When can Leicester City win the Premier League title?

Tottenham Hotspur's draw with West Bromwich Albion leaves Leicester City within touching distance of a first ever league title. Claudio Ranieri's side are seven points clear at the Premier League summit with three games remaining and are closing in on making history at the end of a remarkable 2015-16 campaign.

Mauricio Pochettino has been quick to claim that Spurs still retain hope they can win their first championship for 55 years, but the reality is Leicester can only butcher their chance to claim the title. IBTimes UK looks at when the Foxes could indeed be crowned champions and how Tottenham can keep the pressure on.

When is the earliest Leicester could win the title?

Ranieri's men will claim the championship with two games to spare if they beat Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday [1 May]. Tottenham's draw over West Brom means three points will take Leicester to 79 and into an unassailable lead at the top.

The King Power Stadium team have the best away record in the top flight by some distance, with 11 wins from their 17 matches on the road, but victory over Louis van Gaal's Champions League-chasing United will be far from easy. Leicester have one just once at United since 1973.

Tony Cottee was the only scorer when Leicester last prevailed over the 20-time league champions in 1998, as the team then managed by Martin O'Neil dealt a blow to United's title challenge.

Leicester must again do without striker Jamie Vardy, who has had has been banned for an extra match after being found guilty of misconduct following his sending off against West Ham United. The 22-goal England striker was absent for the 4-0 win over Swansea City but will travel to Manchester for the game in the event Leicester are crowned champions.

Are Tottenham still in the title race?

Should Leicester fail to take their first chance to seal the title, then Tottenham can pile pressure on the Midlanders if they overcome Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Monday [2 May]. Spurs however have not won in their last 25 visits to west London – the longest winless away run in the England's top division.

Gary Lineker scored the winner when Tottenham were last victorious at Chelsea, back in February 1990 and though the side managed by Guus Hiddink have nothing tangible to play for, history is firmly against Pochettino's team. They may travel to the Blues without midfielder Dele Alli, who has been charged retrospectively by The Football Association after appearing to punch Baggies midfielder Claudio Yacob.

A charge of violent conduct carries a three-match punishment and would see Alli miss the rest of the season. Fellow-midfielder Eric Dier is also a doubt after being substituted during the second half of the stalemate with West Brom with an unidentified injury following a collision with goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.

Should Leicester not win the title themselves at United, then Tottenham's failure to overcome Chelsea would hand the title to Ranieri's team before they host Everton on 7 May.

When are Leicester most likely to win it?

If the title race is still alive come the penultimate weekend of the season, then Leicester can win it in front of their own supporters with a win over Roberto Martinez's Everton. A win either at Old Trafford or in the tea-time kick-off would result in Leicester captain Wes Morgan being presented with the Premier League trophy after the game.

Tottenham face Pochettino's former club Southampton on Sunday [8 May] and would again – if Leicester have failed to overcome the Merseysiders – have to win to remain in the title race. Goals from Harry Kane and Alli ensured Spurs prevailed at St Mary's in December and with Saints' pursuit of European qualification looking doomed to failure, they would be favourites to do the double over Ronald Koeman's team.

What if it goes down to the final day?

Leicester travel to reigning champions Chelsea, while Newcastle United welcome Tottenham when all 20 Premier League teams are in action at 3pm on Sunday 15 May. If the title is still undecided, then assuming Leicester fail to draw both of their previous games, they would have to beat Hiddink's side to guarantee capturing the title. The Foxes have not won at Chelsea for 16 years, since a 2-0 win in September 2000.

An extra hurdle potentially facing Tottenham would be the prospect of taking on a Newcastle side who will very likely still be fighting for their lives at the bottom of the Premier League. Rafa Benitez's side currently occupy one of the relegation berths, but a three-game unbeaten run has given them hope of overhauling Norwich City and Sunderland – with a point separating the trio.

Tottenham have prevailed in just three of their last 13 league games at St James' Park but have won the last two on the bounce at the home of the Magpies, running out 3-1 winners in the north-east last season. The Toon did clinch one of only two away wins this season at White Hart Lane earlier in the term however, as Ayoze Perez scored late on in a rare victory during the reign of Steve McClaren.