It’s the penultimate round of matches in England with promotion tickets and relegation places not yet fully decided.
While defending Premier League champions Manchester City and second placed Liverpool battle it out for the top flight title, there is a lot more to be decided further down the log and the English football tier.
Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola could clinch the coveted Premier League title on Monday evening, while struggling Cardiff could join the relegated duo this weekend.
Further down English football pyramid, there’s still a lot to play for in the second tier – The Championship, the third tier – League One and the fourth tier – League Two.While relegation battling Cardiff City must beat London club Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon to at least boost their chances of escaping the drop.
However, the same Cardiff could still go down, if Brighton and Hove Albion beat North London giants Arsenal, Neil Warnock’s men are down to the Championship.
We take a look at what to expect this weekend in England.
Premier League
The Premier League title will remain at Etihad Stadium if Merseyside club Liverpool suffer an unexpected defeat in the hand of Newcastle and the Citizens manager to defeat former Champions Leicester City on Monday night.
While 18th placed Cardiff City with 31 points from 36 games must defeat 12th placed Crystal Palace the same day hand them a major hope of escaping the drop.
Should Brighton beat 5th placed Arsenal, Cardiff could still go down.
Skybet Championship
With Sheffield United and Norwich already handed promotion tickets back to the Premier League for the first time in so many years, and financially handicapped Bolton Wonderers, Rotherham and Ipswich sent down to the third tier of English football, only the play-offs spot remain to be decided.
Former Premier League side’s West Brom, Aston Villa and Leeds make up the top six in this Pyramid, with Leeds requiring a single point to clinch third position ahead of West Brom while Aston Villa will surely end up in fifth position.
Another former premier League side Derby lead the race for the final spot as they play the Baggies a point ahead of Middlesbrough. Boro will trade tackle with Rotherham in the afternoon of Sunday, while another team with an outside chance is Bristol City but will have to triumph at Hull City and for match results elsewhere to favour them.
English League One
Barnsley and Luton were handed promotion tickets on Tuesday thanks to defeats for rivals Sunderland and Portsmouth. The title decider holds on Saturday, with Bristol Rovers facing the Tykes and Luton playing host to Oxford.
Charlton Athletic are sure of the play-offs spot while Doncaster are in the sixth position. Should Coventry force Rovers to drop points, rivals Peterborough can capitalize by defeating Burton.
Bradford’s relegation is confirmed but other bottom placed teams like Walsall, Scunthorpe, Southendand Plymouth are separated by just one point, meaning theirs no margin for error. AFC Wimbledon are also not completely safe if three out of those four teams listed above win.
English League Two
Two teams have also been promoted here – Lincoln and Bury, focus shifts to the vital tie between MK Dons and Mansfield, tagged winner-takes-all. The victor will be handed the promotion ticket, while Mansfield will need only a draw to pick up the promotion ticket as a result of their far superior goal difference.
Forest Green and Tranmere will welcome the unsuccessful team to the play-offs, with Newport current sitting in the final spot after their win over Oldham on Tuesday. Their match against Morecambeis a must win to avoid gifting Exeter, just one point behind going into their tie with Forest Green.
Should both team slip, Stevenage, Colchester, and Carlisle retain an outside chance.
Confirmed relegated is Yeovil and the could welcome Notts County unless they defeat Swindon and fellow strugglers Macclesfield suffer a loss against Cambridge – County would need at least an eight-goal victory should Sol Campbell’s men draw.