As Saints look to try and win their last three games and in doing so qualify for the Europa League, the main attraction will be hopefully the distractions for Liverpool and Manchester City.

Of course Saints need to win their own games as does any team, but all sides need an element of good luck elsewhere somewhere along the way and this week Saints need a big dose.

First up Saints have to beat Manchester City on Sunday, but this is not where City have their eyes, they are looking to the Champions League where tonight they take on Real Madrid at the Etihad. Then only three days after their visit to St Mary's they travel to Spain for the second leg.

The hope for Saints is that City can travel to Madrid with something to defend, we need City to be focused on the Champions League and not on the Premier League.

If this is the case then given that we are very capable of beating a full City side and that as Newcastle showed they are not infallible, then a weakened City team with its thoughts elsewhere will make it a lot easier for us.

We should not be afraid, only Leicester and Spurs have taken more points than us since the New Year, we can take another three points on Sunday and I am not too proud to say that anything that City can do to help our cause is most welcome.

Also up in the North West are Liverpool and they too have a crowded fixture list as we try to overhaul them, on Thursday they got to Villareal, on Sunday they travel to Swansea and then the following Thursday they have the second leg of the semi final at Anfield.

Three tough games in three different countries in the space of a week, our interest in Liverpool is more long term, we ideally would want Liverpool to blow up in the League and if the fixture pile up caused by their Europa League run can help that then I for one hope that is the case.

If Liverpool get to the final of the Europa League then they will have a further seven games left this season compared to our three, the more they have to play the tougher it will be for them to keep winning in the Premier League and they already have a squad that has several long term injuries, several long term sulks and of course a suspension for Sakho.

They will be pushed to the limit in the next few weeks and hopefully their focus will be on winning the Europa League rather than anything else.

So the name of the game is distraction, eyes off the ball, call it what you want, but Saints need a little luck elsewhere in the last weeks of the season, yes we have to do our bit but every side has to have a little bit o luck throughout a season that is beyond their control.

Photo: Action Images

SaintBrock added 12:42 - Apr 26 Here we go again, underestimating the opposition. Man City have everything to play for and will turn up here fighting fit and raring to go. If they slip up at all they will be overhauled by Manure and lose a top 4 spot and miss out on the Champions League next year. No way they are going to let that happen.
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SaintNick added 12:46 - Apr 26 City will concentrate on the big prize which is the Champions League, they have a manager who doesnt really care if they get overhauled by United as he is leaving the club, half the players know they will be on their way as well. City care about only one thing, they are still a good side though so should not be underestimated.
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SanMarco added 14:48 - Apr 26 Everton were distracted and we came within 12 mins of losing to them. WBA had nothing to play for last night. We can beat City if we play very well - but it wont be because they are 'distracted' (especially if they lose 3-0 tonight.)
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