PREMIER Today’s ESSENTIAL
Today’s games – 3pm
Newcastle v Chelsea
LIVE ON HIGHLIGHTS: BBC1, 10.30pm
NEWCASTLE can secure a 10th-place finish with a win over Chelsea, though Rafa Benitez insists his mid-table side have no right to be there. Benitez (right), who sits down with the club to continue discussions over his future this week, said: ‘I don’t know how we will finish but, even if we finish 10th, we are not a top-10 side.’
KEY STAT
Newcastle have been shown more last-day red cards than any other Premier League side (7). Aleksandar Mitrovic was the most recent against Spurs in 2015-16.
Southampton v Man City
LIVE ON HIGHLIGHTS: BBC1, 10.30pm
MARK HUGHES aims to complete Southampton’s great escape against Manchester City after warning his former club they are not yet ready for global domination. Hughes (right) said: ‘It is still early days for them in terms of their standing. The name of Man City does not resonate like the Real Madrids, Barcelonas, Man Uniteds of this world.’
KEY STAT
Victory for Manchester City would set new Premier League record for most away wins (16) and away points (50) in a single Premier League season.
Swansea v Stoke
HIGHLIGHTS: BBC1, 10.30pm
RENATO SANCHES (right) has been branded a ‘boy’ after flopping at the Liberty Stadium. The Portugal midfielder, 20, was touted as a superstar after arriving on loan from Bayern Munich but has been a big disappointment and manager Carlos Carvalhal said: ‘Renato has a big talent, but he has much to learn. He needs to go back to Portugal because he is a boy.’
KEY STAT
Should Stoke lose they will finish bottom of a division for the first time since propping up the old Division Two in 1989-90.
Tottenham v Leicester
HIGHLIGHTS: BBC1, 10.30pm
TOTTENHAM boss Mauricio Pochettino is set to hand rare starts to Kyle Walker-Peters and Juan Foyth (right) with Spurs able to relax after securing a top-four finish. Walker-Peters, 21, has made one start, in the season opener against Newcastle, while Foyth, 20, has only started cup games. Leicester boss Claude Puel is set to be without 10 players.
KEY STAT
Harry Kane is seeking to become only the second player to score three hat-tricks against the same opponent. Luis Suarez achieved the feat against Norwich.
West Ham v Everton
HIGHLIGHTS: BBC1, 10.30pm
SAM ALLARDYCE’S future at Everton is far from secure but he says he is planning to be at the club for another five years. Big Sam (right) kept Everton up even if their football won few fans — now he wants to lead them into their new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, scheduled to be ready by 2022. ‘I didn’t leave retirement just to save Everton,’ he said. ‘I came here to try to take the club into a new stadium and Europe.’
KEY STAT
Former Everton boss David Moyes has lost all five of his Premier League games against his former club by an aggregate score of 0-12.