We could just as easily lose to City at home, as they did to us. We need a healthy lead going in to the derby, ideally we'd win it derby day and have City do a guard of honour Not over til it is over.

With city it's simple, every game is a must win, and would expect them to treat each game like that, i just hope fergie does'nt view certain games as easier than others and rest key players for such games.

I stand by what I said earlier; City could very easily win every game between now and the end of the season. I think they've looked much stronger lately and they could quite easily beat us in the derby if we don't play at 110%.

I think we need to retain our current lead going into the derby. Anything less and we could find ourselves on a slippery slope.

"Like i said i won't name names, but i find it a bit childish to run to the admins after dishing it out for weeks but soon as united overtake them, they can't take a bit back"

To be fair Mark, as far as I know, most of the City posters were banned off the United board a long while before then!

In terms of the title, it's been over for a while now in my eyes. This weekend, I can see you battering Reading (and partly hope you do after them sacking Mcdermott). Everton away is always a difficult fixture for us, normally a draw would be seen as a good result.

Can see City winning the rest of their remaining games. They've found some form and though it's unlikely, it is possible. I just hope we stay focused in our easier games.

We don't really have much of a reason to rest any of our key players too much. The games have started to thin out a little, at least until the end of this month.

After our elimination from the ECL, I would be extremely disappointed if we threw away our substantial lead in the league. I just hope that 2 poor results in the space of a week doesn't negatively impact our form.

Reading game is crucial. If we don't get a win, I can see us collapsing and gifting City the title, again!

Everton away is always a difficult fixture for us, normally a draw would be seen as a good result.
........................

melton,

It usually is one of you're toughest fixtures of the season but you couldn't really be hitting them at a better IMO.

Like I said earlier the mood around their supporters has been quite negative for a number of weeks now and last week was pretty dire. They seem to be having their season in reverse.

The Moyes contract situation looks to be having an effect on the dressing room as well. Whilst a 'big' performance might be expected after last week if you can nick an early goal they'll get restless quite quickly.

*better time

If they play anything like they did against Wigan, you'll destroy them. Wont get a much better time to make a statement of your intent to win the league. Though at times this season, when City have won big, United have also won big, so...who knows Bloody hate football sometimes

Good point major. That wigan game was the worst I've seen Everton play in a long time. For some reason, Mancini always gets our tactics wrong against them and it's just one of those fixtures that I never have a good feeling about!

melton,

When I've seen you at Goodison you've generally lacked their desire and Mancini hasn't really affected games once they've got on top.

Thing is their season looks to be hanging by a thread at the moment and some of their better players loik out of sorts. Whilst City look solid without being spectacular in the league.

Not sure on their injury front but if Heitinga is starting, Dzeko could cause him all sorts of problems.

From what I hear, we are struggling for strikers injury wise. What is the situation with Moyes' contract, is he stalling off signing? The thing with him is that I'm not sure there are going to be any potential other jobs for him to go to at the end of this season.

Agree about us at Goodson btw, we just haven't looked up for the fight. Could really do with Kompany back!

melton,

Only he knows at the moment it seems but the indications are that it might be his final season. Not just that but the blues I know and a fair few on the local phone-in this week reckon a clean break all-round is needed. Wether that's a bit reactionary I'm not sure but IMO he should let the club and the fans know where he stands as it seems to be having a disruptive influence on their season. Expectedly.

Couldn't agree more regarding his future job prospects. I just hope for his sake if he does quit his career doesn't tail off after so long at one club, something similar to Curbishley at Charlton.

Surely he's not going to want to go to anyone outside of the top 10, maybe he's after the Chelsea job

Jay,

That maybe but if Everton's season falls apart, which looks possible at the moment the top teams here or even abroad wont look favourably upon him IMO. He's hindering his own prospects with his refusal to committ or otherwise to a new contract till the seasons over.

If he does leave which looks increasingly likely his best bet might be to go abroad. Germany has been mooted. As things stand I doubt there'll be a bigger job than Everton waiting for him.

He's in a difficult situation really in that he probably knows he has taken Everton as far as he possibly can under their current financial situation, but who out there is going to take a punt on him. I think he was hoping that Kenwright could have found a buyer a couple of years ago but when that didn't happen, the writing has been on the cards for me. Particularly at the top, those clubs tend to go for managers that have either dealt with big budgets before, or are promoted from within. Curbishley at Charlton is a good comparison, he may well be shooting himself in the foot.

Have to say, I'm not sure signing a new contract or not will make him any more attractive to potential clubs - if they want him, they would be willing and have the money to pay the compensation anyway. Agree that it seems like a risk on his part to me and ironically, if Everton do finish the season poorly as a result, he is only going to make himself look less hireable.

That's it melton, if Everton's season does peter out he'll take a large portion of the blame and consequently look less hireable as you say. Can't really fathom how he's went about it to be honest. Surely he himself has seen their form slip as questions about his future have grew.

He's probably had them at a level you'd expect considering their outlay and wage budget for a while now, so he needs a bit more to convince a 'bigger' team to employ him. We'd all agree he's done well there but that's not necessarily enough. Perhaps a job in a different league?

Still he's playing a dicey game here holding back.

First match of the season we got battered at Everton, even though it was 1-0 or something, they were all over us, they were really fired up for it. If they're anything like that against City, I'd be worried if I were a City fan!

Fellaini just likes bullying us