The 2018-19 Premier League season has been an electric ride and it will come to a close this Sunday, May 12, 2019. This season has been one of the closest title races in the history of the Premier League as Liverpool and Manchester City have pushed each other to the limit and it will all come down to the last game of the season.
The relegation battle ended rather tamely as Cardiff City, Fulham and Huddersfield Town will return to the Championship. It has also been a season of disappointment for three big teams as Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United have been way off the pace. So, what are the 5 things to look forward to in Matchweek 38?
— Title race – Undoubtedly, all eyes will be on how Manchester City and Liverpool fare on the weekend. City, who are the defending champions, are one point ahead of the Merseyside club, and face Brighton away from home. Liverpool, on the other hand, buoyed by their unbelievable 4-0 win against Barcelona, will have an easier test when they face Wolves at home.
Will Liverpool finally break the hoodoo and win their 19th English league title and their first Premier League title, or will Manchester City retain their title?
— Premier League Golden Boot race – The Premier League Golden Boot, given to the top scorer in a season, has also been a close battle. Liverpool’s Salah leads the table with 22 goals, but Sergio Aguero, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and team-mate Sadio Mane are just two goals behind him. Salah won it last year with 32 goals.
— Who will finish fifth – While the Europa League is a competition that is a bane rather than a boon for some Premier League clubs because of the fixture congestion it causes, Manchester United and Arsenal will be vying to finish fifth rather than sixth, not only for pride, but to also not disrupt next season’s pre-season campaign.
The fifth-placed team qualifies directly to the group stage of the competition, as well as the winners of the FA Cup. Manchester City and Watford play in the FA Cup final, and if Watford, somehow, defeat City, the sixth-placed team in the Premier League table will have to go through the qualifying stages of the Europa League, which begins on July 25th. This will put a spanner in the works of the side’s pre-season program.
— Farewells – Keep an eye out for players telling their final goodbye to their clubs. The most high-profile exit that has been confirmed is that of Aaron Ramsey, but the likes of Eden Hazard – who has been linked with a move to Real Madrid, a couple of Manchester United players like Ander Herrera, Juan Mata, and David de Gea could be waving goodbye to their clubs as well as the Premier League.
— Premier League Golden Glove race – The Premier League Golden Glove, given to the goalkeeper with the most clean sheets in a season, is yet another category where we see Liverpool and Manchester City going head-to-head. The two teams at the top of the Premier League table have conceded fewest goals (22 apiece).
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson has kept 20 clean sheets, while Manchester City’s Ederson has kept 19 clean sheets. In case of a tie, both Brazilians will share the award.