Match to catch
Last season’s champions Chelsea’s miserable campaign will suffer one final embarrassment on Sunday, when the Blues’ players will form a guard of honour for successors Leicester City following their remarkable title success. It will be a poignant moment as the championship crown is passed from London to the Midlands, but it will also be a stark reminder of just how poor Chelsea have been this season — they go into the final day ninth in the table with just 49 points and have failed to qualify for European football for the first time in 19 years. For Foxes boss Claudio Ranieri, meanwhile, it will be a long-awaited vindication of his ability as a coach, having been the first managerial victim of Roman Abramovich’s reign as Chelsea owner back in 2004. It would be a fitting end to an unforgettable season if Leicester could complete a league double over their Stamford Bridge hosts. Prediction: Chelsea 1 Leicester 2.
Keep an eye on
Tottenham have suffered a disappointing end to an impressive season, with a haul of just two points from their last three games ensuring they missed out on the title and also offering neighbours Arsenal hope of pinching the runners-up spot. Mauricio Pochettino can be proud of the rapid improvement he has overseen at White Hart Lane, but it would be a significant disappointment if they slipped to third, so they must avoid defeat at newly relegated Newcastle in order to stay above the Gunners, who host rock-bottom Aston Villa. For their part, the Toon’s recent history of mismanagement has cost them their place in the top flight for the second time in seven years and their chances of an immediate return will depend a great deal on whether or not boss Rafael Benitez can be persuaded to stay. Prediction: Newcastle 1 Spurs 1.
For the purists
Everton’s new British-Iranian owner Farhad Moshiri on Thursday took his first major decision since arriving at Goodison Park by removing boss Roberto Martinez from the firing line. The dignified Spaniard was set to face a torrent of abuse from the stands during his side’s final match at home to Norwich, so Moshiri and the club’s board brought forward their decision on the manager’s future and sacked him after back-to-back heavy defeats by Leicester and Sunderland made it four losses in their last five games. The owner now has to make the right appointment to ensure Everton are back competing for European football next season. Norwich, meanwhile, have unsurprisingly been relegated back to the Championship despite a commendable attempt that took their bid to overcome the odds and stay up into the final week of the campaign. Prediction: Everton 3 Norwich 0.
Showing form
Sunderland boss Sam Allardyce was finally able to relax and celebrate in his own inimitable style after guiding the Black Cats to safety with a game to spare in midweek. His side fully deserved to retain their Premier League status thanks to a run of just one defeat in their last 10 matches and Allardyce will be even happier knowing that his success ensured Newcastle — who sacked him after just eight months in charge in January 2008 — went down instead. Sunderland now go to Watford and have a good chance of recording a third straight victory. Prediction: Watford 1 Sunderland 2.
Need a win
Manchester United must beat Bournemouth at Old Trafford on Sunday to have any chance of finishing in the top four, but their fate is out of their hands following their dramatic loss to West Ham in the final match at the Boleyn Ground on Tuesday. Now they must hope that Swansea can do them a favour and beat rivals City in South Wales, although that seems unlikely despite the Swans’ impressive form of late. Prediction: Man United 2 Bournemouth 0.
Get involved
Think I’m way off the mark? Tweet me your English Premier League predictions via @MartinDownerUK.
- The writer is a freelance journalist based in the UK
