MONDAY, JULY 20, 2020 12 All to play for as enters final week of the season

AFP | London

s the Premier League enters the final week of Athe season, there is still plenty to play for at both ends of the table. With two games remaining for all the clubs preparing to settle the campaign’s remaining issues, here is a closer look at the race to qualify for the Champions League and Europa League, as well as the fight to avoid rele- gation: Top four fight Chelsea and Leicester City are in possession of the coveted top four berths alongside champions Liverpool and Manchester City, who are guaranteed to finish second. Anthony Martial of Manchester United celebrates with teammates after scoring But both side’s grip on those spots in next season’s Cham- month. zone, leaving Watford, Bourne- pions League could easily be Winning those tournaments mouth and Aston Villa scrapping broken by in-form Manches- is rewarded with Champions for survival. ter United in a nerve-jangling League qualification. Watford take on Manchester finale. Arsenal’s Gabonese striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (L) leaps for the ball as Manchester City’s French defender If the FA Cup winners finish in City at Vicarage Road on Tues- Third-placed Chelsea are one Benjamin Mendy (R) defends the top six, then seventh place day and shortly afterwards Villa point ahead of both Leicester in the Premier League would host Arsenal. and United, who sit fifth and Chelsea need four points from Wolverhampton Wanderers at have both shown recent signs of qualify for the Europa League. If Watford beat City or take are behind the Foxes on goal their last two games to guar - Stamford Bridge on the last day. vulnerability. Sixth-placed Wolves will qual- a point, then Bournemouth difference. antee qualification and play Leicester and United meet in ify for the Europa League if they or Villa would be relegated if a decisive showdown at the King Europa League race win their final two games against they fail to match the Hornets’ Power Stadium, which means if The teams who finish fifth Crystal Palace and Chelsea. result. either of those teams win those and sixth will qualify for next Tottenham, one point behind On the last day, Villa head to last two games they are guaran- season’s Europa League, un- Wolves, will be guaranteed West Ham, Bournemouth are teed to return to Europe’s elite less either of the sides in those to hold onto seventh place at at Everton and Watford travel club competition. positions win the Champions least if they win their final two to Arsenal. United are the form team af- League or the Europa League games against Leicester and After going six games without ter winning five of their seven -- United and Wolves are con- Palace. a win after the coronavirus hia- league games since the restart, tenders in the latter competi- Sheffield United, who face tus, Villa have given themselves while Chelsea and Leicester tion -- when they restart next Everton and Southampton, are hope with four points from their one point behind Tottenham in last two matches, although con- eighth and need Jose Mourin- ceding a late equaliser at Ever- Leicester and United meet in ho’s men or Wolves to slip up. ton on Thursday was a major blow. a decisive showdown at the Relegation fears King Power Stadium, which Bournemouth’s win against Norwich are already relegat- Leicester on July 12 was their means if either of those teams ed, leaving two places to be filled first in 10 games, but a defeat at KNOW WHAT win those last two games they by unwilling teams over the next City kept them in the mire. are guaranteed to return to week. Watford had won their pre- Europe’s elite club competition West Ham and Brighton are vious games before a 3-1 loss at West Ham on Friday dented Chelsea players celebrate during a match (file photo) effectively safe after moving six points clear of the relegation their survival bid.

Kane double dents Leicester’s Champions League bid Messi scores twice as Barca finish with five-goal rout over Alaves AFP | London put Leicester to the sword. They took the lead in the sixth AFP | Barcelona arry Kane dealt a major minute thanks to a large stroke Hblow to Leicester’s hopes of luck. ionel Messi should claim of qualifying for the Champions Son Heung-min cut back in- La record seventh La Liga League yesterday as the Totten- side for a shot that took a wicked golden boot after scoring twice ham striker scored twice in a 3-0 deflection off Justin as it flashed in a 5-0 win over Alaves yes- win that boosted his side’s bid to into the net, with Leicester’s terday as Barcelona ended reach the Europa League. appeal for offside against Kane their disappointing season on Tottenham took the lead rejected by VAR. a more positive note. through James Justin’s early Leicester initially responded Messi’s double takes his Lionel Messi (left) celebrates scoring own goal before Kane took cen- well and Wes Morgan’s head- league tally to 25 goals for the tre stage with two superb finish- er caused panic in the Totten- season and puts him four clear assessment after the game but es before half-time. ham defence, but ’s of Karim Benzema in the race Setien said on Saturday he still It could be a hammer blow backheeled effort was saved by for the ‘Pichichi Trophy’ ahead believes Barcelona, at their to fourth-placed Leicester’s Hugo Lloris. of Real Madrid’s last game lat- best, can win the Champions Champions League dreams. Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane scores their second goal Lloris was tested again mo- er yesterday against Leganes. League next month. They are ahead of fifth placed ments later as he plunged to his Ansu Fati, Luis Suarez and “Today was very different,” Manchester United only on Leicester in third. ers, two points behind Totten- left to make a one-handed save Nelson Semedo also chipped in said Messi. “We have taken goals scored and Ole Gunnar ’ side have ham, would go back above Jose from Ayoze Perez’s close-range for an emphatic victory against an important step in terms Solskjaer’s side have played a won just two of their eight Mourinho’s side if they beat Pal- half-volley. an Alaves side who looked off of attitude and commitment game less than Leicester. league games since the corona- ace in their penultimate match made an the pace after guaranteeing and things can follow on from United return to league action virus hiatus, potentially squan- on Monday. equally good stop at the other survival earlier in the week. that. We have shown we can against West Ham on Wednes- dering a golden opportunity to Mourinho has insisted he end when the Leicester keeper Barca had their fate con- change.” day before a decisive showdown return to the Champions League isn’t embarrassed at having to tipped over Son’s drive after firmed on Thursday too, when Unless Benzema runs riot against Leicester at the King for the first time since 2016-17. motivate the 2019 Champions he ran onto Harry Winks’ long defeat to Osasuna handed Real against Leganes, Messi will Power Stadium on the last day After a fourth win in their last League finalists for their push pass. Madrid the title and brought finish as La Liga’s top scor- of the season next Sunday. five games, Tottenham climb to to reach the less glamourous Kane had netted 14 times in scrutiny on all areas of the er for a seventh time, pulling Chelsea, who have two games sixth place with one game re- Europa League. his previous 13 games against club, including the future of clear of Telmo Zarra’s six left against Liverpool and maining at Crystal Palace. Mourinho’s players seem to Leicester and he tormented Quique Setien as coach. while playing for Athletic Bil- Wolves, remain one point above Wolverhampton Wander- agree judging by the way they them again in the 37th minute. Messi delivered a stinging bao in the forties and fifties.