GARY NEWBON Sky Blues’ play-off bid is hit in a weekend of unexpected results
AS Sir Alex Ferguson said to me at the end of the 1999 Champions League final, ‘Football, bloody hell”. It sums up what is happening at the top and bottom of both the Premier League and Championship.
The two unexpected results of the weekend were by the two Birmingham clubs – Aston Villa winning 2-0 at Arsenal to stop the London club going to the very top, while improving Villa’s prospects of reaching next season’s Champions League.
And Blues beating Coventry City 3-0 to give their survival a good chance while spoiling the Sky Blues’ chances of a play-off spot.
It’s tight, very tight, with some unpredictable results – particularly in the Championship.
I went to watch my team Leicester City, as leaders, at Plymouth on Friday. They dominated the game in Devon but lost 1-0.
On Tuesday they had played at Millwall, another struggling team, but they blew that 1-0 as well.
With the top two being promoted automatically, Ipswich and Leeds were dropping points as well. I could not believe it!
You just never quite know in football. I thought Leicester would definitely win their two midweek games.
I sat on the Leicester City table in the Plymouth boardroom after their latest defeat and we all were resigning ourselves to the play-offs.
But football, bloody hell, with both Ipswich and Leeds dropping unexpected points again the next day. You just never can tell!
Ipswich are now the new leaders by one point from the Foxes with Leeds one point behind Leicester, who have a vital game in hand over both of them. There is still hope!
This Saturday, Leicester are at home to West Bromwich Albion who are fifth and should make the play-offs. This game is at 12.30pm and on Sky Sports. Who can predict this one with confidence?
I was also shocked at the scoreline from St Andrew’s on Saturday. Birmingham 3 Coventry 0. Who would have thought that?
With Norwich winning at Preston, the Sky Blues’ hopes of a play-off spot do not look good. But they could unwittingly help Leicester by beating Ipswich at home two weeks tonight. Meanwhile, I did write in this column when Gary Rowett was brought in that Blues would stay up. Now it is in the Blues’ hands. They go to relegated Rotherham on Satur
day, then the following Saturday to Huddersfield, who are one point behind Blues and are in the top relegation position.
Blues,with three to go, finish with a home game with Norwich on May 4. By then, I expect Blues to be safe and Norwich to be in the playoffs. But hey, this is football. You never can tell.
I am loving this season in the Premier League. My pre-season choice was the reigning holders Manchester City and I still definitely stick with that, especially with both Arsenal and Liverpool losing at home – the latter 1-0 to Crystal Palace, who are in the bottom half of the table.
It is what the Premier League has needed for some while! With six games to go, Manchester City lead both Arsenal and Liverpool by two
points. It is in City’s hands. A great result then for Villa who lead Spurs by three points and, although they have played an extra game, Villa have a slightly better goal difference.
Now on Thursday, Villa have to hang on or improve their 2-1 lead over Lille with the away leg in France of their Europa Conference League quarterfinal (5.45pm kick-off on TNT Sports).
They may not make the play-offs, but Coventry City will be at Wembley on Sunday to play Manchester United in this season’s FA Cup semi-final.
It’s the second semi-final in the Sky Blues’ history. In 1987, they won the FA Cup – the last West Midlands club to do so.
It’s a tough ask and United will be hot favourites. But never write off Mark Robins and, if Coventry were to win, the football world is bound to go: “Bloody Hell!”
Kick-off is at 3.30pm live on ITV and one of my twins, Laurence, will be one of the outside broadcast team bringing you the coverage.
His twin brother Neil is an actor. After winning the ‘Oscar’ of the Games Award in Los Angeles, he was in London last week as part of his game’s Baldur Gate 3 winning the top award at the BAFTAS. Neil has the leading part of Astarion.
The game is currently the best selling in the world. These games have become a huge market generating more money than films and television.
My twins outshine the old man these days!
Never write off Mark Robins and, if Coventry were to win, the football world is bound to go: “Bloody Hell!”
As a member of the Football Writers Association, I have cast my vote for their Footballer of the Year award – the first and most prestigious award which has been there every May since Stanley Matthews received the 1948 award.
The only West Midlands club winner has been in 1952 with the Wolves captain and my old ATV boss Billy Wright.
I voted for Man City’s Phil Foden. Those I am sure being considered beside Foden would be City’s Rodri and two Arsenal players Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard, plus Liverpool’s Virgil Van Dijk and Mo Salah.
It’s a tough choice but Foden has been outstanding and at 23 has already been described by his manager Pep Guardiola as the best player in the Premier League and I would agree with that. The 23-year-old midfielder does have amazing match-winning skills.
The result will be announced on May 3 and the presentation will be in London on May 16.
In my Sunday Mercury column, in association with Mackrell Solicitors, ahead of Sunday’s big Wembley game, I will be looking back at Coventry City’s incredible FA Cup final win in 1987.