Outsiders take long shot at Champions League riches

The battle for a place in the Champions League is the focus of attention in the final two months of the English Premier League season, with the title race and relegation battle seemingly a foregone conclusion.

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LONDON -

Liverpool are storming clear with a 12-point lead over Arsenal at the top, while at the bottom Ipswich Town, Leicester City and Southampton are set for an immediate return to the second-tier Championship.

A strong season by English sides in European competitions means it is almost certain that a top-five finish will secure a place in next season's Champions League.

And the race to be in Europe's elite club competition has never been more open as the Premier League's middle class has taken advantage of a woeful season for Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.

Chelsea and Manchester City occupy fourth and fifth on 49 and 48 points respectively with nine games to go, but both also still have plenty to do after their struggles for consistent form.

Here is a look at the prospects of four surprise Champions League challengers.

NOTTINGHAM FOREST (THIRD, 54 POINTS)