There are usually a few things that fans can count on for Championship Sunday.
We get to see how many different networks NBC Universal owns, since all 10 matches will be aired live on Sunday at 10 a.m. ET on NBC, NBC Sports Network, USA, MSNBC, CNBC, Oxygen, Esquire, E!, Bravo and SyFy.
There’s also usually plenty of drama at both ends of the table sorting out which team will lift the trophy, and which three sides will go crashing through the trap door of relegation.
This season has been a special one on many levels, and the latest example is a reduced level of drama on the season’s final day.
Leicester City has already been crowned champions, and Aston Villa, Norwich and Newcastle have already booked passage to the Championship.
Really, the only thing left to figure out is which teams will be playing in Europe next season, and where.
Here’s the top of the table:
Here’s what at stake:
Tottenham Hotspur — Can clinch second place with a win or draw at Newcastle. No matter what, Spurs are in next season’s Champions League but will no doubt want to make sure they finish ahead of Arsenal. Tottenham’s match in Newcastle will be shown on USA.
Arsenal — Will finish third with a win or draw at home to Aston Villa. Third place is the last automatic spot into the Champions League, while the fourth-place team will need to enter the qualifying round. The Gunners can finish no worse than fourth, and can take second with a win and a Spurs loss at Newcastle. Arsenal’s match against Aston Villa will be shown on Syfy.
Manchester City — City can clinch fourth place with a win or draw at Swansea. The Citizens will miss out on the Champions League if they lose, and Manchester United win at home against Bournemouth. Manchester City cannot drop lower than fifth so they are guaranteed a Europa League place. Manchester City’s match at Swansea will be shown on NBC.
Manchester United — Needs to beat Bournemouth and have City lose to finish fourth in the EPL. Should the Red Devils fail to win, they could finish as low as seventh. The nightmare scenario for United is a loss, wins from West Ham and Southampton and a loss to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final. If that happens, the Red Devils would be seventh and completely out of European football next year. Manchester United’s match against Bournemouth will be shown on NBCSN.
West Ham — A win at Stoke, coupled with a United loss or draw against Bournemouth would place the Hammers in fifth. A loss or draw, coupled with a Southampton win against Crystal Palace, would put them seventh. A loss, and a Liverpool win by two goals or more, could have them as low as eighth. There’s even a bizarre scenario that could result in a playoff between the two teams. West Ham’s match at Stoke will be shown on Bravo.
Southampton — Can finish fifth with a win against Palace, a United loss and a West Ham loss or draw. A loss, and a Liverpool win at West Brom, would see the Reds jump over the Saints in the standings. Southampton’s match against Crystal Palace will be shown on E!
Liverpool — If they win the Europa League final against Sevilla, Liverpool will be in the Champions League and won’t be all that bothered about its league finish. Still, with a win at West Brom by more than two goals, a West Ham draw or loss and a Southampton draw or loss, the Reds could climb as high as sixth. Liverpool’s match at West Brom will be shown on MSNBC.
