Leicester can see off tiring United in last-day race for Champions League

hbournemouth to escape drop at expense of Villa and Watford hdraw may help Murphy turn on style aboard Ebury at Ascot

The end is upon us. Nearly three months after its original scheduled finish, the final day of the Premier League season is arriving, with plenty of positions still to be determined.

With three teams battling for two Champions League places and another three attempting to stay out of two relegation positions, there is much at stake tomorrow afternoon.

It may not be quite winner takes all when Leicester City host Manchester United, as both can qualify for the Champions League with a draw if Chelsea lose at home to Wolves, but the guaranteed prize of a place in Europe’s biggest competition should mean both will concentrate solely on victory at the King Power Stadium.

United had been one of the standout teams since lockdown was lifted and their odds to win the 2020-21 title were shortened after five wins and three draws in their first eight games back.

Those signs of progress have stuttered in their two most recent games, with a heavy semi-final defeat by Chelsea in the FA Cup followed by a poor home draw in which they were outplayed by strugglers West Ham United. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have looked leggy in those matches, with Bruno Fernandes in particular looking to be struggling with the heavy workload.

It will be impossible for Solskjaer to drop Fernandes or Marcus Rashford, another who has seemed to be struggling of late, and that is one of the reasons why Leicester must be backed at 21/10 to seal a Champions League spot. They have been inconsistent since coming out of

Strong at home: Kelechi Iheanacho scores for Leicester in their 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace this month lockdown and have failed to win any of their five away games. Their home form, though, is far better, with two wins and a draw in their three league matches since returning from the enforced break.

At the bottom, Aston Villa are in pole position to avoid relegation, but bookmakers seem to have overreacted to the fact that their opponents, West Ham, are safe. Villa have been priced up at 6/5 to win away at the London Stadium and that is probably half what it would have been had both sides needed points from this match.

The 2/1 about West Ham is far too big given they have lost just one of their past five matches.

I am also going to advise backing Bournemouth to avoid relegation as I do not fancy Aston Villa to win at West Ham or Watford to get any points at Arsenal. Ladbrokes are offering 11/1 that Bournemouth stay up and the only way that can happen is if Villa and Watford both lose. That is distinctly possible and Bournemouth face an Everton side who have been disappointing since the Premier League resumed, so a very small bet is advised on Eddie Howe’s side to pull off a final-day escape.

One of the biggest Flat races of the season, the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, takes place at Ascot this afternoon with just four runners going to post. Enable is clearly the star on show, but the race fails to appeal as a betting medium given the four runners represent just two trainers between them.

There are better bets to be had on the card. Ebury (Moet & Chandon International Stakes, 2.25) ran a stormer to be the first horse home on the far side when sixth of 23 in the Buckingham Palace Handicap at Royal Ascot last month.

He has a much better draw in stall 13 this time (he was drawn in stall three at the Royal meeting) and champion jockey Oisin Murphy has been booked for the ride by trainer Martyn Meade, so a big run can be expected.