The biggest dilemma for United and Spurs fans: what if winning hands the title to your rivals? | first division

“I just want this season to end once and for all.”

So. It all comes down to this. As another season winds down in disappointment, Spurs have one last act to play as potential kingmakers as they fight to hold on to a Europa League spot. Excuse me because I'm trying to contain my excitement.

The math is simple. If the Spurs win city ​​of manchester on Tuesday and Arsenal win their final two games, then the Premier League title heads to north London. If Spurs lose and City win their last two games, Pep Guardiola will be able to lift the trophy. Again.

This is a no-brainer for some fans. His hatred towards Arsenal It's so intense that they would stop at nothing to deny glory to our closest rival. On some of the fan group websites you can find some supporters urging Ange Postecoglou to send a second line team against City. Although how anyone could tell the difference to the first team at this point is a moot point.

For me, however, everything is much more complicated. I'm really conflicted. In my ideal world, neither Arsenal nor City would be at the top. Or Liverpool, at any rate. There is a right to the three suits that remains in our throats.

Now don't get me wrong. Suddenly I haven't softened towards Arsenal. Well maybe a little. After more than 60 years supporting the Spurs My hatred of our north London rivals is no longer visceral. It's more like a cartoon. Comedy tinged. Two-dimensional. Something I adopt because I have always done it. Obviously I don't want them to ever win; I get grumpy for a few days every time we lose to them, but you know what? Bad things happen. If you haven't learned that as a Spurs fan, then you can't have been paying attention.

So here's the thing. We've gotten a little ahead of ourselves. Because Spurs had the chance to put a dent in Arsenal's title hopes fifteen days ago. Only after 30 minutes we were down 3-0 as our defense took over in the first half. It could have been 5-0 at half-time. So let's not just focus on City's game. And I'm not so bad (this will come as a surprise to my therapist) that I'm actively heading to Tottenham in the hopes of seeing them lose next Tuesday.

More to the point, City are also a difficult team to love these days. They and their supporters have changed from the perennial underdogs of 15 years ago. They have become inflated with the success acquired with petrodollars. They have lost their charm. Become another football megacorporation. Now they think they deserve what they have. Sad, really. The only thing that can be said about City winning another title is that it will mean less to their fans. Just another notch on the bedpost. No real emotional commitment.

Of course, it is a bit of a stretch to think that the Spurs could have anything to say in the title race. Apart from as passive observers. The way we are playing now, we would have a hard time beating Plymouth Argyle. The team seems really out of ideas. I'd say tired, but we've had too little football to be tired this season. City would have to overdose on fentanyl to lose to us. The idea that the Spurs are going to remember how to play football on Tuesday is fanciful.

But what will be will be. I will go to the game with few hopes and few expectations. Whatever the outcome, there will at least be some advantages. The truth is that I don't care who wins the title. I just want this season to be over and done with. In a week I will have completely forgotten about it. It's generally the best thing you can do as a Spurs fan. jc

So, manchester united Does he have a fundamental role in the fate of the Premier League title? Something like. Certainly not the way any of us wanted. If they win against Arsenal, the title will probably go to Manchester City. If he loses, he could help give it to the Londoners.

Who would you prefer to win the title? It's a bush-tucker football test with only grubs and maggots on the menu. An unpleasant choice. However, there is really no choice.

The case against City is pretty easy. There is at least 116 reasons why City should not be crowned champions… again. One hundred and fifteen of them were kindly provided by the first divisionwhich exposed them in detailed charges of (alleged) cheating.

The presumption of innocence may be the way things work at the Old Bailey. At Old Trafford the opposite happens. Deduction of points, relegation, stripping of titles – all this should happen before the outcome of the legal process.

And reason 116? Tippy-tappy football, tiki-taka. I'm over it. Even City fans seem bored of “Perfect Pep”, which is why the Etihad never seems to be full.

Then it's Arsenal. Except it's not. This is where it gets more complicated.

Arsenal and Liverpool are two reasons why I ended up supporting Manchester United. My father supported the former, my friends supported the latter, and in the mid-1970s, Tommy “the Doc” Docherty seemed pretty cool. Compared to Bob Paisley, at least.

Stuart Pearson was my hero in the 1977 Cup final, Alan Sunderland broke my heart two years later. Those two sticks caused scars that didn't heal properly until the Alex Ferguson era.

Arsenal inflicted life-shaping early pain. The city has tormented me in middle age.

I've had a lot of time to reflect on all of this over the past few months. Consider the return journey to London from Manchester. after losing 1-3 against Brighton, For example. Four and a half hours of unwanted contemplation. He 0-3 against City It was very similar. So too 0-3 against Bournemouth. He 1-2 against Fulham.

This season there has been a lot of time to think about things. I have seen a lot of theater, but I have had very few dreams for the price of my subscription.

Which brings me to Sunday's game. I'm afraid North Londoners will go home happy. Not by some conspiratorial design. But because we have been heartbreakingly calamitous this season.

I suggested to my daughter Jess that she take off her boots on Sunday. With all our injuries, a skilled left back with a good motor could take the bench.

From the first beep, to the last, there will be only one thought and all other permutations will be left aside. Because only one thing In fact affairs. And that's not what happens at the top of the table. Let's go United! N.H