With Arsenal losing at home in the Premier League last night, that very promising second placed finish looks a little unlikely. Even if the Gunners come back from Old Trafford on Sunday evening with all three points in the bag, the extra nine points of positive goal difference that Man City have means we need them to slip up.
The Arsenal fans will of course be hoping that Swansea City can do the same job on City that they did to us twice this season and that would put us back in the driving seat but I think we have to assume now that City are favourites for second spot.
What is more vital than second place, however, is finishing above Man United and avoiding the Champions League play off games. But we do not need to win at Old Trafford to make that almost certain, as a point will probably do. That would keep them two points back and with an inferior goal difference, while we would have a game in hand.
You would surely expect Arsenal to win one of our two home games against Sunderland and West Brom, so avoiding defeat on Sunday is the key. That does not mean we should sit back but neither should we go all out for the win. Wenger has the blueprint from the way we won there in the FA cup, so is that how you think Arsenal should approach the crunch game this weekend?