Premier League: What's on the line in the final week of the season?
- Published
Manchester City are one point clear of Liverpool going into the final day of the Premier League season
The Premier League title race, fight for European spots and the relegation battle are all going down to the final few days of the season.
There are just 13 games left - with three matches on Thursday before the final day on Sunday.
In the first twist of the week, Arsenal lost 2-0 to Newcastle, giving Tottenham the edge in the Champions League race. On Tuesday Southampton led Liverpool, a result which would have handed the title to Manchester City, but Jurgen Klopp's side fought back to win 2-1.
So who needs what?
The title race
Sunday: Liverpool v Wolves, Man City v Aston Villa (both 16:00)
The situation at the top is clear going into the final day. If Manchester City beat Aston Villa, they are champions for a fourth time in five seasons.
Liverpool must win to have any realistic chance of overtaking the leaders but if they do beat Wolves and City drop points, the title will be heading to Anfield.
"Against this Liverpool side, you cannot win the league with four games to go," said City boss Pep Guardiola. "You have to fight until the end. The big privilege is that it is at home and it is in our hands.
"We won't look at anyone else - we'll just try and win our game. I'm pretty sure the Etihad Stadium will be full and they'll be supporting us."
After Liverpool beat Southampton, Klopp said: "Of course it is unlikely because City play at home against Aston Villa, who play only on Thursday. That game will be tough against Burnley because they fight for survival.
"But it is football. I think the time when City became champion [in 2019] it was because of 11 millimetres. If someone wants us to be champion then we have to win first and Aston Villa need to get a point at City.
"It is possible, not likely but possible. That is enough."
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Champions League race
Sunday: Arsenal v Everton, Norwich v Tottenham (both 16:00)
Tottenham will be in the Champions League, so long as they do not lose at relegated Norwich on the final day (presuming Arsenal do not win 15-0).
Arsenal need to beat Everton and hope Spurs lose.
The Gunners were in the driving seat a week ago but lost 3-0 to Spurs and then 2-0 at Newcastle to hand the advantage to Spurs.
Gunners midfielder Granit Xhaka said: "If Tottenham lose and we win, you never know in football. We have to hope. Before the [Newcastle] game everything was in our hands. It's a totally different game now. If you have to hope in football and in life it's different."
Chelsea sealed their top-four place with Arsenal's defeat at St James' Park.
The Football News Show: Fifth in the Premier League is 'still progress' for Arsenal
Europa League and Conference League fight
Sunday: Brighton v West Ham, Crystal Palace v Man Utd (both 16:00)
Manchester United and West Ham are both guaranteed European football next season but the question is in which competition.
If Manchester United win at Crystal Palace on the final day, they will be in the Europa League and West Ham will be in the Europa Conference League.
But if West Ham beat Brighton and the Red Devils do not win, it will be the other way round.
Hammers boss David Moyes said: "If we could finish sixth, that would be an incredible achievement. Seventh already is, but being sixth would be so good if we can do that. Hopefully next week we will. We're going to try and go for it."
Relegation battle
Thursday: Everton v Crystal Palace (19:45), Aston Villa v Burnley (20:00)
Sunday: Arsenal v Everton, Brentford v Leeds, Burnley v Newcastle (all 16:00)
Two big fixtures on Thursday could go a long way to deciding who goes down from the Premier League, with Everton and Burnley both playing extra games that day.
Everton, Leeds and Burnley are only separated by two points. Burnley are in the relegation zone but, because of their game in hand, Leeds are the team relying on other results.
Frank Lampard's Toffees would have stayed up if they had beaten Brentford on Sunday but they lost 3-2, having led twice. They will be safe if they beat Crystal Palace on Thursday.
"We'll have to give everything again on Thursday," said Lampard. "We'll fight until the end. We'll have to stay very positive because it's in our hands. We go again."
Burnley can move out of the bottom three if they win at Aston Villa on the same night.
Clarets caretaker boss Mike Jackson said: "We know what's in front of us and we only need to get points from them.
"It is very simple - if you try and mask it as something else then you're not being real. It is about trying to win the next game - we won't be looking past that."
But at the very least Burnley and Leeds' battle will go down to the final day when Leeds visit Brentford and Burnley host Newcastle. If the Toffees do not win on Thursday, their trip to Champions League chasers Arsenal on the final day could be very tense, with implications at both ends of the table.
Leeds boss Jesse Marsch, whose side climbed out of the relegation zone with an injury-time equaliser on Sunday against Brighton, said: "Burnley have a game in hand but the point shifts the pressure a little bit. They have to get a result.
"This is a psychological battle we are in. We need to show up next week and show us at our best. We are ready. We are going to invest everything we have in this last match and see if we can do this."
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