There have been clubs that have been relegated from the top flight on less than 12 points. I like some of you might remember Derby County in 2007/08 being relegated on 11 points.
Though, I have to admit, we’ll clear this tally easily and, I’m confident that we’ll stay up, though I think there are a few ‘bankers’ we need to be looking at to help ensure this.
Certainly both our games against Burnley and Sunderland, who came up with us, we should be looking to take maximum points from. Of course, the latter do look like they have put a good side together and have been performing well. Both home and away, they will pose a challenge.
Burnley, certainly at Elland Road; I think we need to be winning this – and, by a few goals. We definitely have the quality and easily have a better squad than them, though they have proven to be tough to beat so far.
Our Goals Should Come Against Our Rivals
By the time we play both of these sides – indeed, I just checked, and we have the Clarets away in just a few weeks – we should be scoring goals. Hopefully, our attackers have clicked; Dominic Calvert-Lewin has got a few and is confident and our wide men are supplying the chances.
Of course, Turf Moor is a tough place to go, though we have picked up maximum points there before and I think we will do so again in October. I’m not massively concerned about their visit to Elland Road – I think we definitely have the measure of them.
Sunderland though, will likely provide a sterner test. They have signed a few quality players and some of these, they beat us to; or maybe we were never really interested in them. However, they have shown that they have no trouble scoring goals and look tough at the back. Our trip to the Stadium Of Light could be a big test.
It is games like this that we should be winning, though, in what will be an unprecedented, recent achievement, two clubs could easily stay up this season. I definitely think there are at least two clubs who are worse anyway.
The ideal scenario to boost our chances of staying up though, is to take maximum points from both Burnley and Sunderland, though I think there are a few other clubs that we can possibly do this to – especially Wolves who do not look great at all.
Another possibility is Nottingham Forest – I do respect what they have done since they have come up, though they have lost quite a few good players in the summer and the jury is out on their replacements. Another club (who we’ve beaten already), is Everton – it will be a tricky away day, though we could take all three points if we can convert our chances.
All in all, I definitely see us staying in the Premier League, though it will be made a lot easier if we can take maximum points (and bragging rights) from the clubs who came up with us. Afterall, we won the league!
