Liverpool can only get 75 maximum, and to achieve 72 means winning 8 out of 9, which is highly unlikely given their form.
Spot on.
I think the problem with many of us is that because we're not used to being in this position we're still thinking 'typical City' and that somehow we're going to blow it.
Basically, we none of us have the confidence to really believe we can claim 4th spot and thus be playing Champions League football next season for the first time.
It's about time we stopped wallowing in self-pity and accepted the fact that we are a very very good team now. Not the best, granted, but a damn site better than Liverpool, Villa and Spurs.
We are where we are on merit. It's not a massive fluke, it's not down to a huge stroke of good fortune that we're gunning for 4th spot. No dodgy refereeing decisions have put us up amongst the elite. Was it good luck that saw us put four past Chelsea at the Bridge recently? No. It was because we were better than them. Full stop. And don't forget this game came hot on the heels of the recent Stoke marathon.
Now would you say that is a fair assessment?
In essence then, the reason we are fighting for Champions League football is because currently Manchester City are a bloody good side who deserve to be in the top 4. There is no other reason.
Now look at our rivals for the C.L. berth.
Liverpool are in disarray. They are a team playing with little or no confidence under a manager who is surely on borrowed time. For them even to be in the reckoning for the much-coveted 'number 4 slot' they will have no choice other than to win at least 7 of their remaining 9 - and after last night's result can anyone honestly see that happening? Because I can't.
Aston Villa will, I think, once again fall short at the final hurdle. They've had a good season so far, the C.C. final, a marathon F.A. Cup run that will (in all probablilty) end against Chelsea and they will be playing in the Europa League next year. Not a bad season by anyone's standards.
Spurs are on a good run, but injuries to key players with have a devastating effect on their last few games. They just do not have the strength in depth that we do, and that will be their undoing. Of that I'm sure.
A few years ago if we'd been in this position I would have quite frankly dreaded it. Because there's no way on God's earth were we up to it then.
But nowadays we are a different proposition all together.
And it's bearing fruit.
