Arsenal in with a shout of Champions League football
CosminIftode / Shutterstock.com
We have reached the final day of the Premier League season and with the title and relegation places decided, all eyes turn to the top four places.
Arsenal, currently in fifth place, have 72 points from 37 games played. This leaves them 1 point behind Liverpool, who occupy that all important fourth spot and 3 points behind Manchester City, who are third.
Arsenal need to win this match against Everton and hope Liverpool slip-up in their home match against relegated Middlesbrough. The alternative is hoping Manchester City suffer a big defeat at Watford but that seems unlikely.
Everton have very little to play for in this match and will finish seventh this season, whatever the outcome of the game.
Trends show Arsenal have come into a bit of form towards the end of the season, winning all their previous four matches. It was the spell between the end of January and the start of April which really cost the Gunners this season.
During that time, Arsenal lost five of their eight fixtures, winning only two and this saw them drop out of the top four. Defeats to Watford, Chelsea, Liverpool, West Bromwich Albion and Crystal Palace appeared to put an end to Champions League qualification.
However, since the Crystal Palace defeat on the 10th April, Arsenal have won six of their seven Premier League games and this run of results has been enough to see them remain in contention for the top four until the final day of the season.
At home, trends show Arsenal have lost only two games in the Premier League this season, the last of which came in January.
Everton travel to the Emirates with nothing left to play for this season. They cannot move up or down the league, whatever the result and form has been patchy.
Trends show Everton won only one of their last four Premier League games, which was at home to Watford last Friday. Defeats to Chelsea and Swansea City, plus a draw at West Ham means Everton failed to close the gap on the teams above them.
Away from home Everton have been poor this season. Having won their opening two away matches in the Premier League, the Toffees only managed two more wins across the whole season. Eight defeats and six draws away from home, is the reason why Everton are not contesting the European places.
Arsenal are hoping to see Laurent Koscielny return to the back four for this match and despite struggling for fitness, Alexis Sanchez is sure to start the match. Aaron Ramsey and lex Oxlade-Chamberlain are doubtful, with the former the more likely to play a part in the game.
Maarten Stekelenburg and James McCarthy have an outside chance of being fit for Everton but otherwise, Ronald Koeman will not make many chances from the starting XI against Watford.
Given the situation, the form of Arsenal, especially at home and the form of Everton, especially away from home, there can only be one winner in this game. Expect Arsenal to win the match comfortably and wait for news from Anfield, to see if they can clinch fourth place.
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