It’s the final act of EPL 2017
The final shots in the battle for Champions League places among big guns Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal are about to be fired
The final day of the English Premier League season on Sunday will be highlighted by Chelsea receiving a much-deserved trophy, but the playing agenda is dominated by the race for Champions League places. All 20 Premiership teams take to the field at the same time on Sunday, but most of the races have been settled with Chelsea confirmed champions last Friday, when they won at West Bromwich Albion, and Tottenham Hotspur assured of second place after Sunday’s emotional farewell to White Hart Lane.
Hull City were relegated last Sunday, when they lost 4-0 at Crystal Palace, and so join Middlesbrough and Sunderland in dropping down to the Championship next season.
But still to be finalised is the other Champions League berths with Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal chasing two places.
Pep Guardiola’s side can go above Liverpool and into third spot if they win their catch-up game on Tuesday night against West Bromwich Albion and Arsenal have Sunderland at home at the same time, and must win too, to stay alive in the race.
If both Pep Guardiola and Arsene Wenger’s side do win midweek, then Sunday’s scenario would have City on 75 points, Liverpool on 73 and Arsenal on 72.
That would effectively mean City need only a single point in their final outing at Watford, while Liverpool and Arsenal effectively cannot afford any other outcome than a victory as they conclude their respective league campaigns.
Liverpool host already relegated Middlesbrough and Arsenal have a tougher tie, albeit at home too, with Everton, suggesting City should finish third and Liverpool fourth. That would end Arsenal’s run of 20 successive years of participation in European club football’s top competition.
The outcome of La Liga is also officially settled on Sunday, but realistically the outcome will be decided on Wednesday when Real Madrid play their catch-up match at Celta Vigo.
Barcelona lead Real on goal difference only and with a game extra played. Real should win in Galicia and will then need only a point in their last game at Malaga to seal the Spanish title - their first since 2012 - before turning their attention to the Champions League final in Cardiff against Juventus a week later.
Barcelona’s dramatic 3-2 win last month at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu did much to enliven the title race again, but with a game in hand Real were never really knocked out of pole position, despite the best efforts of Lionel Messi and company.