One Place Left, 5 teams in it

[Renart]

Why is it that whenever I read this thread title I think of this:

 

[MC Prussian]

We'd still have to win all of our remaining three fixtures to be in the best possible position. You can't rely on any other of our immediate relegation rivals to drop points this late in the season.

 

Ideally:

• Southampton play as badly as they did away at Sunderland
• we beat Sunderland away (or get at least a draw)
• we can condemn QPR to another Championship season

Out of these three, I think Sunderland away is the toughest fixture. The Mackems will no doubt come out in full force and try to seal this six-pointer in their favour.

[Grey Fox]

Until I see the result of the Arsenal v Hull game I am focussing on Sunderland as our number one target to finish above.  Not least because we play them so we have a direct chance to help make that so.

 

The way I am looking at it is that as long as we don’t lose to Sunderland, and if we can win one of either Southampton or QPR at home, then that would make it very difficult for Sunderland to finish above us.

 

If we can do those two things it would mean we finish on at least 38 points.

 

That would mean that Sunderland have to take 5 points from Everton, Arsenal or Chelsea away to finish above us (because we should have better goal difference).

 

That would be a tough ask for them in my opinion.  They would either have to win two of them and get 6 points.  Or not get beat in two and win the other to get 5.

 

What this says to me more than anything is that the Sunderland game is the key.  We must not lose to them if we want to give ourselves the best chance of survival.

 

If Sunderland lose the Everton game in the early kick off, then we go and beat Southampton.  We can go to Sunderland knowing that a point would make it almost impossible for them to finish above us, considering the two games they would have left. 

 

They would then have to go and beat both Arsenal and Chelsea away to catch us, and even then we would need to lose to QPR.

 

Next weekend is therefore huge.  If they lose to Everton then we have a massive opportunity to twist the knife.

[Dr The Singh]

Its going to go the wire, we just have to get equal or better results then the rest. We cannot afford to lose to Sunderland

[Finn Claw II]

I bloody hate the tension but I also bloody love it.

[Dan]

Being 17th when 18th has a game in hand, and the fact we still have to go to 18th, is about as nervy as it gets.

 

Despite our form, we're still the ones they'll be gunning for.

 

If we win and West Brom win on Saturday then I'll be amazed if we go down, although could Sunderland possibly need a bigger incentive to beat us than the potential of sending Newcastle down?

 

I seriously think it might be Newcastle who goes.

[Scotch]

I bloody hate the tension but I also bloody love it.

I feel ya bud! I'm absolutely sh!tting it!

I think that we SHOULD be OK, as long as we keep up the performances we have been producing for the last month or so. There are just so many teams around us with tougher run ins who are also on poorer runs of form.

I think that 4 pts will prob be enough although I'm hoping we get them BEFORE the QPR game as I don't think I have enough boxers to last me for a deciding last day!

[HighPeakFox]

Change of manager 3pts. west Ham - anyone can beat West ham now.

Excepting Burnley :-)

[Guest]

Excepting Burnley :-)

 

We just need Burnley to beat Hull. I believe they will. Their farewell to the Prem.

[ithuriel]

Read a report that Carver stays at Newcastle until the end of the season.

[foxinsox]

Teams playing Sunderland will have to be careful of conceding penalties. We certainly should be!

If we keep winning they cannot catch us.