Premier League Final Day Preview – Race for Champions League Dominates Proceedings
With Liverpool having wrapped up the Premier League title some weeks ago, Arsenal’s win over Newcastle ensuring they qualify for the tournament next season and Ipswich Town, Leicester City and Southampton all set for a swift return to the Championship next season, the drama on the final weekend of the Premier League season will focus on the race for Champions League football.
This season, the Premier League will send five representatives from the league, plus the Europa League winner (either Manchester United or Tottenham Hotspur) into Europe’s biggest club competition next season.
With Crystal Palace already confirmed in the Europa League, after winning the FA Cup Final 1-0 last weekend over Manchester City, this means that the team that finishes sixth in the league table will qualify for this competition next season.
That means the team finishing seventh in the table will qualify for the Conference League. However, if Chelsea were to win their Conference League Final with Real Betis, but fail to qualify for the Champions League by finishing sixth (and Newcastle seventh) or seventh, then Chelsea would play in the Europa League next season and the team finishing eighth in the Premier League would take the Conference League spot!
Confused yet?! There’s just one thing you need to know about all the possible outcomes!
And that is that it all sets up some mouthwatering matches on the season’s final day!
Premier League Table – Champions League Race
- Liverpool – P36, 83pts – Qualified
- Arsenal – P37, 71pts – Qualified
- Newcastle – P37, 66pts
- Chelsea – P37, 66pts
- Aston Villa – P37, 66pts
- Manchester City – P36, 65pts
- Nottingham Forest – P37, 65pts
Premier League Final Week – Key Fixtures
The Race for the Champions League
Tuesday 20th May
Manchester City vs Bournemouth
Manchester City’s game in hand comes at home to Bournemouth on Tuesday night. A win or draw for City would not be enough to ensure them a Champions League place next season, but would ensure they move up to third in the table. However a defeat would leave them outside of the Champions League spots ahead of Sunday’s final day.
Sunday 25th May (all kick-offs 4.00 pm UK time)
Fulham v Manchester City
Regardless of how Manchester City get on against Bournemouth on Tuesday, they will view this game as a must win match against a Fulham side who are in with a chance of finishing in the top eight. The Cottagers have a good home record though and this will prove to be a real test for a Manchester City side who have struggled this season and who will end the season trophyless.
Manchester United v Aston Villa
Manchester United will have their worst-ever Premier League season finish and a defeat here could see them finish just outside the relegation spots. For Villa, it is a game that Unai Emery’s team must see as a must-win match given their current fifth spot in the table and to give them a real chance of Champions League football next season.
Newcastle United v Everton
For Newcastle United, it is a simple equation. Win and they will be in the Champions League next season. Everton have nothing but pride to play for, which makes them dangerous, but after the emotion of their final game at Goodison Park last weekend, this could be a case of ‘after the Lord Mayor’s show’ for the Toffees and you would expect Newcastle to get the win they need here.
Nottingham Forest v Chelsea
If you are looking for the game to watch next weekend, then this is the one. Both these teams require a win to land a chance of a Champions League spot, and even then it may not be enough depending on other results. European football beckons for both these teams, but the question is which competition will they be playing in?
Remember too, the final positions for Chelsea (and Newcastle) combined with Chelsea’s performance in the Conference League final, could mean the team in eighth place earn a Conference League spot. That means Bournemouth, Fulham, Brentford and Brighton will all have plenty to play for on that final day.
