Premier League Top 4 Race Blown Wide Open

[StevieDay1983]

The race to finish in the top 4 in the Premier League is always a closely-fought affair with teams vying to qualify for the Champions League. Finishing in the top four positions in the league can bring a wealth of financial clout and opportunities as competing at the top table of European football can bring lucrative prize money and attract the best players in the world to the clubs.

This season is showing that more clubs than ever before are now fighting to reach the promised land of the Champions League. The so-called "established top six" is becoming less of a formality. Results in the last round of the top flight of English football have shown that we could expect some shocks this season in the battle for the top four after both Chelsea and Liverpool suffered flabbergasting defeats.

The current top six in the league consists of Arsenal, Manchester City, Tottenham, Newcastle, Manchester United, and Chelsea. There is then the surprise package duo of Fulham and Brighton before we get to 9th placed Liverpool. Then there's the likes of Crystal Palace, Brentford, Everton, and West Ham who could find themselves in the mix if they put a good run of results together. It offers the potential for some great value in the top 4 market to be had.

Both Chelsea and Liverpool were favourites to finish in the top four this season before a ball was kicked. The Blues saw their price hit when Thomas Tuchel had a rocky start but the appointment of Graham Potter had appeared to steady the ship. Unfortunately, the 4-1 loss away to Potter's former club Brighton means it's now 3 league games without a win and the club are down in 6th position and 3 points outside the Champions League qualification places.

It's an even darker picture for Liverpool. Jurgen Klopp is associated with this much-maligned "7th season syndrome" where he's seemingly started have all his good work come undone in the 7th season of managing both Mainz 05 and Borussia Dortmund. It appears to be rearing its ugly head in his 7th season with the Reds. The Merseysiders are down in 9th position. The club are now 15 points off the title pace and 8 points adrift of the top four.

So it seems astonishing that even though both Chelsea and Liverpool have seen their odds to finish in the top four lengthen slightly they are still seen as a shorter price than the in-form and 4th placed Newcastle. It seems that the bookies might well be conditioned by the recent seasonal performances of the "established top six" and seem reluctant to drop the price of teams outside that elite group from breaking into the top four.

At the time of writing this, the bookies have the top four come the end of the season picked as Manchester City, Arsenal, Manchester United, and Liverpool. We will be keeping an eye on these prices as the season goes on but given the financial clout and clear competent management and coaching at Newcastle it seems too good to turn their current price down.

Liverpool to Finish in the Top 4 @ 5/6 with Bet365

Chelsea to Finish in the Top 4 @ 11/8 with Boylesports

Newcastle to Finish in the Top 4 @ 13/5 with William Hill