We may have dropped points last Sunday, but so did our nearest challengers.
Say what you will about Tottenham, but they are always generous when it comes to handing out points, even to the most struggling of sides like Liverpool.
On paper, our 1-1 draw with Burnley at Turf Moor wasn’t all that bad considering Sean Dyche’s men have the third best home record in the Premier League. And no, Man United are not first or second, despite what Jose Mourinho will have you believe.
The only teams who have been better at home this season than Burnley are Chelsea and Spurs. Making it not too bad to come away with a point and extend our lead at the top.
On a positive note from last Sunday’s draw with Burnley is that a result like that will keep the player’s minds motivated ahead of a tricky run-in. We play several teams in the bottom half of the table over the coming weeks and if the player’s minds aren’t right we could slip up and be only (brace yourselves) five points clear of the chasing pack. Or 10 points clear of sixth place United. It just doesn’t bear thinking about.
We need our players to be extra motivated to win these upcoming games and put the title beyond the rest. If you’ve read the odds for Chelsea winning the title you’d think it was already done, but us fans know that’s not the case. I can’t see us slipping up, though, because we don’t have Steven Gerrard in our team. Cheap shot, I know.
We’ve been treated to so many highs and no so many lows. Just the way I like it. At the start of the year I would’ve gladly accepted a top four place, but then I realised I’m not an Arsenal fan and decided only the title would do. Thankfully, Antonio Conte and the players felt the same way as me.
We’ve seen a lot of truly great goals this season too. N’Golo Kante running through the entire Manchester United team. Eden Hazard doing the same to Arsenal. Pedro’s strike against Spurs. David Luiz’s free kick against Liverpool. Marcos Alonso against Everton. The list just goes on.
As does the list of incredible victories we’ve achieved this season. 4-0 against United. 5-0 against Everton. Ending Spurs’ unbeaten run. 3-1 against Arsenal. Back-to-back 3-0 wins over the reigning champions Leicester. 3-1 away at Man City. Such incredible memories.
The Premier League takes a break this week so we can resume our duties in the FA Cup where we will take on Liverpool’s conquerors, Wolves. They’re not doing very well in the Championship, but anyone who can go to Anfield and get a good result deserves our utmost respect. Those teams include the mighty Plymouth Argyle and Swansea City. Champions League quality right there, wouldn’t you agree?
Nevertheless, it’s a big game on Saturday as the winners will progress to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, a cup we’ve won so often in recent years it should be renamed the Chelsea cup.
Anyway, onto my predictions. I think we will beat Wolves 2-0 and advance to the quarter-finals of the Chelsea cup (you have to admit, it does have a nice ring to it).
We will then defeat Swansea 3-1 at Stamford Bridge a week on Saturday. Here’re some other predictions, United will win but still manage to remain in sixth, Arsene Wenger will again bemoan the busy schedule, Jurgen Klopp will still question how Alberto Moreno became a professional footballer and Petr Cech will still be regretting leaving Chelsea to finish fourth.
