Premier League

Arsenal have been crowned Premier League champions for the first time in 22 years, but there is still plenty to play for elsewhere on the final day of the season.

Indeed, six of the 10 games to be played on the last day still carry significant stakes.

Places in the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League are still to be determined, while one of Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United will be relegated to the EFL Championship, joining Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Race for Europe

Aston Villa

Current position: 4th

Possible final positions: 4th or 5th

Villa would confirm fourth place by avoiding defeat at Manchester City.

Unai Emery's side had already secured a place in next season’s Champions League by confirming a top-five finish, thanks to the Premier League being given a European Performance Spot (EPS). However, their Europa League triumph means that if they drop down to fifth, the extra Champions League berth would instead go to the team in sixth.

For that to happen, Villa would have to lose to Man City and fifth-placed Liverpool would have to beat Brentford.

No matter what happens on the final day, fifth place will qualify for the Champions League and eighth place will qualify for the Conference League.

If Villa finish fourth, then both sixth and seventh would qualify for the Europa League. But if Villa finish fifth, sixth will qualify for the Champions League and seventh for the Europa League.

Liverpool

Current position: 5th

Possible final positions: 4th, 5th or 6th

Due to their superior goal difference, Liverpool can leapfrog Villa into fourth place if they defeat Brentford and Villa lose against Man City.

Liverpool are three points clear of sixth-placed AFC Bournemouth and only need a point against Brentford to confirm their Champions League place. If they lose against Brentford, they will only not finish fifth if Bournemouth win against Nottingham Forest while overturning a six-goal deficit in goal difference.

Bournemouth

Current position: 6th

Possible final positions: 5th, 6th or 7th

Bournemouth have already confirmed a spot in Europe next season, but in which competition is still to be determined.

If Villa lose against Man City and Liverpool beat Brentford, Bournemouth can qualify for the Champions League by avoiding defeat at Forest, or if Brighton & Hove Albion fail to beat Manchester United.

There is also the remote possibility of an end-of-season playoff to decide the final Champions League place. This would require Liverpool to lose 1-0 to Brentford and Bournemouth win 5-0 at Forest. Their goals scored, goals conceded, head-to-head points and away goals against one another would all be identical.

Brighton & Hove Albion

Current position: 7th

Possible final positions: 6th, 7th, 8th or 9th

Brighton are three points behind Bournemouth, but they have a superior goal difference, which means they would leapfrog the Cherries into sixth place if they beat Man Utd and Andoni Iraola’s side lose against Forest.

In this scenario, Brighton would also require Villa to lose against Man City and Liverpool beat Brentford, in order to qualify for the Champions League.

Victory for Brighton would ensure that they qualify for the Europa League at the very least, but defeat risks the possibility of dropping down to ninth place and missing out on Europe altogether.

Chelsea

Current position: 8th

Possible final positions: 7th, 8th, 9th 10th or 11th

Chelsea, in eighth, currently hold the Conference League spot. Because of their superior goal difference over Brentford, if they beat Sunderland at the Stadium of Light and Brighton fail to beat Man Utd, they will almost certainly finish seventh.

If Brighton lose by two goals and Brentford fail to win at Liverpool, Chelsea can also overtake the Seagulls with a draw.

Defeat for Chelsea would mean they fail to qualify for any European competition next season.

Brentford

Current position: 9th

Possible final positions: 7th, 8th, 9th 10th, 11th or 12th

Brentford currently sit one place outside of European qualification, level on points with Chelsea but with a +3 goal difference to the Blues' +7.

The Bees must better Chelsea’s result against Sunderland to secure a top-eight finish, but they can qualify for the Europa League if they defeat Liverpool at Anfield, and Chelsea and Brighton fail to win.

Sunderland

Current position: 10th

Possible final positions: 7th, 8th, 9th 10th, 11th or 12th

Sunderland are the lowest-placed team in the table that can still finish in the top eight, but defeating Chelsea is a prerequisite to do so.

They will qualify for Europe if they beat Chelsea and Brentford do not beat Liverpool. If both of those results occur and Brighton also lose against Man Utd, the Black Cats will finish seventh.

Relegation battle

Spurs

Current position: 17th

Possible final positions: 17th or 18th

West Ham

Current position: 18th

Possible final positions: 17th or 18th

Victory for Spurs against Everton guarantees safety.

Roberto De Zerbi’s side are two points clear of West Ham heading into the final day, but they have a superior goal difference of -10 to the Hammers' -22.

Even if Spurs draw with Everton, West Ham would need to beat Leeds United by 12 goals or more to finish above them. The largest winning margin in Premier League history is nine goals.

West Ham have to beat Leeds to have a chance of avoiding relegation. If they win and Spurs lose against Everton, the Hammers will stay up.

Manchester City, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur are all backed at both ends of the pitch in the best team for the final Gameweek of 2025/26 Fantasy Premier League ahead of Sunday's 14:30 BST deadline.

All 10 Premier League matches get under way at 16:00 BST on Sunday, with Man City’s Golden Boot leader Erling Haaland (£14.7m) joined in the Scout Selection by his team-mate Nico O’Reilly (£5.3m) for the home fixture against Aston Villa.

Newcastle’s Nick Pope (£5.0m) and Bruno Guimaraes (£6.9m) visit Fulham, while Spurs’ Pedro Porro (£5.2m) and Richarlison (£6.4m) are at home to Everton as their relegation battle with West Ham United goes down to the last day of the season.

Haaland is handed the armband, with Richarlison named as vice-captain.

Nick Pope (Newcastle) £5.0m

The Newcastle goalkeeper visits a Fulham side who have struggled in attack of late, failing to score in six of their last nine Premier League matches. Indeed, the Cottagers have scored just five goals in that run from Gameweeks 29-37, and four of them were against relegated Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Nico O’Reilly (Man City) £5.3m

Man City's versatile defender is among a select group of only seven players who have produced 100+ points in home matches this season. O'Reilly has blanked in just two of his 14 starts at the Etihad Stadium due to his impact at both ends of the pitch - he has combined four goals and four assists with eight clean sheets to average 7.4 points per start, identical to Haaland.

Pedro Porro (Spurs) £5.2m

The Spaniard is Spurs' joint-top points scorer with Richarlison over their six matches under Roberto De Zerbi, earning 24 points thanks to a goal, a clean sheet, six defensive contribution points and two bonus points. Porro has been handed a big share of set-piece duties by De Zerbi and has created 13 chances since the Italian took charge in Gameweek 32, twice the total of any team-mate.

Nordi Mukiele (Sunderland) £4.6m

Two goals, four assists and six clean sheets in 16 home starts highlight the all-round contribution of Sunderland's right-back at the Stadium of Light this season. The underlying numbers suggest Mukiele can add another shutout against Chelsea - over their last four matches, the Blues have had a league-low total of four big chances, which are situations where a player is expected to score.

Bruno Fernandes (Man Utd) £10.4m

The Portuguese's outstanding form makes him an easy pick for Manchester United's visit to Brighton & Hove Albion. Fernandes has blanked just once over the last 10 Gameweeks, scoring twice and supplying 11 assists to total 76 points, more than any other player in Fantasy.

Morgan Gibbs-White (Nott’m Forest) £7.5m

Nottingham Forest's midfielder has scored five goals and supplyed two assists over his last four matches to collect 44 points. Gibbs-White is second only to his team-mate Elliot Anderson (£5.6m) and Jarrod Bowen (£7.7m) for transfers in ahead of Sunday's 14:30 BST deadline, earning 90,000+ new owners for Forest's home match against AFC Bournemouth.

Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool) £7.1m

A goal and three assists over the last three Gameweeks underline the Hungarian's form ahead of Liverpool's home match against Brentford. Szoboszlai collected 10 points in the reverse fixture in Gameweek 9 - he supplied an assist and earned two points for his 22 defensive contributions, the most he's made in a single match in 2025/26.

Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle) £6.9m

Similarly to Szoboszlai, the Newcastle star also delivered 10 points against his Gameweek 38 opponents Fulham earlier this season. Since recovering from injury and returning to the Magpies' starting line-up in Gameweek 34, Guimaraes' totals of eight shots, six chances created and 43 defensive contributions all rank among their top two players, showing his multiple routes to returns.

Erling Haaland (Man City) £14.7m

Having scored in five successive Premier League matches for the first time since Gameweeks 4-8, Man City's forward is the standout captain pick for Gameweek 38. The underlying numbers only enhance Haaland's armband appeal further - his totals of seven big chances and 15 shots in the box across his last four matches are both more than any other player in Fantasy.

Jarrod Bowen (West Ham) £7.7m

West Ham's talisman is the top target for managers in Gameweek 38, with 134,000+ bringing him in for the Hammers' crucial home match against Leeds United. Bowen has two double-figure hauls over his last three outings at London Stadium and is very likely to be involved if West Ham can defeat Daniel Farke's side and hope the Spurs result goes in their favour in their fight to avoid relegation.

Richarlison (Spurs) £6.4m

The Brazilian has stepped up his influence on Spurs under De Zerbi, with two goals and an assist across the last four matches earning him 22 points. Over those four contests, Richarlison has had five big chances and created two more of them, which means he was involved in seven big chances - second only to the eight of Haaland among all players in Fantasy during this period.

The Final Day of the 2025/26 Premier League season approaches on Sunday and while the title race is over there is still plenty to play for.

There are places in the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League to be secured, while the final relegation spot will also be decided.

Even clubs without European qualification or Premier League safety to play for will still hope to finish the campaign on a high and potentially boost their prize money by securing a higher position in the table. Last season, each league place provided an extra £2.6million in prize money.

Here's what's at stake in all 10 matches on the Final Day.

Spurs v Everton

Tottenham Hotspur's midweek defeat at Chelsea means the relegation battle goes down to the wire, but Spurs' fate is in their own hands. The equation is simple: Beat Everton and they stay up. A draw would also almost certainly suffice, with Spurs’ goal difference superior to West Ham United's.

Everton’s European hopes are over but they can still finish in the top half for the first time in five years if they beat Spurs and Newcastle United and Sunderland both drop points.

West Ham v Leeds

It’s now or never for West Ham, who must beat Leeds United to preserve their Premier League status – and hope Spurs lose to Everton. The Hammers would move level on points with Spurs if they win and Spurs draw but their goal difference is significantly worse than that of their rivals.

Unless Everton beat Spurs, the Hammers will almost certainly be relegated to the Championship for the first time in 15 years.

For Leeds, it’s a case of trying to end the season as far up the table as they can. Three points could see them climb as high as 11th spot, which would cap an impressive first campaign back in the top-flight.

Liverpool v Brentford

Brentford are only outside the European places on goal difference and can still secure continental football for the first time in their history, with the Conference League and Europa League both possibilities.

Victory for Keith Andrews’ Bees would send them into the Europa League if Chelsea and Brighton both drop points. If Brentford win, Brighton & Hove Albion win and Chelsea fail to win at Sunderland, Brentford would leapfrog Chelsea into the Conference League spot.

Three Premier League games without a win means Liverpool still haven’t quite sealed a top-five finish and the Champions League qualification that comes with it. However, Arne Slot’s Reds would book their place in the competition with a draw against Brentford.

With a three-point cushion over AFC Bournemouth in sixth, Liverpool can afford to lose as long as Bournemouth don’t beat Forest.

Nottingham Forest v Bournemouth

Dropping points late on against Manchester City in midweek has made Bournemouth’s quest for UEFA Champions League qualification more difficult, but that 1-1 draw – which extended their club-record Premier League unbeaten run to 17 games – has guaranteed the Cherries European football for the very first time, in the form of the Europa League.

But it could yet get even better for Bournemouth, as there are still two ways into the Champions League for them. A Liverpool win against Brentford coupled with an Aston Villa defeat at Man City, would result in Liverpool moving up to fourth and Villa dropping down to fifth, given the Reds have a superior goal difference.

Fifth place in the Premier League will be given a European Performance Spot (EPS) in the Champions League, but Villa have already qualified for the competition by winning the Europa League. Consequently, should Villa finish fifth, the EPS spot will be passed down to sixth sending that club (currently Bournemouth) into the Champions League instead of the Europa League. Bournemouth can seal sixth-place with a draw as they are three points ahead of Brighton.

The second way is to beat Nottingham Forest, while hoping Liverpool lose to Brentford and that there’s a seven-goal swing in both games. In that scenario, Bournemouth would finish fifth.

Forest, meanwhile, have already secured a fifth straight Premier League campaign and can finish no lower than their current position of 16th. They could yet climb a spot to 15th place, though.

Brighton v Man Utd

Brighton would qualify for Europe with a win against Manchester United regardless of other results. A draw would almost certainly be enough given how much better their goal difference is than 10th-placed Sunderland’s, though only victory will give the Seagulls a chance of Champions League qualification.

If Brighton win and Bournemouth lose to Forest, Brighton would finish the season in sixth spot. Sixth is currently a Europa League spot, but, as stated above, it will become a Champions League spot if Villa finish fifth.

Whatever the result on Sunday, Man Utd will finish third. History could be made on an individual level, however.

Whether he earns the assist record outright or not, Fernandes is certain to win the 2025/26 Golden Playmaker award, standing eight clear of his nearest rival, Rayan Cherki of Man City, with 12 assists.

Sunderland v Chelsea

Sunderland’s encounter with Chelsea could be a winner-takes-all showdown for European qualification, with the two sides separated in the table by a single point.

A Chelsea victory would guarantee the Blues a place in the Conference League at worst, while Sunderland must win and hope Brentford drop points to Liverpool.

Sunderland would qualify for the Europa League if they win, Brentford fail to beat Liverpool and Brighton lose to Man Utd.

Both teams could still make it into the Europa League. Chelsea would do so if they win and Brighton fail to beat Man Utd – or if they draw, Brighton lose to Man Utd by two or more goals, and Brentford drop points against Liverpool.

Man City v Aston Villa

Erling Haaland’s stoppage-time equaliser at Bournemouth on Tuesday was too little too late for Man City in the title race, but the Norwegian goal machine is poised to win another Premier League Golden Boot.

Haaland is currently five goals ahead of his nearest challenger, Brentford's Igor Thiago, and almost certain to claim his third Golden Boot in four seasons since arriving in the Premier League in 2022.

If he does so, Haaland will draw level with Harry Kane and Alan Shearer for the second-most all-time Golden Boot wins.

Villa are riding high after beating Freiburg 3-0 in Wednesday’s Europa League final. Unai Emery’s side would end their domestic campaign in fourth spot should they avoid defeat at the Etihad Stadium.

Crystal Palace v Arsenal

The Premier League title race has been won. Arsenal are the champions and their trip to Crystal Palace will be an afternoon of celebration – culminating in the trophy lift, which will be the first to take place away from the league winners’ home ground since 2019.

It is a huge week for Mikel Arteta’s side, who face Paris Saint-Germain in next Saturday's Champions League final.

Victory against Palace could see Gunners goalkeeper David Raya make individual history. The Golden Glove winner is currently tied with David Seaman for the most clean sheets for Arsenal in a Premier League season with 19.

Palace are also preparing for a European final – they take on Rayo Vallecano in the UEFA Conference League next Wednesday – but could still finish as high as 14th with a win in Oliver Glasner’s final Premier League game in charge.

Fulham v Newcastle

Both out of European contention but level on points, Fulham and Newcastle United are aiming to finish as far up the table as they can, with the top half still in their sights.

For Newcastle, there’s the added incentive of finishing above local rivals Sunderland, which they would do if they win at Craven Cottage and the Black Cats drop points at home to Chelsea.

Burnley v Wolves

As far as relegation goes, Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers' fate has been sealed for a while now, but neither side will want to finish bottom of the Premier League table.

Burnley head into this clash two points ahead of Wolves, and finishing 19th as opposed to 20th does make a significant difference in prize money.

The 2025/26 Premier League season reaches its penultimate weekend – and it could be a decisive one in the title race, the relegation battle and more.

Here’s all you need to know about what could be confirmed in Matchweek 37, which runs from Friday to Tuesday.

Arsenal could win the title

A gripping Premier League title race could be won in the penultimate Matchweek of the season.

Manchester City are still firmly in the race after their 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace on Wednesday, but they still trail leaders Arsenal by two points.

As such, Arsenal can put themselves within touching distance of a first Premier League title in 22 years by beating Burnley at Emirates Stadium on Monday night.

Three points for Mikel Arteta’s Gunners would leave Pep Guardiola’s Man City having to win at AFC Bournemouth on Tuesday night to take the title race to the final day.

Anything less than three points for Man City and Arsenal would be crowned champions with a game to spare.

Liverpool and Villa can clinch Champions League qualification

Aston Villa entertain Liverpool on Friday night, where victory for either side would confirm their place in next season’s UEFA Champions League. A draw would also be enough for both teams to clinch qualification as long as Bournemouth fail to beat Man City on Tuesday.

Villa or Liverpool can also afford to lose as long as Bournemouth lose to Man City and Brighton & Hove Albion fail to win at Leeds United on Sunday.

For Liverpool, finishing in the top five of the Premier League is their only route to Champions League football.

Villa, meanwhile, could qualify by one of two ways: either by securing a top-five finish or by winning the UEFA Europa League final against Freiburg on Wednesday 20 May – the winners of that final will qualify for the Champions League.

Bournemouth and Brighton could seize European spots

Sixth in the table and unbeaten in 16 Premier League matches, Bournemouth are on track to enjoy the best campaign in their history – which could include European qualification for the first time.

The top seven clubs are set to qualify for Europe - the UEFA Conference League at the very least - and a home win over Man City on Tuesday would secure a top-seven finish for Bournemouth, regardless of other results.

Should Brighton fail to win away to Leeds on Sunday, Bournemouth would head into the Man City clash knowing three points would carry even greater rewards - a top-six finish which would mean qualification for the Europa League at least.

There is still a possibility that sixth place will earn a Champions League spot.

For that to happen, Villa would have to win the Europa League final next Wednesday, which would secure their qualification for the Champions League, and then finish fifth in the Premier League.

Brighton could also seal a European spot with the right set of results in Matchweek 37.

Fabian Hurzeler’s men would secure a top-seven finish if they win at Leeds on Sunday and Brentford drop points against Crystal Palace at the same time.

Fernandes still has history in his sights

Sitting on 19 assists for the past two Matchweeks, Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes will be hoping to make it third time lucky in his pursuit of Premier League history in Sunday's home clash with Nottingham Forest.

Fernandes is just one assist away from equalling the record for the most in a Premier League season (20) – shared by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne.

The Portuguese hasn’t set up a goal in either of his side’s last two outings, but he’s not gone three games without an assist since early October.

Regardless, Fernandes is poised to win his first Premier League Playmaker of the Season award: he’s seven assists ahead of his nearest challenger for that prize, Man City’s Rayan Cherki.

Spurs could secure Premier League status

Having climbed out of the relegation zone with victory over Villa in Matchweek 35, Tottenham Hotspur could confirm their Premier League status in midweek.

Spurs don’t play until Tuesday night, when they travel to London rivals Chelsea, so they will be keeping a close eye on West Ham United’s Sunday evening trip to Newcastle United.

Anything but a West Ham win will leave Spurs able to secure their top-flight safety with a win at Stamford Bridge.

If West Ham beat Newcastle, however, Spurs will be back in the bottom three by the time they face Chelsea and, regardless of how Roberto De Zerbi’s side fare against the Blues, the battle to beat the drop will go to the final day.

Brighton and Man Utd face off for Premier League 2 title

The 2025/26 Premier League 2 campaign concludes this Saturday, with Brighton and Man Utd’s Under-21 teams meeting in the playoff final at the Amex Stadium to decide this season’s champions.

Brighton are looking to win the competition for the first time, while Man Utd are chasing their first title for 10 years.

The Seagulls have home advantage as the route to the final was pre-determined before the Premier League 2 playoffs started.

Odegaard: We’ve been through a lot together  Premier League

Football writer Ben Bloom has predicted the line-ups of Premier League clubs in action in Matchweek 36.

More starting XIs and team graphics will be added throughout Friday as managers hold their pre-match press conferences.

See: Injury updates for every club and player

See: Who's suspended or close to a ban

Liverpool v Chelsea predicted line-ups

Liverpool: Alisson remains out, but Giorgi Mamardashvili returned to first-team training on Friday, so could take Freddie Woodman’s place if fit enough. Alexander Isak is also back in partial training, with Arne Slot saying “we will see how much we can use him” on Saturday. Florian Wirtz is back after missing some training through illness, but Mohamed Salah remains out. Milos Kerkez could be recalled at left-back, while Jeremie Frimpong will hope to continue in an advanced role. Joe Gomez and Rio Ngumoha are waiting in the wings.

Chelsea: The Blues lost Robert Sanchez and Jesse Derry to head injuries last weekend. Neither are ready to return, which means Filip Jorgensen will start in goal. Calum McFarlane is “hopeful” that Reece James and Levi Colwill will be involved, but Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho are “unlikely to be available”. Colwill returned to action off the bench last weekend and could well earn his first start of the season, but James has not featured since mid-March. The shortage of attacking options could see Liam Delap recalled to the starting line-up, while Andrey Santos is challenging for Romeo Lavia’s spot.

Brighton v Wolves predicted line-ups

Brighton: Mats Wieffer lasted just 18 minutes against Newcastle and will require a late fitness test ahead of this match. The same applies to Diego Gomez, who has missed the last two games with a knee injury. James Milner and Solly March are both available again, while Fabian Hurzeler suggested Lewis Dunk could return after shaking off a niggling knee issue. Maxim De Cuyper provides an alternative full-back option.

Wolves team news to follow

Fulham v Bournemouth predicted line-ups

Fulham: Sander Berge and Raul Jimenez have both missed periods of training this week due to illness, but are hoping to be involved here. Kevin is also available, although Marco Silva said he is “not in his best physical condition”. Harrison Reed filled in for Berge last weekend, while Tom Cairney is another option if the Norwegian does not make it. Rodrigo Muniz, Oscar Bobb and Josh King could all come back into the team if required.

Bournemouth: Justin Kluivert is expected to return to a matchday squad for the first time since early January but will need time to reach full fitness. Lewis Cook is also back in training, but not expected to feature here. Unbeaten in 15 league games, wholesale changes appear unlikely, although Adam Smith seems the likely replacement for Alex Jimenez. Tyler Adams will hope to keep Ryan Christie out of the starting XI, while Rayan will expect to retain his spot over David Brooks and Amine Adli.

Sunderland v Man Utd predicted line-ups

Sunderland: Dan Ballard’s suspension opens the door for one of Lutsharel Geertruida or Luke O’Nien to come into the side, with Nordi Mukiele potentially moving into the middle from right-back. Romaine Mundle is the only other absentee, which means Nilson Angulo and Bertrand Traore are available again after injuries. Habib Diarra lost his place last weekend; his return could hinge on whether the versatile Trai Hume is again deployed higher up the pitch or returns to defence.

Man Utd: Michael Carrick did not provide any update on Benjamin Sesko at his pre-match press conference, so the assumption is that the striker is fine despite a shin issue causing his half-time substitution last weekend. Patrick Dorgu is an option after featuring off the bench for the first time since January, while Sesko’s potential absence could also open the door to Amad Diallo or Mason Mount. Lisandro Martinez is available again after suspension and will expect to replace Ayden Heaven at the back.

Man City v Brentford predicted line-ups

Man City: Speaking on Friday, Pep Guardiola suggested Rodri “still doesn’t feel completely comfortable”, and will require a late fitness test to determine his availability. Guardiola also confirmed Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias are back in training and “can help us in the last part of the season”, although not here. Assuming Rodri does not play, Nico O’Reilly is an option to take Nico Gonzalez’s spot in central midfield. Mateo Kovacic is an alternative. Aside from that, few changes are expected.

Brentford: Jordan Henderson “will be involved” after missing Brentford’s last four games, but it seems unlikely that he will start. There must be a fair chance that Keith Andrews opts for five at the back, as he did when welcoming Man City earlier in the season. That switch would likely see Dango Ouattara dropped, although Kevin Schade has not been on top form of late, so could lose his spot instead. The returning Vitaly Janelt will likely aim for minutes off the bench alongside Henderson.

Burnley v Aston Villa predicted line-ups

Burnley: Mike Jackson opted for five at the back last week, so must decide whether to stick with that system or switch to a four-man defence. Should he opt for the latter, Bashir Humphreys is the most likely to miss out. Hannibal Mejbri may well be in line to return to the starting XI after returning off the bench last time out. Lesley Ugochukwu, Marcus Edwards and Florentino Luis are options if Jackson wants to make further changes.

Aston Villa: Unai Emery’s much-changed team fell flat against Tottenham last weekend, but the first-choice XI thrashed Nottingham Forest to make the UEFA Europa League final. Team selection here will depend on whose legs are tired, but some rotation is to be expected after Thursday’s exertions. Any one of Lamare Bogarde, Douglas Luiz or Victor Lindelof could accompany Youri Tielemens in the middle. The involvement of Jadon Sancho, Ross Barkley and Tammy Abraham will depend on which other players are given a rest.

Crystal Palace v Everton predicted line-ups

Crystal Palace: Palace fielded their first-choice side for Thursday’s UEFA Conference League semi-final, and they play again in the Premier League on Wednesday. That midweek sandwich means rotation will be high on the agenda for this match, so expect a team similar to last weekend’s Premier League outing. Oliver Glasner could feasibly swap out the vast majority of his starting XI, but it remains to be seen whose legs he opts to keep for this. Central midfield appears the most likely place for rotation, in addition to Jorgen Strand Larsen leading the line.

Everton: Isrissa Gueye’s absence last weekend saw Tim Iroegbunam handed a rare start, which may well occur again given the Senegal midfielder remains out for this match. In fact, there is every chance David Moyes sticks with the same XI that came so close to defeating Man City, although Thierno Barry’s double off the bench must boost his hopes of a recall in place of Beto.

Nott'm Forest v Newcastle predicted line-ups

Nott'm Forest: Nottingham Forest were forced to put a number of injured players on the bench for their UEFA Europa League semi-final second-leg defeat on Thursday, with Vitor Pereira later stating that he did not know if any of Morgan Gibbs-White, Ibrahim Sangare, Dan Ndoye, Murillo and Ola Aina will be available for this match. Jair Cunha is another doubt. That long list of potential absentees will require some shuffling of Pereira’s pack, with a host of fringe players in with a shout. A starting XI is very difficult to predict.

Newcastle: Eddie Howe confirmed Lewis Miley and Tino Livramento will both miss the remainder of the season, while he does not know if Fabian Schar will return in the final few games. Those absences should see Kieran Trippier come in at right-back. Last weekend’s victory over Brighton was promising, and Howe will likely want to reward his players with a similar set-up. That would mean the attacking talent of Anthony Gordon, Harvey Barnes, Anthony Elanga, Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa all starting on the bench again.

West Ham v Arsenal predicted line-ups

West Ham: West Ham’s tried and tested formula went awry last weekend when Nuno Espirito Santo stuck with the same XI that was unbeaten in three games, only to watch his side then lose at Brentford. A switch to a back three seems a distinct possibility for this visit of the league leaders, with Jean-Clair Todibo coming in for Pablo. Should Nuno decide against that, West Ham may stay unchanged, or minor tweaks in personnel could see Aaron Wan-Bissaka or Callum Wilson involved.

Arsenal: Mikel Arteta confirmed he has no fresh injury concerns after selecting the same starting XIs for last weekend’s Premier League win against Fulham and the midweek UEFA Champions League triumph over Atletico Madrid. It will be interesting to see if he sticks with his winning formula for a third time here, with the likes of Piero Hincapie, Martin Zubimendi and Martin Odegaard all hoping to be given starting places.

Spurs v Leeds predicted line-ups

Spurs: Last Sunday’s dominant performance against Aston Villa’s was precisely what Roberto De Zerbi needed, so there is little need to change anything here. Guglielmo Vicario remains out, Dominic Solanke is “improving very quickly” but unlikely to be available, and Richarlison and Rodrigo Bentancur should be fine despite picking up knocks. All of that suggests an unchanged line-up, unless the likes of Yves Bissouma, Djed Spence or Lucas Bergvall can muscle their way in.

Leeds team news to follow

Kaoru Mitoma has won April's Guinness Goal of the Month for his incredible goal against Tottenham Hotspur.

Brighton & Hove Albion's Japanese winger wins the award for the third time since its inception in 2016/17 to equal the record currently held by Bruno Fernandes and Andros Townsend.

Most Guinness Goal of the Month winners

Player Awards Bruno Fernandes

Kaoru Mitoma

Andros Townsend 3 Miguel Almiron

Kevin De Bruyne

Eden Hazard

Cole Palmer

Pedro

Mohamed Salah

Son Heung-min

Willian

Harry Wilson 2

With Brighton set to go in behind at half-time to Spurs, Mitoma produced an outstanding strike in the third minute of stoppage time to level the score.

He lashed a thunderous volley into the roof of the net with his weaker foot after being found at the back post by Pascal Gross.

Watch: Mitoma's SENSATIONAL goal against Spurs

Mitoma becomes the first Brighton player to win an award this season, and the first in exactly a year after his team-mate Carlos Baleba won April 2025's Guinness Goal of the Month.

Mitoma's strike topped a shortlist of eight April goals following votes from the public and a panel of experts.

We have rarely seen a relegation fight like it. With three games to go, the quest for Premier League safety looks set to go down to the wire and it may be a record amount of points is required to avoid dropping into the Championship.

West Ham United currently occupy 18th, the final relegation spot - Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers have been relegated - despite already having 36 points on the board.

Tottenham Hotspur are one point and one place above them, while Nottingham Forest are 16th on 42 points. Even Crystal Palace (14th) and Leeds United (15th) are not yet mathematically safe with 43 points.

In recent Premier League seasons, all five clubs would be breathing easy by now with such points totals.

No team have gone down with 36 or more points since Newcastle United were relegated with 37 in 2015/16.

In fact, across all the campaigns since the Premier League was reduced from 22 to 20 teams in 1995, the average points tally for the team finishing 18th, and safe, is 34.5.

Forty points have long been viewed as the magic number when it comes to how many are required to stay up. But only once in the past 22 seasons has that actually been needed – when Birmingham City went down with 39 points in 2010/11.

Whichever team end up going down this season, then, will do so with one of the highest points totals of a relegated team in Premier League history.

The club who currently hold that record in a 38-game campaign are West Ham. They dropped into the second tier in 2002/03 after finishing with 42 points.

That year, the Hammers lost only one of their last 11 games, with their 15 points from their final eight matches the most of any side relegated to the Championship.

The next-highest tally a team went down with is 40, Sunderland in 1996/97 and Bolton Wanderers in 1997/98.

The quality of this season’s relegation fight is in sharp contrast to last term, when Leicester City ended up 18th with only 25 points – 13 points off 17th-placed Spurs.

The Foxes were the third team in five years to finish third-bottom with fewer than 30 points, after Luton Town with 26 in 2023/24 and Fulham with 28 in 2020/21.

This year, the teams fighting relegation are all finding form in The Run In.

West Ham’s 3-0 defeat at Brentford last Saturday was just their second loss in seven matches.

Spurs won at Aston Villa to make it back-to-back Premier League victories for the first time since August and seven points form a possible nine.

Forest are unbeaten in seven top-flight matches with three straight wins, while Leeds have climbed to the brink of safety with three victories from their last four games.

This weekend promises to be another pivotal one in the fight to avoid the drop.

Remaining fixtures

Matchweek Spurs West Ham Nott'm Forest 36 LEE (H) ARS (H) NEW (H) 37 CHE (A) NEW (A) MUN (A) 38 EVE (H) LEE (H) BOU (H)

On Sunday, Nuno Espirito Santo’s Hammers host title-chasing Arsenal at the London Stadium, where they have not lost since January.

Forest will look to keep their undefeated run going when they face Newcastle at the City Ground, while Roberto De Zerbi’s resurgent Spurs entertain Leeds on Monday.

Surely history won’t repeat itself?

Parallels are emerging between Manchester City’s famous 2011/12 Premier League title win after they came back from 3-1 down against Everton on Monday night to escape with a draw.

It was the first time Man City had trailed by two goals after 82 minutes and avoided defeat since drawing 3-3 with Sunderland in March 2012.

That season, Man City chased down a five-point deficit to Manchester United before scoring twice in stoppage time to beat Queens Park Rangers on the final day and win the top-flight title, their first in 44 years, on goal difference. Sergio Aguero’s winning goal to seal the success is one of the most iconic moments in Premier League history.

Watch: Aguero wins TITLE with ICONIC late goal

However, Man City dropping two precious points at Everton has led pundits to believe the Premier League Trophy is Arsenal’s to lose if they win their London derby at West Ham United on Sunday.

"If they get through that unscathed, then you can’t see anything stopping them," former Liverpool striker Michael Owen said.

Jamie Carragher added on Sky Sports that "if Arsenal win that game away next Sunday, they have won the league. The league is won. If they beat West Ham, it is on."

Despite West Ham now sitting in the relegation zone, three points are far from guaranteed for the Gunners.

The Hammers are fighting for safety and Arsenal have a patchy recent record against them, with three defeats and a draw in their last seven encounters.

Derry’s hospital update

Making your Premier League debut as a teenager is the stuff of dreams – but Jesse Derry’s first appearance in the top flight turned into a nightmare when a clash of heads with Nottingham Forest’s Zach Abbott left him needing oxygen on the pitch.

The 18-year-old had been playing well before he was carried from the field on a stretcher in the 54th minute and was taken to hospital for treatment.

Reassuringly, Derry, who joined Chelsea’s academy last summer after being named Crystal Palace’s Under-18 player of the year, posted on Instagram on Tuesday morning and thanked the medics who treated him.

"A dream come true to start at Stamford Bridge for my Premier League debut," he wrote.

"I’d like to thank all the Chelsea medical staff, everyone at St Mary’s Hospital, my team-mates, and all the fans for their great support. I can’t wait to be back playing in front of everyone very soon."

How De Zerbi revitalised Spurs

Tottenham Hotspur looked like a completely different team as they swept aside an Aston Villa side still chasing a UEFA Champions League place to climb out of the bottom three – and Sky Sports have analysed how Roberto De Zerbi has transformed them in just four games.

They highlight a more efficient press since the Italian’s arrival. Spurs have won the ball back in the final third 5.3 times per game on average — the most of any Premier League side in that period — while their sprints and distance covered have decreased, suggesting smarter running.

De Zerbi has also established a more robust midfield, combining Conor Gallagher, Rodrigo Bentancur and Joao Palhinha for the first time against Villa. They had more touches of the ball, more passes into the final third and won more tackles and duels than Villa’s midfield trio of Youri Tielemans, Ross Barkley and Lamare Bogarde.

Finally, Sky Sports' report highlights "The De Zerbi factor". The former Brighton & Hove Albion head coach is having a clear uplift on the mentality and confidence of his players.

Ballon d’Or winner at Sunderland

Brazil legend Ronaldinho produced some magical moments playing against English clubs and the England national team, from his breathtaking poke into the bottom corner for Barcelona against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in 2005 to his looping free-kick over David Seaman that knocked England out of the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

Now fans will get the chance to see him once more when Sunderland host a match between "Ronaldinho & Friends" and "Jermain Defoe’s UK Icons" at the Stadium of Light on Monday 25 May, the day after the Premier League season concludes.

The players who are confirmed to be taking part include former Man Utd full-backs Fabio and Rafael, former Sunderland striker Djibril Cisse and ex-Spurs goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes.

"It has been a long time since Ronaldinho last visited the UK, and he has longed for the chance to play there once more," said event organiser Marcel Nalyan. "When the opportunity with Sunderland arose, he said immediately: 'Let’s do it!'

"From the very beginning, he loved everything about the fans on Wearside, the stadium, and all that comes with it."

Manchester youth derby

For the first time since 1986, Man City and Man Utd will contest a derby in the FA Youth Cup final next week.

The match will be played at Man City’s 7,000-seater Joie Stadium, showcasing the best Under-18 talent in the city.

Man City striker Teddie Lamb is only 16 but has been in prolific form this season and is described in his profile on the club website as possessing "a brilliant ability to hold up the ball, link up play in forward positions and test opposing defenders to their limits".

Promising wingers Ryan McAidoo, 17, and Reigan Heskey, 18, have made first-team debuts. The latter's father is Premier League legend Emile Heskey.

Man Utd forward JJ Gabriel is only 15 years old but has scored 23 goals this season and is one of the standout players in the FA Youth Cup.

Chido Obi, 18, who scored an extra-time winner in the semi-finals, is another major goal threat and has made several appearances for Man Utd's first team.

Man City won the last FA Youth Cup final they played against Man Utd, 40 years ago, when their side included future Premier League players Ian Brightwell, Andy Hinchcliffe, Steve Redmond and David White.

Kobbie Mainoo celebrated signing his new Manchester United deal with a winning goal against Liverpool at Old Trafford to secure UEFA Champions League football next season.

Former Man Utd star Michael Carrick was tasked with qualifying for the UEFA Champions League when he took over as interim head coach in January and it was fitting that the academy graduate he brought back into the team completed the job.

Mainoo, 21, admitted “it was difficult” under former United head coach Rubin Amorim, who suggested he might need to move on loan in December. He did not start a single game under Amorim, but has started 13 out of 13 since he left.

The midfielder’s extraordinary transformation has mirrored Man Utd’s under Carrick.

“He’s played a huge part, the confidence that he puts in not just me but all the players, you want to follow him, fight for him, die for him on the pitch,” Mainoo said of Carrick, a predecessor in the United midfield.

Man Utd took a two-goal lead within 14 minutes – the quickest they had done so against Liverpool in the Premier League.

But Liverpool scored twice within nine minutes of the second half as Dominik Szoboszlai continued to shine. The Hungarian scored a fine solo goal and set up Cody Gakpo, making him the club’s first midfielder to reach double figures for goals and assists since Steven Gerrard in 2014.

For a brief spell a phenomenal Man Utd run was seemingly at risk: the club had not lost a home league match they had been winning at half-time since May 1984.

But Mainoo’s goal – his first goal in the league in 718 days – settled the match and put a six-point gap between them and fourth-placed Liverpool, with only three games to play.

Watch: Mainoo's goal and highlights v Liverpool

Man Utd are due to make a permanent managerial appointment in the summer and Carrick’s audition could barely have gone better.

Since he took over, Man Utd have won 32 points – five more than the next best side, Arsenal.

Spurs moving on up

Tottenham Hotspur's players showed they are beginning to understand Roberto De Zerbi’s high-intensity system as they climbed out of the relegation zone for the first time in almost a month.

Six points from successive matches – after beating Wolverhampton Wanderers the weekend before – are more than the five they accumulated in the 14 Premier League games before them.

De Zerbi cautioned “it’s not finished yet” and does not want his players to forget how they have suffered. “Before Wolverhampton was a very sad situation,” the Italian told TNT Sport. “These memories have to stay in our head every day.”

This win remarkably means they now have the third-best away record this season, with 29 points, behind only league leaders Arsenal (32pts) and Manchester City (31pts).

West Ham’s 3-0 defeat at Brentford on Saturday handed Spurs the opportunity to escape the bottom three, though few would have predicted how well they took it.

The win moved them one point above West Ham into 17th place. And, perhaps significantly, they have a far superior goal difference to their relegation rivals: minus nine to minus 19.

Conor Gallagher picked an ideal moment to score his first Spurs goal to open the scoring – almost two years to the day since his last in the Premier League.

“It’s always a bit of a relief to get that first goal,” Gallagher told TNT Sport. “It’s exactly what we needed. It’s been a perfect night. Hopefully it’s only the start.”

Gallagher said he “can’t speak highly enough” of De Zerbi and his influence on their revival. “He's been so good. Every player in the squad has taken to him; he makes you feel so good. He brings the best out of you.”

De Zerbi returned the compliment: “When Gallagher plays well, we play with 12 players.”

Watch: Full-time reaction by Spurs' players

Villa are still six points above sixth-placed Bournemouth and are almost guaranteed fifth place and UEFA Champions League qualification.

But they struggled in the aftermath of Thursday’s UEFA Europa League semi-final first leg defeat at Nottingham Forest, becoming the first team this season not to have a touch in Spurs’ penalty area in the first 30 minutes of a match, and managing only one in over an hour.

It took until 61 minutes for a first shot and Villa fans had to wait until the sixth minute of stoppage time to see their team’s first shot on target – a goal from Emiliano Buendía.

“We still have work to do in the Premier League but we still have an advantage to get our huge target to be in the top five,” a disappointed manager Unai Emery said.

Bournemouth dreaming of Europe

A 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace means it is now in AFC Bournemouth’s hands to finish sixth, which could qualify them for next season’s Champions League in a remarkable season underpinned by the savvy recruitment of young players.

Teenagers Junior Kroupi and Rayan, both signed within the last 12 months, scored in a comfortable victory against Palace. Bournemouth are the only side to have two teenagers score in a game this season.

From having never played in Europe, UEFA’s premier competition has become a tantalising prospect after they extended their unbeaten run to 15 games.

Even if Chelsea beat Forest on Monday, Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth side will remain a point clear of seventh place.

For sixth spot to earn a Champions League place, Villa must finish in the top five and win the UEFA Europa League.

Kroupi, 19, signed from Lorient last year, scored his 12th Premier League goal of the season, equalling the record for a debutant teenager set by Robbie Fowler, at Liverpool, and Robbie Keane at Spurs.

Watch: All of Kroupi's goals this season

European qualification would be the perfect send-off for Iraola, who leaves in the summer.

Palace, back in action after a Europa Conference League first-leg semi-final victory 800 miles away in Poland against Shakhtar Donetsk on Thursday, found it difficult to get into the game.

Head coach Oliver Glasner made five changes to rest players but was frustrated by a series of errors.

“Let’s say you have a friend's birthday and your wedding [a few days later], you are more excited for the wedding. This is the same," he said. "Bournemouth’s semi-final was today — ours is Thursday."

Palace failed to have a shot in the first half for the first time in a league game in five years. Even if they had more touches in Bournemouth’s penalty area in the first 45 seconds of the second half than in 45 minutes of the first, it was not enough to get back into a match.

Indeed, Rayan, also 19, sealed it late on with his fourth goal since signing from the Brazilian side Vasco da Gama in January.