by Sunil Dutta

Created on: August 19, 2008

Which team can break the top four of Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea?

Well, despite Liverpool never winning the league since the Premiership was introduced in 1992, they still carry one of the biggest threats in football. They have the players, the leadership in Steven Gerrard and in my opinion, one of the most tactically astute managers in Europe. How they haven't won is a fact I cannot understand - and this is coming from a Manchester United fan! But to know what teams can break into the top four and possibly make it a top five, we have to differentiate what Tottenham, Everton Portsmouth and co. lack from the top four.

The reason most people come up with as to why Spurs and teams alike can't break into the top four tend to be related to their players. However in my opinion, this is simply not true. If you look at Tottenham's defence last season, they were a group of defenders I would absolutely love to have at Manchester United. You can't get much better then Woodgate, King, Dawson, Chimbonda and Gareth Bale. But here is where, in my opinion, it all falls down.

To be a club that can break into the top four, you need fantastic players of course, which Spurs have, but the main thing is you need sustainance. Carrick, Berbatov, Robbie Keane all joined teams in the top four (Berbatov is seemingly on his way to Manchester United). Some would argue that players need to join bigger clubs to further their career, but if Tottenham could keep these players, then I have faith that they have the capacity to eventually break into the top four.

Huddlestone is in my opinion going to be a brilliant England International, Modric is a very good player, as is Jenas. Tottenham have got a brilliant midfield, arguably even better than Arsenal with the only difference being Fabregas.

But instead of keeping their top players who can secure success for them, they sell them and nurture new talent, who then in a few years will be sold to top clubs and the cycle will continue. The manager has some responsibility with decisions made regarding tactics and team selections, but I feel the fundamental reason why no one is breaking into the top four is because smaller clubs sell their star players in return for big money.

Outside teams like Tottenham who I believe have the potential but not the right mentality to be successful, I think Aston Villa are a team that are most likely to break into the top four.

They have an excellent manager in Martin O'Neill and according to media reports, good harmony between the manager and the boardroom. They consist of a young squad who are fast paced and of good heights. They have the most exciting young players in the Premiership with members like Agbonlahor, Ashley Young, Curtis Davies and even Zat Knight. If they can keep them just like they did with Barry, then I think within the next few years, they have a good chance of being a top four team.

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