Finally, we arrive at Matchday 38—the final day of the Premier League season.
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Liverpool FC blog
It’s been a long and winding road, and while many issues—the race for the title, and two of the three relegation spots—have been decided, a lot still rests on this final day of action.
They call it Super Sunday, and here are the five key subplots that you should be looking out for across the 10 fixtures as the 2014-15 campaign comes to an end.
Let us know which outcomes you are expecting on the final day, and whether there are any other subplots you’re particularly keeping an eye on.
The Battle to Beat the Drop
With the title and the Champions League qualifiers already settled, the key issue to tie up in the Premier League is the question of relegation.
With one game to play, Hull are very much in harm’s way.
The Tigers currently sit in 18th place, on 34 points, and while they could still drag Newcastle United down into the bottom three, few give Steve Bruce’s side much chance of beating Manchester United at home.
However, if Hull can defeat Louis van Gaal’s side at the KC Stadium, then the Magpies will need to beat West Ham United at home to survive—a draw would not be enough.
Will John Carver’s ‘troops’ be able to see off the unmotivated Hammers, or will things go from bad to worse at St James’ Park?
The Race for Europa League
With Chelsea having beaten Tottenham Hotspur in the League Cup final, both fifth and sixth will advance to the Europa League.
The team that finishes seventh will join them, unless Aston Villa beat Arsenal in the FA Cup final.
Any of the teams from fifth to eighth (Liverpool, Tottenham, Southampton and Swansea) could still achieve European qualification, and any could still miss out.
None of the quartet are in particularly good form, and all face tricky away contests—the Reds travel to Stoke City, Spurs go to Everton, the Saints make the ominous trip to Manchester City, while the Swans face Alan Pardew’s Crystal Palace, who beat Liverpool 3-1 in their last match.
There is everything still to play for…
The Record-Breakers
Stoke City are already in record-breaking territory this season.
Last weekend, with a draw against Burnley, Stoke City broke their record points score in the Premier League. The Potters have played seven campaigns in the EPL era, but have only now passed the half century mark.
As Hughes looks to cement his place in Stoke’s folklore, he will surely be hoping to take them to 54 points—extending their own record—with a final home game against Liverpool.
Swansea, too, are targeting their record points tally.
The best-ever showing in the EPL era by the Swans was in 2012, under Brendan Rodgers, when they managed 47 points.
Currently on 46, victory away at Palace would take the Welsh side in to record-breaking territory.
Finally, since being relegated on 49 points in 1993, Crystal Palace have twice accrued 45 points in the EPL.
Could Alan Pardew secure a victory of their own to register their best EPL points tally in 22 years?
The Changing Face of Liverpool
One of the Europa League-chasing quartet faces a particularly subplot-riddled final day.
While Steven Gerrard had his own emotional Anfield send off last weekend, he will surely play some part against Stoke, in what would likely be his last-ever outing for his beloved Reds.
However, while Gerrard stole the show last weekend, Raheem Sterling has been the talk of the town this week, with his agent having criticised the club and insisted that his client would not be signing a new deal with Brendan Rodgers’s side.
Sterling and his future will be high on the agenda, surely the coach won’t risk involving such a divisive figure in such an important fixture…will he?
Departing managers
How many of the 20 Premier League managers set to lead their sides out this weekend will still be at the club at the beginning of next season?
For some, such as Sam Allardyce and John Carver, it looks likely that this will be their last-ever fixture in charge of West Ham United and Newcastle United respectively.
Elsewhere, the likes of Sean Dyche and Mark Hughes have been linked to bigger jobs, while it remains to be seen whether Dick Advocaat plans on making his stay at Sunderland long-term.
There are others, such as Manuel Pellegrini and Brendan Rodgers, who may still have some tricky questions to answer about their respective failures this summer.