Topic: The PL run-in

[Suareznumber7]

This is from April, points total since 2017/18. What ever happens we have done brilliantly to compete with a country owned cheating club over this time

That’s an absolutely ridiculous amount of points.  So far ahead of everyone else in the league.  Klopp and co are absolute geniuses.

[thisyearisouryear]

Best approach for us fans is just to enjoy it and celebrate a great season.

After trying to reach this zen state for the last 10 days - I am still wildly swaying between high hopes and major despondencies.

Anyway, ~60 hours to go.

[McSquared]

That’s an absolutely ridiculous amount of points.  So far ahead of everyone else in the league.  Klopp and co are absolute geniuses.

It is, and it includes half a season without a defence and and a bunch of other trophies. Up the Reds

[-Willo-]

This is from April, points total since 2017/18. What ever happens we have done brilliantly to compete with a country owned cheating club over this time

Annoying to see 1 point in it since the start of 2017, and if they do the business on Sunday its 4 v 1 on Prems.

When it comes to fine margins, they always seem to just have the rub of the green in the league.

[Silverbird]

Yes yes, it's all our fault. What we need is a new manager. Is Hodgson available??

Yes yes I said we needed a new manager. Shut up if you have nothing constructive to add.

[Kashinoda]

This is from April, points total since 2017/18. What ever happens we have done brilliantly to compete with a country owned cheating club over this time

It's since 18/19, here's the same table with Europe chucked in:

[UntouchableLuis]

Annoying to see 1 point in it since the start of 2017, and if they do the business on Sunday its 4 v 1 on Prems.

When it comes to fine margins, they always seem to just have the rub of the green in the league.

Yep but at least we've won other big trophies and may still win another one next week.

Any title we win is a bonus - no one should be getting near City when they can just go and buy whoever they want like Haaland. Pep has seriously underachieved, obviously in Europe.

[macmanamanaman]

haha.
2 before the weekend.
2 after the weekend.

Thanks Pep!

[rob1966]

Those banking on Coutinho to do something obviously haven't watched him the last few months.

We all know he can pull something out of the bag. Get a freekick within range......

I'll give up when its 100% we can't do it, until then I'll believe we can still be crowned Champions on Sunday. If not, we still have Paris and going for No7, while the Cheats go on Holiday.

[macmanamanaman]

VAR, step up. You owe us a debt, from all the howlers this far.
An undeserved pen or a non call or two in our favour, and I promise to call it even.

[Ray K]

Anthony Taylor doing our game, Michael Oliver theirs.

[Crosby Nick]

Anthony Taylor doing our game, Michael Oliver theirs.

I’ll take that to be honest. Would hope we’ll have too much for Wolves whatever the officials do.

Oliver seems to be shirking the big decisions more recently, which means Fernandinho will get away with pulling back Watkins when arguably the last man 40 yards from goal no doubt.

[paisley1977]

VAR, step up. You owe us a debt, from all the howlers this far.
An undeserved pen or a non call or two in our favour, and I promise to call it even.

There is no way in hell that VAR is going to help us.

[lionel_messias]

Just imagine, the worst that can happen on Sunday if things go WRONG is our team can celebrate BOTH domestic Cups with fans.

And sing them off to a Champions League Final with Real Madrid.

These are golden days to a Red, these are the best days of our lives.

[MNAA]

I believe in miracles … and divine intervention especially when Coutinho and Ings are in the mix 🤲🤲🤲🤲🤲

[Walshy nMe®]

I'm a firm believer in fate.

No one would have wanted to lose against Madrid a few years ago, but in the long run it worked out for us. 

The same goes for Sunday.  If we don't win the league, we weren't meant to.

[Walshy nMe®]

I feel sorry for all the blue wives out there though, being banned from using any Boots products once we win No.7!

[Sharado]

The same goes for Sunday.  If we don't win the league, we weren't meant to.

To look at it another way - maybe we weren't meant to in 2014, 2019 or....various points in the 30 odd years before we did. Maybe Gerrard was meant to slip. Maybe we were meant to go through that dog shit season last year when we should have been lording our champions status over people.  Maybe we weren't meant to be in the stadium when Jordan lifted in in 2020.

All those ghosts could be laid to rest on Sunday, by the biggest, most dramatic league win in history.

It might be an unrealistic thought. But it's a nice one nonetheless.

[killer-heels]

Annoying to see 1 point in it since the start of 2017, and if they do the business on Sunday its 4 v 1 on Prems.

When it comes to fine margins, they always seem to just have the rub of the green in the league.

Its 2 vs 1 in terms of us competing with them in all reality, we were never in the equation for 2 of those 4 titles. We cannot bemoan them getting the better of us in seasons that we didnt compete.

As it stands is 1 vs 1, them in 2018/19, us in 2019/20. We didn't challenge in 17/18 or 20/21. It will be 2 vs 1 to them on Sunday.

[Hij]

I know it's unlikely, but I can't help but allow hope to creep up on me this weekend. I'm up in Liverpool for two nights. Doing the TAW show on the Saturday, the match on the Sunday and then BOSS night on the Sunday. It's going to be a brilliant celebration of this amazing season and everything Liverpool- and yet what, 1 in 10 times it could be the best weekend of my life...

[Andar]

Its 2 vs 1 in terms of us competing with them in all reality, we were never in the equation for 2 of those 4 titles. We cannot bemoan them getting the better of us in seasons that we didnt compete.

As it stands is 1 vs 1, them in 2018/19, us in 2019/20. We didn't challenge in 17/18 or 20/21. It will be 2 vs 1 to them on Sunday.

They didn't challenge in 2020 so surely it's 2-0 going by your theory

[Sharado]

Its 2 vs 1 in terms of us competing with them in all reality, we were never in the equation for 2 of those 4 titles. We cannot bemoan them getting the better of us in seasons that we didnt compete.

As it stands is 1 vs 1, them in 2018/19, us in 2019/20. We didn't challenge in 17/18 or 20/21. It will be 2 vs 1 to them on Sunday.

If they win it will be. If.

[Sudden Death Draft Loser]

Why Steven Gerrard could hold key to Liverpool beating Man City to title on final day

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61522860

[newterp]

Why Steven Gerrard could hold key to Liverpool beating Man City to title on final day

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61522860

Oh!! This must be something new and different?

[SK8 Red]

I was sat at home the other week watching the Real Madrid game and nearly went to bed after 88 minutes. You just never know with football what can happen. We are due some postive karma / fate so don't give up.......ever.

[stjohns]

We all know he can pull something out of the bag. Get a freekick within range......

I'll give up when its 100% we can't do it, until then I'll believe we can still be crowned Champions on Sunday. If not, we still have Paris and going for No7, while the Cheats go on Holiday.

We’ll always have Paris. 😉

[Barneylfc∗]

Just a random selection of a few of Man City's home results over the last 3 seasons

Man City 2 - 3 Tottenham
Man City 0 - 2 Crystal Palace
Man City 0 - 0 Southampton
Man City 1 - 2 Leeds
Man City 0 - 2 Man Utd
Man City 1 - 1 West Brom
Man City 2 - 5 Leicester
Man City 2 - 2 Crystal Palace
Man City 0 - 2 Wolves

[CanuckYNWA]

I was more stressed for the 18/19 final game as it felt it was in our hands and they over took us and we hadnt won it yet. having won  in 19/20 and the fact we were so far out of this title challenge until like March means I am at peace with what happens

Id love to win as these players and Klopp deserve another PL trophy, but if we end the season with a treble with the CL then I cannot complain and its been one of the greatest seasons ever if not the best

[VictoryFor96]

I think villa must score at least 2 goals if they get a result there.

Its obvious they will conceede

[OkieRedman]

Didn't watch the match, but it seems Pope made a number of fine saves vs Villa. Ederson does not have that in him. He is probably not even in the top 10 shot stoppers in the league. I truly feel that they need Walker to start and do well to not make this a nightmare for them. I see a 3-3 on the cards.

[Barneylfc∗]

Didn't watch the match, but it seems Pope made a number of fine saves vs Villa. Ederson does not have that in him. He is probably not even in the top 10 shot stoppers in the league. I truly feel that they need Walker to start and do well to not make this a nightmare for them. I see a 3-3 on the cards.

He did. Would've been 4 or 5 but for him.

[dirkster]

Never ever give up hope. Don't know why (misplaced optimism perhaps), but I've had this nagging feeling we're going to win it on Sunday.
I still believe. Do you believe?!

[rob1966]

Didn't watch the match, but it seems Pope made a number of fine saves vs Villa. Ederson does not have that in him. He is probably not even in the top 10 shot stoppers in the league. I truly feel that they need Walker to start and do well to not make this a nightmare for them. I see a 3-3 on the cards.

That is why Ped is rushing two injured defenders back, he knows his keeper is crap.

[Victor]

One result can't take away from how good this season has been.   Everton are staying up and we need to bounce back from the disappointment 😂

And whether we finish first or second this season has been amazing .... Got a good feeling for next year already

[PaulF]

It's great to know that if they win the league it'll be completely overshadowed by us heading to Paris. And I say that as someone who cherishes the league over the cups.

[UntouchableLuis]

I think villa must score at least 2 goals if they get a result there.

Its obvious they will conceede

Absolutely. City are scoring 2 goals minimum so Villa have to score 2 to maybe salvage a point with some ridiculous luck added in. To be brutally honest Villa need to go 2-0 up somehow for us to win the title. That's what West Ham did and even then they would have lost if Mahrez scores the penalty.

[semit5]

I’ve decided it’s happening

[Samie]

I've decided you've gone early, way early on the drinking.

[PeterTheRed ...]

Steven Gerrard:

"We’ll go out at the weekend and give it everything we’ve got to try and get points for Aston Villa and our supporters. If that inevitably helps Liverpool, fantastic."

"There is a lot of pressure on them [City] at the weekend. We will go there as best prepared as we can and try to make it as difficult as we can. Why? Because we want to be in a better place than 14th and we need some more points."

[Pradan]

Personally think it's gone but for anyone looking for hope. Villa are 6th in the 'away' xG standings at understat.com. City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Spurs and Arsenal are the only sides above them. They are 15th in the 'home' xG standings. Quite the big contrast in their xG numbers when comparing home and away. It goes someway to explain their results against Palace and Burnley over the last week.

Adding to that their away xG 'goals against' tally has them 4th. Only City, Liverpool and Chelsea are above them. Their numbers suggest they have a mean defence away from home and apart from Liverpool or Chelsea, they are the next best defense you want going to City. Spurs are 5th, Wolves are 6th and Crystal Palace are 7th. Three sides who put in very good defensive showings at City this season. So Villa's defence are amongst that company going by the xG 'goals against' metrics when strictly looking at away performances.

Shame they played yesterday as with fresh legs they could have caused issues. Who knows maybe it will not hinder them but at this time of the season, it very likely will. Thanks a lot to Sky and the PL for arranging that game on a Thursday.

Probably set up for a scenario in where Villa hold on until the last 20 and then concede late on :/