I am sure over the years we have all witnessed the final game of the season with nothing to play for but pride and both teams going through the motions?

Well, Home Park on Saturday will see two teams with very contrasting ambitions but ultimately the same goal.

Plymouth will be fighting for their Championship lives and hoping for three points which will guarantee they will avoid an immediate return to League 1. Defeat or even a draw, would see the hosts anxiously awaiting for the Birmingham & Huddersfield results.

City, on the other hand will be hoping for a massive favour and an away win for Preston at WBA, which if coupled with a City win would see The Tigers pinch the final play off place in dramatic fashion.

Goal difference doesn’t favour City, so catching Norwich is virtually impossible, and overtaking West Brom is a more realistic aim but with The Baggies sitting with an 11 plus goal difference over City, a point should be enough to see West Brom clinch the final play off place.

City can ill afford to have any regrets, ifs or buts, they should play to win the game and keep fingers crossed that Preston can do the business at The Hawthorns. As disappointing as missing out would be, City must keep their side of the unspoken bargain and win the game first and foremost.

A 7th place finish would definitely be seen as progression with a vibrant young manager leading the club in the right direction with the future looking very bright indeed.

With the stakes high, I expect a nervy & cagey encounter with both sides determined not to make an early errors which could prove costly and be the difference between achieving the result both sides crave. Plymouth’s 19 goal Morgan Whittaker will look to add to his impressive tally and will keep City’s rearguard on its toes. Ryan Hardie with 12 goals to his credit will need to be watched closely also.

City with no fresh injury concerns have a real goal threat in Philogene, Carvalho & Delap who is pushing for a starting role after his recent return to action from injury. Jacob Greaves will look to continue his impressive form after completing a hattrick of awards in the club’s end of season player awards (as well as also taking home the OSC Player of the Season Award). Big congratulations to Jacob and fully deserved, but let’s hope it’s not the last time we see him in a City shirt.

As we all know Football has a habit of producing the unpredictable, the unthinkable , the dramatic, the “I was there when..” moments, but bearing what’s at stake, I am predicting & hoping City will be too good for Plymouth and win the game by 1-3 scoreline with Liam Delap playing a prominent role, supported by the sublime Jaden Philogene.

The bigger question is can Preston derail West Brom’s hopes and pull off an unlikely victory at The Hawthorns to allow City to pinch 6th place at the final hour?

It will be a tense 90mins for supporters of teams chasing those converted automatic promotion places and for those fighting to avoid relegation also.

Come Saturday, Home Park won’t be the place for the faint hearted. People get ready ! ! !

UTT