Premier League and Football League ups and downs
There will be tears of despair. There will also be tears of joy. There will be heartbreak. And there will be buoyant celebrations.
The final weekend of the Coca-Cola Championship and the penultimate weekend of action in the other three leagues will inevitably throw together a concoction of emotions across the 92 league grounds around the country.
Several clubs already know their fate heading into the final weeks of the 2009/10 campaign, but much is still to be decided. Over the course of this weekend, the answers to the questions surrounding who will win promotion and who will suffer relegation in English football’s top four leagues will suddenly become a whole lot clearer.
In the Premier League, Chelsea could have the title effectively wrapped-up with victory over Manchester United’s arch-rivals, Liverpool, at Anfield. The Red Devils are relying on a favour from their old foes on Sunday afternoon, but Carlo Ancelotti’s men know that another three points will put them within touching distance of their first league title since 2006.
United will be watching with bated breath, and then face mid-table Sunderland at 4pm on Sunday. Sir Alex Ferguson’s side are likely to need maximum points to give themselves a fighting chance of stealing the league title on the final day of the season, next week.
Elsewhere, the battle for fourth place is reaching levels of intensity yet to be seen so far during the current campaign. Tottenham, who are best placed to secure that final Champions League spot, face Bolton Wanderers at White Hart Lane on Saturday afternoon. Meanwhile, Roberto Mancini’s Manchester City take on Aston Villa in a fifth v sixth clash at Eastlands.
At the other end of the table, Hull City’s inevitable relegation will be confirmed on Bank Holiday Monday. Iain Dowie’s condemned men must travel the 111-(green) mile to Wigan’s DW Stadium for their moment of truth. They will almost certainly join Portsmouth and Burnley in the Coca-Cola Championship next season.
And it’s the Championship we look to now. English football’s second-tier league will reach its conclusion this weekend, a week earlier than the other three divisions, and it’s the relegation run-in which will attract the most attention.
The fixture generator really has excelled itself this year. Sheffield Wednesday, in 22nd place, will host Crystal Palace, in 21st, in Sunday lunchtime’s winner-take- all end-of-season showdown. Just two points separate the clubs, and cash-strapped Palace just need to avoid defeat to ensure they remain in the league. Relegation to League One could be catastrophic.
With Newcastle United and West Brom already promoted, the only other thing left to be decided is the race for the final play-off spot. A win for Blackpool against Bristol City on Sunday will seal the Tangerines a place in next month’s play-offs at the expense of Swansea City, who face Doncaster Rovers at home. However, if the Swans beat Rovers and Blackpool slip-up, then they will finish the season in sixth place, instead.
Next we have Coca-Cola League One; a division which has had more than its fair share of twists and turns this season.
It’s certainly been a topsy-turvy campaign for Leeds United. The Elland Road outfit had looked odds-on to win promotion before the turn of 2010, but the wheels came off on their bid for the League One title soon after their victory over Manchester United in the FA Cup third round. However, they may still secure promotion back to the Championship with a victory over Charlton Athletic at the Valley this weekend.
For that to happen, Leeds will need Millwall to lose away at struggling Tranmere Rovers - a result which doesn’t seem entirely likely, especially when you consider that the Lions hammered Les Parry’s side 5-0 earlier in the season.
If Tranmere lose this match, they will find themselves in serious trouble going into the final weekend of the campaign. Wycombe Wanderers are almost certainly going to join Southend United and Stockport County in League Two next season, and their fate will be confirmed if they lose against Leyton Orient on Saturday.
Gillingham and Exeter City still aren’t safe yet either and they will face Southampton and Hartlepool United, respectively, this weekend. The 50 point barrier should see them safe, and both the Gills and the Grecians can reach this mark with victories on Saturday.
Last but not least, we take a look at the situation in League Two. Notts County, Rochdale and Bournemouth have all celebrated promotion in recent weeks, but the play-off race remains as tight as ever.
Even fourth placed Rotherham United are not guaranteed a place in next month’s play-offs - it’s been that tight. In fact, there are eight teams in contention for the four play-off places, leaving no room for error going into the penultimate weekend of fixtures.
Along with Rotherham, Aldershot can seal their place in the play-offs with a win over Lincoln City on Saturday. Bury and Port Vale are the remaining teams currently inside the top seven, and will be looking for victories to keep their advantage going into the final weekend of the season.
At the bottom of the table, things appear awfully grim for Grimsby Town. The Mariners will lose their Football League status on Saturday afternoon if they are beaten by 22nd place Barnet at home. This match will be more than a six-pointer; this is a must-win match for both sides, who are in severe danger of dropping down to the Blue Square Premier.
Cheltenham Town could also find themselves dragged into the relegation mire with just one match to play if results go against them this weekend. They face the daunting prospect of travelling to promoted Notts County, and know that defeat could put them in a potentially perilous predicament.
So, that’s your lot. Both the Premier League and the Football League have been gripping this season; but as we enter May, the end is near for another three months. How will your team fare this weekend?
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