The whole picture and associated narrative is distorted by Abu Dhabi - the cheating bastards.
We all know that dropping points is likely fatal so we are despondent when it happens, but the reality is that we and Arsenal too have just simply slipped up in a way that used to be totally normal in a title race.
Demento's mancs sides would frequently drop points in "shockers".....This for example happened in April 1997....
https://www.premierleague.com/match/2081
It was all part of the twists and turns of a title race. What has changed is that mostly the cheats don't do twists and turns as they are pretty much the human embodiment of a cheat code.
Without their involvement this would be a thrilling title race between two of the league's traditionally big and successful clubs where each game carries the risk and jeopardy of dropped points. Abu Dhabi have largely killed that.
And that is the real story - but it is one you won't found reported by the media and you won't hear from fans of other clubs who scream the word "bottlers" at us and Arsenal for racking up points totals that would win most leagues in history....We when we lost out with 97 points had a higher total than every title winning side in history bar one at that point......Who? Yes, you guessed it Abu Dhabi the year before.
Our 92 pts 2nd would win nearly all leagues down the years - was a higher total than "The Invincibles" and Demento's mancs team rarely if ever got to it.
It will drive us all mad if we allow ourselves to be driven by the Abu Dhabi cheating bastards narrative. We should enjoy the fact that our team has been fucking mostly boss for years now and enjoy fact we win as many games as we do and see where we end up.
I heard Palace fans after game on Sunday shouting 'Up The City" etc....Fuck them, the stupid cunts.
We all know it isn't fair and it won't be unless the PL's charges are upheld and Abu Dhabi are punished accordingly, which IMHO likely won't ever happen - so fuck them and their tainted titles...It is a bent game we are present at 'losing' whilst trying to do things the right way as much as it hurts and is frustrating is better than 'winning' like Abu Dhabi are.
Of course winning against them in the game they have perverted is fucking boss beyond belief and it still could happen and fuck me would it be sweet, but don't let anyone tell you we've bottled it or are failures if the bent game is one we can't win.