Man City have their date with destiny at Wembley tomorrow afternoon and the spoiler is likely to come a mere 15 minutes before kick off. Neighbors United can wrap up a record 19th league title by getting a point away at Blackburn and it will mean Sir Alex Ferguson finally “knocking them (Liverpool) of their perch.”
The title was all but wrapped up after last weekend’s victory over Chelsea. Creating Sunday’s newspaper headlines in front of City will be an added gloss to them getting their trophy back but the match isn’t as straightforward as it looks though.
Blackburn won’t lie down and die as they sit three points above the drop zone and are far-from-assured of a spot in the top flight next season. The steady decline under Steve Kean is likely to continue and you could conceivably see them drop out of the top flight if they lose on Saturday.
That is not the Premier League’s biggest clash of the weekend though.
The relegation fight has been hotting up over the past few weeks. We enter the business end of the season with much to still be decided. Sunday’s clash between Wigan and West Ham should solve much of it. West Ham looks doomed sitting four points from safety with two games to go and will be relegated with a loss at the DW Stadium. Wigan are another proposition and a win could see Roberto Martinez keep the Latics in the Premier League for another season; a remarkable achievement.
There’s also the little matter of Liverpool v Tottenham where Harry Redknapp’s side will continue to pretend they really want a Europa League place. That’s before the gaffer moans about the first thing his mind diverts to. Whether it is Liverpool’s lavish spending, injuries to Gareth Bale or not being to cope with being called a Churchill dog, ‘arry will have some excuse up those spacious sleeves of his.
