Premier League final day relegation battle: table and fixtures
A dramatic final day in the 2021/22 Premier League season sees both Leeds United and Burnley fighting for survival.
The fight for Premier League survival will be between Burnley (17th) and Leeds (18th), with both sides anxious to avoid the drop to the second tier of English football (The Championship).
The ‘Clarets’ will close the season at home against Newcastle (12th), one of the most in-form teams of the second half of the season as Leeds travel to West London to face Brentford, and are keen to avoid relegation just two years after their promotion under Argentine coach Marcelo Bielsa.
Both teams are level on points, but Burnley have a superior goal difference advantage (-18 to -38) that could prove decisive come Sunday evening.
Emotional season
Relegation-threatened Burnley will look to “attack the moment” one final time as they aim to secure their Premier League status, interim manager Mike Jackson said on Friday ahead of their final match of the season against Newcastle United.
Burnley moved out of the relegation zone following a 1-1 draw against Aston Villa on Thursday and now sit 17th in the standings, level with Leeds United on 35 points but ahead on goal difference with one more round of fixtures left.
“I think in every game we have had since I have been in, you’ve said we must get something from it and the lads have been delivering. They are used to that and that will stand them in good stead,” Jackson told reporters.
“We know Sunday is going to be emotional, we want to use some of it to have some fire but also take some out of it and attack the moment.”
With a far superior goal difference, Jackson’s team will have their fate in their own hands when they host Newcastle while Leeds travel to Brentford, with both matches kicking off at the same time.
When asked if they would be keeping an eye on Leeds’ game, Jackson said: “We will have some plans, we will be looking at it but I think it is hard to judge. It only takes a second to score a goal. The fans will let us know.”
The Burnley boss said that he was proud of the players and people that helped him since he took over when Sean Dyche was sacked last month.
“The players are the ones who are playing and delivering - it’s about one more game and one final push,” he said.
Leeds aiming for early goal
Leeds United need to score early in Sunday’s Premier League match at Brentford to put pressure on Burnley in the race to avoid relegation, manager Jesse Marsch said on Friday.
Leeds are 18th in the 20-team league standings on 35 points from 37 games, the same as 17th-placed Burnley, who have a better goal difference heading into the final round of the campaign.
Leeds’ match against Brentford will begin at the same time as Burnley’s home game with Newcastle United.
“Going into the match we want to be aggressive, we know we want to win and if we win we give ourselves the best chance,” Marsch told reporters on Friday.
“I’ve been in these situations before, if it’s the last day you need to know a bit of what’s going on in the other matches.
“We will have communication with the team at half-time but the focus is to have a good start to bring ourselves into the match and get an early lead, and that can put pressure on Burnley.”
Watford and Norwich have already been relegated. Marsch urged his side to dig deep in their fight for survival.
“We’re excited for this challenge,” Marsch said. “We know we have to be at our best. I never came here (thinking) it would be easy. I knew we’d have to fight for everything. I’ll make sure we’ll do this on Sunday.
“Our job is clear. We are going to have to dig deep again to strive and thrive and get through this.” The Leeds boss said striker Patrick Bamford’s recovery from a foot injury was going well and that a decision on whether he will play on Sunday would be taken in the build-up to the game.