Arsenal may have wrapped up the title race thanks to Manchester City’s midweek draw with Bournemouth, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t plenty to play for on the final day in the league. From the Champions League in flux, strange technicalities around Aston Villa’s league placement, and of course, the elephant in the room of relegation looms between Tottenham and West Ham United, playing to keep their places in the top flight for one more season.
Here’s what to know:
Relegation in full force
Only six founding clubs have never been relegated from the Premier League since its creation, and Tottenham are one of them, but they’ll need at least a point facing Everton at home to guarantee safety regardless of what West Ham do. Seems simple enough, but nothing has come easily to them this season. On their third manager and not getting their first Premier League win of 2026 until April, it’s a miracle that they have a chance to stay up at all, but that’s how things at the bottom of the league have been this season.
West Ham last played in the Championship during the 2011-12 season, but after just winning the Europa Conference League in 2023, the prospect of relegation is a significant disappointment. The Hammers don’t control their destiny on the final day as they face Leeds United. They have to win their match to have a shot, but with a -22 goal difference compared to -10, the only realistic way that they can stay up is with a victory and a corresponding Tottenham loss.
How can the Champions League shake out?
England will be rooting for Aston Villa to finish in fifth place so they can get as many teams into the Champions League as possible. That’s because after winning the Europa League, if Villa finish in fourth place, earning a UCL place via the league as well as the Europa League, that extra qualifying place would then go to the Champions League club in the qualifying rounds with the highest UEFA Club coefficient, which is Sporting CP. If Villa finish in fifth, however, since the Premier League earned an extra European Performance Spot guaranteeing fifth place a UCL place as well, then the Champions League spot would go to the sixth-place team in the league, which is currently Bournemouth.
Brighton does have a better goal difference than Bournemouth, so if they defeat Manchester United while Bournemouth loses to Nottingham Forest, Brighton can finish in sixth and potentially become the team waiting to find out their fate.
Villa are currently fourth in the table, and as a result, Liverpool need to beat Brentford and Aston Villa need to lose to City for sixth place to get into the UCL. With a Liverpool loss and a resounding Bournemouth win over Forest to close a six-goal Liverpool advantage in goal difference, Bournemouth can also finish fifth and make all of this not matter.
Other battles
Chelsea occupy eighth place in the league only by goal difference over Brentford, but facing Sunderland on the final day, it could get interesting. If Sunderland wins that match, their goal difference won’t be enough to rise to eight, but it could open the door for Brentford to surpass Chelsea with a win or Newcastle to win and close their own goal difference gap in the league. Chelsea or Brentford could also end up in the Europa League with a win and Brighton failing to win against Manchester United, showing just how much is at stake in the closing stages of the season.
Premier League schedule
All matches kick off at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday, May 24
- Crystal Palace vs. Arsenal (CNBC)
- Sunderland vs. Chelsea (Peacock)
- Brighton vs. Manchester United (Peacock)
- Burnley vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers (Peacock)
- West Ham United vs. Leeds United (USA)
- Fulham vs. Newcastle United (Peacock)
- Nottingham Forest vs. Bournemouth (Peacock)
- Liverpool vs. Brentford (Syfy)
- Manchester City vs. Aston Villa (Peacock)
- Tottenham vs. Everton (NBC)
Premier League standings
| Pos | Team | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal | 37 | 25 | 7 | 5 | 69 | 26 | +43 | 82 |
| 2 | Manchester City | 37 | 23 | 9 | 5 | 76 | 33 | +43 | 78 |
| 3 | Manchester United | 37 | 19 | 11 | 7 | 66 | 50 | +16 | 68 |
| 4 | Aston Villa | 37 | 18 | 8 | 11 | 54 | 48 | +6 | 62 |
| 5 | Liverpool | 37 | 17 | 8 | 12 | 62 | 52 | +10 | 59 |
| 6 | Bournemouth | 37 | 13 | 17 | 7 | 57 | 53 | +4 | 56 |
| 7 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 37 | 14 | 11 | 12 | 52 | 43 | +9 | 53 |
| 8 | Chelsea | 37 | 14 | 10 | 13 | 57 | 50 | +7 | 52 |
| 9 | Brentford | 37 | 14 | 10 | 13 | 54 | 51 | +3 | 52 |
| 10 | Sunderland | 37 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 40 | 47 | -7 | 51 |
| 11 | Newcastle United | 37 | 14 | 7 | 16 | 53 | 53 | 0 | 49 |
| 12 | Everton | 37 | 13 | 10 | 14 | 47 | 49 | -2 | 49 |
| 13 | Fulham | 37 | 14 | 7 | 16 | 45 | 51 | -6 | 49 |
| 14 | Leeds United | 37 | 11 | 14 | 12 | 49 | 53 | -4 | 47 |
| 15 | Crystal Palace | 37 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 40 | 49 | -9 | 45 |
| 16 | Nottingham Forest | 37 | 11 | 10 | 16 | 47 | 50 | -3 | 43 |
| 17 | Tottenham Hotspur | 37 | 9 | 11 | 17 | 47 | 57 | -10 | 38 |
| 18 | West Ham United | 37 | 9 | 9 | 19 | 43 | 65 | -22 | 36 |
| 19 | Burnley | 37 | 4 | 9 | 24 | 37 | 74 | -37 | 21 |
| 20 | Wolverhampton | 37 | 3 | 10 | 24 | 26 | 67 | -41 | 19 |
