This weekend is the penultimate weekend of the Premier League season and there is a huge amount at stake for teams involved at both ends of the table. All teams, bar Liverpool and Arsenal who were involved in midweek European action, have had a week to prepare for what could be the season-defining weekend of the season for most teams.

Let’s look at the key issues at the top and bottom of the table.

The Race for the Champions League (top four)

  • Teams Involved – Liverpool, Tottenham, Chelsea

Current Standings

Pos Team Ply For Against GD Pts
3 Liverpool 36 80 37 43 72
4 Tottenham 35 68 31 37 71
5 Chelsea 35 60 34 26 66

Key Matches this weekend

(odds courtesy of Coral Sport)

Saturday (3pm)

  • West Bromwich Albion (7/1) v Tottenham Hotspur (2/5) (15/4 the draw)

Tottenham are first in action in the race for the top four on Saturday as they travel to the Hawthorns to take on relegation threatened West Brom. The Baggies though have had something of an improvement in form, earning two wins and two draws in their last four games, (We’ll examine the relegation battle in more detail below). Spurs have won just one of their last four games, but that was last week’s 2-0 win over Watford.

I think there’s still a few twists and turns in this race for fourth just yet and Spurs do have a habit of falling away dramatically at the end of the season and I am backing West Brom to grab a point here. Tip – Back the draw at 15/4 with Coral.

Sunday (4.30pm)

  • Chelsea (6/5) v Liverpool (21/10) (12/5 the draw)

The big match in the race for fourth takes place at Stamford Bridge on Sunday with Chelsea hosting Liverpool in a crucial battle. Chelsea could come into this game either five points behind fourth, or six points behind fourth, with a game in hand but they know if Liverpool win or secure a draw here, then that may well be enough to end their Champions League hopes (if Spurs have won the day before). The Reds have the added distraction of a Champions League semi-final to play in the run up and they have a poor record at Stamford Bridge anyway.

I think Chelsea will be really up for this one here and as such, I’m backing them to win the game, but even so, their goal difference is so inferior to Liverpool’s that it would take a massive meltdown from Jurgen Klopp’s team for Chelsea to overhaul them. Tip – Chelsea to win 6/5 with Coral.

The Relegation Battle (bottom three relegated)

  • Teams Involved – West Brom, Stoke City, Southampton, Swansea City, Huddersfield, West Ham

Current Standings

Pos Team Ply For Against GD Pts
15 West Ham United 35 43 67 -24 35
16 Huddersfield Town 35 27 56 -29 35
17 Swansea City 35 27 52 -25 33
18 Southampton 35 35 54 -19 32
19 Stoke City 36 32 65 -33 30
20 West Brom 36 30 54 -24 28

Key Matches this weekend

(odds courtesy of Coral Sport)

Saturday (3pm unless stated)

  • Stoke City (13/8) v Crystal Palace (17/10) (23/10 the draw) – 12.30pm Kick Off

Quite simply this is a game Stoke must win but unfortunately, they have been drawing games of late rather than winning which leaves them now needing to get three points here. Palace are just about safe and come into the game in great form having thrashed Leicester 5-0 last weekend. Stoke are unbeaten in three (all draws), Palace four (three wins and a draw) and I think a draw at 23/10 is the likeliest outcome here.

  • Bournemouth (11/10) v Swansea City (12/5) (12/5 the draw)

Southampton’s win last week against Bournemouth has heaped the pressure on Swansea to get a result on the south coast, but the Swans have hit a poor run of form at the worst time, with no wins in their last five. Bournemouth too are also winless over that period and have lost their last three but I’m backing them to end that run here by claiming a draw which is a 12/5 option with Coral.

  • Leicester City (5/4) v West Ham (21/10) (23/10 the draw)

Leicester need to bounce back after a very poor showing at Crystal Palace last time out and West Ham have their own issues after a 4-1 thumping by Manchester City last weekend. Both sides feel they need a win but West Ham’s situation is more desperate of the two teams and I think they will earn something from this game, I just can’t see it being anything more than a point which is the 23/10 on the draw.

  • West Bromwich Albion (7/1) v Tottenham Hotspur (2/5) (15/4 the draw)

We’ve already taken a quick glance at this game and the task facing West Brom. Quite simply a win is a must here against a Spurs side who are not in the best form of the season. After winning at Old Trafford and holding Liverpool, West Brom are on a roll at the moment but Spurs are chasing a top four spot and this is going to be a crucial game for them too. As I said above, I fancy this one to be a draw which is the 7/4 shot with Coral.

  • Everton (19/10) v Southampton (6/4) (21/10 the draw) – 5.30pm Kick Off

Everton may be safe, but Southampton are definitely not but only their second win in 22 Premier League games last weekend gives them hope. A win at Goodison would potentially lift them out of the drop zone, but this is a big ask against an Everton side whose home form, especially against teams outside the top six, is generally very good. That said, the Saints are battling and I am backing them to earn a surprise win here which is a 6/4 shot with Coral.

Sunday (1.30pm Kick Off)

  • Manchester City (1/14) v Huddersfield Town (40/1) (11/1 the draw)

As the odds suggest, there doesn’t seem to be much hope of a Huddersfield Town miracle at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, with City coming into this game already confirmed as Champions and having won their last two matches by a 4-1 and 5-0 scoreline, both also against teams embroiled in the relegation battle. City are going to win but the odds are so short that I wouldn’t even bet on the match result market but instead I would bet on the Anytime Goalscorer market with Kevin De Bruyne overdue a goal at 2/1.