The Magnificent Seven - no, not the film, but the core of the leading Premier League sides. In my opinion, each of the top four have seven players who, when fit and not subject to rotation, form the core of the side. These seven represent the real quality within the club - and each player could stake a claim to a place in any side in the league.

However, I feel the defining difference between the top four clubs is really down to the remaining four or five  players (including one sub), and the value they add. Spending power, experience and the respective managers are pretty equal, albeit that Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger, Avram Grant and Rafa Benitez have very different styles.

So let’s look at the core seven of each team, who the supporting cast are, and how they have helped or hindered them in the race for the title.

'The defining difference between the top four clubs is really down to the remaining four or five players (including one sub) that each team has, and the value they add'


Manchester United’s Mag 7: Edwin Van der Sar, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, Cristiano Ronaldo, Carlos Tevez, Wayne Rooney and Ryan Giggs. They are supported by Patrice Evra, Gary Neville, Owen Hargreaves, Anderson and Paul Scholes. Very strong no matter how you look at it. The aging stars are being phased out.

Arsenal’s Mag 7: Kolo Toure, William Gallas, Cesc Fabregas, Robin van Persie, Emmanuel Adebayor, Alexander Hleb and Tomas Rosicky. They are supported by Manuel Almunia, Gael Clichy, Bacary Sagna, Gilberto Silva and Eduardo. The new additions have settled well but there are some question marks over the keeper situation.

Chelsea’s Mag 7: Petr Cech, John Terry, Ricardo Carvalho, Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard, Michael Essien and Didier Drogba. They are supported by Juliano Belletti , Shaun Wright-Phillips, Joe Cole, Florent Malouda and Andrei Shevchenko. Quality, but some egos and make-weights.


Liverpool’s Mag 7: Jose Reina, Jamie Carragher, Daniel Agger, Steven Gerrard, Xabi Alonso, Javier Mascherano and Fernando Torres. They are supported by Alvaro Arbeloa, Ryan Babel, John Arne Riise, Dirk Kyut and Peter Crouch. A core as good as any but a supporting cast who don’t look like Liverpool quality.


Arguably, each team's core seven are of true quality and in that core there is not much between each of the big four teams, but the support players, the four or five who drop in and out of the side, represent the balance between success and failure.

A Scholes or an Anderson measured against a Sagna or a Gilberto. A Clichy in contrast to a Riise or an Eduardo versus a Crouch. It may be the supporting crew that carry the stars over the finishing line come May when the destination of the Premier League title is decided.