Aston Villa face a tough run-in
Mar 10 2009 by Bill Howell, Birmingham Mail
“Manchester United, Arsenal or Chelsea have won the league then it is just a matter of who finishes second, third or fourth.
“This is the first time, obviously since Everton, but the first time in a while that a team has threatened this top four domination.
“That’s why people are doing a bit of digging around and saying they’ve got this or that number of points at this stage of the season. It’s a credit to us we have got the points.’’
Villa’s current haul of 52 points from 28 games has them three points clear of the average for a team lying fourth after 28 games of a season.
Liverpool were on 53 points at this stage last year, Arsenal had 52 points in 2007, Tottenham 49 points in 2006 and Everton had 51 points in 2005.
Charlton’s 43 points from 28 games in 2004 remains the smallest number to get a club into fourth after 28 matches. Newcastle’s 55 in 2002 is the highest.
