Hawthorns to make it the Blues’ fifth of the EPL era. With the season at its close and a lot still at stake for other teams, three clubs are set to slug it out for the last two places of the top Four behind Champions Chelsea and Tottenham whom are certain to play in next year’s champions league, Manchester United’s loss at the White Hart Lane all but rule them out of the race with four points behind Arsenal in sixth.
Manchester City
They Citizens are currently occupying the third slot for Champions league qualification after 37 rounds of league action. Having conceded the fewest goals out of the three challengers, Guardiola’s men will fancy their chances of taking one of the remaining slots. With only the final day trip to Watford on the line, City have been a formidable side at home this season with only one loss at the Etihad drawing only seven and winning ten out of a possible Eighteen.
A win will surely guarantee them Champions league football next season and with a second best away record in the league, Watford would not prove a hard nut to crack. They have lost five times on the road winning eleven, a record only bettered by the high flying champions. Much is on Guardiola to salvage a lost season after failing to mount a title challenge despite early promises, missing Europe’s premier competition will be less that acceptable by the owner.
COLUMN BY: OLANIYI DAMILOLA
damilolaolaniyi32@gmail.com
Liverpool
With 73 points from 37 rounds of matches and sitting pretty comfortable in fourth position, their destiny is in their hands you would say. Final day match against already relegated Middlesbrough at Anfield will confirm their place back in the Elite division after a stop start absence. Jurgen Klopp will fancy his team’s chance of nicking this one as only a win will do the deal. The free scoring reds have only lost twice at home this season with five draws. After a knock back in the race for the title early in the year, a strong finish to stake claim in the top four race is in the offing.
As only side to have claimed most number of points against the top six teams, their performance against the lower sides have been their bane all season. Boro are a disjointed side after confirming that their coach will leave at the end of the season and for a side that has not won away in the league since August, Liverpool will undoubtedly deliver the hammer blow. Their fight to return to the pinnacle of British football continues and a return to Champions League next season can only be a step in the right direction.
Arsenal
For a side that has been ever present in the Euro showpiece, missing Champions League football would signal the end of an era for the gunners. A miracle is what they need because even if they win their last game, they would need an unlikely slip up from their fellow challengers. For a side that has failed to win the league in over 12 years, active Champions league football has been their respite.
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| Arsene Wenger-express.co.uk |
Arsenal sit in fifth position with three points behind Manchester City and one behind Liverpool. After a somewhat laboured win over relegated Sunderland, they face Everton in the last round as their late league resurgence could prove vital. Calls for his departure will grow if he misses the cut this time around as that might have been the only thing keeping him in the job.
All three sides could find themselves in play-off for the spots if results go either ways with identical goal difference meaning a draw for scored draw for Arsenal, a two nil defeat of Liverpool could trigger something of an aberration in the Premier League. Furthermore, a one nil defeat of Everton and a four nil defeat of the Citizens could result in play-offs also. Things don’t look good for the Gunners, but all hope is not lost.
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