The countdown begins.

So, it was said the other day in the media, we have to win 10 of our remaining games to secure the Premier League title for 2017/18.

 

Of course, should the nearest chasing team drop any points – and I’m very confident that will happen – then that movable target-figure will get reduced, as long as we keep winning.

 

But, for now, this home game against West Bromwich Albion is the first of that ‘target of 10’ from our remaining 14 games.

Shall we have a little look at ‘em?

I just thought I’d do a quick prediction outcome of those remaining league matches, which I will ‘air on the side of caution’ of and, of course, is also subject to change pre-match(s); as injuries, suspensions and general fatigue / possible team-selection-changes ‘kick in’ closer to the fixture dates.

WBA (H)                     -           Win

Burnley (A)                  -           Draw

Leicester (H)               -           Win

Arsenal (A)                  -           Draw

Chelsea (H)                -           Draw

Stoke (A)                     -           Win

Brighton (H)                -           Win

Everton (A)                 -           Win

Manyoo (H)                 -           Win

Spurs (A)                     -           Draw

Swansea (H)               -           Win

West Ham (A)             -           Win

Huddersfield (H)         -           Win

Southampton (A)        -           Win

Total points:                          99

So, with that ‘as honest as I can be’ assessment of our remaining league fixtures – and not looking into exactly where F.A Cup & Champions League matches fall in-between those – there’s your 10 wins…with 4 draws ‘chucked into the mix’.

I think even if we lose one or, dare I suggest, two of those, I think any chasing team is gonna do likewise, as I say. And if we win or just ‘hold off’ at home in the Manchester v Trafford derby then, of course, that changes the picture hugely in our favour in early April.

If I was to scrutinise - and possible alter now - some of those result predictions, I don’t think it would make much of a difference to be honest. For example…

There’s a good chance that we’ll manage a clean sheet against Burnley – they might score one – and, therefore, if we keep chipping at their very stuborn defensive walls and apply all of our creativity and inventiveness at the weekend, then I CAN see us opening them up at least twice and coming away with 3 points.

On our day, I can see us sending Chelsea home with zero points – we beat them at their place when they were more ‘on it’ in general back then and have beaten them at home before.

We might relish the wide-open spaces of Wembley in our away fixture to Spurs and wipe the floor with ‘em!

But, then again, Jekyll & Hyde Leicester might come at us with all their creative & goal-scoring threat blazing and inflict our second defeat of the season. Could happen…

Stoke might ‘do a Stoke’ on us and frustrate us by preventing an away win.

Everton might ‘do an Everton’ and find a way to inflict another Merseyside defeat!

Arsenal away could go either way for me – I wouldn’t be surprised if we lost at the Emirates…but, then again, they can implode at the back, sometimes, and we could grab a good away win.

If ifs & buts were candy & nuts…

As I say, I think all of those possibilities will still see us close to 99 points and will see us lift the crown this season.

v WBA

Etihad Stadium

Predicted line-up, subs and outcome:

(Number correct from starting line-up in the last game: 8/11).

Fluid 4-5-1 / 4-3-3

____________________Aguero____________________

Sterling_________________________________B. Silva

_________D. Silva____________De Bruyne__________

_________________Fernandinho___________________

Zinchenko________________________________Walker

____________Kompany_______Otamendi___________

____________________Ederson____________________

Subs: Bravo, Danilo, Stones, Mangala, Laporte, Toure, Gundogan, Diaz.

(Sub updated 31.01.2018...with the incoming Aymeric Laporte available to play tonight and Eliaquim Mangala expected at Everton today to have a medical ahead of a possible loan move until the end of the season). Will the next 11 & subs v Burnley contain Riyad Mahrez?

Ederson back in net for the league game.

Oleksandr likewise and most likely joined by Vinny (2 games in 3 days for our Captain? I think they might “risk that” for this game…), Nicholas & Kyle.

Fernandinho the deeper of the midfielders and then Raheem on the left, Bernardo on the right with the brilliant partnership of David & Kevin in-between those.

Sergio ‘up top’.

Claudio steps aside and the defensive subs should look like Danilo, John & new signing Aymeric (welcome fella!). Yaya likely to get a slot on the side for this one, along with Ilkay & Brahim.

Notable absences: Benjamin Mendy (continues rehab following injury / surgery), FabianDelph (injured), Gabriel Jesus (injured still for another week or so) & Leroy Sane (Injured for about a month).

Do I agree with Pep’s (predicted) line-up?

Yes indeed.

Result? We’ll eventually knock down their walls as long as we are patient and ‘play our game’. Home win.

Last season’s, corresponding pre-match prediction and result…

Prediction: Win

Result: Win

Expected weather conditions during the game: A rather cold and dreary one Wednesday night - light rain / sleet / snow, just 4C and a nagging Westerly breeze should remind fans that it’s still early-to-mid Winter in the North West of England.