Manchester City go into the final match of a difficult season as they face Fulham at Craven Cottage. A point will be enough for the Blues to secure Champions League football next season, but the faithful will want to give Kevin de Bruyne, playing his final Premier League game in a City shirt, the perfect send off with three points.
Fulham will want to avoid defeat on the final day too. At the moment, they are set to finish in the top half of the table, and victory will cement that position. However a defeat, together with wins for Bournemouth and Crystal Palace, will see the Cottagers drop to 12th. A draw would be fine for City, but unlikely, as Fulham have not drawn a league match since the beginning of January.
The Blues have more at stake and here’s how our team view Sunday’s crucial finale.
Saul
Must win. City need the result to assure UCL play and boy does that matter now. They’ll get it albeit it’ll be another tough outing. 3-2.
Fulham 2-3 City
Will
City have the chance to finish this season on a high. In this year where so much has gone against them, a win to cement them in third place would not be bad at all.
I think they’ll do it. Mateo Kovacic will be a miss but this is Nico Gonzalez’s chance to show his worth before a much needed break for the players ahead of the (pointless) FIFA Club World Cup in a few weeks.
Fulham 1-4 Manchester City
Thomas
One last match for Pep and the lads before the Club World Cup. Not predicting a score in this one, but I will make 2 predictions. A City victory to secure Champions League, and a spot-on score prediction for Manc Pete. After all, the football gods have made him wait all season. COME ON CITY!!!
One of those may come true...
Pete
Surely I have to get one right. The law of averages says I should have done by now but, 37 games in and I haven’t got a single prediction right, however, I am grateful for Thomas’s faith!
I think City will get the points they need but I don’t think it will be as easy as last time. I’m going for a 3-1 victory for City.
Fulham 1-3 City*
*This may change after the final whistle, just this once
What Happened Against Bournemouth
We secured the points to put us on the brink of Champions League football. Thomas got the right goal difference and everyone predicted a win. Pete’s prediction of 7-0 is a stark realisation of why he hasn’t got any predictions right this season.
Here’s the table: