After 37 gameweeks the Premier League is finally coming to an end. Liverpool are champions, whilst Southampton, Ipswich and Leicester have all been relegated. There’s been shocks, screamers, controversy and so much more.
But it’s not over just yet. There’s still money, pride and European qualification to play for.
Here, FourFourTwo runs you through what each team has to play for in the final game of the Premier League season.
1. Liverpool
For the Premier League champions, the final game of the season, at home to Crystal Palace, is effectively one big party, with nothing on the line.
A loss would give them the eighth-lowest points tally of any Premier League winning side, but Arne Slot and co will surely see that as irrelevant.
A win would make it their fourth-highest Premier League points tally.
2. Arsenal
Arsenal’s win over Newcastle last week all but secured their third consecutive second-placed finish in the Premier League.
Mikel Arteta’s side would have to lose away to Southampton and see Manchester City overturn an eight-goal deficit if they were to drop down to third.
3. Manchester City
Unusually for Manchester City, the final day of the season is about holding on to Champions League qualification rather than celebrating with the Premier League trophy.
A win away at Fulham for Pep Guardiola’s side would confirm their place in Europe’s top competition, but a draw or loss could see them drop out of the top five if Newcastle, Chelsea, and Aston Villa all win.
4. Newcastle United
The Geordies are looking to add to their Carabao Cup triumph by qualifying for the Champions League for the second time in three seasons.
They play Everton at home knowing that three points will be enough to seal a top-five place, with Aston Villa 13 behind on goal difference despite being on the same number of points. Draw or lose and results will have to swing the right way or they could drop out of the top five.
5. Chelsea
The highest stakes game of the final day of the Premier League season sees Chelsea travel to top-five rivals Nottingham Forest.
With their superior goal difference to Aston Villa, a win for Chelsea is enough, but a draw would leave them reliant on Villa failing to beat a Manchester United side who have lost 18 games this season.
A loss would see Nottingham Forest knock them out of the Champions League spots.
6. Aston Villa
The fate of Unai Emery’s side is largely out of their control. Villa need to win at Old Trafford to ensure they remain in the conversation for Champions League spots, but if Chelsea, Newcastle and Manchester City all win, they can only watch on in disappointment.
However, if City lose or Chelsea and Newcastle fail to win and Villa take three points in Manchester, then they will qualify for the prestigious competition.
7. Nottingham Forest
Few predicted Forest’s remarkable success this season. Yet they have faltered in recent weeks, winning just two of their last seven.
The saving grace is that they have one final game to fix their recent run of poor form. Simply, they must beat Chelsea at home to qualify for the Champions League.
Anything else will see them qualify for the Europa League, if they finish sixth (through a draw and Aston Villa losing), or the Conference League, if they finish seventh (through a draw or loss and Aston Villa drawing or winning).
Regardless, they have secured some form of European football next season. And breathe!
8. Brighton and Hove Albion
While most of the country was celebrating Crystal Palace’s emotional FA Cup victory, Brighton were cursing their rivals. That’s because by winning the FA Cup, Palace have qualified for the Europa League, meaning eighth place will not qualify for the UEFA Conference League – unless one particular scenario happens. This is where it gets complicated.
First of all, Brighton need to win away at Tottenham to secure eighth (Brentford sit three points behind them with a better goal difference). Then they need Chelsea to win the Conference League AND finish seventh, or for Chelsea to finish sixth and Newcastle seventh.
So, ideally Brighton need a defeat for Chelsea on Sunday, a win or draw for Aston Villa at Manchester United, and for Chelsea to beat Real Betis in the Conference League final next week.
In that scenario, Chelsea would enter the Europa League as Conference League winners. Got it?
9. Brentford
Brentford could also be reliant on a Chelsea loss in the Premier League and a win in the Conference League final, but only if they beat Wolves away from home and Brighton lose at Tottenham.
The Bees could finish as high as eighth and as low as eleventh, depending on other results.
10. Fulham
Brighton’s win against Liverpool dashed any hope that Fulham had of qualifying for Europe. The Athletic have reported that each place in the Premier League is worth around £2.8 million, due to the merit payments that teams receive depending on where they finish.
Fulham could finish ninth, but could also finish eleventh, so Marco Silva’s side are playing for money alone, given they have already secured their highest-ever Premier League points tally.
11. Bournemouth
Like Fulham, Bournemouth have secured their best-ever points tally in an impressive season.
They can’t beat their highest ever finish, ninth in 2016/17, but they can match it if they beat Leicester at home, and Brentford and Fulham fail to win.
12. Crystal Palace
The FA Cup winners head to Anfield on the final day of the season to join Liverpool’s party. Palace can’t finish lower than their current position of 12th, and have already secured European football through that FA Cup win.
They could finish ninth if they shock Liverpool and results go their way, although that seems an unlikely scenario.
13. Everton
Along with Southampton and Liverpool, Everton are one of three teams that cannot change their position on the last game of the season. Last season, 13th place secured around £13 million in merit payments. After their final game at Goodison Park, they head to Newcastle to play for pride and to spoil Newcastle’s Champions League aspirations.
14. Wolverhampton Wanderers
Vitor Pereira has worked wonders at Wolves since arriving in December 2024, earning him a nomination for the Premier League’s Manager of the Season.
They sit safely in 14th, hosting Brentford on the last day of the season. A win would net them roughly £9 million more than a loss, which could see them finish 17th.
They are also looking to finish above both Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur for the first time in Premier League history.
15. West Ham United
A loss away to Ipswich would make it West Ham’s fourth-lowest points tally in Premier League history – even lower than the 2002/03 season, where they were relegated.
Like Wolves, their finishing position could impact their end-of-season merit payments by a swing of around £9 million.
16. Manchester United
The list of records that Manchester United have broken and will break is too long to even attempt to summarise.
Regardless of their result at home to Aston Villa, it is their lowest-ever finish and lowest-ever points tally in the Premier League.
Sunday’s match could either be a celebration following a Europa League final, or a chance to claw back a tiny shred of pride by apologising to supporters for a terrible campaign with a positive performance.
17. Tottenham Hotspur
Spurs host Brighton with a narrative remarkably similar to Manchester United. Whether it will be a celebration or commiseration remains to be seen.
A win could take them up to 14th, again dependent on other results, which would ensure it is not their lowest-ever Premier League finish, having ended 1993/94 in 15th.
18. Leicester City
Relegation confirmed, managerial uncertainty, and losing club legend Jamie Vardy – it’s been tough for Leicester this year.
A trip to Bournemouth does not bode well, with the Foxes playing to prove to the club’s hierarchy that Ruud Van Nistelrooy is the man to take them forward in the long run, and an extra £3 million to spend over the summer as they prepare for life back in the Championship.
19. Ipswich Town
Ipswich host West Ham on the last day of the 2024/25 campaign. The result will not change the simple fact that it is their worst season in Premier League history, winning a record low four games.
Pride and that valuable £3 million are again all to play for.
20. Southampton
Like so many of the current bottom five, Southampton broke unwanted records this year. On the plus side, they avoided Derby County’s record of the fewest points in Premier League history. They host Arsenal with their position immovable.
