Premier League giants prepare for final day deciders

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There’s plenty to be decided on the final day of the English top flight campaign, where Man United and Chelsea are gunning for the Champions League.

It’s been another breathtaking campaign in the Premier League, and the 2019-20 season will live long in the memory, but the top flight is still to reach its conclusion on Sunday, where much will be decided in the final round of fixtures.

Liverpool’s title triumph may have been wrapped up some time ago, but there’s still Champions League qualification to be decided, and one of three relegation candidates will be able to save themselves from the drop.

Heading into the final day, only the champions and Manchester City have confirmed their berths in the Champions League for next season, and two out of Chelsea, Manchester United and Leicester City will join them in Europe’s premier club competition next term.

United, on 63 points and with a +28 goal difference, are in pole position.

They are away at Leicester and, regardless of the result in Chelsea’s game, will advance if they avoid defeat against the Foxes.

A week or two ago, United would be overwhelming favourites; they were the in-form team in the division, had Bruno Fernandes, Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood firing on all cylinders, and appeared capable of outclassing any team in the division.

However, in recent fixtures, vulnerabilities have appeared.

They were denied all three points at the death against Southampton, outclassed in their FA Cup semi-final defeat by Chelsea, and struggled to down West Ham United on Wednesday.

Indeed, the Hammers were the better side for much of the contest, and fully deserved their opener when Paul Pogba handled in the box and Michail Antonio converted the subsequent penalty.

United are looking leggy and jaded at just the wrong time, and the defensive lapses of Harry Maguire and, notably, David de Gea, will give the Foxes hope of a home victory.

Brendan Rodgers’ side have also come in for criticism of late; they’ve lost their grip on third, and then fourth, and are fifth heading into the final day.

Leicester have lost two of their last three, collapsing against both Bournemouth and Tottenham Hotspur, and appear devoid of cohesion and defensive security.

Nonetheless, they still know how to win games—witness recent victories against Sheffield United and Crystal Palace—and may be quietly confident of upsetting the Red Devils at the death.

PREMIER LEAGUE

SUNDAY

Arsenal            v          Watford

Burnley            v          Brighton

Chelsea           v          Wolves

C. Palace         v          Tottenham

Everton            v          B’mouth

Leicester City  v          Man U

Man City         v          Norwich

Newcastle       v          Liverpool

Southampton   v          Sheffield Utd

West Ham       v          Aston Villa

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