How does our run in compare with the rest?
It's getting towards the business end of the season. It's a time where pretty much every fan starts to look at the fixture list and work out various permutations which could help their club achieve whatever goal it is that is within reach.
Just last season I was doing much the same as we searched for official Premier League security, but this season I'm looking at things for an altogether different reason. That reason is European qualification. Granted the odds are stacked against us this evening and we may well lose at the home of Arsenal, but what happens after that?
As Archie Mag pointed out in the last article, Sunderland actually done us a favour at the weekend by ensuring that 7th placed Liverpool will stay at arms length whatever the result this evening. It's an added bonus ahead of a game which I expect us to get little change from. Unfortunately.
However the grander scale is the final ten or so games of the season and what they hold for those in and around us. For that I've had to look at who we can realistically catch and who can realistically catch us, which to me means anywhere from Arsenal in 4th to Everton in 9th. First things first though lets take a look at our run in.
Newcastle
Mon 12 Mar - Arsenal v Newcastle
Sun 18 Mar - Newcastle v Norwich
Sun 25 Mar - West Brom v Newcastle
Sun 1 Apr - Newcastle v Liverpool
Fri 6 Apr - Swansea v Newcastle
Mon 9 Apr - Newcastle v Bolton
Sat 14 Apr - Chelsea v Newcastle
Sat 21 Apr - Newcastle v Stoke
Sat 28 Apr - Wigan v Newcastle
Sun 6 May - Newcastle v Man City
Sun 13 May - Everton v Newcastle
A tough run in when all things are considered. Away from home we don't have an "easy" game on paper. Wigan are probably the weakest of the bunch, but they will be scrapping for their lives so won't be a pushover. At home there are a few games I expect us to take points from though, with the game against Norwich, Bolton and Stoke screaming out at me.
Arsenal
Mon 12 Mar - Arsenal v Newcastle
Wed 21 Mar - Everton v Arsenal
Sat 24 Mar - Arsenal v Aston Villa
Sat 31 Mar - QPR v Arsenal
Sun 8 Apr - Arsenal v Man City
Wed 11 Apr - Wolves v Arsenal
Mon 16 Apr - Arsenal v Wigan
Sat 21 Apr - Arsenal v Chelsea
Sat 28 Apr - Stoke v Arsenal
Sat 5 May - Arsenal v Norwich
Sun 13 May - West Brom v Arsenal
Arsenal also have some tough games to play. Like us they have to play City and Chelsea still and trips to Everton and Stoke won't be easy. A win for them tonight and I think we can discount catching up the Gunners in truth.
Chelsea
Wed 21 Mar - Man City v Chelsea
Sat 24 Mar - Chelsea v Tottenham
Sat 31 Mar - Aston Villa v Chelsea
Sat 7 Apr - Chelsea v Wigan
Mon 9 Apr - Fulham v Chelsea
Sat 14 Apr - Chelsea v Newcastle
Sat 21 Apr - Arsenal v Chelsea
Sun 29 Apr - Chelsea v QPR
Sun 6 May - Liverpool v Chelsea
Sun 13 May - Chelsea v Blackburn
That is a pretty tough run in to be fair. They have to play five of the current top seven in the league which will always be tough. Once again, like Arsenal, I feel that if they grab a win in their next game we can realistically rule out catching them.
Liverpool
Tue 13 Mar - Liverpool v Everton
Wed 21 Mar - QPR v Liverpool
Sat 24 Mar - Liverpool v Wigan
Sun 1 Apr - Newcastle v Liverpool
Sat 7 Apr - Liverpool v Aston Villa
Tue 10 Apr - Blackburn v Liverpool
Sat 14 Apr - Liverpool v Fulham
Sun 22 Apr - Liverpool v West Brom
Sat 28 Apr - Norwich v Liverpool
Sun 6 May - Liverpool v Chelsea
Sun 13 May - Swansea v Liverpool
Realistically they look favourites for the majority of their home games barring Chelsea. I'd prefer Liverpool's run in ahead of ours in truth, but I feel the meeting between the two club at St James' Park could have a huge bearing on who finishes higher. Indeed depending on the finalists in the FA Cup it might be of benefit to 7th ahead of 6th anyway, which is pretty mad.
Sunderland
Tue 20 Mar - Blackburn v Sunderland
Sat 24 Mar - Sunderland v QPR
Sat 31 Mar - Man City v Sunderland
Sat 7 Apr - Sunderland v Tottenham
Mon 9 Apr - Everton v Sunderland
Sat 14 Apr - Sunderland v Wolves
Sat 21 Apr - Aston Villa v Sunderland
Sat 18 Apr - Sunderland v Bolton
Sun 6 May - Fulham v Sunderland
Sun 13 May - Sunderland v Man Utd
Not the easiest of fixture lists for our Mackem friends either. Manchester City away is tough, as are Tottenham and Everton while Manchester United are just Manchester United.
Everton
Tue 13 Apr - Liverpool v Everton
Wed 21 Mar - Everton v Arsenal
Sat 24 Mar - Swansea v Everton
Sat 31 Mar - Everton v West Brom
Sat 7 Apr - Norwich v Everton
Mon 9 Apr - Everton v Sunderland
Sat 14 Apr - Stoke v Everton
Sun 22 Apr - Man Utd v Everton
Sat 28 Apr - Everton v Fulham
Sun 6 May - Wolves v Everton
Sun 13 May - Everton v Newcastle
Their next three games are really tough and I feel that if they are to remain in with a shout of chasing us they will need to get wins from at least one of them. The are in god form however and are doing an Everton by finishing the season strongly.
Of course things can change and form can improve or get worse over the last few games of the season. However this is just a guide to show you that everyone has tough games left and, although it is a cliche, there are no easy games and any team can beat another on any given day. This is just a guide.
What do you make if it though?
