Pressure Mounting on "Big 4" Ahead of Crunch Weekend

The Premier League is in the middle of a fascinating season.

After Liverpool and Arsenal lost their unbeaten records over the weekend, the league is looking more competitive than it has been for several seasons. When the media christened the "Big 4" meet on Sunday, the chasing pack were given a great opportunity to gain ground and continue this unpredictable campaign.

At the end of November 2007, the Premier League's top six were separated by just six points. Go back a year—to the end of November 2006—and Manchester United led the way, with a massive 16 point gap to sixth place Arsenal.

Go further back, to the end of November 2005, and this time it was Chelsea out in front, with 13 points separating them from sixth place Tottenham Hotspur. Now go back again to the end of November 2004: Chelsea led the way, the top six gap was 13 points again, and so it goes on.

So what has changed so dramatically this season?

In short, the chasing pack have gotten better. In November 2004, 24 points was good enough to secure Aston Villa in sixth place. In 2005, 24 points again, this time for Spurs. 

By 2006, just 22 points was enough for sixth place. This year, 27 points was needed to secure Aston Villa in sixth place at the end of November. 23 points at the end of November 2007 only achieved ninth place for Blackburn Rovers, which would have been enough for fifth place just one year ago.

Portsmouth have gone eleven games without defeat, and have won six away matches on the spin, a club record. Manchester City have won all eight home matches this season, another club record. Everton hasn't been beaten for two months, since that agonising defeat in the Merseyside derby, and Aston Villa and Blackburn continue to win more than they lose.

The teams outside of the famed "Big 4" are starting to show their mettle. When you consider that West Ham have had an injury nightmare, that Spurs have had a terrible season despite their obvious talent, and that Bolton, regulars in the top six in previous seasons, have been struggling, it is clear that the Premier League features a real competition this season.

Whether any of the aforementioned teams can break up the "Big 4" and attain the holy grail of Champions League football is another matter. But after several years of predictability, we should at least cherish the fact that this season we have a real battle on our hands throughout the league.

Long may this unpredictability continue. If we can finish the season with fewer than 15 points separating the top six teams, then fans of all teams—regardless of who wins the major prizes—should breath a sigh of relief.

The Premier League might just be awakening from its financially induced coma...