Fingernails will be bitten to the skin both this evening and on Sunday as the battle to avoid relegation from the Premier League heads towards a thrilling finish.
Fans of Everton, Burnley and Leeds are sweating on whether next season's away days will be spent at Liverpool and Manchester United, or whether they need to think about trips to Hull and Coventry instead.
We have asked some of Mirror Football's top reporters for their predictions as we enter the final straight. So which two out of Frank Lampard, Jesse March and Michael Jackson will be celebrating on the final day? And who will be facing up to a season of slog in the Championship?
JOHN CROSS
Burnley may need just a point to edge out Leeds and Everton are still not safe but, like Burnley, have two games left. But trouble is… you’d rather have points on the board. Burnley have to go to Aston Villa and they gave Liverpool a tough game last week and won at Turf Moor a couple of weeks ago.
Then Burnley have Newcastle final day… did you see them against Arsenal?!?! Leeds do bring something to the party. Elland Road is a great stadium, the fans are so passionate and it’s a great old club. They’ve got Brentford final day which, if they need to, might be a game where they could get something. Everton have got two lives - er, I mean games - left and I think they’ll do it. Just. It’ll be so tight but I just feel Burnley would rather have the points on the board than the game in hand and the two tough fixtures they have.
HAVE YOUR SAY! Who will beat the drop? Let us know in the comments section
DAVID ANDERSON
Although Everton are still not safe, I expect the relegation fight to come down to Leeds and Burnley. Everton were less than half an hour away from securing their Premier League status when they led Brentford before losing 3-2. They can still pass the safety mark against Crystal Palace on Thursday and they will need a result in that game with them facing Arsenal at the Emirates on the last day.
I do not have great hopes for Burnley at Aston Villa on Thursday and I expect Steven Gerrard’s side to win to leave the Clarets needing at least a point at home to Newcastle on Sunday to stay up. I think they can get a result against Newcastle and Turf Moor will be pumped like never before to see if they can pull off arguably their greatest escape act. Leeds have the advantage because of their late equaliser against Brighton, but I fear for them at Brentford on Sunday. Brentford have had a brilliant campaign and will want to sign off on a high in front of their home fans. There is also the small matter of that Leeds video taunting Thomas Frank when they went up in 2020 and I think that is all the motivation the Bees need to beat them and possibly send them down.
GIDEON BROOKS
I could see Crystal Palace sharing the points at Everton and Burnley doing likewise against Villa on Thursday which, crucially, would nudge Leeds down into the bottom three ahead of the final day but with all three still in the mix for the drop. Looking to Sunday Everton may struggle to get anything from their trip to the Emirates with Mikel Arteta still hoping for Champions League football leaving them on 37.
Burnley have a stiff looking task against in-form Newcastle and could get nothing. And Leeds face Brentford who are playing well enough to beat Jesse Marsch's side. I believe all three will be beaten on the final day but that Leeds will drop on goal difference – leaving those shouting about how great Marcelo Bielsa was looking red faced as they go down.
NEIL SQUIRES
Mike Jackson has worked wonders to keep Burnley in with a shout of avoiding relegation since replacing the irreplaceable Sean Dyche but points in the bank are priceless at the wrong end of the table. Everton and Leeds are no-one’s ideas of sure-fire bets to pick up anything but they have the points already that Burnley don’t. The Lancastrians have made a decent fist of it but they look destined to fall just short.
