All to play for as Premier League enters final week of the season

London (AFP) – As the Premier League enters the final week of the season, there is still plenty to play for at both ends of the table.

With two games remaining for all the clubs preparing to settle the campaign’s remaining issues, AFP Sport takes as closer look at the race to qualify for the Champions League and Europa League, as well as the fight to avoid relegation:

Top four fight

Chelsea and Leicester City are in possession of the coveted top four berths alongside champions Liverpool and Manchester City, who are guaranteed to finish second.

But both side’s grip on those spots in next season’s Champions League could easily be broken by in-form Manchester United in a nerve-jangling finale.

Third-placed Chelsea are one point ahead of both Leicester and United, who sit fifth and are behind the Foxes on goal difference.

On Sunday, Leicester face a tricky trip to Tottenham, while on Wednesday United host West Ham and Chelsea travel to Liverpool.

After those games, the top four may have been shaken up significantly before the final round of matches on July 26.

Chelsea need four points from their last two games to guarantee qualification and play Wolverhampton Wanderers at Stamford Bridge on the last day.

Leicester and United meet in a decisive showdown at the King Power Stadium, which means if either of those teams win those last two games they are guaranteed to return to Europe’s elite club competition.

United are the form team after winning five of their seven league games since the restart, while Chelsea and Leicester have both shown recent signs of vulnerability.

Europa League race

The teams who finish fifth and sixth will qualify for next season’s Europa League, unless either of the sides in those positions win the Champions League or the Europa League — United and Wolves are contenders in the latter competition — when they restart next month.

Winning those tournaments is rewarded with Champions League qualification.

If the FA Cup winners finish in the top six, then seventh place in the Premier League would qualify for the Europa League.

Sixth-placed Wolves will qualify for the Europa League if they win their final two games against Crystal Palace and Chelsea.

Tottenham, one point behind Wolves, will be guaranteed to hold onto seventh place at least if they win their final two games against Leicester and Palace.

Sheffield United, who face Everton and Southampton, are one point behind Tottenham in eighth and need Jose Mourinho’s men or Wolves to slip up.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/3hhszF0