Who will go down?

[lozz2601]

Looking at the fixtures it has to be Bolton.
Or maybe that's just wishful thinking.

[Only one Trevor Morley]

Just to point out the importance of European football, cup football and resting players

Fortunately none of the Big Four are involved in the Cup so shouldnt be resting players on the final game of the season.

The key weekends where players might be rested are in 5/6 and 26 April - the Saturday between Champions league games -

Middlesboro benfit from the first weekend dates as they play Chelsea before and Man Utd during that first batch of CL games.

Birmingham will benefit if Liverpool get through to the Semi Final as they play Liverpool on 26/4. We obviously play Arsenal before the CL semi finals kick in - so very much to our advantage to cheer on Arsenal in the quarter finals

Another issue is that a lot of the relegation threatened clubs have top 4 teams to play in the last couple of games. So its in our interestr for the Premiership to go down to the wire. Key to this might be Everton who obviously still have a CL interest themselves in abttle with liverpool and still have a number of games against the top clubs (which if they get points from will hopefully keep them in the race with liverpool and ensure that no one team pulls away at the top).

So cheer on Arsenal in Europe and Everton in the league

[Cookie]

http://stats.football365.com/dom/ENG/PR/oform.html

I thought it was worth reposting this link ahead of Birmingham-v-Newcastle tonight.
Magpies, oh dear! They're right up the creek if they lose tonight.

[Gordons Cumming]

I think people are writing Fulham off too early.

[Gordons Cumming]

http://stats.football365.com/dom/ENG/PR/oform.html

I thought it was worth reposting this link ahead of Birmingham-v-Newcastle tonight.
Magpies, oh dear! They're right up the creek if they lose tonight.

Why?

Same number of games and points as us then...................slightly worse goal difference.
Don't write them off yet. Got a lot of good players.........just lack confidence.

[Cookie]

http://stats.football365.com/dom/ENG/PR/oform.html

I thought it was worth reposting this link ahead of Birmingham-v-Newcastle tonight.
Magpies, oh dear! They're right up the creek if they lose tonight.

Why?

Same number of games and points as us then...................slightly worse goal difference.
Don't write them off yet. Got a lot of good players.........just lack confidence.

Why? Because my comments are based on current form, and theirs isn't exactly scintillating. Meanwhile we're on a bit of a run, aren't we?

[earleyroyal]

Am I the only one that wants Birmingham to win tonight?

No. Newcastle 'too good to go down' my arse. Lose today, don't beat Fulham and they're really in (even deeper) trouble.

[Royal Rother]

Personally speaking I think we want to keep the teams below us, below us, so I just about favour a win for Newcastle. If we beat Brum at the weekend we'll then be 5 points clear of them and looking pretty safe. Very close call though and maybe a draw would be best.

On reflection a draw probably was the best result. Neither team got 3 points (could be crucial at end of season) and neither team has the extra confidence a win would have given them. Win 1, win 2 often seems to happen for the relegation candidates at this stage of the season, and we certainly don't want that!

[Fezza]

I think people are writing Fulham off too early.

I concur, they have an easier run in than us as well. Fingers crossed Bullard gets injured again!

[namroyal]

I for one, would like to see Fulham stay up. They're a similar "family" club to Reading. Watching the Birmingham game on TV tonight with their numpty supporters gesticulating at the cameras, I'd like to see them back where they belong. Newcastle seemed to find some form in the second half, which could see them to safety, but I still reckon it's too close to call.

[Xavier Onassis]

Am I the only one that wants Birmingham to win tonight?

No. Newcastle 'too good to go down' my arse. Lose today, don't beat Fulham and they're really in (even deeper) trouble.

It's looking more and more likely.
I only watched the first half, but Newcastle were absolute rubbish.
I counted at least seven 100% chances for birmingham, they could have been 7-0 up at half time if they had a bit more luck.

Fulham on the other hand are doing better now, I was very surprised that they beat Everton...

Newcastle were streets better in the second half and Brum were utter crap. Take McFadden out of the equation and it's hard to find a good word for them. With hindsight, the best outcome would have been one that was most depressing for Birmingham. A defeat would have been a major poke in the eye for either - a draw gives them both something to cling to.

I've now watched Wigan-Bolton and Brum-Toon in the last few hours. What a horrible waste of time. There are indeed four teams worse than us (doesn't mean we won't go down, more's the pity.)

One final thought on the game. How Newcastle might prosper with Marek in that otherwise desperately unimaginative midfield. It's all very well fielding Owen, Viduka and Martins, but what about some real service?

[The whole year inn]

One thing that concerns me is our goal difference. Having one of the better goal difference's out of all the bottom 7/8 sides is like having another point, especially when there is likely to be virtually nothing in it when the 38 games are up.

Here is to an 8-0 United win on Wednesday night then

[Coppelled Streets]

Teams P Pts
1 Man Utd 29 67
------------------------
2 Arsenal 30 67
3 Chelsea 29 64
4 Liverpool 30 59
===================
5 Everton 30 56
6 Portsmouth 30 50
7 Aston Villa 30 49
8 Man City 30 48
9 Blackburn 30 46
10 West Ham 30 43
11 Tottenham 29 35
12 Wigan Ath 30 31
13 Middlesbro' 30 31
14 Newcastle 30 29
15 Reading 30 28
16 Birmingham 30 27
17 Sunderland 30 27
------------------------
18 Bolton 29 25
19 Fulham 30 23
20 Derby 30 10

Just how vital a win on Saturday will prove we don't know yet, but we could open up a gap of 6 points with just 7 games remaining.

A few weeks ago we thought we were dead and buried, now theres a light at the end of the tunnel and it's getting brighter.

Roll on Saturday!!

[rg6royal]

Looks alot better

And I fully expect Man United to beat Bolton so that shouldn't be a problem.

[The whole year inn]

Looks alot better

And I fully expect Man United to beat Bolton so that shouldn't be a problem.

A morale-crushing defeat for Bolton on Wed night would be good.

Hopefully United will put four or five past them.

[RoyalBlue]

Try as I might I cant seem to relegate us on the predictor...

I had a scenario where the only points we pick up are 3 against Fulham and Derby and one against Spurs and we still stay up by a point from Fulham and Bolton

I think Bolton will go down and that Wigan/Fulham fight it out for the other spot...

wigan are on a roll and havent conceded in over 6 hours of football

They also have the advantage of their specially prepared pitch at home!

[cheeryoleary]

now theres a light at the end of the tunnel and it's getting brighter.

It could be a train

Chin up.

[SpaceCruiser]

Looks alot better

And I fully expect Man United to beat Bolton so that shouldn't be a problem.

A morale-crushing defeat for Bolton on Wed night would be good.

Hopefully United will put four or five past them.

Even though I hate Man Utd, I would have to concur with you. A heavy defeat for Bolton won't be good for their goal difference either, they currently have -15, while we have -22. Hope we can beat Birmingham by 2 goals or more.

[Wax Jacket]

I think we'll have to play pretty well to get a win on Saturday actually.

[Stranded]

I think we'll have to play pretty well to get a win on Saturday actually.

Same here but I think we will just do enough, odd goal in 3 and a bit of a cushion between us and the bottom 3 with another home game to come.