The relegation battle intensifies on the second-last match-day of the season on Sunday, while Manchester United will be presented with the Premiership trophy as Alex Ferguson manages his last match at Old Trafford.
Sunday programming alert: Watch Stoke City v Tottenham (live on all four Sportsnet channels at 8am ET), Fulham v Liverpool (live on Sportsnet World at 9:30am ET) and Manchester United v Swansea City (live on all four Sportsnet channels at 10:30am ET). NOTE: This will be Alex Ferguson’s last home game in charge of Manchester United at Old Trafford. The team will also be officially presented the trophy for winning this season’s Premiership crown.
Manchester United vs. Swansea City
On paper, this is a meaningless game. The Premiership title was wrapped up weeks ago, and there are no European ramifications riding on the outcome, so this is just your standard, end-of-the-season match. But not really.
Alex Ferguson announced earlier this week that he plans to step down at the end of the season, which means Sunday’s affair will be his last in charge of Manchester United at Old Trafford. It’ll be a chance for his players to give him a proper send-off, while the more than 76,000 fans expected to pack Old Trafford will bid adieu to the legendary manager.
And of course, there is the small matter of the trophy presentation.
United claimed the Premiership title on April 22 – with four games to spare – following a 3-0 thrashing of Aston Villa courtesy of a Robin van Persie hat-trick. But the Red Devils will have to wait until Sunday, their last home game of the season, for the formal trophy presentation in order to properly celebrate. It’s more than appropriate that the club should do so in Fergie’s Old Trafford farewell.
Queens Park Rangers vs. Newcastle United
It is make or break, sink or swim for Alan Pardew and the Magpies. Although, they did receive a significant boost with Wigan losing their game-in-hand in mid-week, Newcastle sits only three points clear of the Latics, but tied on goal-difference.
Despite having only won once away from home in the league, this should be a gimme game for Newcastle. QPR have already been relegated, and morale is at its lowest with absolutely nothing to play for. It’s been over two months since QPR collected maximum points, and are without a win in seven. The Hoops are in a hurry to put this disastrous campaign behind them. QPR close out at Anfield next weekend, so if there is something left in the tank, a victory at Loftus Road seems like the better bet.
Fury reigned over Tyneside after a goalless draw against West Ham in mid-week. Papiss Cisse looked to have broken the deadlock, only for the goal not to be counted after Winston Reid’s goal line clearance. Assistant referee Matthew Wilkes adjudged that the whole ball failed to cross the line, though replays showed that Newcastle had reason to feel angered at the decision. It could very well be a defining moment.
Sunderland vs. Southampton
Sunderland begins the day a point behind their opponents, and three safe from relegation. Vice-captain John O’Shea rescued a valuable point last Monday, equalizing against Stoke City.
Craig Gardner was sent off with a straight red-card for a reckless challenge on Stoke’s Charlie Adam, and is set to miss the remainder of the season. Paolo Di Canio must now make do without the club’s top-three scorers, having already lost Stephane Sessagnon to suspension and Steven Fletcher through injury — 24 of the teams 40 goals this season has come from the trio.
Amazingly, only six points separate eight teams at the bottom-half of the table, so a draw wouldn’t be the worst result for either side, though a victory would clinch safety and cease the pressure of needing a result on the final day. Southampton is winless in its last four, after conceding a late winner to former Saint Gareth Bale, which gave Spurs the victory last Saturday. Manager Mauricio Pochettino watched his side suffer a third successive match without finding the net — a goalless streak that must end immediately.
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