Back-to-back wins are massive at this point in the season in a relegation scrap. They’re what make the difference between staying up or getting relegated.
Bolton, QPR and Wigan haven’t managed it and, apart from the opening two games of the season, Wolves haven’t either. So it’s no surprise these teams are at the bottom of the table.
Blackburn hadn’t managed it until they beat Wolves and Sunderland and look what it’s done for them. They opened up a five-point gap on the bottom three and are two points ahead of QPR.
Back it up: Queens Park Rangers should be buoyed by their midweek winBolton have recently beaten QPR, who themselves beat Liverpool, and they have to build on those successes.
Momentum is so important. Look at Everton: they had a really strong run, going nine games unbeaten with big wins against Spurs, Chelsea and Manchester City. They turned around a difficult start to the season and are now comfortably in 10th spot and still in the FA Cup.
The teams at the bottom have to find that momentum in the final run of games. Unless you get that in the bottom five, you’re not going to get out of it.
It will be just Fab to be fullAfter the remarkable recovery of Fabrice Muamba, it’s going to be a very emotional weekend for Bolton. It’s been a traumatic experience. How can their players focus on a relegation battle after the events at Tottenham?
But they must. The Reebok is not always full but I hope there will be a few more thousand there today. I’d like to see it packed to the rafters after the week they’ve had.
The players need a bit of help. If it’s full, fans shouldn’t underestimate how much that boosts the team. If you run out and the stands are rammed you feel like something special is going to happen.
Welcome back: Carlos Tevez Kick-start City, CarlosA lot was said about Carlos Tevez and whether he would be welcomed back at Manchester City. That little reverse pass against Chelsea might have just got him accepted into the dressing room more than any handshake.
He’s not a massive man like Mario Balotelli or Edin Dzeko but as soon as he entered the field he gave them presence up front. He looked prepared to take responsibility.
You’ve got to have guts to do what Tevez has done. To walk out and believe you’re right. City need that in the title race.
When he came on he looked like he might make something happen. A few booed when he came on but he doesn’t care what people think about him.
Roberto Mancini made some massive changes in the game against Chelsea, taking off Balotelli, who was messing around, and bringing Tevez back in - and it worked.
Forget about what’s been said or done. City need to get the job done and Tevez can help them do that.
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