New Delhi: After a gruelling nine-month journey, the 2024-25 Premier League season, full of thrills, excitement, surprises, and shocks, will culminate with a blockbuster final round on Sunday.
There will be plenty at stake on the final day as five teams – Manchester City, Newcastle, Chelsea, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest – fight for the remaining three Champions League qualification spots alongside champions Liverpool and second-placed Arsenal.
Following an impressive 3-1 win over Bournemouth in midweek, City have jumped to third place on 68 points. Fourth-placed Newcastle, fifth-placed Chelsea and sixth-placed Villa each sit on 66, while Forest are seventh, just one point behind with 65 points.
Battle royale for UCL qualification
City’s final fixture is a trip to London for a mouthwatering clash against Fulham, and a superior goal difference (+26) places them in the driver’s seat, with a draw might be enough to secure a top-five finish.
Newcastle (+22) and Chelsea (+20) have a superior goal difference to Villa (+9), which means victories would virtually seal the remaining two Champions League spots.
Chelsea face the toughest test of all the other UCL contenders – a trip to Forest – while Newcastle welcome Everton, and Villa visit Manchester United, fresh from losing the Europa League final.
A win against Chelsea might not be enough for Forest to qualify for the Champions League. Nuno Espirito Santo’s team needs one of Newcastle and Villa to lose or draw their games to cap off a remarkable season after fighting relegation in the last campaign.
Even a sixth-place finish, which guarantees a place in the Europa League, would be a brilliant achievement for Forest.
Farewells
Manchester City maestro Kevin De Bruyne is among a star-studded list of players bidding farewell to their teams on the finale.
After receiving a grand send-off at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday, the Belgian icon will don the City colours for the last time, marking an end to his 10-year career with City.
Trent Alexander-Arnold’s exit from his boyhood club Liverpool hasn’t been well received by some sections of fans, but nonetheless, he walks away as a club legend, winning all the major trophies at Anfield.
His last game for the Reds is against Crystal Palace at Anfield.
Others set to bid goodbye to their clubs as their contracts end with the season are: Victor Lindelof and Christian Eriksen (Man United), Jorginho and Kieran Tierney (Arsenal), Abdoulaye Doucoure (Everton) and Lukasz Fabianski (West Ham).
Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou, despite leading the team to the Europa League title, is among the managers who could depart after the final game. Spurs, currently 17th in the table, will face Brighton at home in their final fixture. Ruud van Nistelrooy could also be in the Foxes dugout for the final time after being in charge of Leicester’s relegated campaign.
Records and Trophy celebrations
Liverpool’s players and coaching staff will finally get their hands on the Premier League trophy after finishing their title-winning campaign against FA Cup winners Palace. The match will be a dress rehearsal for the season-opening Community Shield fixture in August.
Mohamed Salah, named Premier League Player of the Season, following a prolific campaign, can break two big records on the final day. With 28 goals and 18 assists this season, he is one goal or assist away from the Premier League’s single-season goal contribution record of 47, held jointly by Newcastle legend Alan Shearer and Man United great Andrew Cole. He is also two assists shy of the record for most assists in a Premier League season, held by De Bruyne and Arsenal icon Thierry Henry.
From fight for the UEFA Champions League spots, to emotional farewells to potential records, plenty of drama in store on the final Matchday of the English Premier League. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
