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ArseWeb guide to final day of season 1996-97: Sunday 11th May
The media may have given the impression that the race for second place
is of the biequine variety. However not only Newcastle and Liverpool
are up for it, Arsenal still have a chance too. Here's "how it works"...
Top of table going into last day...
Pos TEAM P W D L F A PTS
C 1 [an error occurred while processing this directive]37 20 12 5 74 44 72 +30
2 [an error occurred while processing this directive]37 19 10 8 61 36 67 +25
4 [an error occurred while processing this directive]37 18 11 8 68 40 65 +28
3 [an error occurred while processing this directive]37 18 11 8 59 31 65 +28
5 [an error occurred while processing this directive]37 16 10 11 46 34 58 +12
6 [an error occurred while processing this directive]37 15 11 11 56 54 56 +2
7 [an error occurred while processing this directive]37 14 14 9 49 50 56 -1
Significant last day fixtures...
Derby County vs Arsenal
Sheffield Wednesday vs Liverpool
Newcastle United vs Nottm Forest
Aston Villa vs Southampton
Chelsea vs Everton
What it means...
- One of Liverpool, Newcastle, Arsenal will finish second...
and qualify for the Champions Cup.
- The other two clubs will finish 3rd and 4th (in either order) and
qualify for the UEFA Cup, along with one of Villa, Chelsea or
Wednesday.
- If Liverpool win at Hillsbrough... they will finish second.
However, despite Wednesday's run of form (or lack of it), they will
have the impetus of a real chance of European qualification... but
only if they win. Because Chelsea are firm favourites for the FA Cup
and hence qualification for the CWC, the main thing for Wednesday is
to finish above Villa. Even if Wednesday beat Liverpool then Villa
have to lose for this to happen, but Villa are playing Southampton
who need to win to ensure their Premiership survival.
- If Liverpool draw at Hillsbrough... then both Newcastle
and Arsenal can finish above Liverpool by winning on Sunday.
- To finish above Newcastle, Arsenal need to... achieve a
better goal difference than Newcastle in the last match.
Or we could do it by getting the same GD and scoring 10 more goals
than them -
something like 10 all at the County ground while Newcastle and Forest
stay goalless would do it (and a treble hattrick for Wrighty to get
golden boot and all-time record would do nicely). But to finish above
Liverpool we need to win anyway so...
- Ideal scenario....
- Wednesday beat Liverpool
- Arsenal beat Derby
- Newcastle either fail to beat Forest, or beat them by a smaller
margin than we beat Derby.
Result: Arsenal second
Well, we can dream can't we....?
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copyright belongs to original author where credited. otherwise © Rupert Ward, ArseWeb MMV
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