Sunderland are incredibly lucky there are 3 even worse teams than them this year, they'd be in deep trouble at this stage in almost every other PL season.

 

They are shockingly shite this year, I'd bet they get a result at West Ham next weekend (we are in even worse form!).

 

They've been clinging on for years now though, I'm sure some would please to see them go down.

 

I think City will still comfortably make it, they have a much easy run-in than the others.

 

United play 4 of the top 6 in their next 5 games so results in those will be pivotal, at least we had not too bad results against them in the first ties. Liverpool have 6/10 games away from home with some tricky looking fixtures but have the best form. Arsenal always make it.

 

So it's really between United & Liverpool for me, Spurs will always screw it up & Southampton are finally hitting their inevitable fade away...

 

Thing is this time of the year, even the games that look easy on paper become harder. The relegation threatened teams can find an extra 10% and stun others. Man City's probems though is that I think Pelligrini looks like a dead man walking. I think he's an excellent manager, but I don't think the formation he plays is best suited to the players he has.

 

If Spurs win tomorrow, I think it throws it all back up. Still not massively convinced by Man Utd at all, but it's all in their hands still. The game next week is going to be absolutely massive.

True, but generally City have swept up well against the lower teams, just strange they struggled with Burnley! (And that Hull match)

 

And I know, but sadly right now I can only see a Liverpool win as the outcome, we've looked lost on the road all season...

 

Tomorrow is absolute must-win.

I'm delighted that Aston Villa are starting to hit some sort of fun, I love Tim Sherwood.

 

I'm rather delighted to see QPR getting relegated again, I don't think they'll manage to survive. Leicester deserve to go down, they should have sacked their Nigel Pearson much earlier because they have a good enough team to escape the bottom 3.

 

Burnley NEED to survive though, one of the best / most interesting teams by a mile.

True, but generally City have swept up well against the lower teams, just strange they struggled with Burnley! (And that Hull match)

 

And I know, but sadly right now I can only see a Liverpool win as the outcome, we've looked lost on the road all season...

 

Tomorrow is absolute must-win.

 

Well we need to avenge the 3-0 defeat, so here's hoping.. Massive game all the same, but really interesting to see how Van Gaal will play it.

 

As for the relegation battle.. Leicester look down and out. QPR were awful today, but they looked bright against Spurs. I think they've the players to get some results, but need to shore up their away form, which doesn't look at easy task. Think the final place will go down to Villa/Everton/Burnley/Sunderland. I think Villa might slip back in to it. I agree Sherwood is really easy to take the piss out of, but he must have something about him, cos that Villa team is shite.

Everton going down would most likely be one of the biggest shocks ever.

 

I think Martinez needs to sort out the Everton squad next year majorly.

Everton going down would most likely be one of the biggest shocks ever.

 

I think Martinez needs to sort out the Everton squad next year majorly.

 

Everton are lucky that there's likely to be more worse teams than them. Honestly they've been so bad, I think they will manage to stay up in all likelihood but they have been so bad in attacking & defensive patterns of play. They should have cashed in on Baines when they had the chance. I expect in the summer they will flog Barkley, and try their best to hang on to Stones & Garbutt. Like Man City though, the majority of their spine is so old. They spent poorly in the summer, spending all the TV money on Lukaku.

Everton are lucky that there's likely to be more worse teams than them. Honestly they've been so bad, I think they will manage to stay up in all likelihood but they have been so bad in attacking & defensive patterns of play. They should have cashed in on Baines when they had the chance. I expect in the summer they will flog Barkley, and try their best to hang on to Stones & Garbutt. Like Man City though, the majority of their spine is so old. They spent poorly in the summer, spending all the TV money on Lukaku.

 

I think Martinez saving grace is their performance in the Europa League. Everton have a good enough team to do well in the Europa League and it would be rather amusing to see them manage to get into the Champions League by winning the Europa League.

Everton cannot possibly win the Europa League. They've been lucky with the draw so far but faced with Napoli, Wolfsburg or Zenit for instance they would crumble.

I'm rather delighted to see QPR getting relegated again

 

:angry: Hard life being a QPR supporter tbh. The first half of today's match in particular was ABYSMAL though.

Everton cannot possibly win the Europa League. They've been lucky with the draw so far but faced with Napoli, Wolfsburg or Zenit for instance they would crumble.

 

Everton are currently 6th favourite to win the Europa League, I'm positive that they will go further than you think. The only team I believe they will struggle against is Wolfsburg, Roma and Napoli.

 

Everton are 10/1. I've stuck £20 on it.

 

:angry: Hard life being a QPR supporter tbh. The first half of today's match in particular was ABYSMAL though.

 

QPR need a new manager who can sort out their team. They've got a good enough team to be fighting for top 10 but their squad in general needs a massive change.

If Everton do win the Europa league & grab a CL spot, do they take away said spot from whoever finishes 4th?

If Everton do win the Europa league & grab a CL spot, do they take away said spot from whoever finishes 4th?

 

No it's entirely different I think. I think that situation only happens if the Champions League winners don't qualify via the domestic places.

 

But it's totally silly, because there is absolutely no chance Everton will win the Europa League. Like Rooney, they will become knocked out :D

Well Chelsea still look dead set for the league then. Arsenal may yet finish second as they get more options back in midfield - squad is stronger than many people realise.

 

It's a shame that this looks like the end for Pellegrini but there was always a slight whiff of the quick fix about him. Used his new signings well last year, but City are just crying out for a proper philosophy now.

Everton cannot possibly win the Europa League. They've been lucky with the draw so far but faced with Napoli, Wolfsburg or Zenit for instance they would crumble.

The Wolfsburg they beat 4-1 and 2-0 in the group stage?

 

Everton's problem was that part of last season's success was down to the excellent form of two loan signings (Lukaku and Barry), who they then were so desperate to sign permanently they blew virtually all of their budget on those two players. With more games and too many players the wrong side of 30 (Howard, Jagielka, Distin, Alcaraz, Hibbert, Osman, Barry) they were never going to match last years success, and are left reliant on a 21 year old who's played an insane amount of professional games for someone so young and it's no wonder he often looks so burnt out.

 

I really hope Burnley can survive, Sunderland and Villa have both stank out the Premier League for years and one of them is definitely due a relegation, I'd love it to be Villa as I cannot stand Tim Sherwood but Poyet is just as awful and Jermain Defoe is one of the worst and most desperate signings I've ever seen.

 

I don't think Villa's squad is that bad, Lambert had it underperforming for ages, it's not great but not bottom 3 quality.

I'd say QPR & Leicester are down, no question. Then theoretically it's 5 into 1...

 

I'm sure Everton will pull away, Villa as always find a way out at the business end year on year. Hull will grind their way to survival probably by drawing a load. So it's between Burnley & Sunderland for me for the last spot. I'm in agreement that Burnley are by far the preferable choice to stay up.

The Wolfsburg they beat 4-1 and 2-0 in the group stage?

 

Everton's problem was that part of last season's success was down to the excellent form of two loan signings (Lukaku and Barry), who they then were so desperate to sign permanently they blew virtually all of their budget on those two players. With more games and too many players the wrong side of 30 (Howard, Jagielka, Distin, Alcaraz, Hibbert, Osman, Barry) they were never going to match last years success, and are left reliant on a 21 year old who's played an insane amount of professional games for someone so young and it's no wonder he often looks so burnt out.

 

I really hope Burnley can survive, Sunderland and Villa have both stank out the Premier League for years and one of them is definitely due a relegation, I'd love it to be Villa as I cannot stand Tim Sherwood but Poyet is just as awful and Jermain Defoe is one of the worst and most desperate signings I've ever seen.

 

I don't think Villa's squad is that bad, Lambert had it underperforming for ages, it's not great but not bottom 3 quality.

 

Everton's problems are also down to Martinez. Last season their defence was playing off the old Moyes tactics, whilst as Martinez has tried to implement his, they look more like Wigan and than a hard to breakdown side. Their form is horrendous. They're lucky that I don't think teams will need anywhere near 40 points to survive this season.

 

Controversial for me, but I think one of either QPR/Leicester will find form somewhere.

A missed opportunity for Chelsea there with a draw against Southampton. Although great draw from Southampton though.

Good result for Southampton. If only City had got a result yesterday.

 

Spurs :lol: Absolutely awful. Least this will put the nail in the coffin for 4th place for them.

Very happy with that! Finally looked like a team with purpose. Of course next weekend is a completely different kettle of fish but I'm at least (slightly) more confident if we can play like that... (or were Spurs just that bad :unsure:)