Dark Munster

Liverpool focusing on the EL will hopefully cost them valuable PL league points. West Ham, um, maybe a virulent flu strain can cause havoc there for a few weeks.

If we beat them at WHL it's game over.

This.

Here it comes.

Here comes a 89th winner for Eriksen

Romeu**

Just like us for most of the 90s.

It's the perfect final for us. As you say, Palace will rest players against us, and if Utd win it frees up an EL spot if they finish top six.

I doubt we'll be as gung-ho in our attack as we were today against a piss poor Villa team. Also, we had a record run of minutes without conceding, so the ability is there. Plus big Vic will be putting in a shop window performance in front of the back four. We may lose but I doubt it'll be by many.

Surprised no-one has mentioned that Utd winning is good for us in Euro qualification. They are now one win away at Wembley from freeing up an extra EL spot (assuming they finish in the top 6).

Apparently. Congratulations!

Eighth: Will qualify for Europa League qualifiers if Liverpool win the Europa League and finish seventh, and Manchester United win the FA Cup and finish in the top six, and Manchester City qualify for the Champions League Suppose Utd win FA Cup and finish in top 6, City qualify for CL, so no cup winners in EL. So we have 1-4 go into CL (let's assume City are in this top 4) 5 - EL (Utd say) 6 - EL (West Ham say) 7 - CL (Liverpool) 8 - Nothing, nada, zilch, diddly squat (If City finish outside top 4 and win CL, then they convert that EL spot to CL, but 4th becomes EL. So again 8th gets nothing). What part of EL/CL winners finishing in an EL spot loses that EL spot don't they understand? In that case it's 5 CL + 2 EL, not 5 CL + 3 EL, dammit!

They do. For example, for the first one "Fourth place in the Premier League will definitely provide Europa League qualification if...Manchester City win the Champions League but finish outside the Premier League top four (unless Liverpool finish fourth and win the Europa League)" No, it's Manchester City winning the Champions League AND Liverpool winning the Europa league, and BOTH finishing outside the Premier League top four. If City alone win in Europe then it doesn't matter where they finish, 4th will be in CL. Basically 5 CL slots are allowed, but not 6. "The 5th place description is saying that City winning the CL will mean 5th is a CL place not an EL one, so that's accurate too." It isn't. City winning the CL doesn't convert 5th into a CL spot (unless it's occupied by City themselves, or Liverpool after winning the EL, which would apply to any other position anyway). I'm not going to go through the others and explain the differences.

Or correct.

You're right, it's talkshite.

It's promotion or bust for them now. Just like last year, and the year before, and...... Don't hold back holepuncture, tell us how you really feel about them.

Shame all 3 away teams will have eyes on the semi-finals. Yes Utd too, but unlike Palace they are fighting for something in the league (CL).

Yes I am making the bold assumption that City will finish higher than 7th.

True, but that's because City won the League cup to free one spot, which somewhat obscures my point. If lower placed teams win both cups, and PL teams win both El and CL and finish 6th or lower, then the top 3 would join those two in the CL, and the 2 cup winners along with 4th would be in the EL. In that case 5th would not qualify for Europe, unless we get 5 CL + 4 EL (which I don't think we do). If that's the rule, it does seem to punish 5th for the success of the PL teams in Europe.

The top 6 teams will definitely qualify for Europe. 7th can only qualify for Europe if Utd win the cup and finish in the top 6. That's all we need to know for Saints. For those interested in the fine details here's the breakdown. Assuming City finish in the top 6. If they don't win the CL then: If Liverpool win the EL and finish outside a EL spot they go into the CL as an extra European (CL) spot for the PL. Thus we get 5 CL + 3 EL. If Liverpool win the EL and finish in a EL spot but not in the top 4, then that spot is converted to CL. No extra EL spot to compensate, thus we get 5 CL + 2 EL. If Liverpool don't win the EL (or win it and also finish top 4) then we get the standard 4 CL + 3 EL. If City do win the CL nothing changes from above, unless they finish outside the top 4. If they finish outside top 4 but in a EL spot then that spot again gets changed to a CL spot. Then we get 5 CL + 2 EL. If Liverpool also win the EL and finish below 4th, then the 4th placed team is unlucky and they get one of the ELs instead of the CL, and it's still 5 CL + 2 EL. One thing I'm not sure about is if Liverpool and City win the EL and CL respectively, and both finish lower than 6th. Won't happen of course, but bear with me. Then they both qualify for CL, along with the top 3 in the league. If Palace (say) win the cup, they get one EL spot. That leaves just 2 more spots, for 4th and 5th. Which means 6th is S.O.L. Unless in this situation the PL gets 5 CL + 4 EL??

We don't need Liverpool to win the EL, because that won't affect the other EL places one way or the other. On the other hand, we do want Utd to win the cup if we finish 7th and below them, so that should make us feel dirty enough!

450/8 at close. Didn't see that coming! Looking ahead, for those in the know, is Alsop ready for Div. 1 cricket?

If Liverpool win the EL and finish outside a EL place then it's 5 CL + 3 EL. It's only if they win the EL and finish in an EL place that it's 5 CL + 2 EL. The rules state that an EL spot is lost only if they win the EL and finish in an EL spot (so in effect an EL spot is converted to a CL spot). In short, them winning the EL doesn't punish any team finishing in what would otherwise be a European spot (except the 4th placed team going from CL to EL if City also win the CL and finish outside the top 4).

Liverpool winning the EL can't hurt (or help) us, regardless where they finish. Similarly City in the CL. The top 6 are guaranteed european football, and 7th as well if Utd win the FA cup and finish in the top 6. There are various permutations depending if Liverpool and/or City win their european cup (4 CL + 3 EL, 5 CL + 3 EL, or 5 CL + 2 EL), but none of those concern us. Utd winning the cup is what we need if we finish 7th.

Spurs may have been the best team in the league for the last several weeks, but Leicester have been the best team over the course of the season. If their mauling of City at the Etihad had happened last week, and their win at WHL a week earlier, I doubt we would be hearing how lucky and crap they are.