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Paul Merson has tipped Tottenham Hotspur to finish above Chelsea on the final day of the Premier League season, per Sky Sports.
What’s he said?
Spurs face Everton on the final day, while the Blues take on Leicester City.
Mauricio Pochettino’s men are currently fourth and an amazing series of events could see them drop out of the top four altogether; if they lose to the Toffees and Arsenal beat Burnley, with an eight-goal swing involved, Spurs would finish fifth.
But Merson is tipping them to beat Marco Silva’s men.
And he also feels that Chelsea might drop points against the Foxes, events that would see the Blues end the season in fourth, one point behind their London rivals.
Predicting Spurs’ clash, he said: “You’re playing against a good Everton team here, who have turned a corner but they were getting beaten at Newcastle and Fulham a few weeks ago.
“The players probably won’t be thinking of this game but you want to get third. I think Tottenham will sneak it, but Everton aren’t as good on the road as they have been at home so I think Spurs will sneak it.”
And, asked about the Blues, he added: “They’ve got to beat Leicester, it’s quite a big game for Chelsea to finish third, but it’s a hard game and I think Leicester will get something with how they’ve been playing.”
Merson expects Spurs to beat Everton 2-1 and has predicted a 2-2 draw between the Foxes and the Blues.
Tiredness a factor
Do either Spurs or Chelsea care?
Pochettino’s side beat Ajax in the Champions League semi-final in midweek in one of the most dramatic games in recent memory and have a final to prepare for, against Liverpool.
So too do Chelsea, who squeaked past Eintracht Frankfurt on penalties to set up another all-English final, in the Europa League, between the Blues and Arsenal.
Rotation, then, is likely on Sunday. All Spurs need to do is avoid defeat to confirm a top four finish, while the Blues have already confirmed that they will be playing in Europe’s elite club competition next term.
Merson is probably right; these are two tough games for both London sides, but fans and players alike are unlikely to place too much importance on Sunday’s fixtures.