It all comes down to this...Survival Sunday.

Manchester United might have sealed their 11th Barclays Premier League title last week, but before they aim to complete the treble with victory in Rome against Barcelona, they just might have the final say domestically - at the bottom of the table.

Survival Sunday sees the champions travel to the KC Stadium to face a Hull City side who are just one win away from an unlikely escape from relegation. Of course, with the Champions League final to follow three days later, Sir Alex Ferguson is likely to ring the changes, with Darren Fletcher - suspended for Wednesday - the only high-profile name likely to feature.

The North-East sides involved are all likely to question such a selection, yet sides are relegated over a 38-game performance, not because their rivals are lucky enough to come up against a so-called weakened outfit when it matters most. Even then, with all due respect to Hull, any eleven players that wear a Manchester United shirt, whether first team or youth team, are going to fancy their chances against a first-choice Tigers XI; that is what Manchester United is all about.

Sir Alex will surely face criticism if Hull do manage a result, but in my opinion, by winning the league with a week to spare, he has earned the right to field any side he wishes, and should be under no pressure to put out his big guns. I'm sure those queuing up to get on his back will be changing their tune and saying what a genius he is if he then wins another European Cup. You can't have it both ways.

For the record, I think Phil Brown will pull one out of the fire and pick up a result, irrespective of the opposition's personnel.

As for the other contenders, I think Sunderland may just have done enough to get out of it, although Ricky Sbragia will be taking nothing for granted at home to a Chelsea team likely to be full of players looking for a place in Guus Hiddink's final starting XI, at Wembley for the FA Cup final. Even a Sunderland defeat should be enough due to their rivals' being in even worse predicaments, but 16th place wasn't in the script a year ago.

Middlesbrough already need snookers, and will not get much change out of West Ham. Teams have turned around a five-goal deficit in goal difference before, but not teams with just 27 to their name all season. Their sorry campaign will finish with a whimper at Upton Park.

As for Newcastle, all the hope that came with victory at home to Middlesbrough soon evaporated once Fulham left St James' Park with a win on Saturday. The Toon Army found out the hard way that Roy Hodgson's side are not the pushovers away from home they once were. Michael Owen missed that game, and he looks unlikely to play at Villa Park. As a result, they may struggle for goals, as they have all season, and I think the game is up for them.

Dealing with expectation and critics

I have long been a fan of pub poker and how it promotes the game to new players. I also like how each league and each pub forms its own communities, yet in my opinion this can only work effectively if each player is willing to contribute to the game.

I write this out of frustration that I don't feel that people's roles are being taken seriously. Earlier tonight at my pub game I described my role as dealer and co-Tournament Director as thankless following a heated argument with a couple of fellow players over a ruling that threatened to get out of hand had I let it. Although some of those in the game disagreed, I feel that some in our league are taking my greater experience and expertise for granted and taking me to task over any errors or minor disagreements in the rules. I feel that I have set myself up for an unfair fall.

Why do I think it is thankless? Basically, any mistakes I may make as dealer or Tournament Director seem to be pounced upon and brought up time and again. One player told me he could remember 'five mistakes and misdeals in one week'. I must deal 100 hands a night, it's not like I mess up on purpose. Everybody makes mistakes, but I don't see anyone else in the room volunteering to deal, in fact it is assumed that I will do it. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind doing it; I just mind when the deck is handed to me without thought. Dealing is not a difficult skill, but is not easy to deal a whole three-hour game without mistakes, or stopping to think where you are at in a hand, and I wish people would stop to think themselves that without those willing to put themselves up to do the job, the tournaments would not run.

As it happens, the added responsibility and pressure has detracted from my own poker play and enjoyment of the whole experience to an extent where it has made me think long and hard about whether it is worth it. When so-called friends and fellow players don't appreciate your effort, maybe it is time to consider whether it is worthwhile.

Semi-final thoughts

As I sat down to watch the Champions League semi-final 2nd leg between Arsenal and Manchester United, I felt that there would be an early goal. Had it gone to the home side, we would have been in for a terrific occasion which may have rivalled the 4-4 draws of recent weeks for excitement. Instead, it was the visitors who got it. An unfortunate slip from left-back Kieran Gibbs gifted Ji-Sung Park the opener. Arsenal then needed to score three to reach the final, and when Cristiano Ronaldo brilliantly made it 2-0 on the night just four minutes later, the game was over before it had really begun.
There was a real sense of anti-climax for home fans inside the Emirates Stadium as well as neutrals watching at home. But amid the feeling of disappointment that the predicted spectacle of a match wasn't happening, United were cruising, and threatening to make it embarrassing at times. I take my hat off to them for the way they outplayed their hosts. They were well worth their sizeable advantage and played attractive football along the way, culminating in a wonderful third goal from a counter attack Arsenal themselves would have been proud of.
It came at a cost though. It was extremely disappointing to see the referee make such a bad decision to award Arsenal their penalty, and especially to send Darren Fletcher off for what was clearly a great tackle. I'm sure that UEFA's ruling that only cases of mistaken identity can cause a red card to be rescinded will be reviewed in time for next season.
As for Arsenal, it's now four years without a trophy, unthinkable for a club of their size and stature. I have long thought that Arsene Wenger - a firm believer in giving his youngsters the chance to flourish - needs to swallow his pride and bring in several quality players with enough experience to make his team great again.