It’s the final day of the English Premier League soccer season on Sunday as teams continue to battle for European places and fight for survival.
English Premier League Final Day Preview
On Wednesday, the English Premier League title was finally lifted by Liverpool. The Reds ended their 30-year wait for a league title and the players and fans certainly didn’t hold back the celebrations.
Liverpool have already been crowned champions and Norwich City have already been relegated, but there’s still lots to play for as we head into the final day of the English Premier League season.
Champions League Qualification
The league’s top four sides will all get a ticket into next season’s Champions League. Liverpool and Manchester City already have that ticket, but there’s just one point separating Manchester United (63 points), Chelsea (63 points) and Leicester City (62 points).
Chelsea host Wolves and Leicester host Manchester United on the final day. Manchester United have a significantly higher goal difference than Chelsea and Leicester, so the final day is in their hands. The winner of the game at the King Power Stadium will secure Champions League soccer next season.
Europa League Qualification
The fight for Europa League qualification is much more complicated because it also depends on who wins the English FA Cup. The key here is for teams to coming sixth-place or higher to make sure of European qualification.
This means a tasty battle between Wolves in sixth (59 points) and Spurs in seventh (58 points). It’s in Wolves hands but they’ve got a tough game on the road at Chelsea, while Spurs travel to Crystal Palace.
The Relegation Battle
With Norwich City already relegated, two more teams face the drop on Sunday. Aston Villa are 17th with 34 points and are almost safe. Watford are 18th with 34 points, while Bournemouth are 19th with 31 points.
Bournemouth have an upward battle on their hands on Sunday as they require a victory AND for both Aston Villa and Watford to lose in order to secure safety. It’s definitely exciting at the bottom of the table.
English Premier League Final Day Slate
English Premier League Final Day Picks
Pick 1: Over 2.5 goals in Leicester City v Manchester United (-118 at DraftKings)
Leicester have conceded 8 goals in their last 4 games, while Manchester United have shipped 6 in the same time. In recent games Manchester United’s defensive display has left a lot to be desired and will be put to the test again on Sunday.
Both teams will be desperate to grab an early goal and settle the nerves in a game which decides who will qualify for the Champions League. It’s also worth noting the offensive talent on both sides here. There are sure to be goals in this one and we’re going for over 2.5 goals.
Pick 2: Aston Villa to win v West Ham (+130 at DraftKings)
Aston Villa come into this game full of confidence after a solid 1-0 victory against Arsenal. They know what they have to do in order to guarantee safety in the league – just win the game.
West Ham sit in 15th place with absolutely nothing to play for. The best they can finish is 15th and the worst they can finish is 16th. They’ve been playing well since the restart, but nothing spectacular.
Villa’s motivation and team spirit on Sunday should be enough to take all three points. With players like Jack Grealish and John McGinn fit to play, they’ve definitely got the quality to get the job done.
Pick 3: Under 2.5 goals in Burnley v Brighton (-117 at DraftKings)
Burnley are known for low-scoring games. They haven’t got the best attacking threat and they are solid at the back. In fact, Burnley goalkeeper Nick Pope could win his first ever ‘Golden Glove’ if Burnley achieve their 16th shutout of the season with him between the sticks on Sunday. Definitely extra motivation there!
Brighton are not exactly high-scorers themselves. Since the restart, they have scored just 5 goals in 8 games. Both teams have absolutely nothing to play for with Burnley in 9th and Brighton in 16th. If we were making a bold prediction, it would definitely be 1-0 Burnley.
Bonus Pick: Burnley 1-0 v Brighton (+700)
