TheFifthFuller wrote a killer post earlier in the week outlining the exciting conclusion to the Premier League season, which culminates this Sunday with 10 (yes, 10!) simultaneous matches. Following the Wednesday matches, here is an update on where everything stands, in terms of the title chase, Europa League qualification and relegation:
Premier League Title:
If Manchester City beat West Ham on Sunday, they will win the title
- If Manchester City draw against West Ham on Sunday, they are all but assured of winning the title because of far superior goal difference over Liverpool
- If Liverpool beat Newcastle and Manchester City lose against West Ham on Sunday, Liverpool will win the Premier League title
- Chelsea have been officially eliminated from title contention
Champions League:
- Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea have all clinched Champions League berths for next season.
Europa League:
- Tottenham will qualify for Europa League unless Manchester United win and Tottenham lose on Sunday.
Relegation:
- Sunderland have clinched safety with win against West Brom
- Norwich City are all but assured of being relegated due to far inferior goal difference
Got it?
The domestic broadcaster for the EPL here in the States is NBC Universal, who owns half of cable and occasionally commandeers certain channels for premier sporting events (though one could argue they failed miserably during the Olympicsbut I digress). So for those of you hoping to catch a re-run of Top Chef Season 4 on Bravo or Piranhaconda on SciFi Syfy this Sunday morning, I hate to break it to you but youre SOL. NBCSports will be broadcasting each of the 10 matches across 10 of their channels, enabling fans across the country to tune in and watch the conclusion of this thrilling 2013-14 season. Whether youre interested in the EPL title chase between ManCity and Liverpool, or if Norwich City can stave off relegation by overcoming their 17-goal differential and shock the world (this will almost assuredly not happen, but it would be awesome if it didbut it wont because the Canaries are horrendous, offensively).
Viewing Schedule
Here is the viewing schedule across the NBC Universal platform:
10:00 a.m. ET: Manchester City vs. West Ham United NBC
10:00 a.m. ET: Liverpool vs. Newcastle NBCSN
10:00 a.m. ET: Tottenham vs. Aston Villa USA
10:00 a.m. ET: Southampton vs. Manchester United SYFY
10:00 a.m. ET: Cardiff City vs. Chelsea CNBC
10:00 a.m. ET: Norwich City vs. Arsenal MSNBC (Democrats know where this channel is; Republicans will avoid this game altogether)
10:00 a.m. ET: Hull City vs. Everton Bravo (Tim Gunn says, Make it work)
10:00 a.m. ET: Fulham vs. Crystal Palace E! (ask your wife/girlfriend where this channel is)
10:00 a.m. ET: Sunderland vs. Swansea Esquire (Knife Fight!)
10:00 a.m. ET: West Brom vs. Stoke City Oxygen (ask your wife/girlfriend where this channel is)
TheFifthFuller (@TheFifthFuller) and I (@PhillyHokie007) will be taking over all of the viewing devices in our households and reacting live to multiple matches on twitter throughout the morning. We will be focusing specifically on the top 3 matches within the schedule above ManCity-WestHam, Liverpool-Newcastle and Spurs-Villa with TheFifthFuller reacting violently to the happenings at Villa. Feel free to join in the discussion online, and if youre temporarily free from Mothers Day celebrations with the family, tune in. History has shown that the last Sunday in the season can be extremely compelling, and if anything it should do a great job of getting everyone excited for the upcoming World Cup.
Comments
Won't be watching, all that matters is that Sunderland is safe...that is all
come on you REDS!!! how funny would it be if Big Sam parked the bus and in the 80th minute downing crosses to carrol for the goal to give liverpool the title. One can dream right?
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/soccer-dirty-tackle/andy-carroll-s-vivid-d...
I'll just leave this here.
One third of Carroll's EPL goals for Liverpool came against City. I mean, it's not that impressive a stat when you look at his goal haul, but c'mon man, do something right for the Reds. I just had my first daughter on Monday and it doesn't seem prudent to skip out on my first Mother's Day as a father to go to my soccer bar with my mom in town as well, but I'll have the City and Liverpool games on for sure. My Sofia won't be big enough for her Liverpool onesie just yet, but I'll find some red for her and her mom & I will be sporting our jerseys. I know better than to count on Downing & Carroll, but I want one more win in front of the Kop so my boys at least finish above Abromovich's money.
I'm interested to see what team Wenger fields with the upcoming FA Cup Final. Might get to see Diaby? I want to believe!
Also looking for a Zelalem appearance.
Edit: Meant what he fields this weekend while accounting for the impending FA Cup Final. No injuries to key players now.
I find it fascinating that all these matches are played simultaneously, instead of staggered across the evening in at least two timeslots
Don't want results of early games affecting other matches. Competition, not TV/entertainment, still drives the scheduling in EPL.
Yeah its just mindblowing when compared to the ESPN/TV $$$ model in the US.
Premier League doesn't have a playoff either right?
No its all table and point system based so the goal is to win to get more points so no playoffs.
best comparison i can come up with in the US is the 9 team ACC's regular season schedule (ignore the post season tournament). everyone plays home and home, whoever is in first at the end is the champ.
also, ties aren't perfect, and sometimes can be frustrating, but if 2 teams play to a tie in a regular season game, that's the result. changing the rules in order to get a result would skew the point of the overall standings. NHL Playoff OT hockey is the only OT in US sports i'm 100% ok with. no rule changes, just more hockey in the same 20 minute periods. it's not realistic for a long regular season, but that might be why i argue OT in the regular season isn't necessary...
i'm going of topic, i'll stop...for now
I know I'll have Liverpool-Newcastle on the TV and City-WHU on the computer, with the occasional glance at the Sunderland-Swansea match. It's crazy to think they have a chance to go from 20th to 12th with a win.
YNWA!
This is freaking beautiful. Wish more teams would do stuff like this.
"He's been practicing this...with Olivier Giroud, clearly"
love it!
Comon city one more game!!!!!!
As a Man U fan I had thought we were out of the race for a european spot so now I actually have something to hope for on the last day I always enjoy the last day but its so bittersweet but least this year we have the world cup!!
Just a quick bump and reminder that today is the Barclay's Premier League Championship Sunday. Feel free to join in the conversation here or via twitter with TheFifthFuller and I. (Go Reds!)
Cittttyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!! 1-0 halftime with an incredible nasri shot from outside the box. Also really close to being 2-0 with an incredible Silva effort that ricocheted off the post
Meanwhile in the meyerside Liverpool have squandered a few good chances and after Suarez's disallowed goal, Liverpools martin skrtle scored an own goal putting Newcastle up 1-0
Newcastle down to ten men and Liverpool up 2-1. Unfortunately, doesn't look like West Ham will score 3 goals, let alone one.
congrats to all of the teams in the EPL this season, it was an incredibly nerve wracking season from start to finish! Its been a real pleasure to watch and follow and I don't think the intensity is going anywhere anytime soon
That Ramsey goal... I love that guy.