It's The Hope I Can't Stand
It's been a rollercoaster weekend at the business end of the football season. First, Newcastle lost their seventh match in a row (and two players to red cards) in a 0-3 defeat at Leicester. It was a result that meant Sunderland pretty much had to win at home to Southampton, who had put eight goals past us earlier in the season. Two penalties and a one man advantage later, we secured a 2-1 victory that looked deeply implausible at the start of the day.
Meanwhile in the Championship, Bournemouth pipped Watford to the title and Brentford crept into the play offs at the expense of Derby, who had been in the top six since September. Derby had lost last season's play off final, a match they really should have won. It goes to show that the second tier is an exceedingly difficult division to get out of, whoever you are. I suspect that despite our win yesterday, that's a lesson Sunderland will learn first hand next season. But they've given themselves a chance. I think realistically we'll have to win two of our remaining four matches and given that two of those four are away at Chelsea and Arsenal, that gives us very little room for manouvre.
Another poor Manchester United performance saw them lose 0-1 to West Brom, courtesy of a deflected goal from a free kick. It's the first time they've lost three in a row without scoring a goal since 1989. They remain four points ahead of Liverpool with nine still to play for in pursuit of Champions League qualification. But they're very much limping towards the line. Drop more points next week away to Crystal Palace (far from beyond the realms of possibility) and it will be a very nervy conclusion to the season indeed.
Meanwhile in the Championship, Bournemouth pipped Watford to the title and Brentford crept into the play offs at the expense of Derby, who had been in the top six since September. Derby had lost last season's play off final, a match they really should have won. It goes to show that the second tier is an exceedingly difficult division to get out of, whoever you are. I suspect that despite our win yesterday, that's a lesson Sunderland will learn first hand next season. But they've given themselves a chance. I think realistically we'll have to win two of our remaining four matches and given that two of those four are away at Chelsea and Arsenal, that gives us very little room for manouvre.
Another poor Manchester United performance saw them lose 0-1 to West Brom, courtesy of a deflected goal from a free kick. It's the first time they've lost three in a row without scoring a goal since 1989. They remain four points ahead of Liverpool with nine still to play for in pursuit of Champions League qualification. But they're very much limping towards the line. Drop more points next week away to Crystal Palace (far from beyond the realms of possibility) and it will be a very nervy conclusion to the season indeed.
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