ASTON VILLA, Watford and Bournemouth are preparing to go into the final day of the 2019-20 Premier League season knowing it is still all to play for.
With Norwich already relegated, only ONE of those teams will be able to maintain their top-flight status next season.
The Premier League race to avoid relegation is looking tasty
Aston Villa gave their survival hopes an almighty boost by beating Arsenal on Tuesday night.
West Ham could technically still go down – but that would take a collapse and escape beyond the realms of all probability.
So what exactly does each team need to happen on the final day in order to beat the drop?
We take a look…
BOURNEMOUTH – Everton (A)
Bournemouth need a miracle to avoid relegation
THE Cherries’ equation is actually fairly simple: Beat Everton at Goodison Park and hope Watford and Aston Villa lose.
Bournemouth currently sit three points behind their relegation rivals, down in 19th place.
But their goal difference of -27 is level with Watford and just one worse than Villa (-26).
So Watford and Villa losing and Bournemouth winning would see Eddie Howe’s men leapfrog both teams and survive.
With just 34 points, in this scenario, avoiding relegation is an incredible piece of good fortune.
If either Watford or Villa win or draw, it’s curtains for the Cherries.
WATFORD – Arsenal (A)
Watford’s fate is no longer in their own hands
SITTING in 18th place, things are a little more complicated for Watford.
The Hornets slipped into the drop zone on Tuesday night thanks to Arsenal – who had just beaten Man City and Liverpool – losing to Villa.
Watford sit level on points with Villa though, behind them only on goal difference, with just ONE goal separating them.
However, they have scored considerably fewer goals – 34 to Villa’s 40.
So if the Villans win, Watford will have to outscore them by two in their final-day trip to Arsenal.
For instance, if Villa beat West Ham 1-0 in the final game of their season, Watford would need to beat Arsenal 3-0.
A 2-0 win for the Hornets in this scenario would see them relegated on goals scored.
If Villa fail to win and Watford emerge victorious, they will be safe.
If Villa lose, a draw for Watford will be enough to survive.
If Bournemouth, one place below the Hornets, win then Watford will need at least a point to survive, thanks to the Cherries’ then-superior goal difference.
Anything less than a victory from Bournemouth and Watford need only focus on Villa.
ASTON VILLA – West Ham (A)
Aston Villa jumped out of the bottom three by beating Arsenal
THANKS to their crucial win over Arsenal, Aston Villa now have the easiest of the three routes to survival.
With a better goal difference and more goals scored than both Watford and Bournemouth, Villa must simply outperform the Hornets.
Should Bournemouth and Watford lose, Villa can also lose – by the same margin or less – and still survive.
If Bournemouth win, Villa must at least draw – as a defeat would see the Cherries’ goal difference be greater than their own with the two level on points.
Should Watford draw, Villa must also pick up at least a point.
If Watford win, Villa must win, too.
Fortunately for Aston Vila, they have the easiest final-day game of the three with a trip to West Ham.
WEST HAM – Man Utd (A), Aston Villa (H)
It would take a miracle for West Ham to be relegated
THE Hammers are surely safe, sitting three points above Villa and Watford and six above Bournemouth.
But with two games to play for them, it is still mathematically possible to go down, however improbable.
Should West Ham lose away to Man Utd and at home to fellow strugglers Villa, they will sit level on points with their final-day opponents – and Watford, should they beat Arsenal.
Fortunately for David Moyes’ men, their goal difference of -13 is vastly superior to Villa (-26) and Watford (-27) – as well as having more goals in the bank too, with 47.
It would take two monster defeats to be relegated from here.
Hypothetically, should West Ham lose 3-0 at Old Trafford, it would take a 6-0 defeat at home to Villa to go down.
A single point will be enough to secure their Premier League status.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
