A number of pivotal games in the Premier League title race have been rescheduled for live TV coverage to set up a blockbuster end to the season. Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City have all been affected by the changes, which will see them play their penultimate games on successive days next month.
Arsenal’s game against Manchester United was originally set to be played on Saturday, May 11 but has been pushed back after it was selected for live Sky Sports coverage. It will now take place a day later on Sunday, May 12, meaning the Gunners will have an extra day to recover from their game against Bournemouth the previous weekend.
Liverpool will then face Aston Villa on Monday, May 13 in their penultimate game of the season before Manchester City go up against Tottenham on Tuesday, May 14. The final round of Premier League fixtures will take place on Sunday, May 19 with all matches scheduled to kick off at 4pm.
The results of the penultimate round are likely to have a major say on the outcome of this season’s title race between Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool. The battle for domestic glory is finely poised, with Arsenal leading the way on 71 points but only ahead of Liverpool thanks to their superior goal difference.
There is a chance that it could go down to the final day, when Arsenal will face Everton at home with that match also set to be shown live on Sky Sports. Liverpool will face Wolves in Jurgen Klopp’s last Premier League game at Anfield while Manchester City will go up against West Ham at the Etihad Stadium.
Arsenal will be desperate to keep their rivals at arm’s length in order to win the Premier League title for the first time in two decades. They came agonisingly close last season but a late collapse saw them finish second with Manchester City claiming the spoils for the third successive year.
Pep Guardiola’s side are hunting a fourth successive Premier League triumph but currently sit third with a point less than Arsenal and Liverpool. Their goal difference is also the worst of all three clubs, meaning they will be at a disadvantage if they finish on the same points unless things change between now and the end of the season.
Liverpool, meanwhile, will be hoping to claim their second title in the Premier League era to give Klopp the perfect send-off before he steps down in the summer. The Reds have only lost two games all season but have recorded a total of eight draws, with their latest stalemate coming against Manchester United last weekend.
