Last season I refused to acknowledge that we were ever favourites for the league title.

Even when we were 8 points clear, having played a game more, I still had Manchester City as favourites.

That 8 points would be 5 if City won their game in hand, and 2 if they beat us at the Etihad. Those that claimed we bottled the title after having an 8 point lead with 9 games to go failed to recognise that it was really only a 2 point lead.

As the second half of the season rattled on, I maintained one position – win at Anfield and we have a chance to win the title.

Victory in Liverpool would mean that we could afford to lose to Manchester City and still be above them with 5 games to go. At that point, I would have had us down as favourites.

It is the same this season. I do not think we will win the title this season, but victory today could change all of that.

Mikel Arteta recently spoke about needing 90 points this season to win the title. For us, that is another 26 points from the remaining 10 games. 8 wins, 1 draw and a defeat.

With a trip two trips to Manchester, as well as a visit to Tottenham, it will be tough for us to hit 90. We also have tricky aways to Wolves and Brighton.

Looking at the run ins, I have Liverpool as favourites, and us 3rd favourites. But all that changes if we win today.

Victory will put us 4 points ahead of Manchester City, and (depending on their result against Brighton), level with Liverpool. I would still not have us as favourites if we win, but the hope will begin to build.

Last season, losing twice to Manchester City was the big game changer. That is a 12 point swing. We would have won the league if it was us winning the double header.

Beating Manchester City earlier this season will change the mentality of the players. They will know they can win. We also beat them in the Charity Shield back in August.

I see some saying “I will take a draw”. That is the wrong mentality to have. We need to be looking to win the game. And we do that, who knows what the remaining 9 games will bring?

UTA.

Keenos