Liverpool poised for English Premier League coronation on Sunday

[LONDON] Two things must happen this weekend if Liverpool are to finally seal a record-equalling 20th English league championship.

The runaway Premier League leaders must first hope that second-placed Arsenal suffer a Champions League hangover by losing to Ipswich Town on Sunday (9 pm kickoff, Singapore time). If that shock result happens, then Liverpool will be crowned champions by beating Leicester City at the King Power Stadium in Sunday’s (Apr 20) late game.

A victory for the Gunners (Arsenal’s nickname) at Portman Road could also see 18th-placed Ipswich relegated, should both West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers win their respective matches. Second-from-bottom Leicester could also be relegated if they are beaten by Liverpool.

Unlike the battles for the league title and to avoid the drop to the second division, the race for a place in next season’s Champions League is set to go down to the wire.

Just five points separate Newcastle United in third from seventh-placed Aston Villa ahead of their big clash at Villa Park on Sunday.

Here are some of the major talking points ahead of this weekend’s action:

Liverpool’s Super Sunday?

Thirteen points clear at the top of the table with only six games left to play, it is only a question of when – not if – Liverpool will move level with their heated rivals Manchester United on a record 20 English top-division titles.

Just two more wins will finish the job for Arne Slot’s men and they could not ask for more obliging fixtures as a trip to beleaguered Leicester will be followed by struggling Tottenham Hotspur’s visit to Anfield.

However, the title race may not even go beyond Easter Sunday should Ipswich inflict Arsenal’s first league defeat since February.

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The focus of attention for Mikel Arteta’s players has been switched to Champions League glory after an emphatic 5-1 aggregate win over the mighty Real Madrid in the quarter-finals earlier this week.

Dreaded drop

Rock-bottom Southampton’s unwanted return to the second-tier English Championship was confirmed in record time with seven games remaining. The Saints have only earned 10 points all season, and they have six more fixtures to try and beat the previous record low of 11 points, held by Derby County.

Leicester and Ipswich have not fared much better all season, sparking some concerns over the growing chasm between the Premier League and the second tier.

For the second consecutive season, all three clubs that were promoted in the previous year are on track to be relegated.

Leicester, who shocked the world to win the Premier League less than a decade ago, have endured a miserable campaign, especially since Ruud van Nistelrooy was installed as manager last November.

The Foxes (Leicester’s nickname) have taken just four points from their last 17 matches to fall 17 points adrift of safety.

Ipswich have earned some admirers for their style of play and approach but they have also won only four league games all season to sit just three points better off than Leicester.

Villa crave Champions League return

Both Aston Villa and Newcastle are hungry for more after having a taste of the Champions League for the first time in decades over the past two seasons.

Villa’s first foray into European football’s elite level for the first time since 1983 finally came to an end in a thrilling 5-4 aggregate defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter-finals on Tuesday.

Villa manager Unai Emery, who also led the club to the Europa Conference League semi-finals last season, is determined to take the 1982 European champions even further in the coming years.

Four consecutive Premier League wins have propelled Villa back into contention for a top-five finish that will be enough to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

Villa face a daunting run-in with their next four matches against competitors for the European places – Newcastle, Manchester City, Bournemouth and Fulham.

Newcastle are flying high as five consecutive league wins have taken the Magpies into third position. They also won the Carabao Cup by beating Liverpool in March to lift their first trophy since 1969.

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe is set to miss a third match due to pneumonia. His team has showed little sign of missing their manager as they have scored nine goals in dominant wins over Manchester United and Crystal Palace in the past week.

Fresh from ousting Lyon in the Europa League quarter-finals on Thursday, Manchester United – still stuck in 14th place – will be hoping to pick up some much-needed league points as they host Wolves at Old Trafford on Sunday. AFP