Premier League: Kane can win Player of the Year

We are now approaching the final furlong of the 2020/21 Premier League campaign: one week on Sunday the domestic season will be over and, just like that, eerie empty stadiums and anxious pandemic football will (fingers crossed) be a thing of the past.

It has been a bonkers year in keeping with the wider context of how Covid-19 has upended our lives. From Liverpool's collapse, instigated by a 7-2 defeat to Aston Villa (arguably the biggest shock in Premier League history), to a wildly unpredictable top-four battle, 2020/21 hasn't made an awful lot of sense.

But it has been good for those who like to tip outsiders, and on that note there are a few Premier League outrights that are still 'live' as we enter the last week of the season. Here are the four best markets, and how we think the campaign will end...

Leicester to lose top four

Although there isn't much value in the 'top four' market itself - all but West Ham are odds-on to make it - Leicester City's last-minute slip is worth some thought. They may yet finish outside the top four, priced at 5/4, given how the cards are falling in these final two rounds of the season.

Forget their 2-1 win at Old Trafford in midweek, a red herring given that Manchester United played a reserve 11. Leicester's 4-2 defeat to Newcastle United, and the 1-1 draw with Southampton before that, is more representative of the club's downturn in form as fatigue sets in.

They face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday and then finish the season at home to Tottenham Hotspur, two difficult games from which Brendan Rodgers most likely needs four points. Any less than that and Liverpool will only need to beat West Brom, Burnley, and Crystal Palace to usurp them in the top four.

With that in mind, it is also worth naming the top four as Manchester City, Man Utd, Chelsea, and Liverpool, which is currently priced at 11/10.

Fernandes a decent Golden Boot outsider

Mohamed Salah and Harry Kane lead the goalscoring charts on 21 apiece, with Bruno Fernandes currently in third on 18. It is very unlikely the Man Utd midfielder can overtake both of these players, not least because United have one fewer game than Liverpool and Spurs, although at 40/1 it is tempting to place a small wager on the Portuguese.

Salah (8/11) is the slight favourite over Kane (1/1) because the latter is only just returning from injury and generally takes a bit of a time to get up to speed. What's more, Liverpool's relatively simple remaining games gives the Egyptian plenty of opportunity to net a couple more; none of West Brom, Burnley, or Crystal Palace have anything to play for, which should allow a motivated and in-form Liverpool team to comfortably win all three.

Then again, Kane's Spurs have two home games left against Wolves and Aston Villa before a trip to Leicester. Ryan Mason's desire to play fast and ultra-attacking football ought to hand Kane the opportunity to bag at least two more goals.

Whether it's Kane or Salah, whichever player wins the Golden Boot will become the third player in Premier League history to win the award three times, after Thierry Henry and Alan Shearer.

Kane deserves PFA gong

Almost out of nowhere, Ruben Dias (6/5) has emerged as the favourite to win the PFA Player of the Year in recognition of his influence on a Manchester City defence that - until December - still hadn't recovered from losing Vincent Kompany.

It would be a slightly strange decision. Dias has missed six of City's 36 league games, while City have conceded 26 goals, which means if they concede two more in their final three matches then 2020/21 will be the club's worst defensive record among Pep Guardiola's three title-winning years. Their success has hardly been built on the defence.

For that reason the second favourite Bruno Fernandes (10/11) is the most likely winner, the Portuguese having had a far bigger influence on his team than Dias. Fernandes ranks third in the Premier League for goals (18) and second for assists (11), and that appears to be enough to set the narrative of an exceptional season... even though half of those goals were penalties.

Kane, who tops the charts for goals and assists, really deserves a look in, but Tottenham's poor season has unfairly undermined his chances. Nevertheless at 6/1 he is worth a bet.

Chelsea can win 2021/22 title

Finally, for those already looking ahead to next season there is good value to be found in backing Chelsea to win the 2021/22 title at 9/2. Thomas Tuchel has created an exceptionally robust, intelligent, and high-quality team in a very short space of time and boasts arguably the best squad in the division.

With a full summer of his tactical coaching under their belt, and with an unlocked London helping the likes of Timo Werner and Kai Havertz settle, there is every chance Chelsea will pip Man City next year.

Their case is strengthened by the fact Pep Guardiola is coaching an ageing side and is unlikely to sign many new players in a financially-restricted summer. We ought not to forget that as recently as November Man City looked like they were at the end of a cycle. Those problems have not necessarily gone away, and as 2021/22 promises a return to high pressing intensity and emotional crowds, City are perhaps over-rated by the bookies.