Wednesday, October 23

European spot and Premier League survival at stake on final day of season

LONDON — The Premier League title has been wrapped up and the Champions League locations are set, however there’s nonetheless a European spot on the road and a relegation battle to be determined when the season ends Sunday.

Here are some issues to regulate:

EUROPEAN SPOT



League champion Manchester City can be joined in subsequent season’s Champions League by Arsenal, Manchester United and Newcastle. Liverpool and Brighton will end fifth and sixth, respectively, for spots within the second-tier Europa League.

That leaves three groups in competition for seventh to earn a spot within the Europa Conference League. Aston Villa is in pole place with 58 factors, adopted by Tottenham (57 factors) and Brentford (56 factors).

Unai Emery has guided Villa up the desk since taking on from the fired Steven Gerrard in October when the Birmingham membership was simply three factors above the relegation zone. Villa hosts Brighton.

Tottenham performs at relegation-threatened Leeds in a sport that has potential for plenty of scoring. Leeds is in must-win mode and can absolutely press ahead. Harry Kane has 28 league targets – second solely to the prolific Erling Haaland – and with two extra would match his greatest Premier League output from the 2017-18 season.

A draw might be sufficient for Spurs as a result of in a tiebreaker they might be forward of Villa on targets scored.

Brentford should beat City at residence to have any likelihood of seventh place. Pep Guardiola could decide to relaxation some regulars as he seems to be forward to each the FA Cup closing and the Champions League closing.

“I’m a big dreamer. I believe everything is possible in football,” Brentford supervisor Thomas Frank mentioned Friday. “We just need to beat the best team in the world. It’s a massive mountain. At home, with this group of players, everything is possible.”

Separately, West Ham is 14th within the Premier League however can qualify for the Europa League by profitable the Europa Conference League closing in opposition to Fiorentina on June 7.

DROP ZONE

Everton, Leicester and Leeds are in a scramble to keep away from becoming a member of last-place Southampton in being relegated to the second-tier Championship subsequent season.

Everton is at present “safe” in seventeenth place with 33 factors. Leicester and Leeds are each within the drop zone on 31 factors, with Leicester forward on aim distinction. All three play at residence on Sunday.

Everton hosts Bournemouth and can be with out injured striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin and defenders Nathan Patterson and Ben Godfrey.

Leicester should beat West Ham and hope that Everton doesn’t win. The unbelievable 2016 Premier League champions would win a tiebreaker with Everton and Leeds on aim distinction.

Leeds wants essentially the most assist, and it faces a Tottenham crew nonetheless in competition for a European spot. A victory is obligatory to have an opportunity of staying up. If Everton attracts and Leicester loses, Leeds can keep up if it wins by no less than three targets.

In the ultimate minutes of final season, Jack Harrison’s stoppage-time aim stored Leeds within the Premier League.

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