The 36th day of the Premier League is one more episode, already approaching the outcome, in the distance battle between Manchester City (1st) and Arsenal (2nd), focused on not stumbling in a race that begins to leave no room for the error.
On paper, City has a more approachable game than its pursuer, since it visits a team that is fighting for permanence such as Everton (17th). Arsenal will play later, already knowing the leader’s result, at home against Brighton (7th).
The Londoners must not fail, since they arrive at the weekend one point behind the leader, who also has one less game played.
A threat for City, beyond Everton, could be the “mental pressure” that their coach, Josep Guardiola, alluded to at the end of last day, since his team is in a decisive week, immersed in the tie for semifinals of the Champions League against Real Madrid.
The ‘Citizens’ drew 1-1 on Tuesday at the Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid and on Wednesday the 17th they will face a decisive second leg at the Etihad Stadium, with the aim of being in the final in Istanbul.
But first it’s Everton, who thanks to their 5-1 win on Monday in Brighton left the relegation zone and was seventeenth.
For its part, Arsenal is 100% focused on the Premier League as it is not in the final rounds of European competitions. That is why the duel against Brighton is his absolute priority.
There is excitement in the race for the next Champions League, especially after Manchester United’s two consecutive defeats, whose fourth position is threatened by Liverpool (5th), to one point (with one more game played) thanks to a streak of six consecutive wins.
United hosts Wolverhampton (13th) today, while Liverpool will close the day on Monday at Leicester (18th), which is in relegation places.
Newcastle (3rd), meanwhile, have a good chance to consolidate themselves in the ‘Champions zone’ with their game against the penultimate, Leeds (19th), today.
Southampton (20th), bottom club, can be mathematically relegated today, after their game against Fulham (10th).
On the other hand, Barcelona visits Espanyol tomorrow (19th) in the Barcelona derby on matchday 34 of the Spanish championship, in which a victory would allow the blaugranas to become champions.
The current league leader could even be champion without playing if Real Madrid (3rd) does not beat Getafe (18th) today and if tomorrow, Atlético de Madrid (2nd) does not go beyond a draw with bottom club Elche.
The meringues are third, 14 points behind the azulgranas and one from Atlético, second classified, 13 units behind the leader, with five games to go and 15 points to play at the start of the 34th date.
Real Madrid will try to regain second place in the league table, which was taken from them last Sunday by Atlético de Madrid, who will visit the already relegated Elche.
Behind, Real Sociedad will receive Girona (7th) wanting to win to shore up their fourth place, the last one that gives them access to the Champions League, in the face of the threat of Villarreal (5th) who host Athletic Bilbao (8th).
Likewise, Bayern Munich (1st), the dominator of German football for the last decade, has just one point ahead of Borussia Dortmund (2nd), who comes from beating Wolfsburg 6-0 (7th), three days from the end. of one of the most exciting Bundesligas in recent years.
After winning by the minimum (2-1) at Werder Bremen (12th) last week, Bayern hosts Schalke 04 today, promoted a year ago and who is now in the fight not to return to second (15th).
Also today, Dortmund will try to show their strength at home (15 wins, 3 draws and a single loss counting all competitions) against Borussia Monchengladbach (10th) with the hope of staying in the fight to win their first title since 2012. the last one that Bayern Munich did not win./ENS-AFP