A few weeks ago it seemed an impossibility, but could the final day of the season turn into a winner takes all game between Manchester City And Saints.

Going into the game against Hull City on Saturday it felt like Saints were slipping, but what a difference three points makes, indeed that win made it ten points from the last five games and this run has not only pushed us back into fifth place, but after City's collapse at Old Trafford has pondered the question whether Saints challenge for a Champions league spot could be back on the cards.

Yes we are still five points behind City, but we have to play them and a win at the Etihad means effectively we have to make up only two points in the five games between then and now, not an impossible task and one that if we do could make for an intriguing last game of the season.

Saints fixtures of Stoke (A) Spurs (H) Sunderland(A) Leicester(A) Aston Villa (H) are all very winnable games with of course the Spurs fixture being crucial in that a win could leave Spurs trailing in our wake if we win up at Stoke, but what of Man City ? who are their five opponents before they meet us.

The answer is West Ham (H) Aston Villa (H) Spurs (A) QPR(H) Swansea (A) unfortunately not the toughest of run ins, however if Saints can do there job then the two away games could see them drop points and that could be enough to get us within catching distance for that final day showdown.

Of course there is the little matter of Liverpool who play Newcastle at home this evening, they then follow that with West Brom (A) Hull(A) QPR (H) Chelsea (A) Palace (H) and on the final day travel to Stoke.

Again not the most difficult of fixtures but there are a few potential banana skins there.

Spurs in their final six games face Newcastle (A) Saints (A) Man City (H) Stoke (A) Hull (H) & on the final day travel to Everton, they have the toughest of the four teams still in with a shout of that fourth spot, our mission is clear if we can beat them at St Mary's they could be in a bit of trouble in terms of where they finish in the top seven.

So to answer the initial question as to whether Saints can overhaul Manchester City and reach the promised land of the Champions League it is still a very long shot, however who would have dreamed that with six games to go Saints would be only 5 points off of that coveted fourth spot, that being the case and looking at all the fixture lists it is going to be a very tight run in but it is possible and what a final day that would be up at the Etihad.

In the meantime we just need to get on with the job of winning games, some would say that any game is difficult, but i would rather be facing our final fixtures than a run in that was comprised of all of the top six.

The main advantage though is momentum, we are coming through a bad spell and winning games again, City are in disaray, Liverpool have the distraction of an FA Cup semi final and a possible cup final and Spurs have a tougher run than everyone else.

If we keep the momentum going we should finish at least sixth, very probably fifth and wll you never know what might happen on that final day.

Photo: Action Images

SanMarco added 11:58 - Apr 13 City could drop points in the away games and Villa at home may be tough (for us too of course at we still have them to come) but we really do need to improve a lot to get the points needed to challenge. I feel that 11 points from the next 5 would be a good return for us so assuming we don't make up the goal-difference City need 8 points from the 5. It is exciting to think that we are so close at such a late stage of the season and it is an 'improbable' rather than 'impossible' task. A win at Stoke is absolutely necessary if we are to have any chance and it wont be easy...

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A1079 added 12:48 - Apr 13 The old and much used cliche' one game at a time very much applies here. Worry about whether we can overhaul Man City when we have won our other games and despite Saturday's result, I am not at all confident we will beat some of the sides that we have yet to face. The result on Saturday masked a poor performance overall. Stoke will be the first difficult hurdle and our record against Spurs is pretty dire, even when Spurs are not playing well.

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bstokesaint added 12:51 - Apr 13 There's certainly no margin for error now if we are going to catch Man City. They are a club having 'a crisis' by their own high standards. I can see them dropping points in at least one game, two if we're lucky. For now though it's all about us. One game (and one win hopefully) at a time..
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zonehead added 19:08 - Apr 13 Spurs are out of it Knackered just like Saints later on last season, MoPo double training sessione euro league, high pressing, no rotation....gone
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saintjeff52 added 21:10 - Apr 13 NO
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SanMarco added 23:37 - Apr 13 Given the enormous bucketfuls of luck Liverpool are getting they could come 4th even if we do catch City.
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