Race for top 4 | Finito.

Offside

Euro 2016 sweepstake winner
Joined
Jun 9, 2012
Messages
26,770
Location
London
. It's not really acceptable that it's getting this tight though.
Am I living in an alternative universe? 4 weeks ago we were sent into 5th place. We’re now 7 clear of 6th with a game in hand and 6 clear of 5th with 2 games in hand. How is that getting tight?
 

TMDaines

Fun sponge.
Joined
Sep 1, 2014
Messages
14,013
538 had United at 86% after Tues, 88% after Weds and now at 86% after tonight.
 

DanielofLeyland

Full Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2021
Messages
147
So United v Villa is an extremely difficult game, but Liverpool v Villa is an easy win. Okay.
:lol:
My thoughts exactly. I'm quite pessimistic but you can never say how these games are going to go. Nobody had us going through in the FA cup after Sevilla but we did - against Brighton - whom we now seemingly won't be able to beat.

Liverpool also have to play Spurs who will be galvanised at coming back against United and may have a confidence they wouldnt have had should they have lost today so I don't think that will be straight forward for Liverpool either. It's in our hands regardless.
 

Barthez

New Member
Newbie
Joined
May 15, 2012
Messages
1,926
Am I living in an alternative universe? 4 weeks ago we were sent into 5th place. We’re now 7 clear of 6th with a game in hand and 6 clear of 5th with 2 games in hand. How is that getting tight?
Typical Cafe meltdown in the heat of the moment as it’s still a little raw.

People will wake up tomorrow and realise we are VERY well placed
 

Roboc7

Full Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2014
Messages
6,700
If Liverpool win their next 2 and we get 4 points we'd be what?

5 points ahead of them with a game in hand and 4 games to go.

Thats a pretty good position to be in
I think Liverpool win those 3 home game so they have 62 points. After our next 3 I’d expect us to be on 63 or 64 with a game in hand.

We should still scrape 4th as I’m sure Liverpool will drop points somewhere but a game in hand isn’t much of an advantage when playing this poorly and Liverpool will definitely close that gap over next three games.
 

Dominos

Full Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2009
Messages
7,012
Location
Manchester
The only positive thing about Spurs 2nd half performance is they might have half a chance against Liverpool on Sunday.

Think Liverpool will win though.

If Liverpool win at the weekend and we drop points we're completely justified in starting to panic.

Of course if we have any gameweek where we win and Liverpool dropped points it should be done. I'm just very worried Liverpool have a winning run in them.
 

Mmm-Qatarian

Full Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2016
Messages
1,484
Am I living in an alternative universe? 4 weeks ago we were sent into 5th place. We’re now 7 clear of 6th with a game in hand and 6 clear of 5th with 2 games in hand. How is that getting tight?
We should've been completely out of sight by now. We've dropped some points we really really shouldn't have against Southampton, Leeds, and now Spurs.
 

thegregster

Harbinger of new information
Joined
Nov 4, 2009
Messages
13,607
Newcastle
1/33

Man Utd
1/16

Brighton
17/2

Liverpool
9/1

We were 1/9 before the game.

Liverpool odds went from 9/2 to 9/1 after tonight.

Bookies seem to think its over.
 

Nick.

Full Member
Joined
May 3, 2016
Messages
1,033
I've said this for a month now but we've run out of steam and are limping over the finish line. Beginning to be worrying
 

Djemba-Djemba

Full Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2007
Messages
21,496
Location
Manchester
I think Liverpool win those 3 home game so they have 62 points. After our next 3 I’d expect us to be on 63 or 64 with a game in hand.

We should still scrape 4th as I’m sure Liverpool will drop points somewhere but a game in hand isn’t much of an advantage when playing this poorly and Liverpool will definitely close that gap over next three games.
I think we'll get at least 6 points from the next 3 games.

So even if Liverpool do win the next 3 and we lose to Brighton we'd be 4 points ahead of them with a game in hand and only 4 games left. And we end the season with 3 out of the last 4 at home.
 

KiD MoYeS

Good Craig got his c'nuppins
Joined
Feb 1, 2010
Messages
32,998
Location
Love is Blind
10 points from 7 needed. We will get fourth I think, Newcastle have the better fixtures. We really, really need to win on Sunday otherwise we're in danger of fudging it.
 

The Dane

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Oct 2, 2021
Messages
457
Location
Aarhus Denmark
It’s not like Liverpool are not struggling. Yes they have won the last three but apart from the 4-0 trashing of Leeds it has been pretty tight against Nottingham and West Ham and they are nowhere near where they were the last 2-3 seasons. They might gain some ground on us but it will be to little too late.
 

Siorac

Full Member
Joined
Sep 1, 2010
Messages
23,818
I've said this for a month now but we've run out of steam and are limping over the finish line. Beginning to be worrying
We had 3 wins, 2 draws, and 2 defeats in our last 7 games. That's 11 points.

If we do the same in the next 7, Liverpool need to win all their games. Which I still expect they will, unfortunately. We could really do with them fecking up somewhere.
 

DutchSerb

Full Member
Joined
May 9, 2019
Messages
941
Supports
FC Groningen
The only positive thing about Spurs 2nd half performance is they might have half a chance against Liverpool on Sunday.

Think Liverpool will win though.

If Liverpool win at the weekend and we drop points we're completely justified in starting to panic.

Of course if we have any gameweek where we win and Liverpool dropped points it should be done. I'm just very worried Liverpool have a winning run in them.
I don't agree in saying completely justified in starting to panic since we have a piss easy schedule after the Brighton&Villa games. I do see Liverpool going on that winning run as well, but we're still sitting very comfortable. Even if we drop points next game and they win.
 

Offside

Euro 2016 sweepstake winner
Joined
Jun 9, 2012
Messages
26,770
Location
London
I've said this for a month now but we've run out of steam and are limping over the finish line. Beginning to be worrying
Yeah but in terms of the actual league table it’s going the opposite direction? That’s 10 points out of 12 for us and Newcastle keep winning. Liverpool’s odds will be getting longer and Spurs are practically done.
 

acnumber9

Full Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2006
Messages
22,297
Win our home games and it’s job done regardless of anything else. People who are worried about Liverpool need to remember that IF we win our game in hand, which we should, then Newcastle are closer to Liverpool.
 

foolsgold

Full Member
Joined
Sep 1, 2008
Messages
1,692
Location
Aotearoa
The amount of bed wetting going on around here is ridiculous, people are suddenly terrified of being chased down by a team that's 7 points behind and has played a game more.
 

BorisManUtd

Full Member
Joined
Nov 4, 2013
Messages
3,943
If spurs and Liverpool draw at the weekend max Liverpool can get is 69
It's at Anfield, Liverpool will win that game comfortably.

Think tonight's result takes Spurs out of it. They're on 54 points with 5 games left, so 69 points is their maximum but they have to play at Liverpool and Villa and host Brentford which isn't a given 3 points.

Brighton are on 49 points with 8 games to go so their maximum number of points is 73 but they have to play vs us, away to Arsenal/Newcastle/Villa and vs City. You'd think they don't really have a chance.

Our biggest worry should be Liverpool. They've got some potentially tricky games left, like Spurs/Fulham/Brentford/Villa but all at Anfield and that could help them winning all those games. Their remaining away games are at Leicester and Southampton, which you'd expect them to win, especially at Southampton. Maybe Leicester could trouble them as they're fighting to stay in the league.

As long as Liverpool don't drop any points, we need to get to 72. So need another 12 from 21 available. Next 3 - vs Villa and at Brighton and West Ham, seem big.
 

Silverman

Full Member
Joined
Oct 8, 2013
Messages
6,498
To the people worried about us missing out, who on earth is going to pip us?
Brighton lost to relegation fodder last night, Liverpool have just about won their last few games against teams around the dropzone and Villa/Tottenham aren't good enough.
We'll be absolutely fine.
 

gajender

Full Member
Joined
May 7, 2016
Messages
3,928
We should've been completely out of sight by now. We've dropped some points we really really shouldn't have against Southampton, Leeds, and now Spurs.
But that's the very nature of top 4 team dropping so called silly points otherwise they would be challenging for the title .

How many times you have seen in last few years that even when United have missed out on top 4 they were always with the chance even late in the season if they could just go on the run . It happens every year .
 

Dominos

Full Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2009
Messages
7,012
Location
Manchester
I don't agree in saying completely justified in starting to panic since we have a piss easy schedule after the Brighton&Villa games. I do see Liverpool going on that winning run as well, but we're still sitting very comfortable. Even if we drop points next game and they win.
West Ham away is not piss easy. They're a better team than their position suggests, they just took points off Arsenal and Liverpool had to come from behind to get a close win. We'd be under huge pressure to get at least 4 points from Brighton and West Ham away to maintain some breathing room.

You want to avoid going into the last 2 games needing to win at all costs.

Weird things can happen in football, no one on here was predicting we drop points to Palace, Leeds and Southampton in quick succession but that's exactly what we did not long ago. Of course the same applies to Liverpool, they can drop points. Feels like momentum is with them though.
 

TheNewEra

Knows Kroos' mentality
Joined
Jan 20, 2014
Messages
8,299
United dropping too many points we need to win 4 out of the 6 games imo
 

sallycinnamin

Full Member
Joined
Jan 30, 2013
Messages
3,138
I don't get it unless I'm missing something. Last weekend when Newcastle beat Spurs general consensus was top four alright, then was talk of Brighton till Forrest beat them, now it's Liverpool who weren't that impressive vs Forrest and got away with it last night vs West Ham.
 

Stack

Leave Women's Football Alone!!!
Joined
Sep 6, 2006
Messages
13,339
Location
Auckland New Zealand
4th is starting to feel like a little bit of a let down, 3rd would have made me feel like the season was a big step forward. Making the top 4 was the main goal so that helps.
 

Andycoleno9

matchday malcontent
Joined
Mar 4, 2017
Messages
29,098
Location
Croatia
We needed 4 wins and one draw. We got a draw in toughest game. I would have taken that before the game. Win vs Villa and draw vs Brighton will be good results.
 

Witchking

Full Member
Joined
May 16, 2010
Messages
4,494
Location
Angmar
Villa, West Ham and Brighton, all potential teams who can beat United. Cannot trust this united team without Martinez being available. Just hoping liverpool screw up.
 

C'est Moi Cantona

Full Member
Joined
Feb 15, 2014
Messages
8,831
So putting this into context, assuming Liverpool win all their games (which they won't), we can afford 3 losses and still get top 4, as can Newcastle.

People can worry as much as they want, but it's such an unlikely turn of events.

The pessimist I am, I still have us taking 13 points from our last 21 available.
 

fen4e

Full Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2005
Messages
344
Location
Playing Spin-n-Gos
To every one of you getting paranoid about the top4 spot: if this team is fragile enough to 'bottle' it from this position, why stress about missing out on the CL?
As someone mentioned already, do you really want us to drop out of the group stage or best case scenario scrape through and get spanked by any of the European elites in the Knockouts?
 

bosnian_red

Worst scout to ever exist
Joined
Aug 13, 2011
Messages
58,127
Location
Canada
United dropping too many points we need to win 4 out of the 6 games imo
We have 7 games remaining but correct we need 4 wins/12 points to guarantee us finishing above Liverpool who need to win them all for 71.
  • Villa home
  • Brighton away
  • West ham away
  • Wolves home
  • Bournemouth away
  • Chelsea home
  • Fulham home
Win the home games and we are there. Ideally, get 5 points from the next 3 games and we can rest easy with us being there. Just 3 points and the remaining 4 games suddenly leaves only 1 game for error... So hell even just 3 points from the next 3 and you'd still expect 9 points from those last 4. It's very unlikely we don't make it, and it'd be frankly embarassing if we feck it up.
 

Red00012

Full Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2018
Messages
12,311
We had 3 wins, 2 draws, and 2 defeats in our last 7 games. That's 11 points.

If we do the same in the next 7, Liverpool need to win all their games. Which I still expect they will, unfortunately. We could really do with them fecking up somewhere.
If we beat Villa and Spurs and Liverpool draw that’s that
 

#07

makes new threads with tweets in the OP
Joined
Oct 25, 2010
Messages
23,362
To every one of you getting paranoid about the top4 spot: if this team is fragile enough to 'bottle' it from this position, why stress about missing out on the CL?
As someone mentioned already, do you really want us to drop out of the group stage or best case scenario scrape through and get spanked by any of the European elites in the Knockouts?
Because if you can offer Champions League football to potential recruits, you can attract a higher calibre of player to replace the bottlers we have.