Today marks arguably the most important day of the year in the English Premier League, the final day of the season, the last chance for teams to avoid being relegated and avoid losing out on the millions of dollars (er, pounds) that come with life in the EPL.
Four teams are battling to avoid falling into one of the two remaining relegation spots alongside West Bromwich Albion. Sunderland, Hull City, Newcastle and Middlesbrough are all in jeopardy and all four have tough tasks. Sunderland (vs. Chelsea) and Hull (vs. Manchester United) have extremely difficult opponents at home, while Sunderland (at Aston Villa) and Middlesbrough (at West Ham) face daunting road tests.
The EPL relegation race is the marquee event of the day, but just one of many highlights on this busy Soccer Sunday. You have matches in MLS, Argentina and France just to name a few.
If you will be watching today's action please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.
Enjoy the action (today's schedule is after the jump):
Today's Soccer on TV
- 11am- Setanta Sports- Aston Villa vs. Newcastle United
- 11am- FSC- Hull City vs. Manchester United
- 11am- FSE- Sunderland vs. Chelsea
- 1pm- Setanta Sports- Sunderland vs. Chelsea
- 2:45pm- Setanta Sports- Arsenal vs. Stoke City
- 3pm- Telefutura- New York Red Bulls vs. Chicago Fire
- 4pm- FSE- Velez Sarsfield vs. Boca Juniors
- 4pm- GolTV- Real Madrid vs. RCD Mallorca
- 4pm- FSC- Lecce vs. Fiorentina
- 430pm- Setanta Sports- Blackburn Rovers vs. West Bromwich Albion
- 6pm- GolTV- Fluminese vs. Santos
- 615pm- Setanta Sports- Manchester City vs. Bolton Wanderers
- 7pm- Telefutura- Pachuca vs. Indios Juarez
- 7pm- FSC- FC Gold Pride vs. Los Angeles Sol
- 8pm- Setanta Sports- Fulham vs. Everton
Ives didn’t mention the Milan-Roma match for it being Maldini’s last match because it’s not. Serie A has one more week. Milan go to Florence to fight it out between who gets 3rd (and auto CL) and who gets 4th (CL prelim). It was however Maldini’s last match at the San Siro though so was notable for how the Milan fans would be seeing him for the last time (except those that make the trip to Florence next week). Also the match had quite a bit on the line. Milan looking to hold onto their auto CL spot while Roma look to qualify for Euro. Good match too.
Props to Fulham for making Europe, however, UEFA Cup (now Europa League) qualification has acted as a burden/distraction for the smaller clubs that have qualified the past few season (Pompey ’08-09, Bolton ’07-08, West Ham ’06-07). All of these clubs flirted with relegation. Not saying that this is going to happen to Fulham and I am glad Dempsey (and potentially Gooch) will get European competition, just saying that Europe for smaller clubs can be a poison apple.
A great season all and all for Liverpool. 86 points is nothing to scoff at, hopefully we take the momentum into the summer and add the components we need to win the title next season. Barry, Silva, Johnson, and Tevez would all be more than welcome at Anfield…
Hull stays up…played horribly since late last year. Just so happens that three teams were worse than them.
Glory, Glory ….Man U Wins…goodbye Newcastle
Newcastle are headed down… ah well. Maybe Ashley will pull his head out of his butt and bring a few decent players next year.
Double yellow for Newcastle with about a minute left until relegation.
Edu Edu
Edu Edu Edu Edu
Edu Eduuuuuuuuuu!
Edu
Edu
Edu Edu Edu !
Awful shot by Amoeba…
Newcastle with their premier league lives on the line… and Ameobi is coming on. Brilliant…
got it back, but its off and on…..WE ARE GOING ON A EUROPEAN TOUR, A EUROPEAN TOUR, A EUROPEAN TOUR!!
I lost my connnection again!!!
is it just me, or is Coloccini the most useless load of toss in the Premier League?
Even better news for Fulham! Liv’pool goes up 2-0 on Spurs. COYW! Invade Fortress Europa!
Did anyone else’s heart skip a beat when Dempsey slide tackled Howard? I saw all kinds of hopes go up in smoke…
No harm, no foul.
atdhe.net started broadcasting too…i hate it when they scare me like that!
YES! http://footyarena.blogspot.com/2009/05/stream-7.html
WAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
anyone got a Newcastle feed somewhere?
I’m about to cry if I don’t find a working link at the half
c’mon ives, give us a prediction for the second half of everton v fulham, and a link if you’ve got one!!!
haha Someone complained about no Maldini post? There are plenty of more important things going on this morning than Maldini retiring. And I mean absolutely no disrespect…but come on…the complaints that are sometimes written on here are great entertainment. The best part is nobody forces anyone to come here and read Ives’ blog. It is your choice…lol.
lost my connection to the fulham game, any links??
To the tune of yellow submarine, “we are going on a european tour, a european tour, a european tour!”
Shame for Newcastle, which had played well.
Villa Scored
GOAL ASTON VILLA!! A deflected shot off a Newcastle defender. 1-0 Villa in the 39th
I’ve got half a mind to cancel FSC for not starting the ManU – Hull game on time.
What a bunch of idiots!!!!!!
C’mon TOON!
Darren Gibson with a blast…
Man U 1- Hull 0
ManU takes the lead…
COME ON FULHAM!!!
Props to Monaghan for eating his crow for all to see. I had contemplated taunting you after all the smack talk on here this season, but now there is no need.
please, stop saying arguably. everything is arguable take a position
USA roster post is up folks.
lol Rangers win league…no thanks to beasley….
We weren’t up for it,Strachan needs to go, as well as 4 or 5 of these guys.
No glaring ommissions. I like that Feilhaber gets a look.
SOYYYYY DEL METROOO SOYYYYY DEL METROOO DEL MMETROOO SOY YOOOO.
VAMOS METRO!
yes it was…it followed the Tim Howard story. Big shockers seem to be Wynne and Davies both getting called up.
Roster is out!!!
ESPN went too fast for me with the roster. And also, what was the deal with them mentioning the Haiti match as an upcoming WC qualifier?
Spector starting for West Hamm. I hope Bradley is taking note!
Was that the roster on Sportscenter just now? Geez, I barely caught it.
No mention on Paolo Maldini playing his last game in Seria A?? Good one Ives.
Sorry folks, yes, it’s West Brom and not Stoke. Had Stoke on the brain this morning.
Rangers post coming so settle down Rangers/Edu fans.
Second that pairing Adam.
I’ll only be watching the MLS game today. The FSC game will be a dullard.
Still waiting patiently for the US roster to be released on Sportscenter, and the Timmy interview. How many baseball game highlights will I have to endure…
Congrats to Edu!
And Beasley!!
Bradley/Edu in 2010!
No mention of Rangers winning the Scottish Premier League and the remarkable rise of Maurice Edu? Is he the best central midfielder in the American talent pool?
Now at least one Yank will be in the Champions League group stage next season.
rangers won the title in scotland…
Glasgow Rangers SPL champs, great for Mo Edu!!
You mean West Brom, not Stoke. Stoke is very safe from relegation.
I predict Hull and Newcastle will each have scoreless ties, leaving Hull and Sunderland safe from the drop. Boro won’t win, and if they do, they’d need a hatful of goals to climb out.