Salah, Guardiola exit as Spurs battle EPL drop
LONDON — Tottenham must avoid defeat against Everton on Sunday to guarantee their place in the English Premier League next season as Mohamed Salah and Pep Guardiola prepare for emotional farewells.
Liverpool and Bournemouth could both secure places in the Champions League, while European football is also on the line for Brighton, Brentford, Chelsea and Sunderland.
This time last year, Tottenham fans were basking in the glow of a first trophy for 17 years after beating Manchester United to lift the Europa League.
Head coach Roberto De Zerbi believes the visit of Everton dwarfs the importance of that victory, with Premier League survival at stake.
“There is something more important than the trophy and the bonus,” he said according to AFP.
“There is the future of the club, there is the history of the club, there is the pride of the players, there is the pride of the families of the players.
“There is the dignity of every one of us.”
A point will be enough to secure survival and relegate West Ham due to Tottenham’s vastly superior goal difference.
But Spurs have already lost 10 of their 18 home league games this season and another defeat would open the door to Nuno Espirito Santo’s Hammers, if they can beat Leeds.
Liverpool should ensure a terrible season does not end on a fresh low note by securing a top-five finish in Mohamed Salah’s farewell to Anfield.
Finishing in the top five would ensure Champions League football next season – a consolation prize after a shocking title defence.
Egypt international Salah criticised Liverpool’s performances under Arne Slot this season after last week’s 4-2 defeat at Aston Villa.
“I want to see Liverpool go back to being the heavy metal attacking team that opponents fear and back to being a team that wins trophies,” he said in a social media post, pointedly referring to the football played under Slot’s predecessor Jurgen Klopp.
“Qualifying to next season’s Champions League is the bare minimum and I will do everything I can to make that happen,” he added.
Liverpool, who host Brentford, have a three-point lead and a six-goal cushion on goal difference over sixth-placed Bournemouth.
Sixth could be enough to qualify for the Champions League if Liverpool win and leapfrog Aston Villa, who travel to Manchester City, into fifth spot.
As it stands, the sixth and seventh-placed teams would go into the Europa League and the eighth would qualify for the Conference League.
Brighton would be guaranteed at least Europa League football with victory over Manchester United.
Sunderland host Chelsea with a chance of qualifying for continental competition for the first time in more than half a century.
Mohamed Salah’s outburst gives Arne Slot a tough decision to make on whether to start the 33-year-old, who has only recently returned from a hamstring injury.
The already unpopular coach risks infuriating the Liverpool fans even further if he does not give the man they christened “The Egyptian King” one last run out in front of the Kop.
With increasing speculation over his future, Slot can ill afford to let any personal issues with Salah get in the way of finishing the season on a high.
Liverpool have failed to win any of the nine league games that Salah has not started in 2026.
At the Etihad, Guardiola is set for a rousing send-off after amassing 20 trophies in his decade in charge, including six Premier League titles and City’s only Champions League.
“It’s been the experience of my life,” said the Catalan after announcing his departure on Friday.
FIXTURES
Sunday (all 18:00 Cairo local time)
Brighton v Manchester United, Burnley v Wolves, Crystal Palace v Arsenal, Fulham v Newcastle, Liverpool v Brentford, Manchester City v Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest v Bournemouth, Sunderland v Chelsea, Tottenham v Everton, West Ham v Leeds
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المصدر: Egyptian Gazette