Former Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur striker Dimitar Berbatov has given his predictions for the final day of the 2021/22 Premier League season.
The 30 th edition of the Premier League will come to an end on Sunday afternoon where for the first and only time of the campaign, all ten matches take place at the same time. Going into the final day, the league winners, the final Champions League spot, qualification for the Europa League and Europa Conference League and the final relegation spot are still all to be decided.
The fixture all eyes will be on is the one at the Etihad Stadium between Manchester City and Aston Villa. Should league leaders City win, they will secure a sixth Premier League crown and a fourth in the space of five seasons. If City drop points against a Villa side managed by Steven Gerrard and Liverpool win at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers, then the Merseyside club will claim the title for only the second time in the Premier League’s 30-year existence.
While Berbatov thinks it would be a brilliant story for Gerrard to help his former club win the league on the final day, he is not expecting it to happen and is tipping City for a 3-1 victory. “Oh my God, what a story it will be if Steven Gerrard gets a result against City, he could finally win Liverpool the title,” Berbatov told Betfair.
“City had the chance to pretty much wrap things up last weekend against West Ham, and they drew, but I can’t see them letting this chance slip, they have to win and they are used to this situation, but it’s going to be tense and Villa could exploit the pressure on them.”
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In the race to join City, Liverpool and Chelsea in next season’s Champions League are north London rivals Tottenham and Arsenal. Spurs are in the driving seat and sit two points clear of Arsenal, as well as having a massive goal difference advantage over them. A win for Spurs away at bottom of the table side Norwich City, whose relegation to the Championship has already been confirmed, would seal a return to Europe's top table.
Speaking on his former side’s chances of leaving Carrow Road with three points on Sunday, Berbatov is cheering Antonio Conte’s side on and wants winger Heung-Min Son to pip Liverpool’s Mohammed Salah to win the Premier League’s Golden Boot award.
“Come on Spurs! Win and they are in the Champions League, that will be a great season,” said the Bulgarian. “I’m routing for Son to join the club and become a Premier League top goalscorer, he has to score one to equal Salah, and two to go ahead of him. He can do it and secure Champions League football for Spurs in the process.”
Another of Berbatov’s former sides Manchester United head to Crystal Palace needing a win to seal Europa League qualification. If they drop points and West Ham United beat Brighton and Hove Albion, the Hammers will climb above United and join either Spurs or Arsenal in next season’s Europa League.
The ex-United striker is backing Ralf Rangnick’s side to beat the Eagles 2-1 in his final match as caretaker boss. He is also expecting Liverpool to beat Wolves and Leeds United to not only beat Brentford, but also do enough to avoid relegation and consign Burnley to an unwelcome return to the Championship.
Dimitar Berbatov’s predictions
Crystal Palace 1-2 Manchester United
Arsenal 2-0 Everton
Chelsea 3-2 Watford
Leicester City 2-2 Southampton
Brentford 1-2 Leeds United
Burnley 1-1 Newcastle United
Manchester City 3-1 Aston Villa
Norwich City 0-3 Tottenham Hotspur
Brighton and Hove Albion 1-1 West Ham United
Liverpool 3-0 Wolverhampton Wanderers
