3 things to watch this weekend: Leicester coronation at Manchester United?
A winner could be determined on Sunday, despite there being two more weekends remaining thereafter.
Leicester City needs just three points from its remaining three outings, and Manchester United is its first potential stumbling block between it and an incredible title triumph. It's a match that has ramifications in both the battle for the Premier League's summit, and the quest for Champions League qualification.
Elsewhere, Crystal Palace boss Alan Pardew looks to scupper Newcastle United's attempts at retaining its Premier League status, and Sunderland looks for precious points at an out-of-sorts Stoke City.
Here are three things to watch in the Premier League this weekend:
Ranieri to dispel bad Old Trafford memories?
Claudio Ranieri's last competitive visit to Old Trafford came in his penultimate match at the Chelsea helm in May 2004, just three days after the Blues were eliminated from the Champions League semi-final stage by AS Monaco. Jesper Gronkjaer's opener was later cancelled out by Ruud van Nistelrooy in a 1-1 draw, but the affable Italian was already a dead man walking under trigger-happy owner Roman Abramovich.
Related - Marquee Matchup: Leicester seeks to wrap up title at Old Trafford
While Ranieri looks to exorcise those demons on Sunday - a win for Leicester will secure the Premier League crown, regardless of what Tottenham Hotspur can muster at Chelsea on Monday - defeat for Louis van Gaal could be damaging.
# | Team | Played | Goal difference | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|
3 | Manchester City | 35 | 32 | 64 |
4 | Arsenal | 35 | 24 | 64 |
5 | Manchester United | 34 | 12 | 59 |
6 | West Ham United | 34 | 14 | 56 |
7 | Liverpool | 34 | 13 | 55 |
8 | Southampton | 35 | 12 | 54 |
It would inch a place in next season's Champions League further from its grasp, and also leave United looking nervously over its shoulder at the chasing pack. West Ham United, Liverpool, and Southampton would all happily assume its position and clinch a Europa League berth. No European football for Van Gaal's seemingly likely successor Jose Mourinho could be catastrophic to United's summer transfer plans.
Pardew could twist knife in Newcastle's survival bid
"Of course I want them to stay up," Pardew said on Thursday. "I'm desperate they stay up."
Who are you fooling, Pards?
The Crystal Palace manager endured some torrid treatment from Newcastle United fans during his four-year tenure on Tyneside, and with safety not yet mathematically secured for the Eagles and his old club languishing in the relegation zone, a win could be so sweet for the Wimbledon native.
# | Team | Played | Goal difference | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|
16 | Crystal Palace | 35 | -9 | 39 |
17 | Sunderland | 34 | -18 | 31 |
18 | Norwich City | 34 | -25 | 31 |
19 | Newcastle United | 35 | -26 | 30 |
20 | Aston Villa (relegated) | 35 | -44 | 16 |
To ensure Crystal Palace can deploy some bully-boy tactics on the Magpies, this week Pardew enlisted the help of Eddie Jones, who steered England rugby union's side to a Six Nations Grand Slam in March.
Expect a proper scrum at St James' Park on Saturday.
Suddenly, a trip to Stoke doesn't look so bad
Since Stoke City surpassed the 40-point safety net on March 2, it's collected three points on just one occasion as its players appear to be on holiday. They especially kicked back, dipping a straw in a coconut, in their last three matches.
Sunderland's ready to pounce. A morale-boosting 0-0 home draw to Arsenal last week, in which it could've taken all the spoils, has Sam Allardyce's side reaching improved form at the business end of the season.
It won't be pretty on Saturday. Long balls will be lofted to Jermain Defoe, Lee Cattermole will be scything down opponents in the middle, and Younes Kaboul will probably be in defence. It'll be a full-out Allardyce aerial assault.
The loss of Jan Kirchhoff to injury is huge, but barring a sensational turnaround by Newcastle, Sunderland could be battling it out with Norwich City for Premier League safety on the final day.
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