SINCE WE LAST BLOGGED...

Rather belatedly but seasons greetings to all FLOM readers. The blog has been dormant of late and will most probably b so until the middle of January as it undergoes maintenance.

That notwithstanding, United have don their job in December, as surely was expected given the trouble we have had dispatching sides that sit above us in the league. This was the kind set of fixtures that the club was desperate for to instill a bit of confidence in the side after those 2 damaging defeats at the start of the month.

12 points out of 12 over the festive period has built us a base camp in 6th place from which to launch our assault on that last Champions League position. We are now just the three points off 4th placed Everton but have Liverpool to overtake in 5th as well. It is increasingly becoming apparent that the final champions league place will inform the rest of our league season. Optimists have started to look at the title again as we are now just 8 points off the top but United are yet to embody that confidence in their play that you feel could be vital in the title run in. Perhaps the litmus test for our new found resolve is as soon as New Years Day when we host Spurs in the league.

Victory will keep those immediately above us biting their finger nails and shuddering a late season challenge from the champions. It would also allow us to put to bed the challenge of one of the sides that will already be eyeing that 4th place as a late season target.

Of the traditional big sides in England, we have so far managed to beat just one. It is excusable that we have had most of those games away from home so we really have to make home advantage count when they visit starting with Spurs on Wednesday.

Old Trafford has been a sea of nerves so far this season, so much so that we have a poorer record there than away from home. I would like that the fans do away with the nerves and cheer on the lads in the same venomous tones that we did for the Arsenal match. If we can turn those home games into wins, there is no reason why we cannot move even into that top three.

ONWARDS AND UPWARDS!

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