It’s hard to raise much enthusiasm for this one. Our season long inability to see off any team that defends with any level of spirit means that this game is far from being the equivalent of the Moneybags League playoff we triumphed in last year. Instead the players taking part will have other things on their minds; ours will be on the beach, the home team on Saturday’s game at Wembley.
Liverpool’s effervescent form means that fifth place is likely to be out of our reach, let alone fourth. In fact we need a couple more draws to ensure that Everton don’t pip us for sixth. Man City have won the fourth CL spot almost by default. Our shocking run of one win in nine games means that zero pressure has been applied to a team who have rarely displayed the unity, flare and character that we showed last season. The important thing is that they’re still there though whilst we are stepping nervously backwards from the Europa League hoping that no-one will notice.
Once more our team line-up will be dictated mostly by injuries. Bale’s absence means we’re unlikely to field a balanced side plus doubts over Modric and Crouch restrict our options elsewhere. Rose will carry on at left back by the sounds of it but everywhere else players will be fighting to either make sure they’re still in Harry’s plans for next season (Gomes, Corluka, Defoe), or will be hoping to spark some interest elsewhere (Pavlyuchenko, Kranjcar).
Man City will almost certainly field a team denuded of its most important players given the game against a currently rampant Stoke due on Saturday. In the absence of Tevez, Silva appears to be their most dangerous attacker but it’ll be a shock if they don’t set themselves out to avoid defeat as the bare minimum with anything else a bonus. Such is the deflated mood around WHL, it’s fair to say that a draw might suit us as well.
Mike Dean is the referee.
By MF
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