Sunday 24th May 2009
Arsenal are guaranteed a fourth placed finish and Stoke can’t finish lower than twelfth. The fact is that Stoke will be a lot happier with tenth, eleventh or twelfth than Arsenal are with fourth.
Both teams will be keen to end the season on a high and Stoke will be particularly keen to repeat their victory earlier in the season when Arsene Wenger made some very disparaging remarks about how they went about their business.
SoccerNews prediction: 2-0
Villa are one point behind Everton in the battle for fifth place and with Everton having a tough trip to Fulham, Martin O’Neill may well fancy his team to get the three points that may be enough to overtake them.
Despite all that, this game is very much all about Newcastle. They know that even a win might not be enough as Hull are a point ahead and a win for them and Sunderland would mean relegation for the Toon. With a better goal difference than Hull, however, Newcastle simply need to do better than Hull on the day. A defeat for Hull and Newcastle only need a point. A draw for Hull and Newcastle need to win. In fact, if Newcastle do win and Hull and Sunderland lose, they will overtake both of them. It is that close.
I have a sneaking suspicion that Shearer might just lead his men to safety.
SoccerNews prediction: 1-2
Safe Blackburn against relegated West Brom is not a game to get the juices flowing! Sam Allardyce has done a fine job to keep Blackburn in the Premier League after the appalling start they had under Paul Ince, but let’s be honest, his teams don’t play attractive football do they?
West Brom, on the other hand, have played attractive football all season. They have two fundamental problems. They concede too many goals and don’t score enough!
SoccerNews prediction: 1-0
A point for Fulham will almost certainly be enough to see them end a remarkable season by qualifying for the Europa League. As a team that is very difficult to beat you have to fancy them to get what they need.
Everton will be hoping to hang on to fifth place but will also have one eye on their forthcoming FA Cup final. As a team that don’t score too many goals I reckon they would be as happy as Fulham would be with a draw.
SoccerNews prediction: 0-0
If you had offered Hull the chance to win their last game of the season to stay up, before a ball was kicked, they would have snapped your hand off. If you had told them they would be against the Premier League, European and World champions, they may not have been so keen!
United have won the title and three days later they take on Barcelona in the Champions League final. Nobody expects to see anything other than a United reserve, youth and fringe side take the field at the KC Stadium. Having said that, you have to think that United reserves would still be too strong for Hull.
SoccerNews prediction: 1-2
Only defeat for Liverpool, victory for Chelsea and a huge goal swing in Chelsea’s favour would see Liverpool stripped of their second place. They have had a wonderful season but it has ended as yet another ‘nearly year’ for the men in red. You wouldn’t bet against them mounting an even stronger challenge next season, but I’m afraid they have come up just a little bit short this time around.
Tottenham have an outside chance of pipping Fulham to the last European place which is also a remarkable achievement when you look back at the state of the club when Harry Redknapp took over.
This should be a good game with two teams who like to play the right way.
SoccerNews prediction: 2-1
Upper mid-table City take on lower mid-table Bolton in a local derby that doesn’t have the same excitement attached to it that most others do.
Mark Hughes seems sure that he will keep his job and he will be looking to end the season on a high note before trying to buy every top player in the world over the summer!
Bolton do not have anything like the same resources but Gary Megson should also be safe in his job after keeping his side up against the odds.
SoccerNews prediction: 2-0
Defeat for Sunderland and wins for Hull and Newcastle would see Sunderland heading back to the Championship. It could be a very nervy afternoon for Ricky Sbragia and his men.
Chelsea will finish third unless Liverpool get well beaten at home by Tottenham, and they will have half an eye on the FA Cup final next week.
It is difficulty to see anything other than a Chelsea win here and Sunderland will be relying on Manchester United reserves and a fading Aston Villa side to do them a favour.
SoccerNews prediction: 0-3
West Ham can’t now qualify for Europe but have had a decent and solid season under rookie manager Gianfranco Zola.
Middlesbrough need a minor miracle to stay up. They need to win here and have a four goal turn around with Hull and a defeat for Newcastle. Well, Hull may get well beaten and Newcastle may lose. The problem for Gareth Southgate is that his side will not get the win they need to go with it.
SoccerNews prediction: 2-0
These two teams are one point apart in mid-table. Just a few weeks ago Wigan were looking towards Europe and Portsmouth were staring at relegation. Now, both teams have found their realistic level.
With nothing to play for, I think these two fairly dour sides might just produce a game that will be worth watching.
SoccerNews prediction: 2-2
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