Premier League

The visit of Manchester United to the Falmer Stadium would be been one Seagulls’ fans were looking forward to all season long – and the stakes are now even higher given that Chris Hughton’s men can secure their Premier League status for another season with a victory. After drawing at Burnley last weekend while Southampton beat Bournemouth, Albion are still not completely safe from the drop, and they can scarcely even afford to settle for a point here with trips to Manchester City and Liverpool to come before the end of the season. Jose Mourinho’s United, on the other hand, are looking good for second place after last weekend’s dramatic late win over Arsenal, but they head into this one with doubts over the fitness of Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku after he picked up a foot injury against the Gunners.

Asked if Crystal Palace are safe from relegation following his side’s 5-0 thrashing of Leicester City last weekend, Eagles’ manager Roy Hodgson said: “I think so. No-one wants to tempt fate, but it would take a lot for a team with 38 points and such a good goal difference as we have to go down.”
The result moved Hodgson’s side six clear of the drop zone with two games to play. Things don’t look so good for Stoke, who could be relegated if they lose this one. Paul Lambert’s men need two wins if they are to pull off the great escape – though it could be a good time for them to be playing almost safe Palace.

This couldn’t be a bigger game for Swansea. Carlos Carvalhal’s side are without a win in their last six league matches, and that’s left them just a point away from the relegation trapdoor. That said, confidence appears to be high in the Swans’ camp, with striker Andre Ayew insisting that he is “100 per cent” confident that the Welsh side will avoid returning to the Championship next season.
Swansea still have to play the two teams directly below them in Southampton and Stoke at home, but first they travel to Bournemouth, where they could desperately do with taking all three points.
Eddie Howe’s men are hard to beat at home, however, and even though they’ve been struggling for wins recently you’d take them for the draw here.

With three games to play, West Ham know if they can pick up any win they should be safe from the drop. 
The problem is, David Moyes’ men just can’t stop leaking goals, as evidenced when they were thumped 4-1 at home to Manchester City last weekend.
Still, it could be a good time for them to be travelling to face a Leicester City side who have collected just one point from their last four matches and were thumped 5-0 at Crystal Palace last Saturday.
“We have to go to Leicester with maximum confidence and strength to get the three points,” said Hammers’ keeper Adrian. “We know they lost 5-0 on Saturday, but their last result doesn’t matter. We also lost, so we have to prepare as well as possible.”
The Foxes have little to play for apart from pride after their last outing.

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte reckons his side can still finish in the top four. Chelsea are five points behind Tottenham in the table and a victory at home to Liverpool in Sunday’s match of the day is essential if they are to leapfrog their London rivals. The Italian blames his side’s late dash for a Champions League spot on his misfiring strikers, and is looking for them to find their shooting boots - and sharpish. “This season I think we have dropped many points,” said Conte. “Football is very simple. If we want to win, we have to score and this season our first problem was we are not so clinical. 
“The situation is not in our hands about a place in the Champions League, but if we want to keep the hope alive to take a place there we have to try to get three points in every game.”
Scoring goals has not been a problem for Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool this season. Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane became the most prolific front three in Champions League history on Wednesday night when Mane scored in the ninth minute of the 4-2 defeat to Roma in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final. The three players have a combined 29 goals in the Champions League this season, surpassing the 28 goals scored by Real Madrid trio of Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema in 2013-14. And despite a nervy finish in Rome, Liverpool head into Sunday match at the Bridge on a high after progressing to the final against Real Madrid with a 7-6 aggregate victory. You feel that if any of the Reds’ fearsome attacking trident were to get injured before the showpiece final in Kiev, it would seriously hamper their chances of lifting the trophy. Could that mean Klopp will now prioritise the Champions League over a possible second-place Premier League finish? Time will tell.

Watford are still not mathematically safe from the drop, but they can put relegation fears to bed with a victory over Newcastle.
Javi Gracia’s side have slipped down the table in recent weeks after a run of seven games without a win, and they are now 13th, only six points above Southampton in 18th, who have three games left to play. Still, the Hornets only need two points to guarantee their top-flight status, and they face a Magpies’ side who have lost two games in a row, including a 1-0 defeat to basement boys West Brom.
The feeling among the Toon Army is that their season has ground to a halt now they are safe, with their biggest concern being that there’s still no news of an 
extended contract for Rafa Benitez, who has done a very decent job.

Tottenham downed Watford on Monday night to halt a two-game winless run which threatened to derail their top-four ambitions – but hosts West Brom should not be taken lightly, despite propping up the Premier League table.
The Baggies have not lost since Darren Moore was handed the reins in a caretaker capacity, but they must take all three points against Spurs to keep their slim hopes of survival alive.
Three points will take Spurs above Liverpool into third place – and they, too, can’t afford to let the opportunity slip.

Third bottom Southampton believe they can beat the drop and last weekend’s 2-1 win over Bournemouth has given them a shot in the arm. It was only 18th-placed Saints’ second victory in 22 league matches. But according to the relegation-threatened club’s goalkeeper Alex McCarthy, that has been enough to lift spirits in the dressing room and make them believe they can stay up. “There’s a lot of positives to take from that,” said McCarthy after Saints ended an eight-match winless run and climbed to within a point of safety with three games left to play. “The dressing room is buzzing and hopefully that provides a good bit of momentum.”
Saints will have their work cut out to take three points.
 With just one defeat in their last seven matches, Everton are a good run and will be a tough nut to crack at home.

Huddersfield still have plenty of work to do if they are to maintain their Premier League status for a second season. David Wanger’s men sit three points outside of the relegation zone, and they could do without this trip to the Etihad to face free-scoring Manchester City. Though it’s a big ask, goalkeeper Jonas Lossl believes Town can take inspiration from October’s 2-1 victory over Manchester United.
“We need to believe,” he said. “We have shown we can beat the big teams, such as winning against Man United.”
At the conclusion of Sunday’s game, Pep Guardiola’s men will lift the Premier League trophy in front of the 54,000-plus crowd expected at the 
Etihad.

Arsene Wenger will be given an emotional send off by the Arsenal crowd in what is his last home match as the Gunners’ boss – and after 22 years at the helm, in which he won ten major trophies, the Frenchman deserves to enjoy his day. Burnley, though, will arrive at the Emirates on Sunday with a plan to rain on Wenger’s parade.
The visitors are just three points behind their rivals in the table – albeit having played one more match – and are fighting with the Gunners for a top-six finish. “We’re a good little story this season and we could end it with a win against Arsenal at their place,’’ said Burnley boss Sean Dyche. “It’s easier said than done though...it’s Arsene’s last home game and I’m sure he’ll try to make that not happen.”