Top 4 Race 19/20 | duffer: "We [Chelsea] are getting 3rd. Despite what the lunatics in here think, Man United are not all that."

Mb194dc

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Being at home v Spurs (or away usually) id bank on 3 pts, in normal circumstances. With Kane and Son out i'd be even more convinced. But weirdly being at home, Im less than confident this season

Still think we might just nick it. Abraham is fit again, RLC back in squad. Would put us 4 ahead of Spurs and 6 again ahead of Utd, dependant on results. We then do not play a "big gun" until 21st March
We need a result today to get back on track after pretty dire run of results.

Pressure is on now. With a win today I feel we can kick on and keep 5th minimum this season.

Lose today and things could get ugly in short order.
 

McGrathsipan

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Yeah i think the next 2 or 3 weeks will define the top 4.

Spurs are in trouble with Kane gone Son stepped up and now he's gone.

Draw at Chelsea today and United beat Watford would really open up the race
 

Ooh2B

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There's quite a lot of scenarios from the various outcomes and results. Suffice to say, ourselves, Everton or Burnley could be nibbling around the edges of Top 4 come Monday.:lol::houllier:

From 4th to 11th, Form, Goal Difference, Inconsistencies, Injuries, New Managers, More Injuries etc, has left no real indication, even with roughly a dozen games left, as to what the final outcome will be.

I just had a quick look at it and Everton are in the best form of the chasing pack actually.

Keeps it interesting.
 

Bilbo

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Big game for United tomorrow. Win and we are back into 5th. 3pts behind Chelsea and only 9 behind Leicester if they get beat today.

Big four matches coming up after Watford:

Everton A
Spurs A
City H
Sheff Utd H

None of these are easy and I'm sure we'd take 7 points from that 12 (as long as the defeat is City). I fancy us to win at Spurs given their current struggles.

After that we have a great run of fixtures on paper so if we come through the above period within one result of Chelsea I think we would be favourites for fourth.

The downside is Chelsea are likely to be out of all cups after the next round so they'll have a clear run at the league
 

charlenefan

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Big game for United tomorrow. Win and we are back into 5th. 3pts behind Chelsea and only 9 behind Leicester if they get beat today.

Big four matches coming up after Watford:

Everton A
Spurs A
City H
Sheff Utd H

None of these are easy and I'm sure we'd take 7 points from that 12 (as long as the defeat is City). I fancy us to win at Spurs given their current struggles.

After that we have a great run of fixtures on paper so if we come through the above period within one result of Chelsea I think we would be favourites for fourth.

The downside is Chelsea are likely to be out of all cups after the next round so they'll have a clear run at the league
That's a horrendous run for us :(
 

charlenefan

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It is, but I'd rather get them out of the way. I'm never confident of beating City, but the other three are there to be won.
I'll be honest I struggle to see more than 4 points at absolute best
 

Bilbo

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We'll beat Spurs and Sheff Utd. Everton is probably 60/40 in our favour and I'd take a draw vs City all day.
 

Judas

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Everton away is always an absolute stinker. Hopefully we approach them all like massive games though, seeing as those are the ones we tend to turn up for. I'll feel a bit more confident if we do the business against Watford.
 

croadyman

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Everton away is always an absolute stinker. Hopefully we approach them all like massive games though, seeing as those are the ones we tend to turn up for. I'll feel a bit more confident if we do the business against Watford.
Hoping that the acquisition of Bruno will help us in those remaining games where we have struggled to break down teams, for instance the games against Villa, Bournemouth, Brighton, West Ham & Southampton
 

matherto

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I hope Everton beat Arsenal today but then obviously we beat them at Goodison.

Historically we don't do well on Merseyside at either ground and they're in good form at the minute under Ancelotti. Can only hope Ole treats it as if he's playing one of the big 6 and we hammer them on the break.
 

njred

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The race for fifth is really tight. Forget about 4 th. 5 teams within 2 points. What a season
 

JinnerJamie

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#TeamPlGDPts
4Chelsea27844
5Manchester United271241
6Tottenham Hotspur27840
7Sheffield United27440
8Wolverhampton Wanderers27639
9Arsenal27337
10Burnley27-637
11Everton27-536

Match Day 28 Fixtures

Saturday 29th

Bournemouth vs Chelsea
Newcastle vs Burnley

Sunday 1st

Everton vs Man Utd
Tottenham vs Wolves

Arsenal and Sheff Utd's games delayed due to Carabao Cup Final
 
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Nou_Camp99

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Everton seem to really find their best form against us, especially at home. I'd be happy with a point tbh.
 

Wednesday at Stoke

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Given the superior goal difference and the string of missed penalties at the start of the season, this feels rather shitty to not be top 4.
 

The United

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I am more confident against Spurs and City than the other two though. Funny.

Seems like Spur has a pretty easy run ins.
 

Sherry33

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Given the superior goal difference and the string of missed penalties at the start of the season, this feels rather shitty to not be top 4.
Given some of the embarrassing penalties you've been awarded this season and some of the VAR decisions it would be a joke if you were Top 4.
 

croadyman

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Everton seem to really find their best form against us, especially at home. I'd be happy with a point tbh.
Yeah I can see it being a proper tough game at Goodison next Sunday, thought Everton played well and can see Calvert-Lewin's physical presence giving us problems and Gomes looked half decent when he came on the pitch for them today
 

Buchan

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Everton reserve the performances they should be putting in v Liverpool for when they play us.

I’m not expecting much against those game-raising-yet-bottling bastards.
 

ZolaWasMagic

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We can't count on that.

I have absolutely no faith in that ruling not getting overturned somehow.
With the clear evidence provided via those leaked emails, i would be really surprised if they dont get at least a 1 year ban. If cIty get that overturned, when the guilt is quite clear, then they've sent some brown envelopes

There's a tonne of evidence supposedly, and it all shows that this supposed sponsor money was straight from the owners... cooking the books. It's fraud. End of
 

diarm

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With the clear evidence provided via those leaked emails, i would be really surprised if they dont get at least a 1 year ban. If cIty get that overturned, when the guilt is quite clear, then they've sent some brown envelopes

There's a tonne of evidence supposedly, and it all shows that this supposed sponsor money was straight from the owners... cooking the books. It's fraud. End of
Oh I know. They're bang to rights.

But then so were PSG and they got off scot free.
 

Finn MacCool

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Recent results have thrown this race wide open. It looks like it could go all the way. With the title looking like it will be done early Sky will be hoping there is something riding on the final days fixtures between Chelsea vs Wolves and Leicester vs Utd.
 

peridigm

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So effectively are we currently sitting in a Champions League spot? :D
Oh shit! I forgot about that. Would be fine by me to get CL from 5th place.

Recent results have thrown this race wide open. It looks like it could go all the way. With the title looking like it will be done early Sky will be hoping there is something riding on the final days fixtures between Chelsea vs Wolves and Leicester vs Utd.
That will be an interesting match day. Expect Leicester to still be comfortably in 3rd. Us, Chelsea, Spurs, Sheffield, and Wolves could all be in the race. Then there is Arsenal who are also closing the gap. Lots of points between now and then.
 

redshaw

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Maybe the tougher run-in can keep us on our toes to get a decent finish. With Chelsea getting Abraham back though they might just maintain that gap and this 5th place outside chance of CL might be the best any of the other clubs can do.

With last season's after you sir and this season looking as low as 2016 for 4th, I wouldn't rule anything out, even Leicester getting caught up.

Promising thing for United is some clean sheets and 2 consecutive wins recently. We've been poor outside of December so it could point to something positive happening even if we lose or draw the next league game. At the start of the season I always felt we could have a strong season end in regards to Greenwood developing and the young team coming together more. Rashford is a real blow but we finally have Bruno.
 

P-Nut

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Leicester could be dragged right back into this if they don't pick up quickly. Win on the weekend and we're only 6 points behind them.