The Premier League concludes this weekend with Matchday 38, and Sportsnet will have live coverage of five games.
Sunday, May 13
• Manchester United vs. Watford, 9:30 a.m. ET (Sportsnet East, Ontario, West and Pacific)
• West Ham United vs. Everton, 9:30 a.m. ET (Sportsnet ONE)
• Huddersfield Town vs. Arsenal, 9:30 a.m. ET (Sportsnet World)
• Tottenham vs. Leicester City, 9:30 a.m. ET (Sportsnet World Plus)
• Burnley vs. Bournemouth, 9:30 a.m. ET (Sportsnet World Plus)
Here’s what you need to know ahead of this weekend.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Mohamed Salah, Liverpool: Salah leads the Premier League in scoring with 32 goals, three more than Tottenham’s Harry Kane. It’s difficult to envision Kane scoring four times on Sunday to overtake Salah, but the Egyptian can make sure of winning the goal-scoring race by finding the back of the net when Brighton & Hove Albion pays a visit to Anfield.
THE TOP FOUR RACE
Manchester City and Manchester United have already wrapped up first and second place. Tottenham, currently third in the table, has secured a top-four spot. Liverpool currently sits in fourth place with 72 points, just two points ahead of Chelsea, but with a far superior goal difference compared to the Blues: plus-42 versus plus-27. Liverpool just needs a draw at home to clinch fourth place and claim a berth in next season’s UEFA Champions League. Chelsea needs a win away to Newcastle United and hope that Liverpool loses to Brighton in order finish fourth.
THE RELEGATION BATTLE
It’s already been confirmed that Stoke City and West Bromwich Albion are going down. One more team will join them, and barring a miracle, it looks to be Swansea City. The Welsh club sits 18th in the table with 33 points. Southampton is 17th with three points, and a better goal difference: minus-18 compared to minus-27. Southampton plays Manchester City on Sunday, while Swansea hosts Stoke. In order for the Swans to beat the drop, they need to win and Southampton must lose, and there has to be a 10-goal swing in goal difference in their favour.
WENGER’S FAREWELL
An era comes to an end this weekend as Arsene Wenger takes charge of Arsenal for the very last time. Wenger said farewell to Arsenal fans in last week’s 5-0 home win over Burnley, but his 22-year tenure in charge of the Gunners will be over following Sunday’s visit to the Kirklees Stadium for a match against Huddersfield Town. Regardless of the result, Arsenal will finish sixth in the table, the worst showing by the Gunners during Wenger’s tenure.
ROONEY’S LAST PREMIER LEAGUE MATCH?
Everton visits West Ham United on Sunday in what could be Wayne Rooney’s final match in the Premier League. The English forward has been in negotiations with D.C. United and has reportedly agreed to a deal in principle to join the MLS club as early as this summer. Everton manager Sam Allardyce confirmed to reporters this week that Rooney had been in talks with D.C., but he also said that the Englishman has not asked to leave Everton. Rooney, 32, signed a two-year contract with Everton when he returned to the club last summer.
INTERESTING STAT
HE SAID IT
“[Opposing fans] all love me now. It is a pleasant surprise. People respect somewhere that I tried to play football in the right way and I tried to give pleasure to people. The most important thing when you wake up in the morning is to go ‘oh, I watch Arsenal today: I have a chance to see a good game.’ That is basically what I tried to do: to give people an experience in life that is not every day.” – Arsene Wenger
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