Five PL questions: Will Leicester win this? Spurs over Arsenal? Is Guardiola Europa-bound?

Harry Kane of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates as he scores their first goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and A.F.C. Bournemouth at White Hart Lane on March 20, 2016 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images)

Munich's coach Pep Guardiola reacts during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second leg match between Bayern Munich and Juventus Turin, in Munich, Germany, 16 March 2016. EPA/SVEN HOPPE

Newcastle United's Jonjo Shelvey looks dejected after a missed chance against Sunderland. Reuters / Russell Cheyne

Leicester City's Jamie Vardy. Reuters / Darren Staples

With just seven weeks of the Premier League season remaining, the finish line is in sight. There are still plenty of issues to be decided at both ends of the table, though, with the league title, a place in the Uefa Champions League and two relegation spots up for grabs.

Here are five key questions that will be answered in the next two months:

Can inexperienced Leicester City hold on at the top?

The fairytale shows no sign of ending, with Leicester still on course to pull off what would surely be the most incredible title triumph in the history of the English game.

Five points clear at the summit with seven matches left to play, the only question mark surrounding Claudio Ranieri’s side is whether they have the experience and knowhow to handle the pressure that comes with leading the way at this stage of the season.

They have been extremely professional in grinding out narrow victories in recent weeks – four of their last five encounters have ended in 1-0 wins – but the sheer improbability of their lofty position means a slip-up of some sort cannot be ruled out.

Second-placed Tottenham Hotspur are in good form themselves, taking seven points from the last nine on offer, but a tricky run of fixtures against Liverpool, Manchester United and Stoke City after the international break could see Mauricio Pochettino's outfit come unstuck.

While Leicester’s final three matches – Manchester United away, Everton at home and Chelsea away – also look difficult, they could be virtually uncatchable by then.

Will Tottenham finally finish above rivals Arsenal?

Even if they do not get their hands on the championship crown, Tottenham have exceeded all expectations this term.

A return to the Champions League after a five-season absence is now all but guaranteed, a prospect that would have delighted the club’s supporters before the campaign’s kick-off.

Finishing above north London neighbours Arsenal for the first time in 21 years would be another popular accomplishment among the White Hart Lane faithful.

St Totteringham’s Day – a celebration that takes place whenever it becomes mathematically impossible for Tottenham to finish above Arsene Wenger’s charges – has been gleefully observed by Arsenal fans throughout the Frenchman’s tenure, but the six-point margin currently separating the duo could see the long sequence brought to an end this season.

Although Arsenal have a game in hand and the easier run-in on paper, Tottenham have been much more impressive since the turn of the year.

Pochettino’s men still have a great chance of winning the league, but taking second spot and breaking their rivals’ hoodoo would not be bad consolation prize.

Will Pep Guardiola be managing in the Europa League next season?

After 20 matches, Manchester City were three points behind Arsenal at the top of the table. 10 games later and they are now nervously looking over their shoulder in fourth, 15 points adrift of Leicester and only one ahead of West Ham United and Manchester United.

While it would be easy to link the slump in form to it being confirmed Manuel Pellegrini will be ousted as manager at the end of the season to be replaced by Pep Guardiola, most of their current issues pre-date the breaking of that piece of news.

Only six of their last 16 encounters have yielded three points, for instance, while you have to go back to mid-October to find the last time City were able to win back-to-back games in the top flight.

Qualifying for the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time is a good achievement, but City have their work cut out if they are to reach next year’s staging of the competition given their poor form at present.

The momentum is with rivals United and West Ham more so than Pellegrini’s outfit, with Guardiola likely watching on from Munich with his fingers very tightly crossed.

Which two of Sunderland, Newcastle United, Norwich City and Crystal Palace will go down?

Aston Villa's fate was decided long ago, but there are still two more tickets to the Championship to be avoided.

A 13-match winless streak has heaped the pressure on Alan Pardew and plummeted Crystal Palace into relegation danger; while four more points is likely to be enough to secure survival for another year, it is difficult to see where those are going to come from at present.

Palace should do enough, though, leaving the other three to battle it out for the one remaining spot above the dreaded dotted line.

Norwich take on Newcastle, Palace and Sunderland in their next three outings, games that will play a huge part in their bid to stay up, while Sam Allardyce’s Sunderland will hope to grind out some much-needed points against the likes of West Bromwich Albion, Stoke and Watford.

Newcastle will be eyeing clashes with Swansea City, Palace and Villa as must-win, but they may have already given themselves too much to do.

Who will be crowned Premier League Player of the Year?

Unsurprisingly, the leading contenders come from the division’s top two clubs. With 16 strikes and 11 assists to his name, Leicester’s Riyad Mahrez has been directly involved in more goals than any other player in the league and is the frontrunner for the prize, with Jamie Vardy’s scoring form also putting him in contention.

Behind the attacking duo, N’Golo Kante has been one of the signings of the season in Leicester’s midfield, the former Caen ball-winner breaking up opposition attacks for fun and helping to begin his side’s own forays forward with his energy and drive.

Harry Kane is the Premier League's top scorer and fully deserves all the plaudits he has received, while Tottenham teammate Toby Aldeweireld has been the most important component of English football's meanest backline.

Elsewhere, Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil and West Ham United’s Dimitri Payet have been sensational to watch at times, with their creativity and invention bringing so much to Arsenal and West Ham respectively.

Romelu Lukaku is also worthy of a mention after finding the back of the net 18 times in 29 appearances for Everton, although the Belgian is more likely to battle it out with Kane and Dele Alli for the Young Player award.

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