Both sides have already secured their top-four play-off spots, with Saturday's regular-season contest a battle for third place in the table.

Source: https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/hull-fcs-yorkshire-experience-keeps-8696491

Brentford pulled off their latest Premier League shock by beating Liverpool 3-1 at home, bringing Juergen Klopp’s side’s four-game winning streak to an end and rattling their top-four ambitions.

Source: https://www.smh.com.au/sport/killer-bees-brentford-rattle-liverpool-with-3-1-victory-20230103-p5c9zn.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_feed

But rather than dwelling on a victory which would have moved Newcastle to within touching distance of guaranteeing a top-four finish, seemingly viewed avoiding defeat in a highly-charged encounter as a positive.

Source: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/alan-shearer-leeds-newcastle-united-26908242

Coupled with Newcastle United's 2-0 defeat to Arsenal earlier in the day, the race for a top-four finish has been blown wide open, with Liverpool now sitting just three points and one point behind Newcastle and United respectively.

Source: https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/manchester-united-top-four-shearer-26866828

Despite consistently fighting for top-four finishes in the Premier League, Tottenham have now gone 15 years without a trophy since winning the EFL Cup in the 2007-08 season.

Source: https://theeagleonline.com.ng/iranian-american-billionaire-preparing-3-1b-tottenham-takeover-bid/

Eddie Howe's side are devilishly difficult to beat but they have now scored only once in four league games and their top-four ambitions could be damaged by a lack of goals.

Source: https://www.emirates247.com/sports/football/premier-league-talking-points-2023-01-23-1.698979

Erik ten Hag is already losing ground in the top-four race.

Source: https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/manchester-united-arsenal-liverpool-tottenham-27732965

Howe and co now hope to build on the campaign as they look to strengthen the squad ahead of next season where they'll look to continue to challenge for a top-four spot while also playing in Europe.

Source: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/shearer-howe-premier-league-manager-27018967

If the Patriots win one or zero games the rest of their way, they’re guaranteed a top-four pick.

Source: https://nesn.com/2023/12/these-realistic-week-16-outcomes-idea-for-patriots-draft-outlook/

If the top-four initiative is passed, Montana’s electoral system would resemble that of Alaska, where voters in 2020 approved a ballot measure creating top-four primaries, albeit by slim margins.

Source: https://flatheadbeacon.com/2023/08/23/proposed-ballot-initiatives-would-mean-big-changes-for-montana-elections/

If the top-four initiative is passed, Montana’s electoral system would resemble that of Alaska, where voters in 2020 approved a ballot measure creating top-four primaries, albeit by slim margins.

Source: https://flatheadbeacon.com/2023/08/23/proposed-ballot-initiatives-would-mean-big-changes-for-montana-elections/

If you'd have asked any Hull KR fans 12 months ago if they'd take a top-four finish, reaching Wembley and getting 80 minutes away from Old Trafford, they'd have bitten your hand off.

Source: https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/highs-lows-hull-krs-frantic-8818812

In that post-game shout-out, Sutter also mentioned goaltender Jacob Markstrom and each of his top-four defencemen … The 2022-23 Flames own a 10-2-2 record on Saturdays.

Source: https://calgarysun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/calgary-flames/snapshots-huberdeau-plays-starring-role-flames-win-in-ot

It is worth remembering that Pochettino was outstanding during his five and a half years at Spurs, turning them from lightweights into a regular top-four club.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/nov/04/crybaby-pochettino-tells-chelsea-to-stand-up-at-spurs-and-launch-new-era

It should be quieter after beating Heritage Friday night for a sixth straight win and an almost assured top-four seed in next week’s start to the postseason for all classifications outside of 3A.

Source: https://www.broomfieldenterprise.com/2023/10/28/about-last-night-week-10-in-preps-football/

Last season, remember, Dobson fell from the second pair to the third, with Mayfield jumping into the top-four.

Source: https://nypost.com/2023/10/27/sports/more-trust-in-noah-dobson-paying-dividends-for-islanders/

Liverpool's top-four hopes now look looking slim, with the Reds remaining in sixth place and four points behind fourth-placed Manchester United, who have a game in hand.

Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-11592923/Jamie-Carragher-insists-Liverpool-sign-midfielder-finish-four.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490

Liverpool twice relinquished a lead before scoring a winner through Mohamed Salah as a 3-2 victory over relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest preserved hopes of a top-four finish in the English Premier League on Saturday.

Source: https://www.emirates247.com/sports/football/salah-grabs-winner-as-liverpool-beats-forest-3-2-2023-04-22-1.708944

Mikel Arteta will not emulate Arsene Wenger this season – admittedly few thought he ever would – but he can rue a missed opportunity to leapfrog Tottenham and to establish a gaping lead over Newcastle in the quest for a top-four finish.

Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/newcastle-arsenal-live-stream-score-result-b2441170.html

Since then, they have only lost one match in all competitions and have been a top-four club in Spain.

Source: https://nesn.com/bets/2023/05/uefa-europa-league-final-sevilla-fc-vs-a-s-roma/