I feel like more than three points are at stake this Friday night. If we beat United, and even do it in style, could NSWE feel compelled to make a real second half push for the title or at least the CL and buy two or three really good players in January? Liverpool are not the inevitable force they were last season. Other sides are up and down. Look at Chelsea and Spurs. Man City just not fully switched on. 2nd place maybe flatters Man Utd. Everton are harder to pin down. Their season has mirrored ours in terms of a dip in results in Autumn, but surging again now. They play really nice football too. This thing is wide open.