Race for Fourth Place Heats Up in Premiership

As most English soccer fans know, the top four teams in the Premier League at the end of this season will qualify for the Champions League next season. Most of us expected the Big Four to claim those spots yet again this season. After today's matches, though, the race for that fourth spot suddenly looks wide open.

Liverpool salvaged only a 1-1 draw at Middlesbrough, while their rivals Everton notched a 1-0 win over Manchester City at Goodison Park. Meanwhile, Aston Villa took advantage of Reading's poor away form with a convincing 3-1 victory.

End result? Liverpool, Everton, Aston Villa and Man City are all tied at 39 point apiece. Liverpool only maintains its faint hold on fourth place because of goal differential (+21). They also have a game in hand against West Ham, but as their recent form suggests, that's not exactly a gimme.

This sets up a four-way battle that could last through the rest of the season. With four teams now looking like legitimate contenders for the fourth and final Champions League spot, Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez will be under extreme pressure to deliver wins rather than draws -- starting a week from Monday, when the Reds travel to Villa Park to face a mightily determined Aston Villa side.

Plus, Everton travels to Wigan next weekend, and if Villa-Liverpool ends in a draw, David Moyes' club could find itself in fourth place. You'll forgive him if he feels like he's in first place. For the four clubs in this race, that's exactly what fourth place is.