How confident are you about us staying up?

[Notsosuperstevedavis]

A cautious 6.5 for me. Might sneak upto a 7 if Everton lose today.

But it can change from week to week.

[eastcoastclaret]

Very confident we will stay up. I also think the perception of the club within football is starting to change, and that will have a positive impact going forward.

[Goalposts]

Not out of this yet but i feel a win and a draw would be enough, but there’s no certainty in football who would have predicted the run weve been on. Be interested to see how much fight Everton have in them today

[Winstonswhite]

The biggest thing we have in our favour is we play three games against teams who have nothing to play for.

[lakedistrictclaret]

A fortnight ago it was very unlikely we'd stay up.
Now, it's possible, verging on probable.

[Rileybobs]

A fortnight ago it was very unlikely we'd stay up.
Now, it's possible, verging on probable.

I’m going to remain cautiously optimistic, but it is very much probable that we will now stay up.

[AshevilleNCClaret]

Mildly optimistic. I think we can get 2 wins, and if Leeds lose their next two (@ Arsenal and home chelsea), not only would they need to win their last 2 games, but there would need to be a goal differential swing of 19 goals as well.

Win against Villa really puts the pressure on both Everton and Leeds.

[BabylonClaret]

9

We've been so close all season to getting out of the mess only to fail to take the step. We've just won two huge games and I've maintained all along once (if) we got out of the bottom 3 we would stay there.

[taio]

Very confident after a tremendous run.

[Lancasterclaret]

We had to win our last three to give ourselves a real chance, and we've managed that

We had to get something ridiculous like 15 points from a possible 21 to guarantee it, and we've already reduced that to six points from a possible 12

Not done yet like, and Evertons game today is huge, but we are looking good

[fatboy47]

The only time i've ever been confident about Burnley winning was when we played non league Wimbledon on the turf in the Cup.

[tiger76]

Less confident than I was a few hours ago, we ideally could have done with building a gap between ourselves and Everton.

Oh! well never mind Villa next and hopefully another 3 points in the bag.

[elwaclaret]

Always feared Chelsea would fail to turn up, dumping Lampard further in the **** would never have gone down with the entitled. Everton remain right among it, I’m pretty sure Norwich would have beaten Chelsea today.

Another gut buster against Aston Villa. At least its taken any complacency out of our home crowd who might have been a little less vocal had we been sitting on four point lead.

[BabylonClaret]

Yep we still need to do the business. But (like Everton) our home form is pretty good. Win those and we are on 40 - surely that will be enough with the better GD

[Goddy]

Look at it this way........

Leeds next game away at Arsenal. Unlikely they'll win that; reasonably unlikely they'll even get a draw; most likely lose
Burnley next game home to Villa. Reasonably likely to win; possibly draw; possibly lose

If Leeds do lose and we win (a distinct possibility, I reckon) then Leeds will have to win one of their last 3 games......that cranks up the pressure significantly....especially if they lose to Chelsea

Essentially, would I prefer to be in Leeds' position or ours, given our respective form and who we have left to play. On balance I'd rather be in our position.

That being said 39 points to stay up, for me, now.

[alboclaret]

Even going as far as wanting arsenal to win now to keep the pressure on Chelsea for a top 4 finish. We could do with Chelsea fulling their finger out at Leeds

[thelaughingclaret]

Not very confident now. Everton will stay up. We just have to at least equal Leeds in the last 4 games. If Leeds win 1 we need to win 1, if Leeds win 4 we will need to win 4. Leeds are unlikely to win their 4 last games but I do fell we may need to win 3 or at least win 2 and pick up another draw. It is in our own hands but with 4 games left and 1 of them being spurs away, 1 being against a team who have been magnificent this second half of the season and who want to finish as high up as they can and the other 2 games being against a side who have just got back to winning ways and have Danny Ings back fit and scoring, it is going to be tough.

[DAVETHEVICAR]

Everton will probably win the 2 home games v Palace and Brentford and get something at Watford
We need to win two and our best chances are Villa at home and Newcastle at home
The risk is that Newcastle is last match of season so could be a massive pressure game

[Goddy]

Yep we still need to do the business. But (like Everton) our home form is pretty good. Win those and we are on 40 - surely that will be enough with the better GD

For Leeds to better that (40 points) they'll (probably) need to beat Brighton AND Brentford and get a point against either Arsenal or Chelsea. Personally, I think they'll do well to get 5 more points....in which case 39 sees us up.

[Murger]

For Leeds to better that (40 points) they'll (probably) need to beat Brighton AND Brentford and get a point against either Arsenal or Chelsea. Personally, I think they'll do well to get 5 more points....in which case 39 sees us up.

Todays performance shows that Chelsea are nowt to be feared.

[DAVETHEVICAR]

It may be easier to get 40 pints than 39
May sound daft but if we lose at Spurs then 39
Is to beat Villa and draw at Villa and draw v Newcastle
Rather than win the two home games

[Vegas Claret]

Todays performance shows that Chelsea are nowt to be feared.

with Arsenal winning at West Ham that puts them only 3 points behind Chelsea as it stands - that should hopefully focus Chelsea for next week. 3rd place very much up for grabs after today if Arsenal manage to hold on to their lead

[ElectroClaret]

Even going as far as wanting arsenal to win now to keep the pressure on Chelsea for a top 4 finish. We could do with Chelsea fulling their finger out at Leeds

I really can't see Chelsea throwing in another performance like today's.
(Famous last words... )

[Spijed]

Current form guide:

[Spijed]

Everton's away form considering they have Leicester and Watford in back-to-back away games:

[Goddy]

with Arsenal winning at West Ham that puts them only 3 points behind Chelsea as it stands - that should hopefully focus Chelsea for next week. 3rd place very much up for grabs after today if Arsenal manage to hold on to their lead

....and Arsenal still have Chelsea to play. I suspect Chelsea would not want to play that with 3rd place still being at stake.

[Vegas Claret]

....and Arsenal still have Chelsea to play. I suspect Chelsea would not want to play that with 3rd place still being at stake.

indeed, not helped by West Ham just equalizing though

[ElectroClaret]

Encouraging to see Villa second bottom of the current form guide.....

[Paul Waine]

Two magnificent goals at Vicarage Road yesterday afternoon. That's what's keeping the Clarets in the chase.

Lot's more to do. We are doing it with pride.

UTC

[JohnDearyMe]

Feels like we're in a straight shootout with Leeds to me now. Can we maintain our excellent recent form given all the injuries we've got? If we beat Villa next weekend i think we'll have a good chance. If not i think we'll get pipped at the post

[Spijed]

If we beat Villa Everton will be in the same position as they were before today's game so I still would not write them off just yet.

[Culmclaret]

Arsenal back in front

[elwaclaret]

If we beat Villa Everton will be in the same position as they were before today's game so I still would not write them off just yet.

Quite agree, Everton’s home games could be their poison chalice. Just as the Goodson faithful for on a trying team; they also become toxic when they go behind - it became pretty obvious early doors Chelsea were in no rush to beat Lampard today, Norwich could have beaten Chelsea playing like they did today.

[Dark Cloud]

Not very confident (about 4/10) Most seasons there's a couple of teams well adrift of the standard at the bottom and this season is no exception. Then there are a bunch of actually more than decent teams fighting it out to avoid 18th spot. Of the 3 in the mix right now I feel we're the one with the least genuine quality to draw on when it matters. We fighting and we're showing real character, but the greater quality in depth of Leeds and Everton may yet be telling. I'm looking at it exactly like a promotion run in because weirdly that's how it feels. Every time you climb a huge hurdle, you suddenly face another and you're constantly looking over your shoulder at other results and you simply can't let up until the line is reached. It's in sight, yet seems so far away. Villa will be really tough in both games yet we HAVE to get something as Spurs away is a non starter tbf. It will clearly go to the final game.
PS. What wouldn't I give to see Vydra knock in that 93rd minute chance at home to Palace before Christmas and make us 2 points better off right now!!! I knew at the time it would come back to haunt us.
If Everton had lost today I would definitely have felt a whole lot different!

[eastcoastclaret]

I'd still rather be in our position

[RVclaret]

We’ve got the points on board and better GD than Leeds. Rather be in our shoes than Leeds right now with a trip to Arsenal then home game with Chelsea. Then Everton have got a great result there and look strong at home now. Hopefully they’ve just peaked and can’t match that level of performance. Certainly after they beat united and played Leicester at home, they were quite poor.

[ElectroClaret]

PS. What wouldn't I give to see Vydra knock in that 93rd minute chance at home to Palace before Christmas and make us 2 points better off right now!!!

Or even Cornet's missed penalty at West Ham.
You could go on for ever about various chances we didn't take.
But we are where we are.

[Goddy]

We’ve got the points on board and better GD than Leeds. Rather be in our shoes than Leeds right now with a trip to Arsenal then home game with Chelsea. Then Everton have got a great result there and look strong at home now. Hopefully they’ve just peaked and can’t match that level of performance. Certainly after they beat united and played Leicester at home, they were quite poor.

Seems entirely feasible to me that Everton get draws at Leicester and Watford. (Watford will probably be relegated by the time they play Everton so the pressure will be completely off them but they wouldn't want that losing home record to continue, I wouldn't have thought).

Villa game for us is massive. Win it and I could see us being 3 points ahead of both Leeds and Everton with just 3 games to go. I'd take that every day, right now

[Commy]

I think Leeds go a game ahead of us before we play Spurs.

[Ric_C]

It's very nerve wracking, but I keep saying to myself "you'd have bitten your hand off for this situation straight after the Norwich game"

[jdrobbo]

It's very nerve wracking, but I keep saying to myself "you'd have bitten your hand off for this situation straight after the Norwich game"

In all fairness, you’d probably have sold your soul… It looked an impossibility

[Woodleyclaret]

It's still ours to screw up
Chelsea were never going to turn up and beat Chelsea legend Lampard
But Arsenal look quality and they will beat Leeds
I think Leicester will beat Everton at home and I also fancy Brighton to win
So all in all ,I am very optimistic about us staying up

[Awayfromburnley]

We will have to win on the last day Vs Newcastle, to stay up. Simple as that

[ElectroClaret]

We will have to win on the last day Vs Newcastle, to stay up. Simple as that

It may well come down to that.

[jos]

We will have to win on the last day Vs Newcastle, to stay up. Simple as that

Looking more like it.

[JarrowClaret]

What we need to do hasn’t changed I would say 7 more points maybe 6. What we all need to remember is that Everton aren’t aren’t in relegation trouble because of there home form that is reasonably good they can’t buy a win away from home though. I can’t see them getting more that 1 point away from home in there 3 games so if they get 2 wins out of the last 2 home games 5 would see us safe I think.

[DCWat]

What we need to do hasn’t changed I would say 7 more points maybe 6. What we all need to remember is that Everton aren’t aren’t in relegation trouble because of there home form that is reasonably good they can’t buy a win away from home though. I can’t see them getting more that 1 point away from home in there 3 games so if they get 2 wins out of the last 2 home games 5 would see us safe I think.

I can see them getting three at Watford. Leicester is anyones guess, but I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see them pick up at least a point there.

Previous form means nothing now, it’s about having the bottle.

[Spijed]

Dallas is out for the rest of the season for Leeds.

[Top Claret]

More confident than Leeds

[RVclaret]

Dallas is out for the rest of the season for Leeds.

Also worth noting their recent form / defensive improvement came with Liam Cooper returning to the defence. He got injured in the warm up yesterday and is awaiting results on a knee scan.