Thought to start a new thread to avoid derailing the others on the top 4 race (and for my own amusement since the argument will likely be mute come the weekend).
In my view yes it is technically now in our hands to finish in the top 4 after the results last night and I shall tell you for why.
My claim: From now on I am assuming our optimal performance between now and the end of the season e.g. winning every game by the margin that suits us: it is not consequently possible for 2 of Leicester, Chelsea, Wolves to finish above us.*
Step 1: Given we are level with Wolves and 2 points behind Chelsea and given they play each other on the last day of the season it is impossible for both to finish above us. Either Wolves win all their remaining games to stay level with us and potentially be ahead on GD at which point we finish above Chelsea, or Wolves do not win against Chelsea in which case we finish above Wolves.
Step 2: So the question boils down to is it in our hands to finish above Leicester and yes, technically it is. Even assuming they win every game before losing to us we would finish level on points.*
*Goal difference: No matter how "unlikely" or "improbable" the situation may be, because we play Leicester in the last game the potential goal difference decider is now directly influenced by us (in our hands). Even if there GD is +10 on ours we can still win 6-0, if it's +12 on ours we can still win 7-0 etc.
I think where some people are confused is that yes it is also in Leicester's hands if they win all their games, just as it is in Chelsea's. It is not however in say Arsenal's hands, they could win every game between now and the end of the season 100-0 and still not finish in the top 4. For something to be "in our hands" does not actually mean it cannot be in someone else's in this sense of the words. That's the whole point of fair competition, on the first day of the season the league title is in everyone's hands until it's not.
Change my mind.
In my view yes it is technically now in our hands to finish in the top 4 after the results last night and I shall tell you for why.
My claim: From now on I am assuming our optimal performance between now and the end of the season e.g. winning every game by the margin that suits us: it is not consequently possible for 2 of Leicester, Chelsea, Wolves to finish above us.*
Step 1: Given we are level with Wolves and 2 points behind Chelsea and given they play each other on the last day of the season it is impossible for both to finish above us. Either Wolves win all their remaining games to stay level with us and potentially be ahead on GD at which point we finish above Chelsea, or Wolves do not win against Chelsea in which case we finish above Wolves.
Step 2: So the question boils down to is it in our hands to finish above Leicester and yes, technically it is. Even assuming they win every game before losing to us we would finish level on points.*
*Goal difference: No matter how "unlikely" or "improbable" the situation may be, because we play Leicester in the last game the potential goal difference decider is now directly influenced by us (in our hands). Even if there GD is +10 on ours we can still win 6-0, if it's +12 on ours we can still win 7-0 etc.
I think where some people are confused is that yes it is also in Leicester's hands if they win all their games, just as it is in Chelsea's. It is not however in say Arsenal's hands, they could win every game between now and the end of the season 100-0 and still not finish in the top 4. For something to be "in our hands" does not actually mean it cannot be in someone else's in this sense of the words. That's the whole point of fair competition, on the first day of the season the league title is in everyone's hands until it's not.
Change my mind.