Spurs, Man City and Why Fourth Place Might be More Important Than the Premier League Title

Here are two seemingly contradictory sentences:

1. Big big game tonight in the English Premier League.
2. Man City play Spurs in the race for fourth place.

If you were unfamiliar with the way football works, you’d be forgiven for wondering what all this fuss about fourth place is. There’s no silverware at stake. Even in the Olympics, fourth place means you miss out on the medals.

Yet tonight’s Man City vs Spurs game is arguably the biggest in the recent history of both clubs.

I had originally intended to rail against the absurdity of two big teams fighting over fourth. But you can’t argue with Champions League qualification. Like it or not, playing in the Champions League is the difference between the big big clubs and the also-rans.

In fact it’s probably better to think of this Man City vs Spurs game as a promotion battle. It’s not really about fourth place in the Premier League. It’s about promotion to the Champions League.

In a weird way, the race for fourth place is almost bigger than the race for the Premier League title as far as the clubs involved are concerned, because it has so many more implications for the future. If Chelsea beat Man Utd to the title this season, then they’ll get the trophy and the glory. But then next season the two will compete at a relatively similar level. Because both are already Champions League regulars.

When either Man City or Spurs secure fourth place (or even third, if Arsenal slip up) then all of a sudden one leaves the other behind and has an opportunity to join the big boys.

- Visit:
- Spurs Offside
- Man City Offside

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Category: English Premier League