Where Will the Premier League Title go On Sunday, Anfield or Etihad?
The final run of the Premier League will take place this weekend to the breath-taking delight of millions of football enthusiasts across the globe. This year’s title run has proven to be one of the fiercest and most thrilling league duels in the history of the English Barclays Premier league. Manchester City are overwhelming favourites to retain the title they won last year after edging past Leicester on Monday. The Citizens will need to drop points at Brighton to give Liverpool any chance of snatching the trophy on the final day. So will the results go with the form, or is there one last twist in the tail? BRANDPOWER interrogates the possibilities…
The Premier League champions, Manchester City will start the day a point ahead of Liverpool following their nervy win over Leicester on Monday Night Football this week. Though there is only one scenario City fans want on Sunday – a victory, but there are a number of other possibilities that could see the Blues crowned Premier League champions.
First of them is the easy scenario which entails City beating Brighton. The win will definitely take the title to the Etihad and shatter any hope of Liverpool clinching the title even if the Reds win, draw or even lose against Wolves. But, as an old comedian once claimed that there’s more, a defeat on Sunday wouldn’t end City’s title hopes if Liverpool can only draw. But if Liverpool come up with an extraordinary result like a big-margin win, City would have to avoid defeat by five goals as the Blues have a goal difference that is +4 better as things stand. A four-nil loss to Brighton by Man. City and a Liverpool draw would still see City crowned champions by virtue of more goals scored; unless Liverpool drew 5-5 which would definitely take the title to the Merseyside.
Similarly, there is one more highly unlikely possibility to consider- a Premier League title play-off between City and Liverpool. For that to happen, only one set of results would see both City and Liverpool end with identical goals scored and goals conceded records, and that should be a 4-0 defeat for the Blues and a 4-4 draw at Anfield.
Since January, City’s boss, Pep Guardiola has been saying – pretty much that only by winning all their remaining games would the club have a chance of winning the title.
Pep has always claimed the title race would go down to the final day of the season and that Liverpool would win their remaining matches after drawing with Everton in March. All these have happened and the script continues its unfolding on Sunday. Vincent Kompany’s howitzer against Leicester for Manchester City means the club’s destiny remains in their hands. Will they let the Title slip away under their nose, we shall know on Sunday.
It is on record that Man City have won each of their last 13 Premier League matches and this season will be the second time they will be making such impressive runs in the premier league history. Similarly, Man City have beaten every team they’ve faced in the league for the second consecutive season; the only other English top-flight team to achieve this were Preston between 1888-89 and 1889-90.
Liverpool, on the other hand, showed everyone at Anfield on Tuesday that it is never over until it is over and Liverpool takes hope of another momentous occasion into the final day. Mo Salah can win the Golden Boot for a second successive season while Liverpool can record their best defensive record of the Premier League era and go unbeaten at home for a second year running; but all that really matters is victory over Wolves and a Manchester City slip at Brighton. Liverpool have twice won the league by beating Wolves on the final day – in 1947 and 1976 – and Jürgen Klopp will have fulfilled their dreams if it becomes a hat-trick on Sunday. Will this happen? We shall know on Sunday.
Samson Oyedeyi
