Manchester United top, Derby bottom, Liverpool bottling it – another predictable Premier League?

As we enter the final few games of the season, the Premier League has an all-too predictable look about it. Manchester United and Chelsea battle it out to be champions, Arsenal put up a better fight than many expected but have still fallen short at the last couple of hurdles, while Liverpool flatter to deceive once again domestically, while saving their best performances for Europe.

This was supposed to be the season where Tottenham challenged the Big Four, although it quickly emerged that they were shipping enough goals to be relegated and will have to settle for a mid-table finish (along with a shiny piece of silverware which keeps the fans happy for now). Newcastle supporters also had great expectations at the start of the campaign, especially after winning 3-1 at Bolton, yet they've flirted with relegation until recently, when a mini-revival under Kevin Keegan means they can start planning for the 2008/9 season. There's little to separate the Magpies from north-east rivals Sunderland and Middlesbrough – but Roy Keane’s Black Cats come out of this the best as they’re the new boys of the division.

Everton have probably been the surprise package this season, proving to be just as consistent as their Merseyside neighbours despite having a fraction of their riches. Wise spending from David Moyes, allied to excellent team spirit and hard graft, means the Toffees are virtually assured of European football. Aston Villa, Blackburn, Man City and West Ham will all regard this as a season of consolidation for different reasons but will probably reside in a similar position next term.

Meanwhile, at the foot of the table, Derby County have assumed the role of whipping boys and it's no great surprise to see Fulham and Bolton likely to join them in the Championship. While Sam Allardyce regularly achieved top-half finishes with the Trotters, many expected Sammy Lee to struggle, giving Gary Megson a lot of work if they were to retain their top-flight status. Similarly, the likes of Wigan, Reading and Birmingham will be glad simply to survive in the Premier League, especially the latter who are a newly-promoted club.

This leaves us with plucky Portsmouth, likely to achieve a top-six finish and just one game away from winning the FA Cup. Indeed, this competition has been a breath of fresh air in stark contrast to the predictability of the Premier League. Barnsley and Cardiff’s cup shocks have been well documented, yet we should also remember Oldham’s 1-0 win at Goodison Park, Huddersfield’s 2-1 win against Birmingham and Coventry’s resounding 4-1 win at Blackburn.

At the start of next season, the likes of Stoke, West Brom and Hull will be full of hope that they can finish 17th or above, yet will realistically struggle throughout the term. Manchester United and Chelsea’s humungous squads will exchange punches again and potentially be referred to as the ‘Big Two’, Arsenal will progress with their young squad and Liverpool will be their usual frustrating selves to comprise the first four home. The next 10 teams in the pecking order will beat each other because they’re roughly all the same, and the bottom six (including the three promoted teams) will scramble to stay out of the dreaded drop-zone.