Three teams still vying for two Champions League spots going into final weekend

LONDON (Reuters) – With the title and relegation issues decided, three teams will scrap for the two remaining Champions League places on the final day of the Premier League season on Sunday.

Three points separate Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal, with each hoping to join champion Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur in next season’s premier European club competition. A Europa League place awaits whichever side finishes fifth.

City travels to Watford knowing a win would guarantee it third spot and automatic qualification. Should fourthplace Liverpool beat Middlesbrough, it would at least secure entry into the Champions League qualifying round.

But if either team fails to win, and Arsenal beats Everton, a playoff on a neutral ground could yet decide positions because goal difference and goals scored – the deciding factors if teams finish level – are very tight.

City (75 points, 36 goal difference, 75 goals scored) has the edge over Liverpool (73, 33, 75) and Arsenal (72, 31, 74). Put simply, Liverpool must equal Arsenal’s result and could even afford to lose to Middlesbrough by a single goal and still finish fourth if the Gunners draw.

Last season Arsenal pipped rival Spurs to an unlikely second place on the final day, but even manager Arsene Wenger knows a finish outside the top four for the first time under his stewardship is now likely.

Wenger will hope Liverpool’s extraordinary habit of slipping up against the league’s worst teams resurfaces, although relegated Boro has not won away since August and has lost six of its past seven games on the road.

For Liverpool to clinch a top-four spot ahead of Arsenal and Manchester United, which heavily outspent the Reds in the transfer market, would be a significant achievement and last week’s vibrant 4-0 win over West Ham United, suggests Wenger should not hold his breath even if Anfield has witnessed several dismal home performances this season.

City, too, has impressed lately with three successive victories and should see off Watford, which has been slip-sliding into the summer break and is parting ways with manager Walter Mazzarri.

For City boss Pep Guardiola, third is a minimum requirement from a campaign when many people’s preseason favorite has only impressed in patches.

City is one of several clubs likely to splash the cash ahead of the new season with Chelsea, which could lose Eden ARSENAL HAS won five of its past six games, with Alexis Sanchez (left) lifting his goal tally up to 23 after netting four in the past three games. However, even a win for Arsene Wenger (right) and the Gunners on Sunday against Everton doesn’t guarantee them a top-four finish. Hazard and Diego Costa to Real Madrid and China, respectively, also expected to be busy.

The champion signs off its league campaign, before next week’s FA Cup final against Arsenal, at home to Sunderland when captain John Terry is expected to make his final appearance for the club.

Old Trafford may also witness a farewell with British media speculating that Wayne Rooney could sign off after 13 years, 556 appearances and a record 253 goals for Manchester United, which plays Crystal Palace.

Rooney’s stellar United career is in danger of fizzling out after a season of frustration and he is unlikely to make the starting line-up in the Europa League final against Ajax next Wednesday.

Pochettino: Spurs can’t compete with rivals in transfer window

Tottenham Hotspur cannot compete with its Premier League rivals offering huge wages in the transfer market despite securing a Champions League berth for the upcoming season, manager Mauricio Pochettino has said.

Spurs finished second behind Chelsea in the league to qualify for the Europe’s elite competition, but Pochettino says it is not enough to attract “top players” and will instead look to add younger players to the squad.

“We talk about ‘if Tottenham is in the Champions League, it will be more attractive.’ But then it’s all about if you pay or not when we talk about top players,” Pochettino told reporters.

“We have unbelievable facilities but if some club is paying double the salary, then how can you convince them? We cannot lie to you. That is the reality.”

“You need younger players, like Dele Alli, who preferred to come here than another club.”

Harry Kane has lead Tottenham this year with 22 Premier League goals, two fewer than league-leading scorer Romelu Lukaku of Everton.

Pochettino also said Spurs cannot afford to make any mistakes next season if they want to win the title.

Following a 2-0 victory over Manchester City on October 2, the North London side had to wait for another five games for its next league win.

“It is about being more competitive next season. In October and November we dropped a lot of points and it was difficult to catch Chelsea,” the Argentinean added.

“So now it is time for us to look at it and find a way to fix the team, find better tools to improve in our methods and the way that we handle and manage the team.”

Spurs visited 11-place Leicester City late Thursday night before traveling to already-relegated Hull City on Sunday in their final game of the season.

Tottenham – which is guaranteed its highest Premier League finish ever – lost its final game of last season 5-1 at already-relegated Newcastle.