Even 68/69 is a huge stretch I think. I doubt we will get much change out of Liverpool, City and Villa, so that puts us on 22 games with circa 29 points, 16 games to go to get 40ish points - 2.5 points a game on average. It'd have to be one heck of a run from February onwards.
I think the way the top 4 is panning out already, it's going to need a 72 / 73 points to get in the Top 4 at least, personally. Which is an inconceivable amount for us to achieve given we are on 29!
Had another look last night, we are 11 points behind 4th already, and I imagine that is going to get worse before better.
There's chuff all chance we are getting top 4, it'll be 7th or 8th I think
I don't know if it's because I feel fairly nervous about this game already, but I have had the odd thought today if the lads will be nervous given what we are experiencing at the moment and probably a decrease in confidence within the group. Just makes me think that the game on Monday could be a very nervy performance from us, where as Liverpool have looked pretty decent of late in the games I have seen them play.
Agree, I'm pretty confident, unfortunately, that we will finish 6th or 7th, hopefully not any lower, but we have made it very hard for ourselves to finish top 5 in my opinion and like you say, this could become a lot worse in Jan!