EPL -- A Two Horse Race?

Liverpool sits in 5th place in the Premier League and striker Peter Crouch publicly expressed his doubts at the teams chances in competing for top spot in this years Premier League. Basically, Crouch stated that it is time to start worrying about securing a Champions League spot for next year. He insisted that team's inability to live up to the grand expectations (or even stay in the top 4) on both the flawed coaching Rafa 'The Tinkerer' Benitez as well as Rafa's strained relations with American club owners. One can only wonder, at this stage in the season, how many teams are still in the race for the the Premier League? Arsenal and Manchester are neck and neck at the top of the table, is anyone going to be able to catch them?

Chelsea has the best (and Crouch might say the only) chance at challenging for the top spot; however, the next few weeks look pretty grim. While they are only a few points behind the two leaders, they have lost several key players to the African Nations Cup. Chelsea cannot afford to lose any ground. Chelsea must be looking to transfer some of the success they have been experiencing in the Carling Cup to the EPL. They defeated Everton yesterday and secured a trip to the finals where they will face Tottenham. Although definitely not in the title race, struggling Tottenham must do same thing if they are looking to fight into a UEFA Cup spot.

As for Liverpool, the future is not bright, but the gloom and doom suggested by Crouch can still be avoided. They still have one of the best forwards in the Premier League in Fernando Torres. But it is awfully hard for a single player that can save any team (ask Clint Dempsey). The next few months will give captain Stevie Gerrard the chance to show his quality, and hopefully keep his team focused on the matches at hand, and not the managerial strife.

Right now The EPL seems to be a contest between United and Arsenal, but we will see who can keep up in the coming weeks as the teams start to juggle league, UEFA and the FA Cup matches.