The Final Place

As the 2022/23 Premier League season draws to it’s close Man City are champions once more and their cross-city rivals returned to the top 4 after taking last season off. They have been joined at the European top table next season by Arsenal, who have been absent since 2016/17 under Arsene Wenger, and Newcastle United.

The Magpies have waited far longer than the rest though. A full twenty seasons have passed since they last enjoyed such a lofty honour. On their last got they fell at the second group stage, losing out to Barcelona and Internationale Milano. In the season to come I hope they to take revenge.

The Europa League places have been filled by Liverpool, such a fall from grace after last season’s quadruple chase, and the rather ridiculous Brighton and Hove Albion. Seagulls in Europe is something that no sane individual would have predicted last August, but that’s football for you. Even on their second manager of the season they have been stable enough to push through adversity and reach Europe.

Another team who are on their second boss this season are Aston Villa and with just the last game to navigate it is they who hold the fate of the final European place in their hands.

Beat Brighton in front of their own fans on Sunday and they join their visitors in Europe, it’s that simple, but in the unlikely event that the Villains drop points the door to the Europa Conference League Play-off place will be left ajar, with two teams in line to stroll through it.

At the front of that queue are Tottenham Hotspur but with their final day assignment being a trip to a Leeds United team for whom anything less than 3 points means relegation, I don’t fancy their chances of securing even the draw that would see them overhaul a losing Villa.

Firmly at the back of the queue of two for the final place in Europe are a bus-stop in Hounslow, who beat Spurs in their own turf last weekend. For the Bees to sneak into that final place they have to hope that both Villa and Spurs drop points and with miracle one done secure miracle two, doing the double over the new (and old) champions.

This double miracle is extremely unlikely to fall into place for Brentford, in only their 2nd ever EPL season, but it is nether-the-less possible and if it happens I will be there to see it.

Bring on the impossible on Sunday as Brentford go all in for the final place.