Six-pointer

A six-pointer is a match between two sides fighting it out in a similar position in the league table.

The term was coined because the value of winning would be not just the three points your team gets, but also the three points the opposition fails to pick up.

When you face a direct rival in the league, a victory effectively leaves you six points better off than a defeat would, and three points better off than a draw would.

A six-pointer typically refers to a match towards the end of the season.

Normally the term is used in conjunction with relegation (i.e. a relegation six-pointer), but it can also sometimes refer to a top of the table clash.