With the Premier League title already sealed by Liverpool and relegation matters settled, the real drama now lies in the heated race for the top five as clubs battle it out for Champions League qualification.
Manchester City, eager to rescue something from a turbulent campaign, are looking to secure a top-five finish that would grant them a place in next season’s Champions League. Meanwhile, Southampton are in danger of equalling a grim Premier League record as their dismal season crawls to an end.
AFP Sport breaks down the key storylines heading into this weekend’s fixtures:
Man City face stern Wolves challenge
Manchester City, currently fourth in the table, host in-form Wolves on Friday night in what promises to be a crucial clash. Pep Guardiola’s side are under pressure from Chelsea, Newcastle, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest, all vying for Champions League spots. Thanks to English clubs’ strong showings in Europe this season, a top-five finish is enough to qualify.
Although key players Rodri and Erling Haaland have returned to training, neither is expected to feature just yet. Rodri has been out since September, while Haaland has missed action since March, making City’s campaign all the more difficult. Still, Guardiola has managed to keep his side in contention despite their four-year title reign coming to an end.
Wolves have climbed away from the relegation zone after stringing together six consecutive wins. Guardiola warned that the visitors pose a serious threat.
“The quality they have, the shape they play, the courage, it’s no surprise,” he said. “Wolves have always had really good players and now they’re on an incredible run. It’s another final for us.”
Saints seek to avoid unwanted record
At the bottom end of the table, Southampton are on the verge of equalling Derby County’s infamous record for the lowest points tally in Premier League history. Last weekend’s late 2-1 defeat to Fulham left them stuck on 11 points – matching Derby’s 2007/08 total.
Relegation has long been confirmed for the Saints, and interim manager Simon Rusk admitted the scale of the challenge he inherited.
“We have to be realistic about the situation I came into,” said Rusk. “If I could make a team solid and dominant in seven games, I’d probably be able to bring world peace too.”
Saturday’s trip to fellow relegated side Leicester may be their best chance to finally move clear of that unwanted record.
Arsenal eye PSG clash over Bournemouth
With their Premier League fate sealed in second place, Arsenal’s focus has shifted to their Champions League semi-final second leg against Paris Saint-Germain. After a narrow 1-0 home defeat in the first leg, Mikel Arteta’s side must overturn the deficit in Paris to reach their first final since 2006.
Saturday’s league fixture against Bournemouth could see several key players rested, as Arteta is likely to keep his top names fresh for Wednesday’s showdown.
Midfielder Mikel Merino remains confident in the team’s ability to turn the tie around.
“We have nothing to prove to anyone but ourselves. We’re our biggest critics and want to win more than anyone,” he said. “We’ll go into the second leg with all the energy we’ve got.”
Fixtures
Friday
Manchester City v Wolves (19:00 GMT)
Saturday
Aston Villa v Fulham (11:30 GMT)
Everton v Ipswich
Leicester v Southampton
Arsenal v Bournemouth (16:30 GMT)
Sunday
Brentford v Manchester United (13:00 GMT)
Brighton v Newcastle
West Ham v Tottenham
Chelsea v Liverpool (15:30 GMT)
Monday
Crystal Palace v Nottingham Forest (19:00 GMT)