Sports

Final Day Drama

By Citizen Correspondent Sir Stephen
Date Posted: 05/09/08
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On Sunday, before a global television audience of hundreds of millions, the English Premier League could - for the first time since its inception in 1993 - be decided by goal difference. Leaders Manchester United travel to Wigan on the same points as Chelsea, who entertain Bolton, but Sir Alex Ferguson's side are 17 goals better off than their rivals. Only four times in the past 20 years has the top flight been decided on the final day of the season...

Last weekend's results ensured that there's still all to play for at the top, bottom and middle of the Premier League. This means that Sunday's climatic games will be some of the tensest in recent memory and looking at the fixture list, we can only see two ties of the ten that have little relevance to the key areas of the table (Sunderland home match with Arsenal and Liverpool trip to Tottenham). So with that in mind, I've decided to go off the beaten track a little this week and instead of focusing on a couple of matches am going to look at them all so you will know what it takes for a side to win the title, claim a position in Europe or survive the drop into the Championship.

BIG FOUR
The Arsenal and Liverpool games are irrelevant. The Gunners' 1-0 victory over Everton on Sunday means that Liverpool, who have been secure in at least fourth for some weeks now, can not catch the Gunners in third. In turn, Chelsea's 2-0 defeat of Newcastle at St James' Park on Bank Holiday Monday means that Avram Grant's side are four points ahead of the Gunners and are guaranteed at least second. Arsenal and Liverpool will therefore have to participate in a two-legged qualification tie to make it through to next season's UEFA Champions League proper.

There is, of course, far more on the line for Manchester United and Chelsea. The Blues ensured a tight final day finish with that win at Newcastle, but while they are level on points with United, Chelsea do not have their fate in their own hands. If United beat Wigan, Chelsea will have to beat Bolton and overhaul a massive goal difference of seventeen to snatch the title from Old Trafford.


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