The next four games...

[Summit]

Need minimum of 10, ideally 12, to keep some hope of a Title charge

In reality, can only see us getting 4 (Loss to Watford, Draw Arsenal, Loss City, Win Bournemouth)

Minimum of 10 to keep the title charge alive? Which match do you see us drawing in this scenario?

Please say City. You do realise that a draw with City and we claw nothing back on them?

What we need to keep a title charge going is to match their results in the other 3 games (with a bit of luck maybe better their results, but very doubtful) and then we need to beat them at OT.

 

[Judas]

Anyone hoping for anything less than a win against City, what on earth kind of use is a draw? Who else do you see taking points off them?

 

[charlenefan]

Anyone hoping for anything less than a win against City, what on earth kind of use is a draw? Who else do you see taking points off them?

I'm of the opinion that they wont be caught so right now I'd take a draw against them if it were offered to me, I certainly don't want them to come to OT and beat us again because can you imagine the headlines and negativity that would create. Give me a draw and lets see what happens when they go to the likes of Liverpool

 

[Siorac]

Mourinho has never won at the Emirates.

Does this mean he never won at Arsenal or specifically the Emirates? I guess I could look up the two league games he played at Highbury but I'm too lazy.

 

[Sunny Jim]

I want 12.

 

[Enigma_87]

We need to win against City and Bournemouth. I have a feeling we won't get any points from the Emirates, especially if Matic is injured. More than 10 points gap after the City game will end the title race in December...

 

[Infra-red]

I'm of the opinion that a top 3 finish is just about the limit of our aspirations this season, and that it would represent decent progress under Mourinho. In that scenario, a draw vs City would be alright.

For those still with title aspirations however, it's clear that we will have to do the double over City to mount a proper challenge - they are not dropping many points elsewhere. A draw at OT would absolutely not be good enough.

 

[Klopp_De_Klown]

All games we dropped points in last season, and got a massive 1 point from twelve.

Watford away - lost 3-1
Arsenal away - lost 2-0
City home - lost 1-2
Bournemouth home - drew 1-1

What would be an acceptable points return for the corresponding fixtures this season?

3 down 9 more to come

 

[Ekkie Thump]

8 points is acceptable. Got to be beating the Watford and Bournemouth. Draws in the other two fixtures are fine outcomes given the quality of the opposition.

 

[JB08]

I think we'll draw to Arse, lose to City and beat Bournemouth. So 7 points vs 1 is pretty good.

In fairness we'd completely given up on the league by the Arsenal game last year so we may have gotten a better result there otherwise.

 

[charlenefan]

Does this mean he never won at Arsenal or specifically the Emirates? I guess I could look up the two league games he played at Highbury but I'm too lazy.

Jose has won at the Emirates, Chelsea beat Arsenal 0-2 in the League Cup. Mata scored a cracker as well

 

[Brightonian]

Beating City would be worth more than just the three points. They need to be shown they can be beaten, and the league's other teams need to see it too.

 

[mitchmouse]

If we beat both City and Arsenal, we'll go on to win the title. We won't and we won't! To be truthful, more likely to lose both

 

[RedDevilRoshi]

Need to win these games heading into the hectic festive schedule if we want to win the league.

Arsenal away will be tough and the 1st goal in that game will be crucial. We get it then I'd fancy us to go on and win the game. If they score first, then it'll be interesting to see if we open up a lot more to try and get the equaliser.

Come through the CSKA game in midweek unscathed and booking our place in the Knockout round.

Then the huge 6 pointer against City. We beat them then the confidence that will give to the players and the club will be huge! City will be very wary and the rest of the league will know what they need to do to take points off them. Will also be interesting to see how they react to a defeat, especially one to a major title rival and will they able to cope when those Xmas/New Year fixtures come along.

Bournemouth on paper should be a win but we all know what happened with these home fixtures last season. No complacency and just get the job done.

 

[BenjaminP]

This may not be the ideal place to ask this question, but I'm planning to visit Manchester first time all the way from S Korea.
Where is the place that I have best chance for getting United vs City match ticket?
Waiting all night at ticket booth is no problem, and I want the ticket no matter the price as long as it's not ridiculous.

 

[Android1974]

Mourinho should really contain himself and “risk it” with CSKA at home playing a complete second team, with Darmian, Tuanzebe, Jones/Bailly, Blind, McTominay, Herrera, Fellaini, Mata and Ibrahimović, and even players lacking match fitness, like Carrick and Shaw. Let all the starters of City game out of this one.

 

[Lentwood]

Hmmm... In a title winning season we would want to win the City and Watford games. Which would give us 10 points. No title winning season ever goes to plan, though. So dropped points in one or other of those games would be fine (i.e. 8 points) Less than that and we're falling further and further away from what we need to win the title. Which is, obviously, still not a total disaster but disappointing all the same.

I know what we want to do, that’s win all four obviously but I was trying to draw a line in the sand between unacceptable, acceptable and good.

Tbh I think any fan of any club should look at 6pts from those four games as acceptable. Not bad, not good, just acceptable. It’s a tough run of fixtures whoever you are.

 

[SWest73]

If we have designs on the title I say 12 from 12 is about the only option. Beating City is a must to make a statement if nothing else.

Watford and Bournemouth are games that you have to win. Arsenal aren't bad at home, will be difficult...if we are to drop any points this one is about the only acceptable one if we want to be in the mix.

This pretty much sums it up. Draw against City isn't an option if we want to be on a title race, preferrable against Arsenal if there must be points dropped.

 

[Rodrigo_UC10]

I feel like it is more than achievable to beat Arsenal and Bournemouth. City is gonna be the toughest opponent to beat yet, but it could happen. I mean Man Utd has the squad and desire to do it as well as the support of the home fans which does count. Getting at least 6 points out of these 3 fixtures I believe would be a positive thing but of course getting 9 points is also realistic.

 

[McGrathsipan]

8 points is acceptable. Got to be beating the Watford and Bournemouth. Draws in the other two fixtures are fine outcomes given the quality of the opposition.

That's David Moyes talk right there.

Draws are never acceptable against other top 6 clubs. At least not from the outset.

Wins all the way

 

[Ekkie Thump]

8 points would be a reasonable return from those fixtures. Not great, not desireable, not the aim, but reasonable.

 

[Greek9]

If the title is the aim then a win is a must against Arsenal, other than that i believe both Spurs and Liverpool will drop points next game cause they got very difficult fixtures, but freaking City has the easiest game as it looks... hopefully West Ham surprises us all.

 

[Uche]

Arsenal draw.
City draw.
Bournemouth win.

Easy to predict.

 

[wolvored]

If we have designs on the title I say 12 from 12 is about the only option. Beating City is a must to make a statement if nothing else.

Watford and Bournemouth are games that you have to win. Arsenal aren't bad at home, will be difficult...if we are to drop any points this one is about the only acceptable one if we want to be in the mix.

I agree. If were going to win the league then we need to beat most of the top teams and if were to catch city then looking at a point is no good.

 

[midnightmare]

Well, Moyes has a history of being a banana peel for that one team every year (Barca when at La Real, Liverpool and Spurs last season I think) so I hope he can (finally) do a good turn for us. As regards our games, I'd not settle for anything less than 3 more wins. Win them and we're in the hunt. Lose / draw a single one and the gap will only widen. City face a significantly easier run now than we do. We absolutely have to be on top form - and I think we can do it.

Jose should know all about beating Arsenal. United had their number for years - and last year was the aberration (and we were abject). Win that and we enter a home derby in form. At home, with City showing some cracks (last minute winners needed against minnows!), we really should be aiming for a win. We need to be charged up and Jose generally manages to do that well. Our record at home has been flawless and that gives me the confidence that we can do a number on them.

And yes, settling for an expectation of less than 12 from these games is to accept defeat.

 

[McGrathsipan]

8 points would be a reasonable return from those fixtures. Not great, not desireable, not the aim, but reasonable.

Yeah reasonable for a team that has aspirations for a top 4 finish. Not a title winning side

 

[Ekkie Thump]

Yeah reasonable for a team that has aspirations for a top 4 finish. Not a title winning side

It's a reasonable return for a team that aspires to 90 points - itself a reasonable total for a title winning side. For instance in the season Chelsea amassed 95 points (the current record) they drew 2-2 at Arsenal and drew 0-0 with ( a far worse) City at home. Unacceptable results are the losses to the likes of Huddersfield, not draws with other excellent teams.

 

[haram]

It really needs to be at least wins against Arsenal and Bournemouth, draw against City. AT LEAST.

Obviously, a win in all 3 would be amazing.

 

[MuranoLover]

City for now is maybe above all EU teams I have watched , so nothing to be mad at that we are way after them .

2nd place is a good progress , having in mind the last years , so if we finish with less than 10 points difference to them in the end of the year , it will be a good PL year .

 

[McGrathsipan]

It's a reasonable return for a team that aspires to 90 points - itself a reasonable total for a title winning side. For instance in the season Chelsea amassed 95 points (the current record) they drew 2-2 at Arsenal and drew 0-0 with ( a far worse) City at home. Unacceptable results are the losses to the likes of Huddersfield, not draws with other excellent teams.

I know what you're saying.
Let's agree that after dropping points at Stoke and Huddersfield a win against Arsenal is required.

 

[marjen]

Anything less than 10 points isn't good enough in our current situation.

That would probably take us to within 7 points of City, which is still quite a bit away, but not totally unassailable.

 

[Zebs]

Think we'll have our work cut out vs Watford tonight, think we'll pick up a point in a 1-1 draw. We'll go defensive against Arsenal as Jose won't want to lose vs Wenger, either 1-1 or 0-0 in that game. City at home we'll stick with 5 at the back again, think they'll have too much for us and beat us 2-0, Bournemouth at home we'll win 2-0/3-0 as they'll park the bus, so 5 points from 4 games.

 

[Globule]

I don't think we're going to win the league, but if we are going to stand any chance we need to beat City. Not just because we need to close the gap, but because we need to dent their confidence. It'd be nice if West Ham could get the ball rolling by taking points off them tomorrow, but that's not going to happen, so we need to step up. It would be a great time to do it too, with the Christmas congestion coming up.

 

[GM K]

All games we dropped points in last season, and got a massive 1 point from twelve.

Watford away - lost 3-1
Arsenal away - lost 2-0
City home - lost 1-2
Bournemouth home - drew 1-1

What would be an acceptable points return for the corresponding fixtures this season?

So far, we have gotten 6 points from 6. Massive improvement!

Now let's take out City at home.