The Premier League attracts to an in depth this weekend with the title race already settled, leaving the actual drama to unfold within the struggle for Champions League spots.
With the highest 5 guaranteeing entry into subsequent yr’s most prestigious membership competitors, 4 golf equipment head into the season finale staking their claims for a spot alongside Liverpool and Arsenal.
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For some, only a level will do; for others, solely victory retains the dream alive, as we take a look at how issues could pan out in one of many closest top-five races in current reminiscence.
Discipline journey for former champs
It’s been a massively disappointing season for Manchester Metropolis, however they’ll nonetheless safe Champions League qualification for a fifteenth marketing campaign on the trot.
A degree will realistically suffice for the dethroned four-time consecutive champions, although Pep Guardiola could have one thing extra on his thoughts.
Metropolis’s formidable file of 9 wins from their final 11 Premier League final-day video games (L2) places them in a powerful place so as to add to a 3-1 midweek win over Bournemouth.
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The opposition couldn’t have been higher than , a facet they final misplaced to in April 2009 and whose supervisor can’t be extra intimidated by the prospect of dealing with the coach within the different dugout.
Marco Silva has misplaced all 14 managerial clashes towards groups coached by Guardiola, suggesting Man Metropolis might be in for an additional routine process after profitable 4-0 on this corresponding fixture final time period.
One other good-looking win, coupled with an unlikely, albeit potential Arsenal rout by the hands of Southampton, would assist Guardiola keep away from ending outdoors the highest two for less than the second time in 16 seasons as a top-flight supervisor.
In both case, the Cityzens ought to lock down a top-five spot.
Magpies should unfold their wings
A expensive 1-0 defeat at Arsenal final weekend clipped Newcastle United’s wings, knocking them down from a three-game unbeaten league streak whereas compromising their top-four quest.
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Tied on 66 factors with two different sides, Eddie Howe’s expenses should bounce again at St James’ Park, the place they’ve received their final six Premier League outings through an mixture rating of 20-5.
Something apart from three factors towards bottom-half would depart their hopes of securing a second Champions League qualification in three years within the fingers of others.
Nevertheless, the Magpies have developed a behavior of ending current league campaigns on a excessive, profitable their final-day fixture in eight of the final ten seasons (D1, L1).
The tough half is that they face a high-flying Everton, who may end a top-flight marketing campaign on a three-game profitable run for the primary time since 1988/89 after beating Fulham and Southampton.
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David Moyes’ males haven’t received on this floor since December 2019 (D1, L3), that means Newcastle ought to take a valuable win and log off in fashion.
Lions trying so as to add to Outdated Trafford distress
Regardless of beginning the ultimate weekend outdoors the highest 5, Aston Villa path and Newcastle on aim distinction alone, so there’s no margin for error on this ‘make or break’ conflict towards Manchester United.
Ruben Amorim could have squandered his final probability to persuade the Theatre of Goals devoted within the midweek Europa League closing as Tottenham Hotspur surprised the Crimson Devils 1-0 in Bilbao.
Regardless of the results of this recreation, the record-time English champions will endure their worst end within the Premier League however can no less than salvage some pleasure by avoiding the ignominy of seventeenth place.
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United should halt Villa’s three-game profitable league streak to realize that, and their current file towards the Birmingham outfit can encourage confidence among the many residence followers.
Earlier than a scoreless in October’s reverse fixture, United had received 4 consecutive conferences with Villa, together with back-to-back top-flight triumphs on this floor.
On that foundation, it’s exhausting to again the guests with conviction.
Prediction: Villa to drop factors
Champions League six-pointer
Regardless of already securing European soccer for subsequent season, Nottingham Forest can nonetheless dine out at Europe’s prime desk for the primary time since 1980/81.
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That’s simpler stated than accomplished since Forest should beat Chelsea and hope Newcastle or Villa lose factors, provided that there’s a single-point hole between the groups pre-round.
Whether or not they can maintain up their finish of the cut price stays questionable after a 2-2 draw towards an already-relegated Leicester Metropolis condemned them to a 3rd consecutive winless residence league outing (D1, L2).
As for Chelsea, the maths is easy. Both they take three factors on the Metropolis Floor or put their destiny in others’ fingers, although their current kind makes for optimistic studying.
Enzo Maresca’s males have received six of their final seven matches in all competitions (L1), and one other win right here would set them up completely for Wednesday’s Convention League closing.
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Nevertheless, the final three encounters between Forest and Chelsea have yielded blended outcomes (W1, D1, L1), indicating this recreation may go both method.
Last verdict
As aforementioned, Man Metropolis and Newcastle look primed to clinch their Champions League berths. With all due respect to Fulham and Everton, they need to go down on the ultimate day, particularly contemplating they don’t have anything however pleasure left to play for.
In the meantime, Villa’s go to to the Theatre of Goals may show a hurdle too excessive even towards a downtrodden Man Utd. Unai Emery has been a miracle employee, and nobody would dare to guess towards him, however this might be United’s method of affecting a top-five race regardless of a dire season.
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For Forest to beat Chelsea, it could take a Herculean effort, one thing they’ve been synonymous with all through the marketing campaign. Nevertheless, Nuno Espirito Santo’s males nonetheless closely depend on different outcomes going their method, therefore a possible end outdoors the highest six.
With that in thoughts, the Blues ought to return to Europe’s elite after a two-year absence, becoming a member of Man Metropolis and Newcastle within the prime 5.
