City Kept Waiting

So with one weekend of matches left the only thing still remaining for decision is the title itself. Relegation has been decided and Wednesday night sorted out fourth place.

Spurs finally edged Manchester City out at Eastlands in a deserved one nil victory, Crouch scoring in the closing stages. The result was no more than Spurs deserved after a brave attacking performance.

Surely though, with the money at their disposal, this can be no more than a bump on the road in City's quest to qualify for the Champions League. Last summers spending spree will only be built upon this year. There was already a marked improvement in their development and any new signings will surely serve to strengthen their position. After coming so close this year, another glut of signings will likely give them the boost required to get them over the finishing line next year. And you have to feel once they get in, there will be no looking back for them, as a combination of the calibre of player they will be able to purchase allied to their incredible resources may well cement their position for the foreseeable future.

For Spurs, well they now have to ensure they don't end up with egg on their faces. One can hardly criticise them for their celebrations at the final whistle on Wednesday. After all, not only did the result ensure that they secured fourth place ahead of a Big Four team (Liverpool) it also meant they edged out a team that at the start of the season most would have pinned as the favourites to gate crash the usual Big Four cartel (City). They must now make sure they actually make the group stages of the Champions League. Obviously a lot of this is simply down to luck in terms of the quality of opponent they are drawn to face. One hopes they don't encounter a similar scenario to that of Everton a number of years ago.

There is no fear that they won't spend big in an attempt to increase the quality of player already at the club. They have spent big in recent years anyway and surely the purse strings won't be tightened now. Further, their position should ensure that they retain the services of their best players, with Manchester United rumoured to have been sniffing around the likes of Luka Modric. (There is an argument that qualification for the Champions League doesn't necessarily lead to positive club development. When one looks at French, Italian, German, and to an extent even Spanish clubs that have qualified throughout the years, there seems to be an element of inconsistency in that the teams qualifying often vary hugely, suggesting that they have not been able to fully capitalise on their Champions League qualification. The caveat in that argument however may well be that these clubs had limited budgets in place anyway, and simply did not have the sums of money required to establish themselves. Clubs from these countries often do not have the same income levels as their Premier League counterparts as a result of television revenue and television deals, ticket sales, etc.)

One thing is for sure - if Spurs do not improve the quality of player this year, then the likelihood is that this will be a one off flash in the pan for them, with City rebounding for another, stronger surge next year.

Race Drawing to a Close

While this is unlikely to be the decisive weekend in this years Premier League title race, it is likely to be the one that most shapes the destination of the title. While one round of games will remain for both United and Chelsea after this Sunday's, this weekend's fixtures may well be United's last chance to overtake Chelsea in their efforts to retain their status as England's best for another year.

Chelsea travel to Liverpool knowing a win will all but secure a first title since the departure of Mourinho. They will face a Liverpool side still feeling the effects of their battle with Atletico Madrid on Thursday night. As Rafa Benitez has been at pains to express in recent days, facing a lunchtime kick off on the Sunday immediately after a taxing game on Thursday is far from ideal. Having to play Chelsea only exasperates the situation.

Liverpool's state of mind going into this game is questionable. There are doubts as to where the manager's future lies following recent links to Juventus. He has spent much of the week fending off questions regarding his future, with his answers coming across as non-committal. You also have to factor in the impact of the result on Thursday night when Liverpool's last remaining chance of silverware evaporated thanks to Diego Forlan's away goal. Extra time is the last thing United fans would have wanted in that game.

I do feel that whatever team Liverpool pick will attempt to win the game, despite some fans suggesting they would rather see Chelsea win as opposed to aiding United in their quest to retain the title. It has to be remembered that Liverpool still have an outside chance of fourth spot, and while that chance remains you have to believe they will continue to fight for it. And we all remember what happened in 1995 when they did their job but United failed to capitalise.

It also shouldn't be forgotten that United face no easy task on Sunday afternoon. Sunderland have hardly set the world alight in recent months and their inconsistency must infuriate their fans. However, there is no espcaping the fact that they do get themselves 'up' for the games against the top sides as results have shown this season. It could well prove a tricky fixture for United who will hope to have Rooney back on the bench at the least following recent ankle and groin injuries.

The bottom line is that whatever happens at Anfield, United have to keep up their end of the bargain a couple of hours later. The title is still there to be won and lost. It won't be for much longer.