The Manchester Utd run in is very hard. Even though they've been winning games their seems to be this feeling around them that something bad will happen, reminds me of last season when Arsenal were top for so long, there was just an inevitability around them that something will happen.
Worst thing for Man U is that there winning games but there seems to be no momentum, there hasn't been a 'turning point.' Just constant reports on how the football hasn't been great and they were fortunate to win the game.
Saints are out of it, can't score at all and are now starting to leak goals, was always going to happen but hopefully they can improve on it next year because more teams challenging the more entertaining it is.
West Ham have no chance.
Spurs gone from beating Arsenal and going above them to being out of all cup competitions, losing a final and being six points off forth, Pochettino needs to give these players a massive boost of confidence if they're still to battle for fourth, the run in is quite nice for them.
Liverpool have a tough run in, Man U, Chelsea and Arsenal still all to play, I expect Man U at home to be the biggest one.
Unless Arsenal have a miracle they're out of the Champions League yet again in the quarter finals and it senses that it's the same old season for them. Play poorly at the start and out if the title race, lose in every cup competition (apart from FA of course) and limp over the line for forth.
Gonna be a great end to the season though.
Utd are grinding... but mostly against lower teams.
Here is their last ten results
Man Utd 2-0 Sunderland
Swansea 2-1 Man Utd
Man Utd 3-1 Burnley
West Ham 1-1 Man Utd
Man Utd 3-1 Leicester
QPR 0-2 Man Utd
Man Utd 0-1 Southampton
Stoke 1-1 Man Utd
Tottenham 0-0 Man Utd
Man Utd 3-1 Newcastle
Pros:
Form is 5 wins, 3 draws 2 losses
Form is good at home 4-0-1. You have to back utd to do well at home against many sides
They have not conceded that many goals. They've not shipped more than one goal in any game other than swansea and only 8 goals in 10 games
Cons:
I have put in bold the names against what i'd consider maybe top half teams. Of those only newcastle was a victory. They lost to swansea and southampton and drew with tottenham and west ham. That suggests against better sides they struggle... albeit affected by away form too
Continuing on that last sentence. away form is an issue. only one win in last ten away. V QPR who tried to defend and then conceded later after a woeful first half. they drew 3 on the road and lost one - 1-3-1 record
They have not given one full 90mins of good form this year. not one. They have not opened up on anyone and really hammered them. they have got 3 goals in a couple of games but also newcastle was end of pardew era and a lot of injuries and burnely are burnely and conceded a late pen.
...................................................
so to a neutral.. or a pundit who's got to make a comment.. how can you really have faith that utd are going to do better when the bigger sides are put up against them and when they have away games as well?
Newcastle (A)
Tottenham (H)
LFC (A)
Aston Villa (H)
Man City (H)
Chelsea (A)
Everton (A)
West brom (H)
Crystal Palace (A)
Arsenal (H)
Hull (A)
these games are similar to the games they had except there are top 4 teams in it. ignore us... there are 3 top 4 teams in there and two are at old trafford.
Utd need to take what 20 points out of this lot which is possible of course.
If the away form were ton continue at 1-3-1 sort of form they might only take 5/6 points there. 6 games and they got to everton and us and cheslea. They need to pick up more points against the weaker sides on the road. lets give them a boost and say 8 on the road
The home form then has spurs, arsenal and city in it. 5 games and i cannot see them taking 15 points there. 3-2-0 record might be good... might even be kind form me considering arsenal, tottenham and city and in that. 3-2-0 = 11 points.
= 19 points.
As far as i am concerned right now the LFC v Utd game is a real 6 pointer and will probably go a long way to deciding 4th spot. If LFC get no worse than a draw I think we can go for 4th. If we win I cannot see utd getting 4th from us anyway.
(who knows arsenal might implode like they usually do)