Southampton, Manchester United, Tottenham, Arsenal, Liverpool and West Ham in tightest battle for Champions League in nine years
The scrap for a place in the top four is fierce this season
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Your support makes all the difference.The battle for Champions League football is the tightest it has been since the 2005/06 season, analysis shows.
With just 14 matches of the Premier League season remaining, a host of teams remain in contention for the top-four positions that with them bring access to Europe's elite competition.
League leaders Chelsea and reigning champions Manchester City appear nailed on to secure their places amongst the top four but after that the picture is less clear.
Southampton in third through Manchester United, Tottenham, Arsenal, Liverpool to West Ham in eighth all retain a genuine chance of finishing the season in the much coveted positions.
The six teams occupying 3rd to 8th in the table are separated by just eight points and as the weekend's matches showed - with Tottenham beating Arsenal and West Ham holding Manchester United - the battle between them is almost impossible to call.
Not since the 2005/06 season have the six teams occupying those positions been so close at this stage of the season.
Last season there was a 16 point gap, ranging from Chelsea in third on 53 points to Newcastle in 8th with 37. Over the last 10 years, the 2011/12 season saw the largest gap between this range of sides, with Tottenham in 3rd on 50 points and Sunderland in 8th on 33 points, a gap of 17 points.
During the 2005/06 season, just seven points separated them, with Liverpool in 3rd and West Ham in 8th.
Over the last 10 seasons, including the current campaign, the average number of points separating the teams competing for a place in the Champions League between 3rd and 8th has been 13.1 points - a figure that highlights how fascinating this year's tussle is developing to be.
GAP BETWEEN TEAMS IN 3RD AND 8TH AFTER 24 GAMES*
2014/15 - Southampton, Manchester United, Tottenham, Arsenal, Liverpool, West Ham (teams occupying 3rd to 8th)
45-37 (points for team in 3rd and team in 8th) - eight point gap
2013/14 - Chelsea, Liverpool, Everton, Tottenham, Manchester United, Newcastle
53-37 - 16 point gap
2012/13 - Chelsea, Tottenham, Everton, Arsenal, Liverpool, Swansea
46-34 - 12 point gap
2011/12 - Tottenham, Chelsea, Newcastle, Arsenal, Liverpool, Sunderland
50-33 - 17 point gap
2010/11 - Manchester City, Chelsea, Tottenham, Sunderland, Liverpool, Blackburn
45-31 - 14 point gap
2009/10 - Arsenal, Tottenham, Liverpool, Manchester City, Aston Villa, Birmingham
49-34 - 15 points gap
2008/09 - Chelsea, Aston Villa, Arsenal, Everton, Wigan, West Ham
48-33 - 15 points
2007/08 - Chelsea, Everton, Aston Villa, Manchester City, Liverpool, Blackburn
53-38 - 15 point gap
2006/07 - Liverpool, Arsenal, Bolton, Portsmouth, Everton, Reading
46-34 - 12 point gap
2005/06 - Liverpool, Tottenham, Arsenal, Wigan, Bolton, West Ham
45-38 - seven point gap
* Figure for some seasons taken when majority of teams in range had played 24 games, due to teams not having completed the same number of fixtures.
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