If Leicester beat Man Utd at Old Trafford, or Tottenham lose to Chelsea, the Premier League title will officially have a new owner.
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| Everton – Bournemouth (9 PM Saturday, April 30th): After losing to Manchester United in the FA Cup semi-final, the fate of manager Roberto Martinez (pictured) is the most talked-about topic at Everton right now. Fans have been displaying banners demanding Martinez's sacking for quite some time. Everton's performance has been steadily deteriorating, and few believe the Spanish manager will retain his job, even if his team wins all three remaining Premier League matches. Everton have gone seven games without a win, including a humiliating 0-4 defeat in the Merseyside derby. Stuck in 11th place, the boos directed at Martinez are growing louder, and he may be forced to leave Goodison Park if he continues to lose. In contrast, Bournemouth have had a fantastic season. Initially a top relegation candidate, Eddie Howe's team quickly reached 40 points. Despite being 14th in the table, Bournemouth are level on points with Everton and would overtake them if they win. Both teams enter this weekend's match after a series of disappointing results. In the first leg, the two teams drew 3-3. |
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| Newcastle – Crystal Palace (9 PM Saturday, April 30th): Alan Pardew (pictured) had a glorious time in Tyneside when he managed Newcastle. On his return to St. James' Park, Pardew could push his former team closer to relegation. However, Crystal Palace are gloating after reaching the FA Cup final. Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce, Newcastle's relegation rival, asserted that Alan Pardew and his players "will not be mentally prepared and will lose this weekend." Newcastle have played one more game than Sunderland and Norwich and are one point behind both teams. Their fans have been given hope in recent weeks since the appointment of Rafael Benitez. Better late than never, the Spanish manager led the Magpies to a victory against Swansea and two commendable draws against Liverpool and Man City. However, the transformation under Benitez has been rather slow, and it could cost Newcastle their place in the Premier League if they don't perform well in their remaining three matches. |
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| Stoke – Sunderland (9 PM Saturday, April 30th): Teams managed by Sam Allardyce have never been relegated from the Premier League, and the manager seems to be repeating that streak. For a few weeks, the Black Cats looked quite lifeless, but two excellent performances against Arsenal and Norwich pulled them out of the mire. Sunderland are currently 17th, level on points but ahead of Norwich on goal difference. Jermain Defoe's goals have been crucial, helping them achieve good results, but the decisive factor in Sunderland's resurgence is their defensive form. They have kept three clean sheets in their last four matches. Stoke are 10th with 47 points, level with Chelsea. Mark Hughes's team has received a lot of praise this season and it seems they are already on the beach before the summer break. Since reaching the safety of 40 points at the beginning of March, Stoke have only won one game, against Watford. In their last three matches, they conceded 12 goals. This lack of concentration from the home team presents an opportunity for Sunderland to earn points. |
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| Watford – Aston Villa (9 PM Saturday, April 30th): Aston Villa are just one loss away from breaking their 11-match losing streak from 1963. The visitors certainly don't want this to happen, but they also don't know how to avoid defeat. Villa have lost 25 games this season, and no one would be surprised if they lost three more. As for Watford, after a period of success, they have only earned 12 points in their last 16 matches. This puts manager Quique Sanchez Flores (right) at risk of being sacked. The Spanish coach led Watford to a successful season, securing their Premier League survival early and reaching the FA Cup semi-finals – a respectable achievement for someone working in England in their first year. However, Watford's owners expect more, and Flores has four games left to secure his job. |
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| West Brom – West Ham (9 PM Saturday, April 30th): West Ham's recent form has been poor, shifting their focus from Champions League qualification to Europa League qualification. Four draws in their last five matches have dashed Slaven Bilic's team's Champions League dreams. However, securing Europa League qualification would be enough to bring joy to their new stadium next year. West Ham will leave Upton Park at the end of this season after many years to move to the Olympic Stadium. This would be a welcome addition to their London rivals like Tottenham, Chelsea, and Arsenal. However, West Ham should note that they are only one point ahead of Liverpool and two points ahead of Southampton. Losing their European qualification spot would create problems for them in retaining stars like Dimitri Payet (right). |
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| Arsenal – Norwich (11:30 PM Saturday, April 30th): This match promises to be very tense as both teams are desperate for points. Arsenal and Norwich both need a win to salvage their season. For the home team, they are still fiercely competing with Man City and Man Utd for a top-four spot. In three of their last four matches, the Gunners drew against weaker teams. The upcoming match marks Arsene Wenger's 750th game managing Arsenal. Throughout that time, the French manager's future has never been in question. However, from being one of the top title contenders to a position where they have to compete for a Champions League spot, there are rumors that a group of anti-Wenger supporters has formed. As for Norwich, the fear of relegation is evident after their 0-3 defeat to direct rivals Sunderland. The away team is having trouble scoring goals, but the 1-1 draw in the first leg gives them hope of getting a point. |
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| Swansea – Liverpool (6 PM Sunday, May 1st): Liverpool return to the Premier League after a 0-1 defeat to Villarreal in the Europa League. Jurgen Klopp's team, along with Man City, are the only two Premier League representatives still competing in European competitions. However, Liverpool cannot afford to neglect the domestic league. The battle for a Europa League spot next season is becoming intense, and they need to overcome West Ham to secure sixth place. Fortunately for them, after a long period of injury problems, Daniel Sturridge (right) is in excellent form. He has scored in six of his last seven matches and has found the net in all four of his most recent games. However, it should be noted that Sturridge was on the bench for the first leg of the semi-final against Villarreal. Roberto Firmino replaced him in the center of the attack. Many Liverpool fans are worried that the England striker has suffered another injury. Swansea need another win to ensure their safety. Manager Francesco Guidolin deserves praise for pulling the "Black Swans" out of the relegation battle. However, Swansea have lost their last two matches and conceded seven goals. |
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| Man Utd – Leicester (8:05 PM Sunday, May 1st): Leicester will be crowned champions if they win at Old Trafford. They will have to do so without Jamie Vardy. This wasn't a major problem in the previous match against Swansea, but it will be a real challenge for Ranieri's team when they face Man Utd. In the first leg, Vardy opened the scoring for Leicester before Bastian Schweinsteiger equalized 1-1 in the first minute of added time. Leicester's four goals against Swansea largely came from defensive errors. It's difficult to expect that from a Man Utd defense that hasn't conceded a single goal in their last five matches. The home team won't want another team lifting the trophy at Old Trafford, a place that has witnessed their past glories. More importantly, Man Utd are fiercely chasing Man City and Arsenal in the race for a Champions League spot. Therefore, as midfielder Ander Herrera put it, Man Utd wants "Leicester to go home and be crowned champions". |
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| Southampton – Man City (10:30 PM Sunday, May 1st): In theory, if Southampton finish eighth, they could still qualify for the Europa League next season. However, this requires several other factors. The best approach is for them to gain as many points as possible in their remaining three matches. The gap between the eighth and fifth-placed teams is currently only five points. Southampton can absolutely improve their position and secure their own European qualification. Man City are still on the right track. They hold an advantage in the race for a Champions League spot next season. Manuel Pellegrini's team returned to the Premier League after a 0-0 draw with Real Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final. They still have a chance to reach the European final for the first time since 1970. However, Man City understand that securing a top-four finish is the surest way to qualify for the Champions League next season. Simultaneously competing on two fronts with important objectives, three days after their away trip to St Mary's, Man City will play the return leg against Real Madrid. Their final two Premier League matches will be against Arsenal and Swansea. |
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| Chelsea – Tottenham (2 AM Tuesday, May 3rd): If Chelsea win, they will extinguish Tottenham's title dreams and help Leicester win the cup. Guus Hiddink's team is perfectly capable of doing that, at least because Tottenham are their rivals in London. There's no reason for them to help their opponents win the title. Chelsea have had a terrible season and nothing would make them happier than tripping up Tottenham or Arsenal. Eden Hazard and Cesc Fabregas have both confirmed this. Tottenham haven't beaten Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the domestic league since 1990. They've lost 17 times and only drawn eight. Harry Kane (right) will be the visitors' hope in this match. The England striker has scored 13 goals in his last 14 games and is just two goals away from reaching the 50-goal mark. Kane currently has 24 goals, one more than Sergio Aguero in the Golden Boot race. |
According to VNE
