Features

Top-four race hotting up

Author: Brandon Barker
Date: 24/02/2010
Football betting

With Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal more than likely to fill three of the top-four positions in the Premier League this season, five further teams are looking to grab the final remaining spot.

Tottenham Hotspur, following their fine 3-0 away day win at Wigan Athletic on Sunday, currently occupy fourth spot, one place but nine points behind their fierce London rivals Arsenal.

Top-scorer Jermain Defoe opened their account before a brace from out-of-favour Russia striker Roman Pavlyuchenko has handed boss Harry Redknapp a massive boost ahead of their tough run-in.

Manchester City sit one place below Spurs level on points but they have a potentially crucial game in hand.

A Champions League berth is firmly on their agenda following a summer of big spending that brought Joleon Lescott, Carlos Tevez, Kolo Toure and Gareth Barry to the club.

Mark Hughes was dismissed after an opening start to the campaign deemed inadequate and he has since been replaced by Roberto Mancini in the managerial hot-seat.

The Italian is still stamping his mark on the club and with FA Cup commitments still on the horizon, they have plenty to think about in the coming weeks.

The Citizens played out a goalless draw with Liverpool on Sunday at Eastlands and the result has done nothing to aid their or the Merseysiders' top-four credentials.

Who will grab a Champions League qualification place at the end of the season? - Latest Football Betting

Rafael Benitez's men, who are the slight sportsbook favourites to grab a place ahead of City, have got over their mid-season slump and although a title-challenge is well and truly out of the window, they are just one point behind Spurs and Mancini's men.

With Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard back in the fray following injury problems, the Reds will be looking forward to a final push and grab yet another profitable Champions League place.

Martin O'Neill's Aston Villa are continuing to look good as they stage a remarkable effort in the higher reaches of the league.

They easily disposed of lowly Burnley 5-2 on Sunday thanks to goals from their contingent of Englishmen.

Stewart Downing hit two, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Emile Heskey and Ashley Young also features on the scoresheet as Villa showed their battling qualities to come from a goal behind to hammer their opponents.

They will need to show more of this grit and determination if they are to go on and grab a Champions League spot for the first time.

Finally, Everton, the outside chance, are not giving up on their push.

They currently languish eight points behind Spurs with 12 games to play but, after excellent back-to-back wins over Chelsea and Manchester United, the Toffees are certainly in form and riding high on confidence.

Their early season struggles are definitely behind them after a string of unfortunate injuries but David Moyes now has his team playing well but they need to be beating the so-called lesser teams if their dream is to be realised.

With Manchester City added to this season's chasing pack, it promises to go right down to the wire as they chase qualification into next season's elite European club event.

BET NOW