What happens if Leicester and Liverpool finish on same points, same goal difference and same goals scored
What happens if Leicester and Liverpool finish on same points, same goal difference and same goals scored
Premier League top four classification rules after an injury time goal from Liverpool keeper Alisson Becker leaves five teams in with a chance in final week
Leicester City’s race for the Premier League top four is heading into the final week of the season.
The FA Cup winners were in line for another present to end the weekend as Liverpool seemed on course for a draw at already-relegated West Bromwich Albion.
But up stepped goalkeeper Alisson Becker in the fourth minute of added time to score an extraordinary winner and take the race for a Champions League spot down to the wire.
It means that the bookies have put Liverpool as favourites to join Man Utd and Man City in the top four – because Leicester and Chelsea meet on Tuesday, meaning at least one of them will drop points.
If Liverpool win both their last two games they will end the season on 69 points and it is impossible for both Leicester and Chelsea to surpass that. It could all be decided on goal difference, or goals scored if goal difference is level.
So what happens if, for example, Leicester lose 1-0 at Chelsea and beat Tottenham 3-0 while Liverpool win 2-1 at Burnley, beat Crystal Palace 3-2 and Chelsea win their final game at Aston Villa?
Klopp in awe of Alisson’s ‘world-class’ goal
That would leave Chelsea third on 70 points in third and Leicester and Liverpool both 69 points, both on a goal difference of 23, both having scored 68 goals.
Premier League rules for classification state that in this unlikely scenario, positions would be decided on the head-to-head record between the two teams.
The record is close – Liverpool won 3-0 at Anfield in November, Leicester won 3-1 at the King Power in February – but it would be Liverpool who get fourth while Leicester go into the Europa League. If Leicester hadn’t conceded in that home game, it would have gone to a play-off.
Still, that is all a long way down the line. Here is what is still to come in the next few days.
JUST HOW GOOD IS YOURI TIELEMANS AND HIS IMPORTANCE TO THIS LEICESTER CITY SIDE
AS IT STANDS
2 Manchester United P36 W20 D10 L6 F70 A42 GD28 Pts70
3 Leicester City P36 W20 D6 L10 F65 A44 GD21 Pts66
4 Chelsea P36 W18 D10 L8 F55 A33 GD22 Pts64
5 Liverpool P36 W18 D9 L9 F63 A42 GD21 Pts63
6 Tottenham P36 W17 D8 L11 F63 A41 GD22 Pts59
7 West Ham P36 W17 D8 L11 F56 A46 GD10 Pts59
LEICESTER CITY FIXTURES
Tuesday, 8.15pm: Chelsea (a)
Sunday, 4pm: Tottenham (h)
CHELSEA FIXTURES
Tuesday, 8:15pm: Leicester (h)
Sunday, 4pm: Aston Villa (a)
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LIVERPOOL FIXTURES
Wednesday, 8.15pm: Burnley (a)
Sunday, 4pm: Crystal Palace (h)
TOTTENHAM FIXTURES
Wednesday, 6pm: Aston Villa (h)
Sunday, 4pm: Leicester (a)
WEST HAM FIXTURES
Wednesday, 8.15pm: West Brom (a)
Sunday, 4pm: Southampton (h)
LATEST ODDS
Liverpool 1/4, Chelsea 4/9, Leicester 8/11, West Ham 250/1, Tottenham 250/1
