Sunderland need a draw to help us win PL

[JM Mcr]

talking to a liverpool fan yesterday he was saying that the previous times the league has went to the final day of the season involving utd they have lost,think he said two or three times,blackburn was one cant remember others..

In addition to years already mentioned on here (67/68 City won league, 94/95 Blackburn won league, 95/96 Utd won league) I can remember couple of other occasions, off the top of my head, where it's gone to final day with Utd involved. 98/99 Utd beat Spurs at home to secure the title, 07/08 Utd won away at Wigan to win the title, 09/10 Utd were beaten to the title on the final day by Chelsea. There may be some more if anyone can be arsed googling it..

That aside I think some of the comments made in this thread are, at best, presumptuous if not downright disrespectful. To suggest that managers will allow their sides to "roll over" to help another team is pretty insulting to be fair, no matter how many ex Utd players may play for them. To think that professional footballers would risk their reputation, and a backlash from their current clubs manager & fans is also pretty silly, imo. Whatever we think as fans, footballers rarely (if ever) throw games, even when their own support wouldn't be too upset to see it happen (Liverpool against Blackburn final day of 94/95 season being a case in point).

 

[Freestyler]

We win all our games up until QPR, the rags lose to us but win they're other games up until Sunderland.

last day we win, they draw.

We take it on goal difference, the goal difference of being +5 (would be very fitting)

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

talking to a liverpool fan yesterday he was saying that the previous times the league has went to the final day of the season involving utd they have lost,think he said two or three times,blackburn was one cant remember others..

In addition to years already mentioned on here (67/68 City won league, 94/95 Blackburn won league, 95/96 Utd won league) I can remember couple of other occasions, off the top of my head, where it's gone to final day with Utd involved. 98/99 Utd beat Spurs at home to secure the title, 07/08 Utd won away at Wigan to win the title, 09/10 Utd were beaten to the title on the final day by Chelsea. There may be some more if anyone can be arsed googling it..

That aside I think some of the comments made in this thread are, at best, presumptuous if not downright disrespectful. To suggest that managers will allow their sides to "roll over" to help another team is pretty insulting to be fair, no matter how many ex Utd players may play for them. To think that professional footballers would risk their reputation, and a backlash from their current clubs manager & fans is also pretty silly, imo. Whatever we think as fans, footballers rarely (if ever) throw games, even when their own support wouldn't be too upset to see it happen (Liverpool against Blackburn final day of 94/95 season being a case in point).

This post displays a significant level of naivety or is more than a tad disingenuous, can't decide which.

To anyone who is prepared to look at this dispassionately Everton and Stoke display nothing like the physicality against united as they do when they play City. At The Britannia I watched David Silva get kicked from the start of the game to the end. Rodwell did the same at The Etihad. Those teams, due to an excess of deference to Ferguson from Pullis and Moyes, do not replicate that tactic, or anything even approaching it, on any united player for any sustained period during a game.

It's not bent per se, it is primarily Ferguson using his power and influence to make allies with people who have considerably less guile and intelligence than he does. Someone once said to me that people are usually nice to you when they are taking advantage of you - this saying perfectly sums up the relationship Ferguson has with these two mangers. You cannot blame him for using to his advantage. Sadly, neither of those two are intelligent enough to realise the true nature of their relationship with their old 'pal'.

That is what I, and I suspect a few other City fans refer to when talking about teams rolling over. They don't play their normal game against united. Small margins in football can make an enormous difference on the end result.

 

[BillCarlisle]

O'Neill isn't stupid. I wouldn't be surprised if he leaves some, or all, the ex-Rags out or on the bench for this one. He'll be well aware that they'll not give him 100%.

 

[JM Mcr]

GDM, I'm certainly not being disingenuous and don't think I'm being naive either (tho am feeling a tad patronised right now). If anything I would suggest that it is naive to think that teams who base their game on physicality would change that approach out if deference to another manager.

I'm also not sure your theory is borne out by facts. Utd do have a very impressive recent home record against Stoke (as do City - face it, Stoke don't travel well) and have won 3 of the last 4 meetings at the Brittania, drawing the other, but 2 of those wins were by a single goal (particularly recall a smash n grab raid where Tevez grabbed the only goal). Hardly indicative of a lack of effort by the clay heads...

Similarly Utds recent record against Everton looks great in paper. 7 wins in last 10 league meetings. But 5 of those 7 victories were close run affairs, where the winning margin was only 1 goal.Having attended away games at Stoke and Everton on several occasions I can confidently say their respective support would not accept anything less than 100% against the arrogant, glory hunting, shit that they consider us to be - in fact they'd probably lynch any player who wasn't prepared to get stuck in. Do you really think Ronaldo, Nani, etc don't get kicked at these places (or Rooney at Everton)?
Don't know how much of Utd you actually see, apart from highlights, but we usually have to scrap to get anything at Goodison or The Brittania and I suspect the same will be true at Sunderland, if the title race is still on when we go there.

 

[BlueJord]

My best mate is the 1st team sports scientist/nutritionist at the scum and all their players (Rio, shrek and evans) have all been seriously talking about o'shea, bardsley and brown all throwing it if it was needed.

Sounds about right for them twats!!!!

 

[LongsightM13]

Phil Neville turned round and booted one into his own net at Goodison when Everton were beating them late in the season a couple of years ago. A ridiculous own goal which changed the game and the course of the title race.
Wes Brown did the same at the swamp earlier this season. He scored the winner for the rags.
Anyone who thinks these people aren't prepared to be crooked is an idiot

 

[citysix]

We win all our games up until QPR, the rags lose to us but win they're other games up until Sunderland.

last day we win, they draw.

We take it on goal difference, the goal difference of being +5 (would be very fitting)

sunderland will take points off the rats

 

[JM Mcr]

Phil Neville turned round and booted one into his own net at Goodison when Everton were beating them late in the season a couple of years ago. A ridiculous own goal which changed the game and the course of the title race.
Wes Brown did the same at the swamp earlier this season. He scored the winner for the rags.
Anyone who thinks these people aren't prepared to be crooked is an idiot

A Wes Brown own goal is hardly unheard of tho is it? Had a bit of a reputation for own goals when in a Utd shirt..

So it's now the media, the FA, refs and match officials, opposition managers in fear of Fergie and ex Utd players lining up for opposition teams..........Unbelievable!!

 

[LongsightM13]

Phil Neville turned round and booted one into his own net at Goodison when Everton were beating them late in the season a couple of years ago. A ridiculous own goal which changed the game and the course of the title race.
Wes Brown did the same at the swamp earlier this season. He scored the winner for the rags.
Anyone who thinks these people aren't prepared to be crooked is an idiot

A Wes Brown own goal is hardly unheard of tho is it? Had a bit of a reputation for own goals when in a Utd shirt..

So it's now the media, the FA, refs and match officials, opposition managers in fear of Fergie and ex Utd players lining up for opposition teams..........Unbelievable!!

Sunderland could hypothetically line up with a back four of Richardson, O'Shea, Brown and Bardsley.
Are you honestly trying to tell me that they are going to try their hardest if doing so would hand the title to City? Pffft. You are the one who's unbelievable if you think that