Tottenham, Liverpool or Manchester City for 4th Spot ?
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Tottenham, Liverpool, Manchester City or Aston Villa? Sportsmail's lowdown on the race for fourth place
On the up: Roman Pavlyuchenko is mobbed by his team-mates
A late double from Roman Pavlyuchenko sealed Tottenham’s move into fourth spot on Sunday – the third time in one day the position changed hands.
It has become a four-way tussle between Spurs, Manchester City, Liverpool and Aston Villa to land the Holy Grail of Champions League football.
And with just one point separating fourth from seventh, the chase is sure to go right to the wire.
Sportsmail takes assesses the contenders battling it out for the final spot in Europe’s premier knockout competition.
FORM
Tottenham
Spurs’ form has faltered since the turn of the year. During their last six games, two have ended in victory, two in defeat and two in draws. Tottenham’s problems have stemmed from losing games they really should win: Wolves, Stoke and Hull have left White Hart Lane with a combined total of seven points, the difference between fighting for the title and fighting for fourth.
Stalemate: Lucas battles with Gareth Barry
Manchester City
The dark clouds are gathering for Mancini – his side are on a run of three draws and they have lost three of 14 games since the Italian took over.
Mancini has also acknowledged that he argued with Craig Bellamy over training and a number of players are reportedly unhappy with the new regime’s long practice sessions. However, the major deciding factor could be the game in hand they have over the rest.
Liverpool
Rafa’s side has hit a decent vein of form, which has coincided with the absence of their ‘talisman’ Fernando Torres.
A steely determination has replaced the wafer-thin confidence. The Merseysiders may not look pretty at the moment but they have rolled up their sleeves and are grinding out results – winning three of the last six and losing just one.
Aston Villa
No defeats in the last six, sticking five past Burnley and a cup final to look forward to - thing are looking good for Martin O’Neill’s side. This is a huge week for Villa, the FA Cup replay on Wednesday against Crystal Palace and Carling Cup final with Manchester United will dictate the level of success they enjoy this season.
INJURIES
Tottenham
There is a direct correlation between Tottenham’s dip in form in the second half of the season and the absence of their pacy winger Aaron Lennon. The England international, 22, injured his groin during the victory over West Ham in December and his side have won just two league games since.
Lennon is due back within the next two weeks, and will be joined by Jermaine Jenas, Benoit Assou-Ekotto Lennon in returning to the side but Carlo Cudicini and Johnathan Woodgate remain out for the foreseeable.
Manchester City
Mancini’s major headache isn’t an injury, but the absence of Carlos Tevez due to the premature birth of the Argentine’s daughter. Tevez has returned home to South America and won’t return until his newborn until the doctor has given the all-clear. The only other pressing issue is that of Bulgarian winger Martin Petrov who could be out for a further four weeks with a knee injury.
Back: Fernando Torres (left) made his return against Manchester City
Liverpool
Great news for Rafa on Sunday – Fernando Torres, the club’s top scorer finally returned a month after his knee operation. And Yossi Benayoun also recovered from a broken rib which had sidelined him since the middle of January. The only remaining issue for Benitez is that of Glen Johnson who has another couple of weeks to go before he can be considered for first-team action.
Aston Villa
Martin O’Neill isn’t blessed with the biggest squad in the league but his players are holding up well even as the games come thick and fast. Aside from a few niggles, the only major absentee is Nigel Reo-Coker, who has featured in just 13 games so far this season.
RUN-IN
Tottenham
Certainly the toughest run-in of the four battling it out for the Champions League spot. In April, Spurs have a run of three games against Arsenal, Chelsea and Man United and they also have tricky away clashes away at Man City, Stoke and Burnley. If Tottenham make it, they’re going to have to do it the hard way.
Manchester City
Mancini may consider his side’s game in hand a trump card but when he looks down the fixture list he will see away games coming up at Chelsea and Arsenal. City haven’t won at Stamford Bridge in the league since January 1993 or at Highbury or the Emirates since October 1975.
Liverpool
Rafa will regard his final fixtures with a little confidence. He has tricky clashes against Man United and Chelsea to come, but his side performed a demolition job on their last visit to old Trafford and haven’t lost in the last three at home to Chelsea.
Aston Villa
The Villans have by far the easiest run-in of the four sides. Just one game against a ‘big four’ side - Chelsea away – and a number of home ties they must consider a certain three points: Sunderland, Wolves and Blackburn.
Tottenham
Feb 28: Everton (H)
Mar 6: Man City (A)
Mar 13: Blackburn (H)
Mar 20: Stoke (A)
Mar 27: Portsmouth (H)
Apr 3: Sunderland (A)
Apr 10: Arsenal (H)
Apr 17: Chelsea (H)
Apr 25: Man United (A)
May 1: Bolton (H)
May 9: Burnley (A)
Liverpool
Feb 28: Blackburn (H)
Mar 8: Wigan (A)
Mar 15: Portsmouth (H)
Mar 21: Man United (A)
Mar 28: Sunderland (H)
Apr 3: Birmingham (A)
Apr 11: Fulham (H)
Apr 19: West Ham (H)
Apr 24: Burnley (A)
May 1: Chelsea (H)
May 9: Hull (A)
Manchester City
Feb 27: Chelsea (A)
Mar 6: Tottenham (H)
Mar 14: Sunderland (A)
Mar 20: Fulham (A)
Mar 29: Wigan (H)
Apr 3: Burnley (A)
Apr 11: Birmingham (H)
Apr 17: Man United (H)
Apr 24: Arsenal (A)
May 1: Aston Villa (H)
May 9: West Ham (A)
TBC: Everton (H)
Aston Villa
Mar 6: Sunderland (H)
Mar 13: Stoke (A)
Mar 16: Wigan (A)
Mar 20: Wolves (H)
Mar 27: Chelsea (A)
Apr 3: Bolton (A)
Apr 10: Everton (H)
Apr 18: Portsmouth (A)
Apr 25: Birmingham (H)
May 1: Man City (A)
May 9: Blackburn (H)
VERDICT
Tottenham
Given Tottenham's recent shaky form, you can't help but think the perennial underachievers will remain just that. Few of the players have experience of qualifying for the Champions League and a difficult run-in means Spurs will just miss out. Still, as Tottenham fans will tell you - there's always next year. FINAL POSITION: 7th
Manchester City
Can Roberto Mancini galavanise his disparate band of talented egos into one final push for the Champions League? The only thing consistent about City this has been their inconsistency and their penchant for pressing the self-destuct button means they will have to make do with the Europa League. FINAL POSITION: 6th
Liverpool
Given how the season started, its remarkable that Liverpool are still in the running at all. But if there's one thing for certain, no one fears Rafa's side. Fernando Torres' return will inspire form but not enough to steal fourth. The ramifications for the club and, in particular, Benitez could be dire when they only make it into the Europa League. FINAL POSITION: 5th
Aston Villa
Martin O'Neill's side have that crucial ingredient - momentum. Last season his team was ubnbalanced, heavy in attacking threat but flimsy at the back - that's no longer the case. With Richard Dunne and James Collins shoring up their once leaky defence, the Vilans now have the backbone to win a trophy this season ... and seal that Champions League spot. FINAL POSITION: 4th
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I am not sure if O Neil will also send out his strong team against united in the league cup final. the least both managers want is extra time. Villa had a tough march schedule, 5 games to be played in March. I think Villa will finish 4th.
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Actually I think Pool have the easiest run-in compare to the rest therefore they have the best chance to get 4th place... City and Spurs... I feel they got too many tough fixtures ahead...
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i think its between pool and villa. Tottenham and Man city, for all their riches, arent consistent winners.
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Liverpool might not even finish top 6, never mind 4th place.
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Originally posted by Louis dave36:
Liverpool might not even finish top 6, never mind 4th place.
LOL. talk some sense please.technically speaking, aston villa has the highest chance as it has only two tough fixtures, followed by liverpool.
man city, tottenham and aston villa have fixtures among themselves.hence some of them definately have to drop points.
so boiling down to liverpool and aston villa. the edge aston villa have over liverpool is their form and confidence. there's no doubt about liverpool's quality to win any team,but it seems like their confidence are rather low.
one key reason why liverpool may edge pass aston villa is their experience and sheer determination. liverpool have been finishing in the top4 for so many seasons, this will aid them. furthermore, what if aston villa lack the experience and starts to jitter?=/
this is just some of my views.=)
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Originally posted by xingg:
LOL. talk some sense please.technically speaking, aston villa has the highest chance as it has only two tough fixtures, followed by liverpool.
man city, tottenham and man city have fixtures among themselves.hence some of them definately have to drop points.
so boiling down to liverpool and aston villa. the edge aston villa have over liverpool is their form and confidence. there's no doubt about liverpool's quality to win any team,but it seems like their confidence are rather low.
one key reason why liverpool may edge pass aston villa is their experience and sheer determination. liverpool have been finishing in the top4 for so many seasons, this will aid them. furthermore, what if aston villa lack the experience and starts to jitter?=/
this is just some of my views.=)
you can have your view, I cant, I see.
you can say liverpool likely to finish 4th and I cant say Villa? liverpool has ever finished 5th and yet they are in the CL due to them being the CL holder in 2005 season. everton finished 4th that season for your info.
so what you are saying is you are talking sense and I dun? I see. I am still backing Villa to finish 4th and I dunno how liverpool may finish. it could be well they finish 5th or even 6th.
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For mi
I wan Tottenham to aim for that 4th place
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after seeing the way city play under mancini i now have my doubts they can finish 4th.
but then you never know in football.
i hope it goes to the wire.
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not much confident in liverpool though, but i hope they can finish 4th
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i think its between liverpool and aston villa.
however hopefully liverpool will nick it base on experience that they have consistently finished in the top four less the 2004-05 season.
rmb the 05-06 season when arsenal only managed to get the 4th spot on the last day after the tottenham players had a bout of food poisoning case on the match day.
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Getting into a champion league position need abit of nerve and cool head, Liverpool is an experience club that had gone thru it, and even took the cup itself. Last season, Aston Villa fell out 3/4 thru, cos, they lack the punch to chase it, but for this season, they had been doing well, however Liverpool are not going to sit there and let you catch up, i believe they will play better and betteress.
Man city is not weak either, it got a game in hand, and can prop up to take the challenge to liverpool, for tottenham, i feel they are still very domestic in their approach, very english like, and you can't go far with english like football nowaday. So typically, for me, they are out of it, i go for Man City 4th.
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Villa has a game in hand over Pool but it's important to note that of their last 12 matches, 7 are away games while only 5 are at home... As for Pool, they have 6 matches left at home and 5 away...
I think Villa will have a bigger problem against Stoke, Chelsea, Bolton and City... Portsmouth may be the only easier one among their away matches... Wigan is still the unknown factor they both must play against... Which one will turn up could decide... The one that easily got beaten by United or the one that won against Chelsea...
As for Pool, I feel only United and Birmingham will prove difficult for them. Burnley are no longer the same side from the one at the start of the season and Hull too, won't be too much a problem...
Therefore looking on the fixtures alone, Pool are favourites for the 4th spot to me.
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The only problem I see for Pool is, if they try very hard to go for the useless Europa Cup... Villa don't have that disruption, but they do have the FA cup and Carling cup though...
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i've seen the future................
Man City................4th
Villa..............5th
Spurs..............6th
Liverpool..............7th...................Rafa was thrown by the Kop into the River Mersey and drowned.............his corpse was then dragged through the city streets...................
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Liverpool, Spurs and Man City never face Man U yet in the away, away and home fixtures respectively.
And Aston Villa had gotton 4 points against Man U.
So, Villa has high chance to finish top 4 even though Man City has one match (home against Everton) on hand since Villa also trail the 4th place Man City and Spurs by just 1 point.
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I think it will be man c that is 4th. The biggest mistake made by man c owner is to let go some good defenders and man c fail to get one or two good midfieder and denfender. look at the number of losts on man c is 4 compare to man u. so i think if the players be a little bit more operate to the manger then i think they can even finish the season 3rd. so watch out arsenal they might be 4th
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i think man city will nick it.
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For mi
i hope Chelsea get the champions
and hope Man U go 3rd < if can nia
coz i wan Arsenal go 2nd < (havent seen for years lia0)
Tottenham to be 4th
juz wanna see once
and hope Liverpool win the europa cup -
Originally posted by Bus&Soccer l0v3r (VO3x 1):
For mi
i hope Chelsea get the champions
and hope Man U go 3rd < if can nia
coz i wan Arsenal go 2nd < (havent seen for years lia0)
Tottenham to be 4th juz wanna see once
and hope Liverpool win the europa cupchelsea has to travel to united and liverpool away, then faces villa, spurs and man city, among the 5 matches, chelsea will either lose one or 2 and draw one or 2 matches. if chelsea can beat all these teams and win the title, then kudos to them cos they deserved to.
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Originally posted by Bus&Soccer l0v3r (VO3x 1):
For mi
i hope Chelsea get the champions
and hope Man U go 3rd < if can nia
coz i wan Arsenal go 2nd < (havent seen for years lia0)
Tottenham to be 4th juz wanna see once
and hope Liverpool win the europa cupwhat's the point in being 2nd? you only remembered the champion, runners up will always be forgotten..
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Tottenham-> Perennial underachievers. And Harry Redknapp is not exactly your top 4 manager either. Apart from the opening victory against Liverpool and the 3-0 demolition of Manchester City, Tottenham has generally choked against the top sides, not to mention points dropped against lesser teams at home to Stoke, Wolves and Hull. With the toughest run-in I do not see Tottenham finishing 4th.
Man City-> After a bright start in the Premier League under Roberto Mancini City form has fizzled of late, losing to Hull and Everton, drawing with Stoke and Liverpool, and nicking lucky 2-0 wins over Portsmouth and Bolton (mind you, they are fighting to beat the drop) in their last 6 Premier League games. While they do have a game in hand, their run-in is not that easy either. The arrival of Mancini has not performed wonders for City's backline and as such there is always a tendency to leak goals and drop points in the crucial run-in.
Aston Villa->Personally my pick to dislodge Liverpool from the 4th spot, barring any major injuries from now till the end of the season. They have hit a rich vein of form and have a solid backline and a pacy attack. However, let's not forget that at this time last year Aston Villa went 9 games without a win in the Premier League and ended up finishing 6th. If the first-team could negotiate their F.A. Cup and Premier League fixtures without any major injury concerns then they could well be the team that will threaten Liverpool's place in the Big Four.
Liverpool->Yes, they have been there and done that before. Like Aston Villa, they have a easier run-in to the end of the Premier League season. While they have not been sharp in attack, their defence has been pretty solid since Christmas and their only defeat in the league came from their away game against Arsenal. And that's where the scary part comes. With Liverpool picking up wins without having Torres and Benayoun for the bulk of that period Liverpool's attack is going to be strengthened with Benayoun and Torres coming back from the injuries. Liverpool's experience and the return of key players could be crucial in the run-in and despite everything I think Liverpool would still be able to keep their 4th spot intact, unless Aston Villa could avoid a meltdown like they did last season.
My pick is: Liverpool (Hate to say this as a Man United fan).
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chelsea will win
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i think goal diff will play a part...if it does villa will have a disadvantage....
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Originally posted by The man who was death:
i think goal diff will play a part...if it does villa will have a disadvantage....
villa rocks