ive teams, one place. The race for the final Champions League spot is hotting up.
Manchester City and
Liverpool are fighting their own battle at the top while
Chelsea look set for a comfortable top-four finish.
One of the reasons the final spot is up for grabs is because none of the teams in the running is really good enough. Their goals scored and points per game is not at the level of those teams who have finished in fourth, or even fifth, over recent seasons.
Only
Wolves' defence is as good as fourth-placed finishers since 2010. Who will snatch that final Champions League spot?
WEST HAM
- Current position: 4th
- Points: 40
What season this is for West Ham. David Moyes continues to do a phenomenal job with a club that was fighting for survival on his return. They are the most prolific in front of goal of all of the rivals, helped by the red-hot recent form of Jarrod Bowen. However, they benefit from having played more games than the chasing pack and have one of the worst points-per-game records among them. They are more defensively frail than most Champions League contenders.
MANCHESTER UNITED
- Current position: 5th
- Points: 40
Another Manchester United game, another flat performance and yet more accusations of the players not even trying. United have the worst defensive record of all the top-four contenders yet are still overperforming their expected goal stats. However, despite the frustrations, they average 1.9 points per game under Ralf Rangnick and 0.8 goals against per game which are good enough historically to make the top four. Their attacking numbers, though, are still way off.
ARSENAL
- Current position: 6th
- Points: 39
'Trust the process.' That is what Mikel Arteta always says. And, just maybe, we are starting to see the benefits. Arsenal have the best points per game of all their rivals, marginally short of the average to finish fourth. Their defensive record is not far off either. Their problem is up front. The Gunners are struggling for goals and have just sold Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang without finding a replacement.
TOTTENHAM
- Current position: 7th
- Points: 36
Tottenham qualifying for the Champions League will come down to one thing: The Antonio Conte Effect. On the face of it, their numbers in attack and defence are way off the standards of usual topfour teams. Not to mention successive defeats. Yet under Conte they average 1.91 points per game. It is a similar situation to United, though Spurs' expected goal numbers are better. Can they overcome the deficit set under Nuno Espirito Santo?
WOLVES
- Current position: 8th
- Points: 34
If Wolves are to make the Champions League it will be a case of grinding their way to the promised land. There have been just 36 goals in their 22 games, which shows how strong they are at the back but lacking in attack. Wolves are the only contender with a defensive record as good as historic fourth-placed sides but their points-per-game numbers are simply way too low to be in with a realistic shout
