Race for the title

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It’s the ‘squeaky bum time.’ No, I’m not referring to your trip to the restroom in the morning as you feel all of last night’s dinner rushing to escape you. I’m talking about that time of any league in its final stages — for which an apt title was given by Sir Alex Ferguson.

Fergie will not be pleased with his boys’ performance at the DW stadium as Manchester United, with City on their coat tails, chase a 20th league title. City kept the title race alive by doing what they do best. Winning at home. At the receiving end were West Bromwich Albion. City fans of course were in a tizzy when Tevez scored the third goal for the Sky Blues and he received a standing ovation when he was substituted. Funny, thinking how they burned his jersey only a few months back.

WIth the win, City closed the gap to five points which is exactly the gap Arsenal opened up against Tottenham Hotspur, who are in danger of losing their Champions League place to Chelsea and the neutrals’ favourite Newcastle United who currently are fifth, tied on points with Spurs.

Lower down the table are Liverpool, the worst team in the League since Christmas. They’ve been worse than Wolves who have been in Christmas hangover since Terry Connor came in. They’ve been gifting two goals and three points to every passer by. But Liverpool won this week against Wolverha-mpton’s relegation partners Blackburn Rovers with just 10 men on stoppage time. And somehow that wasn’t the story of the week. That came at the aforementioned game at the DW where Wigan outshone the champions and dragged themselves to 17th.

Another team who got themselves out of the dogfight is QPR who were fantastic against fellow newcomers, Swansea. Another newcomer Norwich are placed at a comfortable 10th, just ahead of a resurgent Sunderland whose fortunes have been transformed under the new manager Martin O’Neil. With five games to go though, you have to wonder if a five-point lead is enough for Manchester United to get their 5th title in 6 years.