This weekend proves to be a different weekend for the Barclays Premier League. All the games will be played at the same time on Sunday. They have done this for years so if there is a close race at the top or bottom, teams don’t play soft or not try. This weekend the title race has been claimed by Chelsea, but the games that mean something are Manchester United verses Hull City, Arsenal verses West Bromwich Albion, and Newcastle United verses West Ham United.
Arsenal could lose third place if they lose and Manchester United wins. The challenge for Manchester United is they have to make up a seven goal difference between the two teams. It will be interesting to see how Arsenal comes out because they have to play for the FA Cup Final the next weekend against Aston Villa. Arsenal could want to rest some key players, so they could win the final, but that could open the door for Manchester United to take third from them. Some might be thinking why does third place matter, third place doesn’t have to do a play-off game to make the Champions League. The play-off is one less game for either Manchester United or Arsenal, which would benefit both because they wouldn’t have to strategize who to play next year at that time.
The other pivotal spot is the last three in the table get regulated to the Champions Division, which Hull is in a spot to drop and Newcastle two points away from them. Hull City needs to win the game against Manchester United to have a chance to stay in the Premier League. Newcastle needs a win against West Ham United. If Newcastle ties and Hull wins their match, it will be a tie, but Hull will stay in the Premier League because of goal differential. These two teams will be fighting for their life to win the game.
Now the other games that are being played mean something, just not as much as the three stated above. Liverpool sits at the fifth spot, with Tottenham and Southampton nipping at their heels. The fifth spot means to play in the UEFA Europa League. The sixth spot could mean that team goes on as well, but only if Arsenal wins the FA Cup. So each of the teams that could get the fifth spot want to win Sunday to have a chance at the Europa League. Liverpool is playing Stoke City, Tottenham Hotspur verses Everton, and Southampton verses Manchester City.
