Newcastle manager Kevin Keegan has expressed his concern over the dominance of the ‘big four’ in the Premier League competition.

The normally optimistic Keegan has suggested that if Newcastle bosses think that the gap can be bridged, they need to think again.

“Maybe the owner thinks we can bridge that gap - but we can’t,” said Keegan, adding “This league is in danger of becoming one of the most boring but great leagues in the world.”

Keegan insists that the top four this year will be the same next year and any other team with aspirations of anything more than fifth place is being unrealistic.

Keegan admitted that seeing a Chelsea bench during Mondays game with Shevchenko, Lampard and Joe Cole warming it, left him feeling that the gap between the top four and the rest of the premier league could not be taken lightly.

While Champions league football makes the top clubs richer the also rans can only watch in awe and hope for UEFA cup football by finishing in fifth place.

This has been the closest title for some years and the fact that it will not be won until the final game of the season makes it a little more interesting, but I do tend to agree with Keegan’s call. It is difficult to see how the monopoly could be broken and at the end of the day we would all like to see competition from other quarters.

At the start of the season I thought that Newcastle, Spurs and Liverpool had the strength to compete with Man Utd, Chelsea and Arsenal, but even Liverpool have struggled to keep pace with top three.

With the amount of investment being pumped into football from rich benefactors it still remains likely that a challenge can be mounted by someone. If indeed the league can be bought, as many suggest that Chelsea have, then why can’t someone else?

Next season perhaps Manchester City or Aston Villa or even Newcastle may be in with a shout, but I have to admit it is becoming a huge gap to close.