EPL: 8 questions that will be answered on final day

League Cup winners Manchester City need just a draw tomorrow at home to secure the double.
League Cup winners Manchester City need just a draw tomorrow at home to secure the double. PHOTOS: REUTERS, XINHUA
League Cup winners Manchester City need just a draw tomorrow at home to secure the double. PHOTOS: REUTERS, XINHUA
League Cup winners Manchester City need just a draw tomorrow at home to secure the double. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

1 Can Manchester City hold their nerve?

After overwhelming Aston Villa 4-0 on Wednesday, Manchester City effectively require only a point at home to West Ham to claim a second title in three years.

If City draw, Liverpool would need to win at home to Newcastle United by at least 13 goals to take the title. But if City lose, Liverpool will be crowned champions for the first time since 1990 if they beat Newcastle.

2 Will City or Liverpool break the scoring record?

City's win over Villa took their goal tally for the season to 100 and Liverpool are only a goal further back on 99.

Both teams are within sight of Chelsea's Premier League (post-1992) goal-scoring record of 103 goals, set under Carlo Ancelotti in the 2009-10 season.

If Liverpool score, it will be the first time since 1960-61 (Tottenham, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Burnley) that more than one team finish the season with 100 league goals or more.

3 Can Luis Suarez break new ground?

With 31 goals to his name this season, Liverpool striker Luis Suarez has already tied the record for the number of goals scored in a 38-game Premier League campaign, which was jointly held by Alan Shearer (Blackburn Rovers) and Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United).

A hat-trick would see the Uruguayan equal the record for goals in a 42-game EPL season (34), currently shared by Shearer (Blackburn) and Andy Cole (Newcastle United).

4 Will Spurs pip United to a Europa League place?

Tottenham need to avoid defeat at home to Aston Villa to claim the last remaining Europa League place. If they lose and Manchester United win at Southampton, United will move above them on goal difference.

5 Can Ryan Giggs sign off with a victory?

After a disastrous season in which they meekly conceded the title and failed to qualify for the Champions League for the first time since 1995, United will look to end the campaign on a positive note at Southampton.

With Louis van Gaal expected to be appointed as the successor to the sacked David Moyes shortly, it will be veteran player-coach Ryan Giggs' last game as interim boss.

6 Will anyone succumb to World Cup heartbreak?

Manchester United defender Phil Jones was the latest player to suffer a World Cup injury scare after damaging his shoulder in his side's 3-1 win over Hull City on Tuesday. His England team-mates Phil Jagielka (Everton) and Jack Wilshere (Arsenal) are among the players who will be hoping to prove their fitness in time for Brazil on the final day.

7 Can Norwich go out with a bang?

Sunderland's 2-0 midweek home win over West Bromwich means Norwich would be relegated barring a miracle, as they now trail fourth-bottom West Brom by three points with a vastly inferior goal difference (-32 to -15). The final game of their three-year stay in the top flight will be at home to Arsenal.

8 Who will be saying goodbye?

Manchester United captain Nemanja Vidic is in line to make his final appearance before leaving for Inter, while team-mates Giggs, Patrice Evra and Rio Ferdinand will shortly be out of contract.

Chelsea's trip to Cardiff City could see stalwarts John Terry, Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole play their final games for the Blues.

Both managers at White Hart Lane could be taking charge of their teams for the last time, meanwhile, as uncertainty surrounds the futures of Spurs' Tim Sherwood and his Villa counterpart Paul Lambert.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

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