The final day of the Premier League season is upon us and there are still plenty of issues to be sorted out with both Manchester clubs duking it out for the title, while three sides are still in with a shout of the other Champions League places.
The two Manchester giants go into Sunday’s finale level on points with City on top courtesy of a much better goal difference.
In theory, there is still hope for Sir Alex Ferguson and his men but the match betting and common sense suggests that it will be the blue half of Manchester celebrating come Sunday night (City 1/10, United 11/2 Premier League Outright).
City have only failed to pick up maximum points on one occasion at the Etihad Stadium this season and, having been given a second chance, they are not going to let the title slip away.
QPR are the visitors on Sunday and although they have been picking up wins to keep them out of the relegation zone, all those recent successes have come at Loftus Road.
Mark Hughes may like to make a point to his previous employers but his team have been awful on the road, with a paltry eleven points easily the Premier League’s worst record, while they suffered a 6-1 drubbing on their last outing at Chelsea.
United could still win on goal difference but City have smashed in 52 goals in 18 matches at home and are likely to score more against the Hoops – making United’s trip to Sunderland irrelevant.
Three teams are still chasing two places for next season’s Champions League, meanwhile, which could be reduced to one depending on Chelsea’s result in this year’s final.
Arsenal (1/33 Top 4 Finish) are still in control of third place despite last week’s hiccup against Norwich following a 3-3 draw at the Emirates, while Spurs (1/10) were held 1-1 at Aston Villa and Newcastle (9/2) were beaten 2-0 by City.
The Gunners are one point better off than arch rivals Tottenham and two clear of Newcastle with a game to go, and know that a win will guarantee Champions League football next term.
Arsene Wenger’s men are on the road as they travel to the Hawthorns to take on West Brom and have failed to win any of their last four matches, but the French tactician will not let his charges slip up at the last hurdle.
Arsenal are 4/6 to register the win and it is hard to argue as West Brom (4/1 to win, Draw 3/1) have struggled in front of their own fans with just six wins at the Hawthorns this season.
Robin van Persie is, of course, the man to watch out for as he looks to cement his position at the top of the Premier League goalscoring charts, having notched 30 in 36 games so far, and he is the 3/1 favourite to score the first or last on Sunday.
Earlier in the season, Tottenham were making it look as though it was a three-horse race for the title but they then endured a torrid run to hand the initiative back to the Gunners.
Harry Redknapp’s men, though, are at least expected to seal a place in the top four (Spurs 4/11, Draw 4/1, Fulham 8/1 Match Betting) as they have home advantage against poor travellers Fulham, who will be without their top scorer Clint Dempsey through injury.
The Lilywhites will then have to put on their Bayern Munich scarves for the Champions League final as a Chelsea win in the showpiece will condemn them to Europa League football next term.
Newcastle have been one, if not THE, surprise package of the season, having made a fist of the Champions League race for so long – and they still are in with a chance going into the last game.
However, the season may well just have caught up with them now and they face a tough trip to Goodison Park to take on an in-form Everton side -who have the carrot of finishing above arch rivals Liverpool with a win themselves.
The Toffees have not been conceding many at home as they have rallied from another slow start to finish with a flourish.
David Moyes’ men have only conceded two goals in their last nine home games, losing just one, while they have banged in 10 in their last three – and also scored four at Old Trafford – with Nikica Jelavic (5/1 First/Last Gaolscorer, 11/8 Anytime) continuing his rich vein of form.
Newcastle have certainly set the Premier League alight this season with their brand of football and although they are set to fail at the final hurdle, a fifth-placed finish above Chelsea and Liverpool is still a remarkable achievement.
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