Last Round of Premier League

This week it’s going to be decided. Its time for the last round of Premier League for the season 2008 / 2009 and since Manchester already has secured, Liverpool for sure will finish second, Chelsea will take the third place and Arsenal the last Champions League position it’s not that exiting in the top of the table. I find it way more interesting to how the bottom will end and before this final round four teams are struggling to avoid 18^th and 19^th place – witch means relegation to the Champion chip.

I think that Middlesbrough, current position 19, have a hard challenge if they want to play in the Premier league even next year.

It’s not enough with a win for them, but they even have to hope that both Newcastle and Hull loses their last game. At the same time they have to bring in 5 goals compared to Hull. So for an example if Middlesbrough wins with 3 goals margin against West Ham away, Newcastle have to loose against Aston Villa AND Hull have to loose with at least 2 goals against Man United at home. Its tough but as long as there is a chance there is also hope.

I will give you my best picks of this final round in Premier League:

Manchester City vs Bolton, home win @ 1.75

I, and many with me, had expected Manchester City to finish higher up in the table. Now they can finish ninth as best and that’s a bit disappointing. They have many quality-players in their squad and should at least been fighting for a place in the Uefa cup.

They have been playing well home at City of Manchester and have won 12 out of 18 matches. But in their away games they only managed to win 2 out of 19 matches, and that’s the biggest reason that they are at the middle of the table.

Sunday’s opponents Bolton have done just about what I had expected. They are just beneath middle and that’s where they belong. Bolton has also taken most of their points at their home ground and I think that Manchester City will win this last game in favour of playing home. I am pretty sure that they want to end this season in a nice way and make their home fans a bit happier. So Manchester City is my first and best pick for today.

Aston Villa vs Newcastle, away win @ 2.90

Newcastle is one of the teams that have surprised me most in a negative way. They have a squad that normally, just as Manchester City, should fight in the upper half of the table but instead they risk to be relegated after this round.

Newcastle had everything in their own hands before last game, but after have loosing against Fulham home at St James’s they now have to win against Aston Villa in Birmingham. But its not sure that’s enough because either Sunderland or Hull mustn’t win their last games.

Aston Villa has a terrible form at the moment with only one win in their last eleven games. That’s one of the reasons that I think that Newcastle have god chances to win, even though they have been totally useless away. Newcastle is fighting for their survival while Aston Villa just is playing for their pride. Villa can, as best, jump up to a fifth place, but even their sixth place that is secured will give them a ticket to Uefa cup next year. So I go for a motivation-win for Newcastle and hope that they manage to stay in Premier League even next year.

All the odds are picked from Bwin-football.

Good Luck

/Amrish