Premiership football set for top four shake-up

The main talking point is of course Liverpool. Their season is slipping away from them and it's only November. The game against Birmingham on Monday night offered the perfect fixture to silence some doubters, but instead they now have just one win in their last nine matches, and footballing purists and pundits cite David N'Gog’s dive as an example of desperation tactics.

It would be easy to point the finger at manager Rafael Benitez, who has time and again, made substitutions and transfers that few commentators feel able to justify. But Liverpool's problems have really stemmed from the pitch, where their creaking defence has already shipped 18 goals in 12 league games. Their lack of exceptional creativity in the midfield – which Alonso provided in abundance last season - is also a problem.

However, the only way for Liverpool must surely now be up. The break offers the opportunity for star players like Gerrard, Torres and Johnson to nurse their injuries, and with Aqualani finding his feet, you hope as a neutral to see England's most famous club fighting for honours come the end of the season.

So, to the leaders of this season's title race, Chelsea, who’ve set the bar high from the off. Ancelotti has surprised a few and taken the Premiership by storm, and has numerous options available to him from the bench. Add to this their hefty transfer ban being temporarily lifted, and the loss of Drogba, Essien, Mikel and Kalou, to the African Cup of Nations, suddenly seems less of an obstruction to the West London steamroller.

However, ticking along under the radar have been Arsenal, who this season have played with the same flair that you've been accustomed to seeing from them, but with one crucial difference: they've been winning. Apart from their two unlucky trips to Manchester that is.

Even with the recent arrival of van Persie’s inevitable injury, Arsenal do seem to have enough striking options to cope with losing him, if they can sort out two other problems. The major concern in their title push is whether Alex Song or Abou Diaby have the credentials to excel in that powerhouse Vieira role against the better teams. And also, the longstanding need for Arsenal to find a reliable keeper to claim the number one jersey.

The last of the “big four” is of course Manchester United, who have been thoroughly unconvincing as former champions: four of their eight wins have been by the odd goal, and they've come a cropper when faced with quality opposition. Time will tell whether Ferguson can fill the aching gap left by Ronaldo - he'd be mad if he allowed a second transfer window to be passed without adding a world class talent to a midfield which is in need of some kind of spark. Having said that, there has been an obvious improvement in Rooney's as well Darren Fletcher’s game with the Portuguese international's absence.

And finally, a quick glance at the clubs trying to break into the top four. Manchester City are certainly the men most likely at the moment, with their huge Middle Eastern investment enabling them to match what the big four obtain through a Champions League spot. Mark Hughes has bought wisely, going for established players in Given, Toure and Barry to compliment the shirt sale names of Adebayor, Tevez and Robinho.

Aston Villa's summer spending has also paid dividends. Building up their defence with Collins, Dunne and Warnock – not to mention Friedel behind – has laid the foundations for their Champions League push. Meanwhile, though Tottenham Hotspur have recently lost badly to Stoke and Arsenal, Redknapp will still be very pleased with fourth place right now, and with their quality across the field you can only see Spurs rediscovering their early promise.

Alongside these two are Everton – who still have their Spanish star Arteta and England prospect Jagielka to come back – and Sunderland, who, with their recent investment, have forayed into the top half. And so, with Liverpool on the wane and a host of challengers desperate to take their place, an attack on the top four seems inevitable in the coming months.

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