GOAL US looks at the chase for Champions League soccer, with Newcastle, Chelsea and Nottingham Forest all in the hunt
The inevitable has happened. Liverpool FC have wrapped up the Premier League title. That makes it two in five years for the Reds, who rather strolled to the thing at the end of the day. Meanwhile, all three teams that came up to the top flight last year were relegated.
The good news for those who are inclined to fall asleep is that there is plenty of stuff in the middle to get intrigued about. It isn't necessarily a good thing that – should results go a certain way – nine English teams could be playing in Europe next year. That's too many, especially for a league that has, historically, struggled to win on the continental stage.
That does mean, though, that there's some jeopardy for up to eight teams in the league. The middle class has a chance of upward mobility here. Chief among them is Chelsea, who have done a decent job of being maddeningly inconsistent all season – under an imperfect manager. Then, there's the very good but very flawed Newcastle, who are well in the hunt for Champions League football, but have shown a fair few frailties.
And finally, a word for Nottingham Forest, who have either regressed to the mean or run out of luck (it depends on which way you look at it).
GOAL US looks at all of those plot points and more in the Premier League Primer, a weekly rundown of what to watch from an American perspective in England's top flight.
Getty Images SportEnzo Marseca, Champions League, and poor fits
Is there a worse fit for a manager than Enzo Marseca and Chelsea? Sure, he's a shrewd tactician, and one of the so-called "disciples" of Pep Guardiola – an admittedly stale moniker at this point. But he doesn't really have the gravitas, ego or self-importance to be Chelsea manager. These guys need to be brash, loud and cocky. I suppose the kids call it "aura."
In other words, Marseca is a football nerd – and an infuriatingly sensible one at that. In the right club, with the right structure, he could be the central figurehead of a well-oiled machine. He is, in effect, the last guy you want to throw into the dumpster fire that is Chelsea Football Club.
And over the past few months, it has shown. Chelsea have gone from de-facto title contenders to strugglers on the periphery of European football. Suddenly, this all looks desperate. After looking secure enough in January, they are now in serious danger of falling into the Europa League next year.
Cole Palmer has gone cold, the midfield is loose. Nico Jackson has shown that his ceiling might be around 15 goals per year. Maybe this team isn't as good as we all thought – something Maresca actually, perhaps foolishly, alluded to a few months ago.
Liverpool make for an interesting opponent on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. ET. The Reds have already secured the Premier League, but won't want to snooze their way through the season. Chelsea, in search of Champions League football, will have to take the game to Mo Salah and Co.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportNewcastle and the search for security
It has been a pretty good couple of months for Newcastle fans. First, they beat Liverpool in the EFL Cup final to claim their first trophy in 70 years. Then, they went on an empathic run in the Premier League, scoring 16 goals in four games to push up the standings. Since then, things have rather changed.
They were dispatched pretty handily by Aston Villa on April 19, and although they rebounded with a comprehensive defeat of Ipswich, there's suddenly a tiny bit of jeopardy to their season.
And Brighton are a strange opponent for these uncertain times. The Seagulls were on a European quest of their own just a couple of months ago, but a miserable run has seen them slip down the table. Now, they're in ninth, and will realistically have to win out to stand a chance of playing in Europe next year.
Alexander Isak has enjoyed a brilliant season for Newcastle and has lifted his first piece of silverware with the club after helping fire the Magpies to victory in the Carabao Cup.
The Amex Stadium should be a pretty hostile environment for Newcastle Sunday at 9 a.m. ET. If Newcastle lose, they could see their hold on Champions League football weaken. If Brighton lose, they can probably kiss their chances of playing in Europe goodbye.
(C)Getty ImagesNottingham Forest, stretched too thin?
It was a nice run, but chin up, right lads? Nottingham Forest seemed to have positioned themselves well for Champions League football. They were briefly in second, and comfortably in the top five. There were pieces being written praising manager Nuno Espirito Santo, and hailing their old fashioned style.
What has followed might be considered something of a regression to the mean. In the last few months, Forest have shown what they truly are: a very good football team who have surpassed expectations, but just short of the Premier League elite. And there is nothing wrong with that. This is a club, remember, that some had pegged for relegation, and no one expected to be sniffing Europe.
But the Champions League dream is still alive. Nuno has described the final games of the season as "the biggest of our career." It's all very intense for a club that hasn't been at this level in years. Crystal Palace – who have the FA Cup final on their minds – should make for an interesting opponent Monday at 3 p.m. ET. The Eagles have never won a professional trophy, and will have one eye on Wembley. The league is a wash for them. Still, they will take some effort to beat.
Getty Images SportAmerican ties
+ Chris Richards figures to be in the picture for Palace, who will look to stay sharp with a good performance against Forest on Sunday.