5 games left and 15 points to play for as the top 5 race hits the final 13% of the season...
This week's schedule:
Saturday
Chelsea vs. Everton 6:30 am (USA)
Brighton vs. West Ham 9:00 am (Peacock)
Newcastle vs. Ipswich 9:00am (USA)
Southampton vs. Fulham 9:00 am (Peacock)
Wolves vs. Leicester 9:00 (Peacock)
FA Cup: Crystal Palace vs. Aston Villa 11:15 am (ESPN+)
Sunday
Bournemouth vs Man United 8:00 am (USA)
Liverpool vs. Tottenham 10:30 am (Peacock)
FA Cup: Nottingham Forest vs. Man City 10:30 am (ESPN+)
Top 5 Race Game of the Weekend
Chelsea vs. Everton - Who else wants to get up super early with me on Saturday morning to watch the game that sets the tone for the entire weekend with regards to the Top 5 race? If Chelsea win, it goes even on points and ahead of Forest on points, which would put a huge amount of pressure on Forest when its game against Brentford rolls around on Thursday. That being said, any dropped points by Chelsea would mean that Forest has a chance to expand its lead to 5 or 6 with only 4 games to go.
Non-Top 5 Race Game of the Weekend
Bournemouth vs. Man United - I think we're going to see a wide-open, high-scoring game of football. Plus, aren't we all looking at the Cherries as a team we want to pick a player from in the transfer window? It's a chance for us all to do some scouting.
Stories to watch
1. YEAH, BABY, LET'S ****ING GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!
I don't know if you guys have heard this, but there's a title to be won on Sunday at Anfield. It's the first time the Reds will have had a chance to win a title in front of fans in a generation. It's kind of a big deal and I expect the scenes from Merseyside to be batshit bonkers. All the Reds need is a point. I expect the Kop to be at an all-time frenzied level. Meanwhile, with a critical Europa semi four days in-between, will Ange really want to risk anything with his line-up? Given the stakes of the remaining games in Europa, can he afford to take even a single chance?
2. Chelsea and Newcastle need to handle their business at home against bottom 10 sides. Kinda as simple as that.
3. The FA Cups actually feature a pair of interesting games. Palace has never won a major trophy. It's been nearly three decades for Aston Villa. It's been 35 years for Forest. It's been like 35 minutes for Man City. It cannot be stressed enough how big these semis are for three of the four teams playing... and yet City will probably take their glory because they can.
Game Predictions
Saturday
Chelsea 2. Everton 1
Brighton 2 West Ham 2
Newcastle 4. Ipswich 1
Southampton 1. Fulham 3
Wolves 2. Leicester 0
FA Cup: Crystal Palace 2 Aston Villa 2 (Villa advances on pens)
Sunday
Bournemouth 4 Man United 3
Liverpool 2 Tottenham 1
FA Cup: Nottingham Forest 1 Man City 2 (89th minute winner)
Last Things Before I let you go....
Liverpool is sitting on 79 points and has a chance to finish with as many as 94, although I'm not quite sure that is likely. With all of the talk of the quality of the season, I just wanted to take a look at the all-time list for points in a season to give whatever it is they do this season in some context. I believe I read earlier this week that the average points total for a Premier League champion is 87. If the Reds can limit the losses/draws to 1 more in the final 5 games, they'll finish with a Top 10 all-time points total. Anything less than that and they'll fall out of the top 10 and into the top 15.
1. 100 points (Man City 2017-18)
2. 99 points (Liverpool 2019-20)
3. 98 points (Man City 2018-19)
4. 97 points (Liverpool 2018-19)
5. 95 points (Chelsea 2004-05)
6T. 93 points (Man City 2021-22)
6T. 93 points (Chelsea 2016-17)
8T. 92 points (Liverpool 2021-22)
8T. 92 points (Man United 1993-94)
10T. 91 points (Man City 2023-24)
10T. 91 points (Chelsea 2005-06)
10T. 91 points (Man United 2008-09)
This week's schedule:
Saturday
Chelsea vs. Everton 6:30 am (USA)
Brighton vs. West Ham 9:00 am (Peacock)
Newcastle vs. Ipswich 9:00am (USA)
Southampton vs. Fulham 9:00 am (Peacock)
Wolves vs. Leicester 9:00 (Peacock)
FA Cup: Crystal Palace vs. Aston Villa 11:15 am (ESPN+)
Sunday
Bournemouth vs Man United 8:00 am (USA)
Liverpool vs. Tottenham 10:30 am (Peacock)
FA Cup: Nottingham Forest vs. Man City 10:30 am (ESPN+)
Top 5 Race Game of the Weekend
Chelsea vs. Everton - Who else wants to get up super early with me on Saturday morning to watch the game that sets the tone for the entire weekend with regards to the Top 5 race? If Chelsea win, it goes even on points and ahead of Forest on points, which would put a huge amount of pressure on Forest when its game against Brentford rolls around on Thursday. That being said, any dropped points by Chelsea would mean that Forest has a chance to expand its lead to 5 or 6 with only 4 games to go.
Non-Top 5 Race Game of the Weekend
Bournemouth vs. Man United - I think we're going to see a wide-open, high-scoring game of football. Plus, aren't we all looking at the Cherries as a team we want to pick a player from in the transfer window? It's a chance for us all to do some scouting.
Stories to watch
1. YEAH, BABY, LET'S ****ING GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!
I don't know if you guys have heard this, but there's a title to be won on Sunday at Anfield. It's the first time the Reds will have had a chance to win a title in front of fans in a generation. It's kind of a big deal and I expect the scenes from Merseyside to be batshit bonkers. All the Reds need is a point. I expect the Kop to be at an all-time frenzied level. Meanwhile, with a critical Europa semi four days in-between, will Ange really want to risk anything with his line-up? Given the stakes of the remaining games in Europa, can he afford to take even a single chance?
2. Chelsea and Newcastle need to handle their business at home against bottom 10 sides. Kinda as simple as that.
3. The FA Cups actually feature a pair of interesting games. Palace has never won a major trophy. It's been nearly three decades for Aston Villa. It's been 35 years for Forest. It's been like 35 minutes for Man City. It cannot be stressed enough how big these semis are for three of the four teams playing... and yet City will probably take their glory because they can.
Game Predictions
Saturday
Chelsea 2. Everton 1
Brighton 2 West Ham 2
Newcastle 4. Ipswich 1
Southampton 1. Fulham 3
Wolves 2. Leicester 0
FA Cup: Crystal Palace 2 Aston Villa 2 (Villa advances on pens)
Sunday
Bournemouth 4 Man United 3
Liverpool 2 Tottenham 1
FA Cup: Nottingham Forest 1 Man City 2 (89th minute winner)
Last Things Before I let you go....
Liverpool is sitting on 79 points and has a chance to finish with as many as 94, although I'm not quite sure that is likely. With all of the talk of the quality of the season, I just wanted to take a look at the all-time list for points in a season to give whatever it is they do this season in some context. I believe I read earlier this week that the average points total for a Premier League champion is 87. If the Reds can limit the losses/draws to 1 more in the final 5 games, they'll finish with a Top 10 all-time points total. Anything less than that and they'll fall out of the top 10 and into the top 15.
1. 100 points (Man City 2017-18)
2. 99 points (Liverpool 2019-20)
3. 98 points (Man City 2018-19)
4. 97 points (Liverpool 2018-19)
5. 95 points (Chelsea 2004-05)
6T. 93 points (Man City 2021-22)
6T. 93 points (Chelsea 2016-17)
8T. 92 points (Liverpool 2021-22)
8T. 92 points (Man United 1993-94)
10T. 91 points (Man City 2023-24)
10T. 91 points (Chelsea 2005-06)
10T. 91 points (Man United 2008-09)
