Manchester City's trip to Brighton and Liverpool's clash with Wolves at Anfield are live on Sky Sports Premier League & Main Event from 2pm on Sunday; Kick-off for both games is at 3pm
Tuesday 7 May 2019 17:41, UK
Could this season's Premier League title be decided by a play-off between Manchester City and Liverpool? It's unlikely, but possible - depending on how Sunday's final matches pan out. Here's the scenario:
Manchester City lead Liverpool by one point, and have a superior goal difference of four. City have also scored four more goals than their nearest rivals.
Only the following results on Sunday's final round of fixtures, live on Sky Sports Premier League, would leave it impossible to separate the two clubs:
Liverpool 4-4 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Brighton 4-0 Manchester City
These two results would mean both clubs have 95 points, a goal difference of +65, and a total of 91 goals scored.
Under Premier League rules, the title would have to be decided by a one-game play off between the top two, with a hastily-arranged date and neutral venue organised for the game.
The odds of those two results happening is an eye-watering 63,000/1. More than twelve times the 5000/1 odds that Leicester City overcame in 2016 to win the Premier League, but we have been here before...
In 1996, Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United were vying with Kevin Keegan's Newcastle for the Premier League title, with both teams level on points with two games to go.
In addition, there was just one goal separating the two sides on goal difference and goals scored, so the Premier League took the unprecedented step of booking Wembley Stadium, ready for a play-off game if needed, and printed thousands of tickets ready for sale should the two teams remain inseparable after 38 games.
More recently, in 2013, the Premier League booked Villa Park in case a play-off was needed to decide which of Arsenal and Chelsea would finish third, and get automatic entry into the Champions League group stages.
Back then, the team that finished fourth in the table had to go through the Champions League qualifying rounds. The two teams went into their final matches separated by just two points and two goals.
Again, in the end a play-off wasn't needed as Chelsea won out and finished third, two points ahead of their London rivals.
The fact that a play-off is even being talked about, shows how close it is between Manchester City and Liverpool going into the final game of the season.
The two teams have pushed each other to historic new levels, with both going beyond the 90-point mark in the table.
Sir Alex's record points total at Manchester United for a 38-game season was back in the year 2000, the year after United won the treble.
That season, United won 91 points - that would only be good enough for third place in this season's title race.
Likewise, Arsenal's 'Invincibles' who went the whole season unbeaten in 2003/2004. They had 12 draws that season, managing 90 points in total - again, that would not have been enough to overhaul Man City or Liverpool this season.
Two seasons ago, Antonio Conte's Chelsea became the first Premier League team to register 30 wins in a 38-game season.
Once again - their points total of 93 points would only be good enough for third place this season.
