Premier League Final Day: Key Fixtures

This weekend will see the final round of fixtures for the 2024/25 Premier League season take place across the country in what is a pivotal day for a number of teams.

This Sunday, the 38th and final round of 2024/25 Premier League fixtures will take place across the country. The ultimate fates of many clubs in the English top flight remain to be decided.

Whilst the title and the relegation places have been decided, the clubs that will fill the final three spots left for next season’s UEFA Champions League are still up for grabs, with Manchester City, Chelsea, Aston Villa, and Nottingham Forest all still vying for a place in one of world football’s most prestigious competition for next season.

A couple of clubs will ultimately miss out on the top five positions, and these clubs will, as a result, qualify for the 2025/26 UEFA Europa League or Conference League with a sixth or seventh place finish, respectively. There is also a possibility that 8th place could be a European place, but this only becomes possible if Chelsea wins the UEFA Conference League Final in Poland on Wednesday, 28th May.

Here, we are going to be taking a look ahead at the key fixtures taking place in the Premier League this weekend. The final matchday sees all twenty clubs playing at the same time on the same day, with all 10 games set to kick-off at 4pm on the afternoon of Sunday 25th May.

Fulham vs. Manchester City – Craven Cottage

We are going to start with the game that is taking place between Marco Silva’s Fulham and Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City this weekend at Craven Cottage in West London.

Starting with Fulham, they ultimately have little to play for, with Europe now not a possibility as a win would not see them able to match the points of the team currently in 8^th place, Brighton, who have 58 points to their name compared to the Cottagers’ total of 54.

As for Manchester City, they will be looking to stop their hosts from ending their season on a high as they look to seal the win that would officially confirm their participation in the UEFA Champions League for next season.

It is very simple for the Cityzens – they only need to win to finish in the top five, and all three points would actually also confirm third place for them, and if Arsenal lose, they could even finish in second place.

Manchester United vs. Aston Villa – Old Trafford

Next up we are moving on to Old Trafford, where Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United will be taking on Unai Emery’s Champions League chasing Aston Villa at the Theatre Of Dreams on Sunday afternoon.

For United, they will be looking to end their season on a high with a victory against their West Midlands counterparts.

Moving on to Aston Villa, their ultimate fate in the Premier League for the 2024/25 season is very much still up in their air.

They have the opportunity to finish in the top five and qualify for the UEFA Champions League – for that to happen, the Villans will have to beat United on Sunday, and if Newcastle United or Chelsea do not win or if Manchester City are defeated by Fulham.

It is possible that a draw could be enough against United at Old Trafford for Villa, but this would also require Newcastle United to be defeated by Everton.

Newcastle United vs. Everton – St. James’ Park

Next up is the game between Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United and an Everton outfit led by David Moyes, who are coming into this game off the back of an emotional final game at Goodison Park last week, where they were 2 – 0 winners against already relegated Southampton.

Newcastle will be looking to end the 2024/25 Premier League season on a high with a top five finish, having already ended their trophy drought by beating Arne Slot’s Liverpool 2 – 1 at Wembley in March.

After Manchester City, the Magpies are just behind the Cityzens in fourth place. Victory against Everton would be enough on its own for Newcastle to secure their place in next season’s UEFA Champions League, regardless of any of the results elsewhere. They could even finish in third place if Manchester City lose their game against Fulham, whilst Howe’s side also win against the Toffees.

It is also possible with a draw, although the Magpies would have to hope that Villa do not beat Manchester United, or that Chelsea and Nottingham Forest draw with each other at the City Ground on Sunday afternoon. Defeat means that Newcastle would have to rely on United beating Villa.

Nottingham Forest vs. Chelsea – City Ground

Another key fixture in the Premier League this weekend is the one that sees two top five contenders go toe to toe in the Midlands at the historic City Ground on Sunday afternoon. It will see Nuno Espirito Santo’s Nottingham Forest and Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea compete for what would of course be a crucial win for both clubs in terms of the fates of these two sides this season.

Starting with Forest, victory for them against the Blues would not necessarily be enough for them, as they would need Villa to drop points at Old Trafford.

As for Chelsea, their chances of securing UEFA Champions League qualification is high. A win against Nottingham Forest would make their place in the top five a certainty, and the Blues could even finish as high as 3rd if victory is secured and other results go their way.

A draw could be enough for the West London outfit if Chelsea’s Champions League rivals Aston Villa do not beat Manchester United, or if another top five challenger Newcastle United lose their game against Everton at St. James’ Park.

Other Fixtures

Below are all of the other fixtures taking place on Sunday afternoon this weekend:

• AFC Bournemouth (11^th) vs. Leicester City (18^th) – Vitality Stadium
• Ipswich Town (19^th) vs. West Ham United (15^th) – Portman Road
• Liverpool (1^st) vs. Crystal Palace (12^th) – Anfield
• Southampton (20^th) vs. Arsenal (2^nd) – St. Mary’s Stadium
• Spurs (17^th) vs. Brighton (8^th) – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
• Wolves (14^th) vs. Brentford (9^th) – Molineux

There of course remains the possibility that 8th place could become a European place given that two scenarios happen. The first is if Chelsea go on to finish seventh in the Premier League table, or if the Blues finish in sixth place whilst Newcastle United finish in seventh. Both of these scenarios can only happen if Chelsea beat Spanish side Real Betis in the 2025 UEFA Conference League next Wednesday.

Ange Postecoglou and his Spurs side will be in a buoyant mood as they face Brighton at home on Sunday afternoon off the back of beating Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United in the 2025 UEFA Europa League Final, and they will want to end their 2024/25 Premier League season with a win against the Seagulls at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Excitement and anticipation are both building rapidly ahead of Sunday’s action this weekend, and all eyes will be on who indeed secures the three remaining UEFA Champions League places and the teams who end up with a 6th and 7th place finish respectively.

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