Before
I’m working today so I don’t think I’ll be able to catch the game in any shape or form but it’s yet another six-pointer. I’d be delighted with three points that would put some clear water between us and the bottom three but it’s going to be a battle. Stoke have been a surprise package and have pulled off a number of good results, particularly against Liverpool, and with the addition of Beattie will be more of a handful than when we lost to them back in October. Lawrence and Sorensen will almost certainly play but importantly Delap is suspended while Higginbotham is injured. I’ll be interested to see how the crowd respond to Lawrence but Sorensen will undoubtedly get a warm welcome. Ben Haim and/or Davenport will probably get a game at some point but I hope Ferdinand recovers as we’re wobbly without him. I think Gordon will play as his performance on Wednesday merits. Defeat would be a serious setback but Stoke are yet to win away this season and I’ve a feeling we’re going to win by a single goal in a tough game with plenty of yellow cards.

After
I got home about a minute before Healy sealed the match with his second on the trot and this was a great result for us, especially as Blackburn, Boro, Bolton and West Brom all lost while Wigan and Fulham dropped two points apiece. If Fulham finish above us, I owe my mate £50 and we must be neck and neck now. So, this crucial series of three matches against our close rivals has ended in two wins and a draw, which is survival form at least. However, after next week’s break we face Arsenal and Liverpool away, which I’d rather not think about for a while. I’ll just sit back and bask in the glow of the Premiership table. Have fun.

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