Manchester City fans should be putting back some Christmas bottles of Bubbly for another title party in May.
But it will be nothing compared to their kneeling in the North East if – as I expect – Newcastle save their Premier League skins.
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I may be in the minority here because there are a lot of people who think the richest clubs in the business will play in the championship next season.
It’s easy to see why, as no one who has taken 14 games to get their first three points of the season is left in the past.
So I am not saying that Newcastle will suddenly start giving everyone else a good base in the next few months, that’s for sure.
Then again, neither side ever had enough money to turn around, and that could be the important thing—especially with the crowd behind them.
It still won’t be easy to get the top players they’ve been hoping for, as many people won’t commit long after they don’t know which division they’ll be in next year.
But I’m sure they’ll hit two or three points in January, and I just have a feeling they’ll survive.
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If Eddie Howe’s big problem is signing players, then the headache for Pep Guardiola at City is who to drop.
However, his two boys made the decision easier for him last week, when Jack Grealish and Phil Foden went to the club and Pep left them both on the bench in Newcastle.
When I heard what they had done I couldn’t believe it… As the situation is, it’s Christmas night and the second time both are in the wood. Absolutely crazy.
Look, Foden is a great player and I’ve told you before that nobody enjoys watching Grealish more than me.
But they have to learn how to behave because Pep won’t stand for any bullshit if someone goes past the mark.
It’s a few months now for Jack to keep his head down and because, as I say, it’s doubly so for him.
When I was a manager I was afraid to take the paper at this time of year and read that the players were ready to do something.
Of course that was the famous time when I was Tottenham manager and banned the Christmas party… then it turns out the players had organized it the day before.
And in West Ham they were planning to rent an open-top bus with a jazz band and circle near the ground.
I stopped that very fast – we were at the bottom of the league and I told them that if someone was digging the road and they went past, they would be pelted with bricks!
There will be plenty of time to go out and enjoy the summer. , , And I think he would have a lot of reasons in Citi.
I know I was barely sticking my neck out at the start of the season when I said the title was between them, Liverpool and Chelsea… but then again, we all thought so.
Chelsea have suffered a bit lately, although I still won’t write them off. But the other two are just looking for an edge.
The Africa Cup of Nations, assuming it goes ahead, will not help Liverpool when they lose players to him.
But the way City is playing, you won’t hold back from going against it.
He is in great form and looks invincible in the moment.
I’ve been to clubs where you run and feel invincible – and I’ve seen the other side of it too.
When you’re stuck in a rut, it’s like trying to find a winner, when all the losers you support are… you can go ten lengths to the last and know that you are about to fall.
However, it is the opposite in City, and with many of them in top form, something special has to be done to stop them.
I just hope that covid doesn’t have a big hand in this… so everyone loose your pockets, stay safe and take care of yourself.
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