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Carlos Tevez of Manchester City - Source: Reuters -
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Just like the previous few years, the race the Premier League title race looks set to be between Chelsea and Manchester United, with Arsenal thrown in for good measure.
But there is something just as interesting going on a little further down the table, and with just six games left to play, the race for fourth is heating up.
Manchester City: (Last year: 10th)
Current place: 4th (59 pts)
Remaining fixtures: Birmingham (H) Man United (H) Arsenal
(A) Aston Villa (H) Tottenham (H) West Ham (A)
A somewhat topsy-turvy year that saw a team made up of some of the best players in the Premier League thrown together in the hopes of firing their way up the league - not to mention a change of manager - had left Manchester City looking like a team of mo money, no class, but while other top four hopefuls are stumbling at the final hurdle it is Manchester City who are looking as though they are finally playing their part.
A spate of unconvincing draws did look likely to derail Roberto Mancini's side in their bid for their first ever Champions League spot, but after not only losing their game in hand over Spurs and Villa, but also denting their impressive home record in a 2-0 loss to Everton, Man City bounced back with a win over Wigan, and a 6-1 thrashing of Burnley, putting the Sky Blues right back in the hunt.
With a current tally of 59 points - and a game in hand over Liverpool - Manchester City really do look like the ones to beat, especially when you see that four of their final six games are at Eastlands, a place they have been beaten just once all season (only top of the table Chelsea can match that record) but tough games against the likes of Arsenal and McLeish's on-form Birmingham and a tense derby against bitter rivals Manchester United will have to see City taking at least two wins from a top seven side in order to keep Tottenham, who are just one point adrift of fourth, and Liverpool out.
At the beginning of the season many pundits and critics alike never thought City would make the top-four sport with Mark Hughes at the helm, but with a new manager, not to mention the millions spent on players of the calibre of Carlos Tevez and Emmanuel Adebayor nothing but a top four finish for the manager or the clubs owners will do.
Predicted place: 4th
Tottenham: (Last year: 8th)
Current place: 5th (58 pts)
Remaining fixtures: Arsenal (H) Chelsea (H) Man United (A) Bolton (H) Man City (A) Burnley (A)
It is fair to say that while Portsmouth have gone down the pan since Harry Redknapp took over the reins at White Hart Lane in 2008, Tottenham have gone from strength to strength.
For the first time since the 05/06 season Spurs are close to a top four finish, and they were sitting pretty in that spot until a demoralising 3-1 loss to Sunderland at the weekend moved them just one point behind closest rivals Manchester City in fifth spot, with six games to play.
And while on paper the four horse race really is looking more like a two horse one between them and City, a daunting run that starts with bitter rivals Arsenal next Wednesday, before they take on Chelsea at home, and pay a visit to Old Trafford is leaving things looking a little shaky for Spurs.
Injuries to key players like influential hit-man Jermaine Defo, midfielder Tom Huddlestone, David Bentley, Ledley King and Jonathan Woodgate have also hit the team hard and just like City, Tottenham would need to take at least seven points from top of the table opposition to take that fourth spot.
Redknapp may have an ace up his sleeve as Aaron Lennon, who has been out with a groin injury since December, could make a shock return to Spur's starting XI against Portsmouth in the FA Cup semi-final this weekend.
Although Spurs are in maximum position to take out the top four honours, they do have an FA Cup game to worry about, not to mention the fact they are prone to slip-ups, not a good tag to have, especially when you have to face three of the big four - but if they do win two, and draw two of their final games, and Man City stumble in three of their final games then goal difference could see Spurs having Champions League football in the bag - but it is looking unlikely.
Predicted finish: 6th
Liverpool: (Last year: 2nd)
Current place: 6th (55 pts)
Remaining fixtures: Fulham (H) West Ham (H) Burnley (A) Chelsea (H) Hull (A)
After a devastating run of form in the Premier League, that saw Liverpool finishing second on the table (just four points behind eventual winners Manchester United) last season no-one could, or would have predicted that this season Liverpool would be fighting tooth and nail for fourth.
But after losing ten games in the league - in a season that will no doubt go down as one of Liverpool's worst ever - that is where Rafa Benitez's men currently find themselves.
With the recent return of star striker Fernando Torres, whose 7 goals in four games has seen the Reds going straight for the jugular, things were looking up for Liverpool as they entered the final furlong.
But that was until another draw, this time against Birmingham, and yet another questionable substitution by Benitez, that saw him take off the hungry but 'tired' Torres, left the side nine points adrift of the fourth spot.
In Liverpool's favour they do appear to have the easiest run-in of their closest top-four rivals, with Chelsea being the clubs biggest threat, and with four of their last six games being home fixtures that is also a bonus (they have lost eight of the ten games away from Anfield this season) but with Tottenham, Villa and City all having a game over them Liverpool must have a near perfect run to the end if they have any hopes of finishing in the top four spot, not to mention keeping hold of their star striker and inspirational skipper.
No-one would ever not bet on Liverpool when the chips are down, especially with their recent 4-1 thrashing of Benfica in the Europa League, but with team morale low and rumoured dressing room friction there is little evidence to suggest that Liverpool will pull their heads together in the league in time to nab the lucrative Champions League spot.
Predicted finish: 5th
Aston Villa: (Last year: 6th)
Current place: 7th (54 pts)
Remaining fixtures: Everton (H) Portsmouth (A) Hull (A)
Birmingham (H) Man City (A) Blackburn (H)
After yet another fantastic start to the season, that included wins over Manchester United and Chelsea, the notoriously unpredictable Aston Villa have once again found themselves stumbling at the finish line.
And while after four years at the helm of the club Martin O'Neill is always highly thought of as one of the Premier Leagues most pressing managers, a 7-1 annihilation at the hands of Chelsea, and failing to beat the likes of Wolves and Sunderland at home have left the club in exactly the same position as they were last year.
In the 08/09 season Villa were eight points clear of Arsenal and looked set to be playing on European football's biggest state, but a run of 12 games without a win once again saw O'Neill's choke when it mattered.
But although they have a mountain to climb in the hunt for a Champions league spot, they do have the chance to finish ahead of Liverpool, as they sit just one point behind the Merseysiders', with a game in hand.
But reported managerial unrest, and tough games against the likes of bet noir Everton, the Birmingham derby, not to mention an away visit to Eastlands and suddenly Villa's top four chances don't look so good.
Martin O'Neill believes his team are still in with a chance, but many others think that he will now concentrate on bringing the FA Cup to Villa Park instead.
Predicted finish: Seventh
Who do you think will finish fourth? Feel free to comment below.
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