Realities bite at EPL extremities

With Chelsea having sewn up the title, attention in the Premier League this weekend switches to the grim battle for survival and the scrap for European places.

Queens Park Rangers and Burnley are both in danger of falling out of the division, while Manchester United and Liverpool are among the teams vying for a place in next season's Champions League.

Currently four points below United, which occupies the fourth and final Champions League berth, Liverpool visits Chelsea, which set the seal on a season of dominance last weekend after winning 1-0 at home to Crystal Palace.

With Arsenal and Manchester City virtually assured of top-four places - nine points above Liverpool with vastly superior goal differences - United is the only team Brendan Rodgers' side can realistically overhaul.

But failure to win at Stamford Bridge, coupled with victory for United at Palace on Saturday, would effectively end Liverpool's hopes of a place at Europe's top table in 2015-16.

Liverpool's Simon Mignolet is on course for the Golden Glove award, which is awarded to the goalkeeper with the most shutouts, and he hopes another clean sheet against Chelsea will help nudge his side closer to the top four.

"I know from experience that in the Premier League anything is possible and everything can twist and turn," the Belgium international, who has 14 shutouts, told Liverpool's website.

"That is why we have to focus on our own jobs and make sure we win as many games as we can. We defend as a team and hopefully winning that award could also see us get into the top four."

Liverpool's 2-1 win over QPR last weekend was only its second victory in six league games and United is also limping towards the finish line.

Louis van Gaal's side has lost its last three games, to Chelsea, Everton and West Bromwich Albion, and having announced the capture of Memphis Depay from PSV Eindhoven on Thursday, thoughts are already turning to next season.

'We are still alive'

Meanwhile, the mood is slightly sunnier across town at outgoing champion City, which has rekindled its challenge for a second-place finish thanks to a run of three consecutive wins.

Manuel Pellegrini's squad hosts second-bottom QPR on Sunday in a game that recalls the unforgettable final-day fixture between the sides in 2012 that saw Sergio Aguero give City the title with an injury-time goal.

QPR survived relegation despite losing that day, but with seven points separating the west London club from safety, a repeat result this weekend would condemn it to the Championship.

A point below QPR in the cellar, Burnley is also dangling above the precipice ahead of a crunch clash at Hull City, which is a point above the bottom three.

"Margins are tight," said Burnley manager Sean Dyche. "It has frustrated me that we are not in a better position than we are in, but we are still alive."

Sunderland, a point from safety, retains a game in hand on the teams around it, but with that fixture a trip to Arsenal on May 20, it may need to take maximum points from Saturday's lunchtime game at 11th-place Everton.

Leicester City's stunning burst of five wins in six games has left Nigel Pearson's side even on points with Hull and it will be confident of victory at home to seventh-place Southampton, which is without a victory in its past three outings.

Newcastle United has been dragged into the relegation picture after a run of eight straight defeats and welcomes West Brom to St James' Park with just two points separating them from the drop zone.

Newcastle manager John Carver has urged fans to put aside their anger with owner Mike Ashley and managing director Lee Charnley, saying: "Forget about what you think of Mike and Lee and everybody.

"Get behind the football club, because we want to be in the Premier League next year."

(China Daily 05/09/2015 page8)