The Premier League title race, battle for the final Champions League spots, and the final attempt for two sides to avoid relegation will all take place on the last matchday of the 2011/12 EPL campaign on Survival Sunday. The last act of the season has so many questions marks remaining that all 10 matches will be aired live on U.S. TV.
ESPN will show two matches while FOX will air the remaining eight on the network of stations - Fox Soccer, Fox Soccer Plus, plus FX, SPEED, FSN, FUEL TV, and on Spanish-language FOX Deportes.
The most important match of the day could have an impact on the top and bottom of the league table with Manchester City hosting Queens Park Rangers at the Etihad Stadium. A win in all likelihood will give the Citizens their first league title since 1968, a 44 year drought. The title will come with the added benefit of being at the expense of their city rivals Manchester United.
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QPR has all to play for but at the opposite end of the table. The Hoops are currently 17th place but only 2 points ahead of Bolton Wanderers so if QPR is unable to take a point from Manchester City they will be hoping for more help from Stoke City.
After losing to QPR on an 88th minute strike last weekend, Stoke City hosts the other relegation battler Bolton on Survival Sunday. It is ironic that Stoke City could turn out to play the last card in who gets relegated.
But back to the top of the table, Manchester United will travel to face Sunderland at the Stadium of Light. The challenge for the Red Devils is to win but to somehow make up the -8 goal difference they have with Manchester City. The odds of this are slim so some Red Devil fans will no doubt be spending more time doing what they do better than all but one other thing…cheer against City.
The two Manchester sides have the top two Champions League qualification spots sealed but the third and fourth place qualification spots are still up for grabs with one big asterisk going to the 4th place finisher.
The fourth place finisher could lose their place in the Champions League IF Chelsea win this season’s Champions League title. Despite their 6th place finish on the campaign, the Blues would take (steal) the qualification spot of the 4th place finisher.
The teams playing to finish in 3rd or 4th place are Arsenal, Tottenham, and Newcastle with 67, 66, and 65 points, respectively.
What a way to end the season! Let the games begin.
Survival Sunday Fixture List
Chelsea-Blackburn Rovers on Speed at 10 a.m ET
Everton-Newcastle United on Fox Soccer.com at 9:30 a.m. ET
Manchester City-QPR on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes at 9:30 a.m. ET
Norwich City-Aston Villa on FoxSoccer2go.com at 9:30 a.m ET
Sunderland-Man. United on FX and Fox Deportes at 9:30 a.m. ET
Tottenham-Fulham on FSC at 9:30 a.m. ET
West Bromwich Albion-Arsenal on Fox Sports Network at 9:30 a.m. ET
Wigan-Wolves on FoxSocccer2go.com at 9:30 a.m. ET
Stoke City-Bolton Wanderers on FSC+ at 9:30 a.m. ET
Swansea City-Liverpool on FUEL TV at 9:30 a.m. ET
