Euro play-off?

[Scottish Mag 3]

Newcastle United's surge up the table has alerted the Premier League that Glenn Roeder's side may face a play-off with Blackburn Rovers for a European place next season.

 

United and Blackburn are not only level on points, but they have the same goals tally and the same goals against, leaving them sharing sixth place in the table.

 

Blackburn do have a game in hand - their match with Chelsea at Ewood Park which was put on ice last weekend because of the FA Cup semi-finals.

 

If things stay this way, Premiership rules state that in order to decide qualification for Europe a play-off would have to be held at a neutral venue.

 

If this happens United would have to go somewhere like Elland Road for a play-off after their final Premiership game with Chelsea at St James' Park on May 7.

 

And this would obviously have an averse affect on what promises to be Tyneside's biggest night for many years - the Alan Shearer testimonial on May 11.

 

Meanwhile, it's been a good week for United on the Premiership front.

 

After Wigan's undeserved defeat at Fulham on Monday night, United were pleased to see West Ham lose at home to Liverpool in last night's FA Cup dress rehearsal.

 

This means West Ham can only reach 55 points - compared with United's 54 at the moment - and the Hammers have an inferior goal difference.

 

Glenn Roeder is too much a sport and gentleman to say it, but it would be great for him if United finished higher in the table than West Ham after they showed him the Upton Park door.

 

I am told that the way Roeder has dragged United from being a side threatened by relegation into one which now has a chance of qualifying for Europe has not gone down too well inside the portals of Upton Park.

[ewerk 31225]

Doesn't it go down to results against each other if two teams can't be seperated by the usual means? Though it would be great to see, like our own cup final.

[luckyluke 2]

Doesn't it go down to results against each other if two teams can't be seperated by the usual means? Though it would be great to see, like our own cup final.

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In which case that would be us, having won 3-0 at theirs, and only losing by one goal at our place.

[Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0]

Doesn't it go down to results against each other if two teams can't be seperated by the usual means? Though it would be great to see, like our own cup final.

128764[/snapback]

A non-performance and defeat then.