EPL 2020/21 - Game Week 38

Final week of EPL Game Week 38 of pandemic soccer. Ten games at the same time. How to surf? City are already the champions, Sheffield United, Fulham and WBA were already relegated. The fight is on for top four finish as the last game of the season would be played at the same time on Sunday with some fans allowed back to the stadiums. Chelsea, Liverpool and Leicester - one of them have to miss out qualification for the Champions League. Chelsea are away to Aston Villa. Liverpool at home to Crystal Palace and Leicester at home to Tottenham. Whoever misses out could still go to the Europa as consolation if you do not mind. Who will get the sixth spot for a Europa slot? West Ham, Everton, Spurs?


Even the honours for the Golden Boot will go to the last minute of the last game of the season as Harry Kane and Mohamedd Salah are tied at 22 goals. Kane will be facing Leicester and Salah, Crystal Palace. So too the top assist leader where again Harry Kane is leading with 13 assists, one more than Bruno Fernandes. I read that Ruben Dias was already voted as the Football Writers' Footballer of the year. He has been outstanding of course but has there been a better player all season? Chelsea have been very good as their results showed since Tuchel's arrival but their top scorer could be Jorginho with 7 goals all from the spot and this is strange considering their wealth of and money's worth of attacking talents.

Meanwhile, Game Week 37 threw out some interesting results as well as some wonderful goals! You must watch the goal that Edison Cavani scored against Fulham at 34 years young. He is as good as Cristiano Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kS4B7RcMso

.....and also this match and the goals especially the ones by Phil Foden where he single-handedly skipped past 3 defenders from his own half to score and Leandro Trossard's absurd twisting and turning the City defence leaving them in knots to score:

https://www.mancity.com/citytv/mens/brighton-v-manchester-city-extended-match-highlights-63756961

This is the Final Countdown!

Arsenal v Brighton - The Gunners are on a four match winning run. Graham Potter's Seagulls play good football and in their last match topped the chart with a famous win over City. Though Arsenal are on form to win this at the Emirates, write off Brighton at your own peril. It is not a joke that they could come and have a shock win here and Brighton can sparkle and make it uncomfortable for their host. Whatever the outcome Arsenal should be in the Europa Final but it was not to be and now they will not even be at the Europa next season but maybe in the new UEFA competition called the Europa Conference League for a seventh placed team if Spurs and Everton drop points and they win here but do Arsenal want to be in this new ECL? The summer awaits. 2-2.

Aston Villa v Chelsea - Villa's win at Spurs was a brilliant one and their talismanic captain Jack Grealish is back. Chelsea's stellar form came crashing as they lost twice but recovered to beat Leicester in their last game. A win here is crucial to give them 70 points and third place for Champions League next season. A draw will see them with 68 points where Liverpool and Leicester could overtake them if they both win. Tuchel will be pondering if he should pour his full resources here into this match or concentrate more on the Champions League final against City a week from now. A defeat could still see them through only if both the Reds and the Foxes too are defeated or if both draw then all 3 are on 67 points which will go down to goal difference. So all three will be playing a cup final. Chelsea could still yet end up with both or nothing. Villa are up and down, 2-3 down to Palace and 2-1 win away at Spurs. Chelsea lost twice at home - to the Gunners and then Leicester in the F.A. Cup but immediately beat Leicester again in the league. If Villa were to be as lively as at Spurs - draw. 1-1.

Fulham v Newcastle - How good is Joe Willock? On loan from Arsenal, the 21 year old has been on fire for the Magpies. He is the youngest player to score in six consecutive games. Don't bet against him scoring here again. Fulham are playing for the memory of the Premier League with some home fans to be admitted for the first time. They will play freely. It could be an exciting game. 2-3.

Leeds v WBA - Leeds are in the top half and being back for the first time, it is really a good achievement. They have won their last 3 matches 3-1, 4-0 and 2-0 so they are going for a strong finish. WBA, already down and with Sam Allardyce leaving, they are playing for sentimental reasons having lost all 3 matches 1-3, 1-2 and 1-3. Marcelo Bielsa and his team will celebrate regardless but better with a good win. Former popular Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder has been linked with WBA for the Championship next season. Leeds is an interesting team with exciting players. Their best to me have been Patrick Bamford, Jack Harrison and Raphinha. I think there will be goals here. 4-2.

Leicester v Spurs - It has been a great season for Brendan Rodgers and his team. The title win that shocked the world in 2015/16 aside, this has been their best season. With the upset F.A. Cup win over Chelsea, Leicester in fifth could go to the UCL if they win and Chelsea and Liverpool drop points. It may help Leicester in that Spurs were quite rubbish when they lost to Villa in the last game but they could surprise with Harry Kane level on 22 goals with Mo Salah. It could be his last game for Spurs too. If Kane stays, it is good for Spurs but if he leaves, he shall provide the money for future Spurs spending and their rebuild but first things first - they need to appoint the right manager. This is very important everywhere. Appointing a wrong owner, manager, coach , leader or players can easily set you back a few years. Running a business in a company is the same. Just look around us even in Singapore. A home win here may not guarantee finishing 4th if both Chelsea and Liverpool win due to goal difference with the Reds. Leicester have recently beaten Manchester United (league) and Chelsea (F.A. Cup) but lost to Chelsea (league). They are good enough to win this. Spurs are fleeting - LWLWL but Harry Kane is gunning for top score. He is worth a goal as always. He is of the highest quality and so is Son and even Dele Alli. It was exactly what Sir Alex Ferguson said about them and how he wished he had the opportunity to have managed them. Leicester have their onw fine qualities - James Maddison, Youri Tielemans, Iheanacho and Jamie Vardy. I propose a draw with goals. 2-2.

Liverpool v Crystal Palace - In the reverse tie, Liverpool thumped Palace 7-0 with great style but it has been downhill all the way like a curse since but currently the Reds are the best team in the last 7 matches. It may not be comfortable because Roy Hodgson has built a good team. Beside, this is his farewell game and his players would love to give him something to remember if possible but the Eagles were gunned down by the Gunners 1-3 in their previous game. Liverpool have four wins in a row - 2-0, 4-2, 3-1 and 3-0. A win will propel them to the Champions League unless Leicester beat Spurs by 5 goals. It is going to be as nail-biting as the other two games Chelsea and Leicester will be playing. Liverpool have restored some confidence with more players stepping up. Alisson is back to his best. Nat Philips' unlikely story are stuffs from Roy of the Rovers. He was the "Rock" and now has made an assist for Jota's goal and has gone even better with a crucial goal against Burnley which put the Reds two up. Thiago Alcantara has now been continuously influential, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson are reprising their irresistible roles again. Roberto Firmino has been scoring again. Even Oxlade Chamberlain who has hardly featured scored a sublime one last game. It is all in Liverpool's hand. Failing here could be the worst thing in their season.  3-1.

Manchester City v Everton - The Toffees are not in great form. So too City after taking the title. They have lost twice, 1-2 to Chelsea and 2-3 to Brighton. Like Chelsea, their minds are on their first Champions League final where they will be playing Chelsea again. So Everton could spring a surprise here or CIty could be fragile in that firstly will Pep Guardiola play the team that he will field in the Champions League Final and risk possible injuries now that they are so close or does he field a team consisting mainly of his B team? Of course City could win here at home in their final match as the new champions fitting of the occasion but Everton could steal a point at least? 1-1.

Sheffield United v Burnley - Sheffield United struggled throughout the season but have always fought hard. That was why they could beat Everton 1-0 but lost to Newcastle 0-1. Burnley have dropped off quite badly as they lost both previous games 0-4 and 0-3. Probably a draw. 1-1.

West Ham v Southampton - Moyes and his Hammers nearly made it to the UCL. Still it was a great season playing very good football. Ralph Hasenhuttl's Southampton too are playing good football but less so in getting results. It could be an exciting game given how both teams set up to play. I am going for the Hammers to beat the Saints. 3-2.

Wolves v Manchester United - Nuno Espirito Santo's Wolves will finish outside the top ten for the first time since their promotion 3 years ago. They must have sorely missed their top scorer Raul Jimenez. They have lost and failed to score in their last 2 matches. The Red Devils were poor in their last 3 matches having lost to Leicester (1-2) and Liverpool (2-4) and were last held by Fulham 1-1. As they prepare for the Europa final against Villareal next week, they may take their eyes off here as they already are confirmed runners-up in the EPL. This will be the last game for Nuno Espirito Santo where he has taken Wolves from the Championship to the Premier League and the Europa. Maybe it is fitting some fans will be back at the Molineux. An emotional moment for a very fine coach and manager who was reported to be lined up for the Spurs job. United are too strong for Wolves on paper but their recent form was rather weak and with the Europa Final next week Solskjaer has the same dilemma as Guardiola. Wolves like Everton could have some advantage. 1-1.

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