LONDON (REUTERS) - History is on the side of leaders Liverpool as they chase a first English league title since 1990 but their four-point lead over Manchester City after 21 games is the smallest margin between the top two in over a century.
The last 11 teams with the equivalent of 52 or more points at the same stage since 1905-06 went on to lift the title, but the strength of this year's top four means Liverpool on 54 points face an especially daunting task.
Sports data company Gracenote have recalculated seasons before the English top flight moved from two to three points for a win in 1981 and say the data reveals that the current top four is the most dominant ever.
Liverpool, City, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea are separated by 10 points, and are on course to break the record cumulative tally of 333 points set by the top four in each of the last two seasons.
Of the 11 teams that won the league after leading at this stage since 1905-06, when 20 teams competed for the first time, many had sizeable leads unlike Liverpool's slender advantage this time round.
City, for instance, held a 14-point advantage over Chelsea at the same stage last year and are the first top-flight team to reach the 50-point mark after 21 games and not lead the table.
While wealthy teams at the top of the pile have improved, the evidence suggests those at the other end of the table have got comparatively worse.
Basement side Huddersfield Town's 10 points after 21 games is the lowest by any Premier League team since Derby County managed seven points 11 seasons ago, while Fulham's tally of 14 points is the lowest for a team in 19th place for six years.
Fulham are one of only four teams in the Premier League era to record 14 points or less at this stage and not be bottom of the league. The others Watford (1999-2000), Southampton (2004-2005) and Reading (2012-2013) were all relegated.
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Depay fires Dutch past Belarus in Euro 2020 qualifying opener March 23, 2019 ROTTERDAM, Netherlands (AFP) - Memphis Depay dazzled for the Netherlands with a brace and two assists as they cruised past Belarus 4-0 in their opening Euro 2020 qualifier early yesterday despite having to play the final 20 minutes with 10 men.
Depay fires Dutch past Belarus in Euro 2020 qualifying opener
worldsoccertalk.com/2019/03/21/depay-fires-dutch-past-belarus-in-euro-2020-qualifying-opener/
Depay fires Dutch past Belarus in Euro 2020 qualifying opener AFP March 21, 2019 AFP No Comments Rotterdam (Netherlands) (AFP) - Memphis Depay dazzled for the Netherlands with a brace and two assists as they cruised past Belarus 4-0 in their opening Euro 2020 qualifier on Thursday despite having to play the final 20 minutes with 10 men.
Depay fires Dutch past Belarus in Euro 2020 qualifying opener
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Van Gaal's claims seem at odds with the more entertaining football played by United since Solskjaer started a reign that looks set to bring him the manager's job on a permanent basis.
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Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah said men in "my culture and in the Middle East" need to treat women with more respect as he was named one of the world's 100 most influential people by Time magazine. The Egypt striker, 26, a practising Muslim, was also one of the US magazine's six cover stars and used his interview to discuss women's equality.
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Football great Pele has been released from the hospital in Paris and will return to Brazil in the "coming hours," Brazilian media reported Monday, citing his spokesman. The 78-year-old's discharge came after Neymar paid him a visit in hospital in the suburbs of the French capital.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino is set to serve a second term after world football's governing body said on Wednesday he would be the only candidate for June's vote. The 48-year-old has been
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