Newcastle v West Ham. Two Games To Overhaul Sunderland

At the start of the season we were among the favourites to qualify for the CL and Sunderland were right there as favourites to be relegated.

But, with two games to go out target isn't even any Europe qualification - all that is left to play for is finishing above the old enemy. Who would have believed it?

Plenty to play for...

I'm not having any of this "nothing to play for" mentality.

Finishing below Sunderland would put a mouldy cherry on top of a bitter PL cake of a season and we'd never hear the end of the crowing over the summer from the Mackems.

Can you imagine if their form hadn't tailed off over the last few weeks and they'd not only finished above us, but qualified for Europe?

I seriously doubt that Eddie could have survived that degree of humiliation and he now has two games to rally the troops, get two wins, that hopefully overhaul the one point deficit we have and puts above Sunderland at the final whistle next Sunday.

A double edged sword...

For those NUFC fans who would love to see Spurs relegated a win for the Toon and a win for Spurs away to Chelsea on Tuesday would see West Ham make the drop.

As much as I'd love to see one of the Big 6 who tried to prevent PIF's takeover go down, my desire to finish above Sunderland tops that so I want West Ham smashed tomorrow because finishing above the Mackem's might go down to goal difference.

What reception will the team get after the match?

Not anywhere near what they got last season that's for sure.

I think the biggest cheers will be heard for the likes of Trippier and Krafth whose departures have been confirmed and for Fabian Schar who may or may not be here next season. Nick Pope might fall into that category too and even Jacob Murphy.

All have been great servants of the club and Trippier and Schar will go into the Legends category for the massive influence they have had on our rise to CL qualifiers in recent seasons and ending a 70 year wait for a domestic trophy.

As for Eddie and the rest of the team I think it will be a somewhat chastening experience to walk around the ground.

They know that, whilst the LC and CL cup runs gave us fans some cracking moments, overall in the PL they have performed way below expectations and that walk will be far more to clap the fans for their support than to receive applause.

So...

Two games to go, two games to win, two games to finish above Sunderland, and two games to put a thin layer of sweet icing on that bitter PL cake.

My last home fiver of the season is going on 3-0 to the Lads.

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