Three key Premier League outcomes can be decided on Tuesday night as Manchester City travel to Bournemouth and Tottenham visit Chelsea — both matches broadcast live on Sky Sports.
The title race
Arsenal sit five points clear after beating Burnley on Monday night. That means Manchester City must beat Bournemouth tonight to keep the title race alive for the final day. A draw would leave City four points behind with one game to go, handing Arsenal the title.
If City win at Bournemouth, the title would then go to the final day: City would need to beat Aston Villa on Sunday and hope Arsenal fail to win at Crystal Palace to retain their chance.
The race for Europe
Arsenal, Man City, Man United and Aston Villa have already qualified for next season’s Champions League. Liverpool can mathematically join them tonight if Bournemouth lose.
A draw for Bournemouth would also favour Liverpool in certain scenarios: it would leave Bournemouth needing to win at Nottingham Forest on the last day and require other results to go against them — including a swing in goal difference — to overtake Liverpool. Conversely, a Bournemouth win tonight would move them to within a point of Liverpool, all but securing sixth place and throwing the fight for fifth and sixth wide open.
European qualification is also affected by the Europa League final. If Aston Villa win the Europa League and also finish fifth in the Premier League, that could promote the top six into the Champions League and shift Europa League and Conference League places further down the table. If Villa do not win the Europa League, then the usual allocations (top five to Champions League, sixth/seventh to Europa League depending on cup results, eighth to Conference League) would apply.
Chelsea still have a slim path to Champions League football but would need to win both remaining league games and rely on a sequence of favourable results elsewhere. Realistically, Chelsea are contesting seventh spot and can move within a point of Brighton with victory tonight.
The relegation battle
Tottenham can secure their Premier League safety with a win at Chelsea and, in doing so, would confirm West Ham’s relegation. A Tottenham victory would take Spurs five points clear of the bottom three with only one game remaining.
A draw would leave Tottenham almost certain to survive: West Ham would then need to beat Leeds and hope Spurs lose their final match while overturning a significant goal-difference deficit to stay up. In short, West Ham’s chances now rely on Spurs losing both remaining fixtures and large swings in goal difference.
Kick-off times and TV
– Bournemouth v Manchester City: kick-off 19:30 BST, live on Sky Sports
– Chelsea v Tottenham: kick-off 20:15 BST, live on Sky Sports
What to watch for
– If Manchester City fail to win at Bournemouth, Arsenal are champions.
– A Bournemouth defeat would likely clinch Champions League football for Liverpool.
– Tottenham’s result at Chelsea will probably decide whether West Ham can avoid relegation.
These two matches carry enormous implications at both ends of the table, so Tuesday night promises decisive drama ahead of the final Premier League weekend.