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Premier League braces for dramatic final day

Sunday July 26 2020
Ole

The Premier League's longest season is set for a dramatic finish on Sunday as Chelsea, Manchester United and Leicester battle for Champions League places, with a desperate scrap to avoid relegation at the bottom.

At a time of year when Premier League clubs are usually jetting off for lucrative pre-season tours, the 2019/20 top-flight campaign will finally come to an end following a season extended by the three-month coronavirus delay.


Much has already been decided in the English top-flight, which resumed in mid-June.


Liverpool have been presented with the Premier League trophy, second-placed Manchester City are guaranteed a Champions League spot and Norwich have been relegated.


But in a thrilling conclusion, top-four places, Europa League berths, relegation spots and the Golden Boot have to be settled in the final round of matches, all kicking off at 1500 GMT

The spotlight will be firmly on the King Power Stadium, where fifth-placed Leicester host third-placed Manchester United in what is effectively a shootout to qualify for the Champions League.

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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's team will return to Europe's elite club competition after a one-year absence if they avoid defeat, but a Leicester win would take Brendan Rodgers' side back into the Champions League for the first time since 2016/17.

United, unbeaten in the league since the restart, have looked jaded in recent matches but Solskjaer urged his team to finish the job after they climbed into the top four for the first time since September.


"We're looking forward to the game," he said. "We've given ourselves a good chance of being in the Champions League next year.


"We want to go there and dominate. We're not going to change our approach."


United have a fall-back plan as they would also qualify for the Champions League if they win this season's Europa League, which resumes next month.

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