The Premier League season is finally set to conclude this weekend! Matchweek 38 of the 2023-24 campaign is scheduled for Sunday, with all 10 fixtures simultaneously kicking off at 11 a.m. ET (8 a.m. PT/15:00 GMT).
And this could be one of the most exciting ends to a Premier League season in recent years. Not only will the title race go down to the wire, but the race to qualify for Europe and the relegation battle will also be decided on the final day.
However, not all of these races are as close as meets the eye. Here are the permutations ahead of the final round of the 2023-24 Premier League campaign.
The title race
As revealed by the Daily Mail, there will be identical Premier League trophies at the Emirates Stadium, where Arsenal will face Everton, and at the Etihad Stadium, where Manchester City will face West Ham, on the final day. Additionally, there will be 40 medals each, a podium, and fireworks on hand at both grounds as both teams can lift the title on Matchweek 38.
Unfortunately for the Gunners, their fate is not completely in their hands. While a playoff cannot happen, Mikel Arteta's men can still be crowned champions for the first time since 2004 if they beat Everton and the Cityzens slip up at home to West Ham. Even a draw would suffice -- both teams would end with 89 points -- because Arsenal boast a superior goal difference (+1).
As for Guardiola's men, they simply need to do one thing: beat the Hammers and they will win the Premier League for the fourth consecutive year, a feat no other club has managed.
The race for European football
The race to qualify for the UEFA Champions League is over. England's four representatives in next season's tournament will be Man City, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Aston Villa.
Meanwhile, Tottenham (63 points) are fifth in the table and can secure a fifth-place finish with a draw on the final day in their clash with the already-relegated Sheffield, which is expected. Spurs simply need to match or better Chelsea's result to finish fifth.
From sixth to eighth is where things get interesting. Here lies Chelsea (6th, 60 pts), Newcastle (7th, 57 pts), and Manchester United (8th, 57 pts).
Chelsea can leapfrog Tottenham into fifth spot if they win their final game at home to Bournemouth and Spurs suffer defeat against Sheffield. Pochettino's men already boast a superior goal difference (+3) and would thus move past their London rivals. In order to secure a sixth-place finish, Palmer and Co. will need a point as Newcastle are only three points behind and boast a superior goal difference (+8).
Newcastle, meanwhile, travel to Brentford on the final day. In order to finish sixth, they will have to beat Brentford and hope Chelsea lose at home to Bournemouth. To secure a seventh-place finish, Eddie Howe's men would simply need to match Manchester United's result due to their vastly superior goal difference over the Red Devils (+24).
Manchester United, on the other hand, travel to Brighton in their final game and will have to beat the Seagulls and hope results elsewhere go their way. While Chelsea are mathematically catchable, the Blues boast a vastly superior goal difference (+16) and are unlikely to finish behind Ten Hag's side even if they lose on the final day and Rashford and Co. win at the Amex. However, Manchester United can leapfrog Newcastle and finish seventh if the Magpies drop points at Brentford and the Red Devils better that result. However, while a seventh-placed finish will likely mean UEFA Europa Conference League qualification, Ten Hag's men can enter the Europa League through the FA Cup.
The FA Cup final and how that affects the race to qualify for Europe
The fifth-placed team will enter the Europa League. The other Europa League ticket goes to the FA Cup champions but with Manchester City facing Manchester United in this season's final, that slot will go to the sixth-placed team in the league if Guardiola's men win the trophy since they have qualified for the UEFA Champions League. In this scenario, the team in seventh will enter the Europa Conference League while the team in eighth will miss out on European football.
However, if Manchester United beat Manchester City at Wembley they will qualify for the UEFA Europa League. In this scenario, the sixth-placed team in the league, which will likely be Chelsea, will enter the Europa Conference League while the teams in seventh and eighth will miss out on Europe altogether.
Relegation race
Two teams have already been relegated and they are Sheffield United and Burnley. One more spot is left and that is between Luton Town, who face Fulham, and Nottingham Forest, who visit Burnley.
While this race is not yet over mathematically, it is only a matter of time before newly promoted Luton Town return to the Championship. Forest sit three points ahead and simply need a draw to survive in the Premier League. Furthermore, Nuno Espírito Santo's men boast a superior goal difference (+12) which Luton Town are unlikely to overturn even if they beat Fulham and Forest lose to Burnley on the final day.
Where can I watch the Matchweek 38 in the Premier League live on TV/stream?
All games will be live on Peacock foar fans in the USA. For more info on when and where to watch the final round of the 2023-24 Premier League season in your country, click here.