Ever since the 2018-19 season, having games in hand has been a key factor in title races.
In 2018-19, we lost top spot after the derby. For the rest of the season, City had a game in hand on us every week, so they knew exactly what they needed to do to keep their advantage. So we won all our games, then sat and waited patiently for them to drop points week after week after week. Our last chance came when Leicester went there and for 70 minutes they kept them out. Then we had to wait another year to bring it home.
The new season started 3 months later, and we played first in most of the early weeks. After 2 weeks we were top with a 2 point advantage. By the October break, it was 8 points. By the November break it was 9 points. Then we set off to win the World Cup, and we came home with the trophy, a 14 point lead and a game in hand over City and everyone else. After we played the game in hand, it was 19 points, a lead that even they couldn't claw back. It was 25 points by the time the thirty years of pain were over.
Our mission to defend it last year kicked off with 2 games to play before City's first game. They had a game in hand from Day 1, but we were 6 points clear of them by the end of September. By Christmas, they still had the game in hand but we were 5 points clear. But as we had a very unhappy new year, the game in hand they had grew in significance. When they got round to playing it, they won as expected and as we were already 10 points back, we had no answer. But we had games in hand on the teams around us in the race for fourth, and it counted. Winning the last 5 of the season was enough to win the race and salvage some respectability for the year.
This season has seen multiple games postponed across the league, and we've had a game in hand in the title race since Christmas. Initially it allowed City to build up a 14 point lead, and everyone who was anyone called the title race there and then, including our own. We still had 18 league games to play, nobody gave us a prayer, and the bookies started to pay out. After all, nobody could see City dropping points apparantly. As we cut into that lead, our game in hand has gained in importance. We won it 6-0 to overtake City on goal difference. Then we got another game for the League Cup Final, and in 9 games the 27 points we've won, has put us within striking distance with 27 more up for grabs.
People tell me it's better to have the points on the board but the truth is, sitting around waiting for rivals to drop points is awful, and us having the game in hand this season has put more pressure on City on the pitch, and now that we've taken advantage of it, hopefully it will give us the platform to win No. 20.
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