show all 11The top sides still have a few meetings to come in the remaining matches of the season, the results of which are predicted to be...
- Arsenal 2-2 Liverpool
- Manchester United 2-1 Manchester City
- Chelsea 1-0 Manchester United
- Arsenal 1-2 Chelsea
- Chelsea 2-2 Liverpool
The Europa League spots will go to Liverpool in fifth, Southampton in sixth and Tottenham in seventh.
At the other end of the table, the three sides currently occupying the bottom three - Burnley, QPR and Leicester - will remain exactly where they are. It means sides currently fearing relegation including Hull, Aston Villa and Sunderland will avoid the drop.
Football Manager uses a vast database - compiled by approximately 1,000 researchers across the world (including real-life scouts) - to blend reality and fiction. So impressive is the information that it has become a tool used by real life managers. The painstakingly detailing simulation of club management, which allows players to control every aspect of a manager's role, from scouting new player to tactics and training, has sold millions of copies worldwide.
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