Is there really no such thing as the ‘big four’ in the Premier League?

Mancini’s Manchester look set to “break” the Top Four once more and Tottenham’s relentless season further strengthens the likelihood of the Big Four being well and truly dead, blown to smithereens and never to return in its current form. In 2011, City have averaged 2.23 points per game (PPG), the 3rd highest in the whole of the Football League and the highest in the Premier League. United are just behind their Manchester rivals with 2.22  and the Manchester clubs are the only PL clubs in the top 5 for PPG in 2011. Although Manchester United look like they’re slowing up, the stats don’t lie.

Despite the fact that Manchester United have only scored exactly one goal in each of their last six Premier League matches, including their 6-1 drubbing to Manchester City, they’ve accumulated 30 points from 13 games. That’s 2.3 points a game and therefore, over a season a grand total of 88 and that has been enough to win 3 of the last 4 Premier League titles. Granted, it might not be enough this year, as City spend their way to footballing heaven, but IT is more than enough to make a case for them remaining in the top four. If you’re not convinced, Manchester United have not finished lower than 3rd since the Premier League was formed.

With a case made for both Manchester teams and Newcastle, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham still remain with a valid case and a genuine belief that they can qualify for the Champions League. For Chelsea, it is quite simple; if they don’t AVB will be out of a job and Abramovich will begin to wonder how much success really costs and then he may well look to Al Mubarak. For Arsenal, a top four finish has been a guarantee, 84% of the time and under Wenger it is has been an 100% guarantee, to date. When anomalies have occurred the team from the Big Four to suffer has been Liverpool.

However, as an original member of the Big Four, they may feel they will warrant a top four position out of commonplace. Tottenham will seek to threaten that right for the 3rd season on the bounce; they sit on a run of 10 games unbeaten and 9 of them were wins. So far this season, Spurs have only dropped points to then unbeaten teams or the current title-holders; an impressive record to brag.

For me the Big Four as we’ve always known it (Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool) is over. A new Big Four will form eventually; however, for the next 2 or 3 seasons the Premier League’s top four will under go a transition and the long term future of the elite will count on the success in the near future. Tottenham have the ability to break the big four up permanently but it will rely on constant top four finishes to attract, not only the revenue it brings, but the players it brings. Newcastle are more likely to be that anomaly and I cannot see them threatening the big four season upon season. Manchester City are here to stay without a doubt. So who will have to make way?

Have your say…

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/ For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit

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