After nine long months and three hundred and seventy games the destination of the Barclays Premier League title will be decided on the final day of the season. Chelsea hold a single point advantage over defending champions Manchester United, and with only a home game against fifteenth placed Wigan they must already be putting the champagne on ice at Stamford Bridge. Meanwhile, at Old Trafford, United will have their hands full against tenth placed Stoke City who, on Wednesday, boosted their already impressive road record with a victory against Europa League finalists Fulham. As durable as they have been all season, I still expect the Potters to succumb to Sir Alex Ferguson's side who will be excused for playing with half their focus on the happenings in London.
So can Wigan cause the biggest upset of the season? It all depends on which Wigan turns up on the day. Will it be the Wigan side that stunned Aston Villa 0-2 at Villa Park on the opening day of the season? Will it be the Wigan that came from two goals behind to score three in the last eleven minutes against Arsenal only three weeks ago? More significantly, will it be the Wigan that beat Chelsea 3-1 back in September? Or will we see the Wigan that lost 0-5 home and away to Manchester United and were humiliated 1-9 away to Tottenham in November. Realistically, whichever Wigan shows up, Carlo Ancelotti's Chelsea should be strong enough to take all three points and win their first league title since 2006.
Arsenal, who still need a point to sew up third place will find that visitors Fulham will be looking to have little more than a gentle run out as they focus their attention on the club's first ever European final against Athletico Madrid on Wednesday. It goes without saying that Roy Hodgson will rest many of his star players and Arsenal will be happy to take advantage of their generous guests and guarantee a third place finish, and just as important for Gunners fans, ensure that they finish one place above bitter neighbors Tottenham.
Hats off to Spurs and Harry Redknapp, who on Wednesday traveled to fourth place rivals Manchester City and, rather then parking the bus in front of their goal and playing for a point, sent out a side with two wingers and two strikers and came home with all three points. (Take note Rafa Benitez!) Harry's side are back in the north west, away to relegated Burnley, whose home record has not been too shabby having lost only seven times at Turf Moor all season. But with European Champions League football already assured for the first time in the team's long history, Spurs can be expected to be in party mood and should celebrate with one more for the road!
After that devastating home defeat to Spurs, Manchester City will have to pull themselves together for their trip to West Ham, where a single point will be enough to make sure of a fifth place finish. The Hammers, with wins in each of their last two home games, might just have enough about them to share the spoils with the tired and dejected Mancunians. Martin O'Neill's Aston Villa fought long and hard for that lucrative fourth placed finish but will have to make do with sixth and three points from their home fixture with Sam Allardyce's overachieving Blackburn Rovers.
Following his much publicized guarantee of a fourth place finish Rafa Benitez will have to settle for seventh place, and judging by the complete lack of spirit exhibited by Liverpool in their 0-2 home defeat to Chelsea last Sunday, his players cannot wait for this season to be over. On paper, it doesn't get much easier than a trip to relegated Hull, but Iain Dowie at least has his side playing with a degree of pride and no one would be too surprised if Hull can pick up at least a point against the once mighty Reds.
While the red half of Merseyside cannot wait for this campaign to end, things could not be more different over at Goodison Park where David Moyes has his Everton team still chomping at the bit In eighth place and only four points behind their neighbors. The Toffees should pick up another three points at home to Cup finalists Portsmouth.
Our final two games of the 2009 - 2010 season feature four teams who in many respects have all exceeded expectations this season, simply by avoiding relegation. Bolton Wanderers are at home to Birmingham while Wolverhampton Wanderers entertain Sunderland. With nothing on the line for any of these clubs I wouldn't be surprised to see them share the spoils.
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