Manchester United eye Crystal Palace coup

London: With Chelsea having sewn up the title, attention in the Premier League this weekend switches to the grim battle for survival and the scrap for European places. Queens Park Rangers and Burnley are both in danger of falling out of the division, while Manchester United and Liverpool are among the teams vying for a place in next season’s Champions League. Currently four points below United, who occupy the fourth and final Champions League berth, Liverpool visit Chelsea, who set the seal on a season of dominance last weekend after winning 1-0 at home to Crystal Palace.

With Arsenal and Manchester City virtually assured of top-four places  nine points above Liverpool with vastly superior goal differences  United are the only team Liverpool can realistically overhaul. But failure to win at Stamford Bridge, coupled with victory for United at Palace on Saturday, would effectively end Liverpool’s hopes of a place at Europe’s top table in 2015-16. Liverpool’s Simon Mignolet is on course for the Golden Glove award, which is awarded to the goalkeeper who keeps the most clean sheets.

Liverpool’s 1-2 defeat of QPR last weekend was only their second victory in six league games and United are also limping towards the finish line. Louis van Gaal’s side have lost their last three games, to Chelsea, Everton and West Bromwich Albion, and having announced the capture of Memphis Depay on Thursday, thoughts are already turning to next season.

Fixtures
Saturday: Aston Villa vs West Ham United, Crystal Palace vs Manchester United, Everton vs Sunderland, Hull City vs Burnley, Newcastle United vs West Bromwich Albion, Stoke City vs Tottenham Hotspur.