Fourth and Eighteen

Nope that’s not an NFL down play, just the other race going in the Premiere League. For fourth we have Everton and Liverpool vying for the last Champions League spot and if you had asked me before the start of the season I would have told you that this position was going to Pompey. Then Pompey decided to smoke some serious ganja then sold their best striker in Benjani for the over-rated Defoe. Now Everton are on a tear thanks to the Yak who seems to be scoring at will and the Merseyside lads are looking more balanced with each game. Liverpool seems to have their acts together and seem to be playing well, but I don’t have them finishing fourth. Liverpool has not been playing consistent football all season and this would be their undoing.

The more interesting race has to be for the 18th spot. While some are scrapping to avoid the last spot in the drop zone others are activity seeking it with their poor run of form. With crucial wins by Birmingham and Reading coupled with the fact that both Sunderland and Derby both earned crucial points things are getting interesting. Only five points separates the 18th and 11th positions with 10 games left to play (11 for Tottenham). Both Fulham and Derby are foregone conclusions for the drop so seeing who fills in the final slot is something worth betting on, I’ve got my money on either Newcastle or Sunderland, as the season winds to an end.