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Game to watch – Newcastle v Liverpool
Imagine being in a happy, long-term relationship that ends in part because of your inability to conceive. You separate amicably, you separate but you maintain mutual respect and mutual love. Then, almost ten years later, your ex-partner asks you to light candles, leave petals of roses, don Marvin Gaye's and look after their cat while They spend some time alone with their new and significant other on the floor.
Rafael Benitez has never been able to do his job, so he will not want to help Jurgen Klopp consummate his marriage in Liverpool either. The Spaniard would be delighted if his beloved Reds ever won the Premier League title, but not at the expense of Newcastle.
Those who expect Benitez to help visitors on Saturday night to sleep and think about Merseyside are deeply lost. Newcastle has nothing to play in terms of survival and little to gain in terms of position, but pride is an effective motivational tool.
Benitez could also consider this as a last argument for Mike Ashley, a last ultimatum. If he managed to negotiate contracts and discuss summer transfer plans with the Manchester City and Liverpool scalps adorning his gorgeous curved arms, Newcastle would be totally stupid not to appease him.
But the story is that of Liverpool and the question of whether their victory in seven Premier League matches will be affected by the disastrous trip to Barcelona on Wednesday. For the first time of the season, neither their destiny in the Champions League nor in the Premier League are in their hands.
If they had been bothered for 90 minutes on the path of defeat in Nou camp, there would have been an explosive reaction three days later from a desperate team and coach. But the very nature of matching the Barca's stride to a three-goal loss could have a devastating consequence.
A season that so much promised could end effectively in the space of half a week. All Liverpool can hope for is to return to victory as quickly as possible.
Player to watch – Sergio Romero
Who saves the self-immolating firefighter? Or the lifeguard? What about the world-clbad goalkeeper?
Dave does not really save anymore, at least not as often or as reliably as before. The hangover of a shattered World Cup has taken time to settle, and mistakes against Arsenal, Barcelona, Everton, Manchester City and Chelsea in recent months have cost dear to Manchester United.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would normally have kept his faith in Spanish. De Gea has earned this right and more in recent seasons. But with the league of champions a distant hope and Huddersfield and Cardiff waiting for the last two games of the club, there is little to lose.
Sergio Romero is after all at Old Trafford for a reason. The Argentinean has kept six outstanding white lists in his seven appearances in the Premier League, stained only by Swansea in August 2015. There is no more accomplished replacement in England.
Solskjaer has boasted that his "fantastic guardian service" was the urge of any manager in march. It is time to return to Shakespearian proportions. O Romero, Romero, why are you Romero?
Manager to watch – Brendan Rodgers
He played well last week, insisting he did not "think long," but Brendan Rodgers has surely been discussing the match with his portrait of Brendan Rodgers for quite a few weeks. There is no manager who takes more pleasure out of the shadows to rush to the center of the stage.
Leicester and Rodgers have been reduced to one of the many subplots of this Premier League title race; the Northern Irish will want to rewrite history. It will not be to help Liverpool win the championship – I am referring again to the enigma of Benitez – but to stop Manchester City from doing it.
"My job is to do a favor to Leicester," Rodgers said before the 3-0 win over Arsenal. "Every game is important." He also referred to the use of the club's participation as an "excellent platform" to launch it in the upcoming season, the Wolves having three points in the race to finish seventh. As disappointing as it sounds for some, it would be their second highest flight ranking since 1976.
City would be foolish to underestimate the foxes. They (27) and Liverpool (25) are the only two teams to get more points in the Premier League than Leicester (19) since the appointment of Rodgers. The latter are the only ones to score more goals in this time (25) than the Fox (19), and only Liverpool (5), Everton (5) and City (2) conceded less (9).
Leicester also inflicted on City a 2-1 defeat in December, while Rodgers will want to protect his status from one of six managers Pep Guardiola faced twice or more without ever being beaten (hello Roberto di Matteo, Ronald Koeman, Carlo Ancelotti, Bruno Genesio and Guus Hiddink). Five years after his last significant attempt, can he help deliver the title to Anfield?
Team to watch – Cardiff
It was more like if the ship had sailed last weekend. Neil Warnock played, using the visit to Fulham as a fall scenario of a million pounds. He placed the majority of his money on a draw before betting on a hasty win, but eventually found himself at the end of a potentially decisive defeat.
The glimmer of hope is that Brighton is only four points ahead, the Seagulls visiting Arsenal and welcoming Manchester City in their last two games. The Cardiff fight is not quite over.
But make no mistake: the battle is tough. They will travel to Old Trafford on the last day to face a Manchester United team likely to contend for a Champions League qualification. And for this game to count, they must first host one of the toughest guests in the Premier League.
Crystal Palace is sixth in the Premier League, scoring more goals (29) than Chelsea (24) and only two less than Liverpool. Cardiff is 18th at home, with only Huddersfield (14) losing more often (10) and not conceding side as much (35).
The Bluebirds have themselves left a mountain to climb and must absolutely win to maintain any appearance of survival. But at least there is no room for too much thought: Cardiff knows very well what to do.
Football League to watch – MK Dons v Mansfield
With confirmation of relegation places, Derby can win the final playoff game with a home victory over West Brom. Middlesbrough is one point back and goes to the convict Rotherham, while Bristol City, another point back, makes the trip to Hull. Norwich, who is three points clear of Sheffield United (far from Stoke), will win the title with a draw at Aston Villa.
Luton (home against Oxford) and Barnsley (away at Bristol Rovers) are tied for points in Ligue 1, while Doncaster (home of Coventry) is one point ahead of Peterborough (home of Burton) in the race to the final place. Anyone from Wimbledon in 19th on 49 points and Scunthorpe in 23rd on 46 points can join Bradford in the fall.
But the real drama is in Ligue 2, where Lincoln sealed the title and Macclesfield's Sol Campbell really needed a home point for Cambridge to ensure the great escape at the expense of Notts County (away from Swindon).
You see, the goal difference separates Mansfield, third, from MK Dons, fourth, and this last auto promotion position. But fate dictated that the two teams meet in a near-play-off at Stadium MK, the winner claiming fame.
A draw would do business for Mansfield, who has managed to lose his last two games. MK Dons, who has only won one of their last five games, must win. Neither one nor the other seems to actually want to be promoted, but any of them will just have to accept it.
European game to watch – Aberdeen v Celtic
Celtic is almost certain to win an eighth consecutive title in the Scottish Premiership. They have nine points ahead of the Rangers in second place in just three games. It would take a gargantuan and hilarious collapse here for Neil Lennon to spoil all of Brendan Rodgers' best-crafted plans.
But imagine. They will travel to Aberdeen, third, then to Ibrox, next Sunday. Their last match is against Hearts, the finalist of the Scottish Cup, which occupies sixth place in this old and strange league system.
So, here are two Celts defeats and two Rangers wins in their next two games to organize one last thrilling and heartbreaking day. And at Celtic scoring in the first minute to kill any tension.
Matt Stead
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