Premier League final day permutations May 24

The Premier League published its official final-day permutations on Friday, setting out how Champions League qualification, Europa League places, the Conference League berth and the last relegation spot will be decided on May 24. Arsenal have already won the title, but six of the 10 matches still carry what the league called “significant stakes.” Aston Villa’s Europa League win on Wednesday added the main complication to the European race, because it changed how an extra Champions League place could be allocated. Sporting News said all 10 matches still have something at stake, while NBC Sports described the table as “absolutely thrilling” heading into the finish. ### How can sixth place end up in the Champions League? Aston Villa are fourth on 62 points and have already secured Champions League football by guaranteeing a top-five finish and by winning the Europa League, according to the Premier League. The league said the Premier League also earned a fifth Champions League place through UEFA’s European Performance Spot system this season. (premierleague.com) The Premier League said the extra wrinkle comes if Villa drop from fourth to fifth on the final day. For that to happen, Villa must lose at Manchester City and fifth-placed Liverpool must beat Brentford. In that scenario, the league said, the extra Champions League berth would pass to the team finishing sixth rather than staying with fifth place. (premierleague.com) ### What do Liverpool, Bournemouth and Brighton need? Liverpool start the day fifth on 59 points and can finish fourth, fifth or sixth. The Premier League said Liverpool would move above Villa into fourth if they beat Brentford and Villa lose at Manchester City, while a point is enough to guarantee Liverpool a Champions League place. Bournemouth begin sixth on 56 points and have already secured European football for the first time in the club’s 127-year history, the Premier League said. (premierleague.com) The league said Bournemouth would be upgraded from Europa League to Champions League qualification if Villa lose, Liverpool win and Bournemouth avoid defeat at Nottingham Forest, or if Brighton fail to beat Manchester United. Brighton are seventh on 53 points and remain part of the same chain of results. The Premier League’s final-day guide lists Bournemouth, Brighton and Liverpool as the clubs who could still occupy sixth place depending on Sunday’s results. ### Which places lead to which European competitions? The Premier League said fifth place will qualify for the Champions League and eighth place will qualify for the Conference League regardless of other results. (premierleague.com) The league added that if Villa finish fourth, then both sixth and seventh qualify for the Europa League. If Villa finish fifth instead, sixth qualifies for the Champions League and seventh for the Europa League. (premierleague.com) Chelsea, Brentford and Sunderland are also still involved in the lower European positions. The Premier League said Brentford can reach the Europa League if they beat Liverpool and both Chelsea and Brighton drop points, and can take the Conference League spot if Brentford and Brighton both win while Chelsea fail to win at Sunderland. ### What is still unresolved at the bottom? (premierleague.com) Tottenham Hotspur are 17th on 38 points and West Ham United are 18th on 36 points, leaving one relegation place unsettled. The Premier League said Spurs stay up if they beat Everton, and that a draw would also “almost certainly” be enough because their goal difference is much better than West Ham’s. West Ham must beat Leeds United and hope Tottenham lose to Everton. (premierleague.com) The Premier League said the Hammers would otherwise be relegated for the first time in 15 years, joining Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Championship. ### Why are people expecting an open final day? Betfair said Premier League final days have averaged 3.36 goals per game across the last decade. (premierleague.com) Sporting News said the 10 fixtures will all be played at 4 p.m. local time on Sunday, May 24, which means the European race and the relegation fight will unfold simultaneously across the league. Sunday’s schedule includes Manchester City against Aston Villa, Liverpool against Brentford, Nottingham Forest against Bournemouth, Manchester United against Brighton, Sunderland against Chelsea, Tottenham against Everton and West Ham against Leeds. The Premier League’s permutations page and match-by-match final-day guide list the scenarios club by club before kickoff on May 24. (premierleague.com) (betting.betfair.com)