73 is magic number for Liverpool in Champions League chase

A total of 73 points has been sufficient in four of the last five Premier League seasons to secure Champions League football. It would have been five in five had Chelsea not become kings of Europe and took the last spot despite finishing sixth in 2011/12.

Liverpool have reached 50 points at a New Year canter and, with 13 top-flight hurdles to go, they lead the best of the rest this term in the race for fourth place.

Brendan Rodgers’ Reds are now odds-on at 1/3 to finish the campaign in the top four and 2/1 to miss the boat after bitter rivals Everton and Manchester United slipped up again.

Losing once at Anfield all season, Liverpool recently put together back-to-back breathless first-half displays against the Toffees and former leaders Arsenal.

The Kop has rocked in celebration at seven of the Reds’ last nine home goals before half-time. Four of those came in 20 frenetic minutes against the Gunners.

Liverpool have prolific strike partnership Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge firing on all cylinders. Between them, they have scored 38 Premier League goals and 40 in all competitions.

Rodgers’ SAS are supplemented by Kop idol Steven Gerrard and teenage Reds winger Raheem Sterling, who have both netted six each in all competitions.

There has been the perfect response from Liverpool since losing back-to-back games over the festive period to Chelsea and Manchester City. The Reds have gone eight matches unbeaten.

Tottenham are Liverpool’s nearest challengers three points behind them, but with a vastly inferior goal difference. Spurs edged another Champions League hopeful in Everton, going 5/2 for a top-four finish.

Under Tim Sherwood, Tottenham have dropped four points from the last nine available, but now have explosive wide player Andros Townsend back from injury.

Former White Hart Lane and Blackburn Rovers playing favourite Sherwood has also rejuvenated Togo frontman Emmanuel Adebayor. The ex-Arsenal attacker, who was frozen out under Andre Villas-Boas, has seven in his last 11 in all competitions.