The final day of the season could lead to a result never seen before in Premier League history: a play-off to decide which team will finish top of the table.
Liverpool and Bournemouth could make Premier League history (Image: Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Liverpool and Bournemouth could play themselves out in a dramatic one-shot match to decide which team will qualify for the Champions League. Heading into the final day of the Premier League season on Sunday, both clubs have the chance to qualify for Europe’s elite competition.
Bournemouth came within a point of beating the Reds before conceding a late equalizer in Tuesday’s 1-1 home draw with Manchester City. The gap is now three points, with Liverpool at home to Brentford and Bournemouth set to travel to Nottingham Forest.
They have scored six goals more than the Cherries, giving Liverpool an advantage on goal difference. However, there are also scenarios where both teams end up underdogs, potentially triggering a historic playoff.
If Bournemouth beat Forest exactly 5-0 and Liverpool lost 1-0 to Bournemouth, both teams would end the season with 59 points, with 63 goals scored and 53 conceded.
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The head-to-head results will be the first tiebreaker, but they are also nearly identical. Liverpool beat Bournemouth 4-2 at Anfield on the opening night of the season, before Cherries got their revenge with a 3-2 win on the south coast in January.
If the head-to-head results are the same, the next deciding factor will be the number of away goals scored in the two games. However, given that they are the same, it will take a one-time match to finally separate them.
The match, which could include extra time and penalties, is expected to take place soon at an unspecified neutral venue. This is also the first playoff in Premier League history.
Who will win the play-off match between Liverpool and Bournemouth? Let us know your prediction in the comments section.
Bournemouth and Liverpool’s records could end up being the same (Image: Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
But Bournemouth have another route to the Champions League, even if they finish below Liverpool. If Aston Villa win the Europa League final against Freiburg on Wednesday and then finish fifth in the Premier League, sixth place will qualify for the Champions League.
For that to happen, Villa need to lose their final game against Man City while Liverpool beat Brentford. That would move the Reds up to fourth in the standings.
However, there is no guarantee that Andoni Iraola’s side will finish sixth. Bournemouth lose to Forest and Brighton need to win their home game against Manchester United to miss out on qualification.
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