What to Watch for on the Premier League’s Final Matchday
The Premier League officially wraps on Sunday as all 20 teams play at 11:00 a.m. EST. Even though the champion was decided a while ago and the three relegated teams have been confirmed, there is still a lot to play for. Four European competition spots are left to be decided, with five teams in contention. Here’s a list of things fans should watch out for on matchday 38 of the Premier League.
1. Nottingham Forest vs. Chelsea
Of all the English teams qualifying for European football, Nottingham has the most ground to catch but the least to lose as they sit at seventh in a year they’ve massively overachieved. Chelsea is in fifth, tied with fourth-place Newcastle and sixth-place Aston Villa on 66 points. The Blues trail Newcastle on goal difference by two, but are well ahead of Villa in that department. A win for Chelsea likely guarantees them a spot in the Champions League. Considering the money they've spent as of late, anything late would be disappointing. For Forest, a win would take them to 68 points, meaning at the very least they’d play in the Europa League. If Forest wins and either Villa or Newcastle drops points, the Champions League will return to Nottingham for the first time since the 1979-1980 campaign. The two teams faced off in October and drew 1-1. A draw in Sunday's match at City Ground will leave both clubs panicking as Forest could qualify for the Europa League with a Villa loss. Chelsea would need some help, needing either Newcastle or Villa to drop points to clinch a Champions League berth, with a Europa League spot secured.
2. Aston Villa vs. Manchester United
After Manchester United essentially ended their worst season in their recent history on Wednesday with a loss to Spurs in the Europa League Finals, they have the chance to play spoiler and end Aston Villa’s chances at European football as they face off at Old Trafford. A win for Villa guarantees at least a Europa League spot, they’ll still need either Chelsea or Newcastle to drop points or City to lose to return to the Champions League. Villa could still lose and qualify for the Europa League if Chelsea beat Forest. A draw for Villa means they’ll need Newcastle to lose to Everton to qualify for the Champions League. Villa is in a tough spot with a goal difference of only four as they could finish the season on 69 points, an improvement from last year, but still do not see themselves playing in Europe’s greatest competition. The Red Devils had a goalless draw in their earlier fixture with Villa.
3. Third-Place Manchester City and Fourth-Place Newcastle
City travels to face 10th-place Fulham while Newcastle hosts 13th-place Everton. Both teams are in advantageous spots going into their final matches and are favored to win. However, if they don’t win, things can get crazy for both clubs. If City loses and Newcastle, Chelsea, and Villa all win, they’ll be playing in the Europa League next season and miss out on the Champions League for the first time since the 2009-10 season. If Newcastle loses, they’ll likely compete in the Europa League as long as they don’t get battered, but if Chelsea and Villa win, they will not be in the Champions League. The possibility of missing out on Champions League football is alarming for both teams. For City, it’d be rather embarrassing not only given the money they spent in January but also considering the names they have on their team sheet. For Newcastle, it could lead to them selling better players like Sandro Tonali or Alexander Isak to generate some of the revenue they lose by missing the Champions League. The Magpies drew their last match against Everton, while City beat Fulham 3-2 in October.
