Who will make the Premier League top four?

Manchester City have taken control at the Premier League summit but the race for the Champions League qualification spots could hardly be tighter with big guns Chelsea and Liverpool among those in danger of missing out on a place in the top four.

Racing Post's team of experts deliver their top four in order...

Dan Childs

1 Man City, 2 Man Utd, 3 Chelsea, 4 Leicester

Few Premier League seasons have been as unpredictable as the 2020-21 campaign but there may not be much more movement towards the top of the table with Manchester City and Manchester United set to finish in the top two positions.

Chelsea are looking good to finish third after improving rapidly under Thomas Tuchel and Leicester can avoid a repeat of last season's agony by holding on to finish fourth.

That leaves a few big clubs out of the equation, including sixth-placed Liverpool, who are on a miserable run and look far from certain to secure any form of European qualification.

Aaron Ashley

1 Man City, 2 Man Utd, 3 Leicester, 4 Liverpool

Manchester City are away and gone and fierce rivals United, who are finding ways to carve out positive results even when below their best, look booked for second.

I see no reason to think Leicester, who have overcome their fair share of injuries this season and registered more league wins than United, are going to relinquish third with a six-point buffer on fifth-placed Chelsea.

The fourth and final Champions League spot is the most difficult to predict but reigning champions Liverpool get the vote. The Reds' miserable run can't go on forever and they have a much nicer run-in than Thomas Tuchel's Blues, while West Ham could blow up.

Kevin Pullein

1 Man City, 2 Man Utd, 3 Leicester, 4 Liverpool

Leicester could break the richest clubs' hold on the top four by finishing where they are now – third. I expect Liverpool and Chelsea to add points more quickly, but not quickly enough to catch up. Leicester's most likely total, I think, is 70 points.

Below them it could be close with Liverpool just sneaking into the last Champions League place ahead of Chelsea. Most likely points totals, I reckon, are 68 for Liverpool and 67 for Chelsea.

Manchester City should win the Premier League, perhaps with 90 points, and a long way ahead of a second-placed Manchester United, maybe with 72 points.

Steve Davies

1 Man City, 2 Man Utd, 3 Leicester, 4 Liverpool

Leicester will have learned so much from last season's late disappearing act and are well placed to right those wrongs and cement a top-four finish.

They boast an accuracy in front of goal that, for example, Chelsea seem to lack, and in a tight competition like this top-four battle is developing into, those extra goals here and there may well be the difference between a Champions League place and missing out altogether.

And it's because of that goal potential that I believe Liverpool will still make the top four.

Liam Flin

1 Man City, 2 Man Utd, 3 Leicester, 4 Chelsea

No Premier League side can match the depth of Manchester City's squad but rivals Manchester United have assembled a promising attacking armoury and should cope with the remainder of the season better than the rest of the chasing pack.

Leicester City occupied a Champions League berth until the final two games of 2019-20 season and, having weathered the storms of various injuries, they will put full focus on keeping hold of a top-four berth this time.

Fourth spot could be a shootout between reigning champions Liverpool and Thomas Tuchel's Chelsea with West Ham expected to fall away. Given how the Blues have started under their new boss - winning six and drawing two of their first eight games - they could have the added motivation to secure the final Champions League spot.

James Milton

1 Man City, 2 Leicester, 3 Man Utd, 4 Liverpool

Manchester City look nailed on for top spot but their closest challengers may not be neighbours Manchester United.

Leicester have been admirably consistent in the last couple of months, losing only one of their last 12 league matches, and they still have to play seven of the bottom eight including home fixtures against Crystal Palace, Newcastle, West Brom and Sheffield United.

Eight of Manchester United's last 13 games are against top-half teams but they have enough points on the board to claim a top-three finish ahead of Liverpool, who have the class to recover from their slump to pip Chelsea and West Ham.