PLUS: How to get around VAR's problems and the unsung Nottingham Forest star who deserves more praise
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By NATHAN SALT
Published: 06:59 EDT, 19 May 2025 | Updated: 06:59 EDT, 19 May 2025
The title winner and relegated trio may have been decided long ago but at least we head into the final week of the season with a sense of jeopardy.
Champions League qualification remains up in the air for a number of teams, with all eyes now diverting to midweek as beaten FA Cup finalists Manchester City look to wrestle back some control against Bournemouth on Tuesday.
Outside of the top five photo finish, the super seasons of Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo continued, even in a losing effort against west London rivals Fulham.
Jamie Vardy scored his 200th Premier League goal in a fitting farewell to Leicester City, while Newcastle United once again found life tough without Alexander Isak in their loss at Arsenal.
In the newest instalment of this weekly column, Mail Sport picks out five of the most interesting talking points to emerge from the Premier League’s latest round of matches.
FINAL DAY FOR THE AGES
Five teams going for three places on the final day. Grab the popcorn.
Nottingham Forest and Chelsea are set for a do-or-die shootout at the City Ground
Manchester City's fate is in their hands if they win their final two games of the season, while Newcastle also likely just need any victory at home to Everton
For all the highs and lows of the season when it came to the race for Champions League, fans are set to be treated to a final day for the ages with the stakes at an all-time high.
Prior to Manchester City's game in hand against Bournemouth, just one point separates Newcastle United in third and Nottingham Forest in seventh.
Newcastle won the Carabao Cup so are assured of at least a Conference League spot but with Everton coming to St James’ Park for their final day contest, they remain in a strong position to get back into the Champions League.
‘Halfway through the season we weren't in a great position. We worked hard to get here. It's an incredibly tight race. We have one more game to execute what we need,’ Newcastle boss Eddie Howe said. ‘We love playing at home. It's a really great atmosphere. We don't want to get ahead of ourselves and make it too emotional.’
Handling the occasion will be part of the challenge for all the teams involved. If City can beat Bournemouth in midweek, they will put themselves in the driving seat, along with Newcastle, to take two of the three places.
The real drama comes for the other spot with Chelsea, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest all scrapping. Villa, fifth and one point clear of City and Forest, travel to Manchester United on the final day while Forest host Chelsea in a do-or-die shootout at the City Ground.
‘We will fight, it's the final game so we're going to fight for something huge for us - something magical,’ Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo said. ‘It's great. Let's enjoy it, it's going to be a good week for us. If we'd thought in the beginning of the season that we'd be playing to play in the Champions League we'd sign it.’
Stats gurus Opta have given Forest the lowest chance of getting into the top five - but the City Ground is a special place when it gets rocking. City, given their game in hand, have the best chance of qualifying for the Champions League at 85.9 per cent.
Aston Villa have roared back into contention with eight wins in their last nine league games
Newcastle hold an 83.5 per cent chance, while Chelsea are predicted to finish there in 56.8 per cent of their predictions, leaving Villa (44.4 per cent) and Forest (29.3 per cent) on the outside looking in. Next weekend is all set up to be one for the ages…
STRIKER IS PRIORITY FOR TOON
Getting another striker this summer was already high on Newcastle United’s wish list - but Sunday’s loss at Arsenal only underlined just how vital that signing really is.
A groin issue sidelined star man Alexander Isak, who has scored 25 goals this season, from the squad entirely and Newcastle instead started with Callum Wilson, with youngster William Osula the option off the bench.
Wilson made it one goal from 21 appearances in all competitions this season, and has not scored in his last 17 league games.
For 21-year-old Osula, he has only played more than 20 minutes in a league match twice this season, the second of which came at Arsenal on Sunday. But Newcastle lack that killer instinct minus Isak and the results back that up.
Without Isak in the starting XI this season in the Premier League, Newcastle drew 1-1 versus Man City in September, drew 0-0 with Everton in October, and lost 2-0 against Liverpool in February. They can now add another scoreless outing in a 1-0 defeat at Arsenal to that growing list.
Isak remains one of Europe’s premier marksmen but Newcastle need strong and reliable competition for him if they are to compete on multiple fronts once again next season.
Add Europe into the mix and another competitive Premier League where dropped points are critical, the inability to address their striker depth - with Liam Delap among their targets - will come back to bite them.
Callum Wilson has not scored in his last 17 league games for Newcastle
William Osula has only played more than 20 minutes twice this season
A WORD FOR ELANGA
Credit where it’s due, Anthony Elanga can count himself as one of the league’s most improved players. His assist for Nikola Milenkovic in this win at West Ham on Sunday made it 11 Premier League goals created this season, 12 in all competitions.
Elanga's latest league assist was as historic as it was crucial on the day, too, as he equalled Bryan Roy's 30-year record for most assists in a single Premier League campaign for Nottingham Forest.
So many of the plaudits this season have gone in the direction of team-mates, namely Chris Wood, Morgan Gibbs-White, Murillo and Milenkovic.
But what Nuno Espirito Santo has squeezed out of Elanga this season has been absolutely paramount to their success in this battle for Champions League football.
Elanga is a Premier League Young Player of the Season nominee and while that may suggest he is getting due credit for his campaign, it is hard to escape the feeling that his output is still somehow going under the radar with the masses.
He spoke last month about how Thierry Henry has always been a point of reference for his own game and how he has been determined to add an unpredictability to his style of play.
At West Ham, he was playing more often than not in a front two alongside Wood, closing the space to latch onto any knockdowns from the Kiwi striker and it caused West Ham numerous problems.
Across 42 appearances in all competitions, this has been the most productive season in front of goal in Elanga’s entire career and there would be no better way to sign off 2024-25 than shining in the spotlight on the final day versus Chelsea.
Anthony Elanga is a Premier League Young Player of the Season nominee but it is hard to escape the feeling that his output is still somehow going under the radar with the masses
Elanga is having his best ever season in front of goal and is driving Forest's European charge
VAR DELAYS MUST IMPROVE
Speaking of Elanga, the amount of time supporters had to wait to see confirmation of Milenkovic’s goal for Forest was beyond what should be acceptable.
A six-minute VAR check at the London Stadium, when a handful of replays showed with enough clarity that the goal should stand, was yet another reminder that significant strides must be made going into next season to eradicate the dithering.
That incident between West Ham and Nottingham Forest was an example of VAR at its very worst.
The FA Cup final a day prior was another terrible advert for VAR and Wayne Rooney made his feelings known to millions live on TV when he said: ‘Just get rid of VAR!’
Data may show that errors are down significantly when it comes to VAR intervention but it continues to sap the biggest moments out of games.
Goals, often clear and obvious, are scrutinised extensively and major decisions are still called incorrectly despite a large volume of multi-angle replays.
VAR isn’t going anywhere, we know that much by now, but teams need to demand better standards or they risk turning some fans off for good.
TIME FOR ARSENAL TO BE DECISIVE
Declan Rice scored a key goal on Sunday to prevent Arsenal from being dragged into the final day shootout for a Champions League spot.
Declan Rice scored a key goal on Sunday to prevent Arsenal from being dragged into the final day shootout for a Champions League spot
Mikel Arteta made an impassioned plea at full time to the board for reinforcements
But it was the words of Mikel Arteta afterwards that stood out most when he was asked what comes next. Those ‘upstairs’ know what they have to do, he said, as he prepares to get some time away to unwind after a long and gruelling season.
Everyone at Arsenal is running out of time and excuses not to address the problem areas that are preventing them from getting over the top, namely up front.
Arsenal have been the bridesmaid rather than the bride for almost all of Arteta’s tenure and will look back on this season at a second-placed league finish and a Champions League semi-final appearance.
But all of Arteta’s work has to amount to something in the end. They won’t have many sympathisers if they haven’t addressed their striker problem come the opening day of next season. This is one of the biggest summer transfer windows in years in north London.