Premier League Final Day Preview: Key Matches and Line-Ups

On the final afternoon of a long, twisted Premier League season, the line‑ups will tell as many stories as the scorelines. Managers are juggling farewells, European pushes, looming finals and simple exhaustion. Some will go full strength. Others will treat it like a dress rehearsal for what comes next.

Here is how the last day is shaping up.

Brighton v Man Utd – Europe in reach, auditions everywhere

Brighton’s season has never really settled, but the return of Diego Gomez offers Roberto De Zerbi a late, intriguing tweak. The Paraguayan came off the bench last weekend; this time he is pushing hard to start as Brighton chase a European place. If he does, Ferdi Kadioglu is likely to slide back into defence, which leaves one of Joel Veltman or Maxim De Cuyper vulnerable.

The wildcard is Mats Wieffer. If his ankle holds up and he is deemed fit enough to start, the entire balance of the side shifts again. What seems certain is the axis that has underpinned Brighton’s midfield: Pascal Gross and Carlos Baleba. They have kept James Milner on the fringes since his injury and show no sign of loosening their grip.

On the opposite bench, Michael Carrick has promised to “respect this last game”, but he also wants to look ahead. That means opportunities for Manchester United’s next wave. Tyler Fletcher and Shea Lacey are in line for minutes, while Ayden Heaven could be thrown into the back line.

Casemiro’s farewell is happening off the pitch; he will not be involved. Manuel Ugarte or Mason Mount are the obvious candidates to step into that vacancy, and Amad’s place is under threat from Patrick Dorgu or Mount as Carrick reshapes his attack. Benjamin Sesko has missed the last two games and remains a serious doubt, another cloud over an already patched‑up front line.

Burnley v Wolves – trying not to finish last

This is not where either club expected to be: locked in a scrap to avoid the wooden spoon. Burnley manager Mike Jackson has hinted at rotation, talking about giving people minutes and “manipulating the squad a little bit”. In other words, all bets are off.

The XI that lost to Arsenal did themselves credit, which might normally earn them another go. Yet Jackson is ready to freshen it up. Bashir Humphreys, Josh Laurent, Zeki Amdouni, Marcus Edwards, Quilindschy Hartman and Jacob Bruun Larsen are all circling the starting line‑up. Several of them are likely to be unleashed.

Wolves, somehow, could finish as high as 19th. Rob Edwards shifted to a back four in the draw with Fulham and may not overcomplicate things now. The group he used last week fits both a 4‑2‑3‑1 and a 3‑4‑2‑1, which gives him flexibility without ripping up the team sheet.

If there is a vulnerable spot, it is Rodrigo Gomes’ role on the right. Jackson Tchatchoua or Pedro Lima are pressing for that place, and Hugo Bueno is another option to return at left‑back. The structure looks set; the fine tuning is on the flanks.

Crystal Palace v Arsenal – one eye on Europe, one on Wembley

Crystal Palace are trapped between the day’s job and the week’s prize. The UEFA Conference League final looms on Wednesday, and Oliver Glasner has admitted he changes his mind “multiple times a day” about how much to rotate.

Chris Richards is out with ankle ligament damage and is a major doubt for the final as well. That should lock in the defensive core, unless Jefferson Lerma is dragged back to bolster the back line. Higher up the pitch, uncertainty reigns. Glasner will not want to risk key attackers with a European trophy on the horizon, so the front half of his side could look very different.

Arsenal, already crowned Premier League champions, are using this as both a thank‑you and a tune‑up before the Champions League final. Expect Mikel Arteta to shuffle heavily. William Saliba, Bukayo Saka and David Raya all trained individually on Thursday and are prime candidates to be rested.

That opens the door for youngsters Marli Salmon and Max Dowman to start, with squad players across the pitch likely to be rewarded. The title is won, but places in next week’s showpiece are not guaranteed; every minute now is a trial.

Fulham v Newcastle – searching for a spark, holding a shape

Fulham’s last outing at Wolves fell flat. Ryan Sessegnon is back in training, yet a starting role so soon looks unlikely. The bigger question is up front. Marco Silva may well tinker with his attack after that underwhelming display.

Harry Wilson, benched last time, is pushing to return. Josh King, Samuel Chukwueze and Kevin are also in the frame as Fulham hunt for more incision and energy in the final third.

Newcastle, by contrast, have a front four that clicked against West Ham and will not be touched lightly. Eddie Howe’s decisions lie further back. Kieran Trippier started last weekend, so Howe must choose between keeping the same back four or shifting Lewis Hall to right‑back and using Dan Burn on the opposite flank.

Sandro Tonali is “potentially” available after a hamstring tweak, with Howe downplaying the severity. If he does not make it, Joe Willock or Jacob Ramsey are ready to step in. Jacob Murphy and Anthony Elanga offer attacking alternatives, while Anthony Gordon’s absence for five matches and possible departure hang over the squad like unfinished business.

Liverpool v Brentford – farewells and fine margins

At Anfield, the talk refuses to move away from Mohamed Salah. Arne Slot would not confirm whether the Egyptian will make a final appearance, and his decision will shape more than just the mood.

Alisson Becker and Alexander Isak have both rejoined training, yet their match readiness is still unclear. Jeremie Frimpong is another doubt. Andrew Robertson, set to leave in the summer, could be handed one last start at left‑back, a nod to his years of service.

On the right, one of Curtis Jones or Joe Gomez is expected to cover. Salah’s involvement will dictate whether Rio Ngumoha gets the chance to start for a third straight game. If Salah sits, the youngster’s audition for the future grows in importance.

Brentford cannot afford sentiment. With European qualification on the line, Keith Andrews will go as strong as he can. Kristoffer Ajer has started the last two in place of Sepp van den Berg, and that battle for a centre‑back slot remains finely poised.

Kevin Schade, rested after a barren spell, is pushing to return. Vitaly Janelt came back from injury to start last weekend and should hold his place. The most likely scenario is an unchanged XI, but Schade’s claims are strong and Jordan Henderson waits just behind the curtain.

Man City v Aston Villa – Guardiola’s last roll of the dice

Predicting a Pep Guardiola line‑up has always been risky. Doing it for his final match in charge is an invitation to be wrong. What seems clear is that this will be a day of goodbyes.

John Stones and Bernardo Silva could both start in what are expected to be their last appearances for the club. Phil Foden, Savinho and Rayan Cherki will all be desperate to feature in Guardiola’s farewell, hoping for a final nod from the man who has shaped their roles.

Up front, the debate is simple but significant. Omar Marmoush has a strong chance of coming in, yet Guardiola may want Erling Haaland leading the line one last time. Sentiment versus rotation: it has defined his final weeks.

Aston Villa arrive as Europa League winners, but Unai Emery has admitted the difficulty of refocusing. He says he will “try to be serious” with his selection, though the emotional and physical toll of midweek is obvious.

Emiliano Martinez is likely to miss out after breaking a finger before kick‑off in that final. Around him, Emery is expected to turn to a raft of squad players from the start, protecting his stars and rewarding those who have waited in the shadows.

Nottingham Forest v Bournemouth – safety secured, streak protected

Nottingham Forest can breathe. Vitor Pereira has his team safe and is ready to “relax a bit”, which means no risks with anyone carrying a knock. Murillo and Ola Aina remain sidelined, and Dan Ndoye is only expected to feature at some stage rather than from the off.

Ibrahim Sangare came off the bench last time and is in line to start, adding power to midfield. Jair Cunha is an option to bolster the defence, while Taiwo Awoniyi could be restored up front, potentially displacing either Igor Jesus or Chris Wood.

Bournemouth, unbeaten in 17 and fresh from a superb draw with Man City, have no reason to meddle with a winning formula. Ryan Christie stays suspended, and while Justin Kluivert and Lewis Cook returned off the bench on Tuesday, asking them to start now would be a jump.

Momentum is with the Cherries. The temptation will be to ride it all the way into the summer.

Sunderland v Chelsea – belief against returning muscle

Sunderland’s win over Everton has stabilized their season and, for Regis Le Bris, removed the urge to tinker. He is likely to stick closely to that side. The one major doubt is Omar Aldarete, who came off injured and faces a late fitness test. If he fails it, Luke O’Nien is the obvious replacement.

Chemsdine Talbi is out after picking up an injury from the bench, which narrows the options. Habib Diarra and Chris Rigg look set to remain impact substitutes rather than starters.

Chelsea arrive with better news. Calum McFarlane has confirmed Levi Colwill, Joao Pedro and Reece James have all trained since the win over Spurs. If the medical staff are satisfied, that trio could walk straight back into the XI.

James’ role is the pivot. He can operate in defence or midfield, and that choice will determine whether Malo Gusto or Andrey Santos feature. At centre‑back, Trevoh Chalobah is pushing to replace Wesley Fofana, and there is even scope for both central defenders to change as Chelsea look to reset their structure for the last time this season.

Spurs v Everton – fine margins, big names

Roberto De Zerbi kept faith with the same Spurs XI last time out. Now he has more options. Dominic Solanke is available again, and James Maddison’s gradually increasing minutes make a starting role a real possibility.

Djed Spence, despite suffering a jaw injury against Chelsea, is also in contention. The key questions revolve around stamina and shape: how long can Solanke and Maddison realistically last, and does De Zerbi rip up the front line by taking out Randal Kolo Muani?

If he does, Spence or Lucas Bergvall – or another of his young attackers – could be drafted in to change the team’s profile in the final third.

David Moyes, by contrast, kept Everton unchanged last weekend and was repaid with defeat to Sunderland. Idrissa Gueye has not yet trained fully but has a “50/50 chance” of involvement, according to Moyes.

The manager could easily roll with the same starters again, especially after Merlin Rohl scored Everton’s only goal in that loss. Any alterations are likely to come in the attacking band, where Dwight McNeil, Tyrique George and Thierno Barry are queuing up for a chance to change the narrative.

West Ham v Leeds – must‑win tension, patched‑up visitors

Nuno Espirito Santo tried a back three against Newcastle, then abandoned it within half an hour. That experiment is over. A four‑man defence is expected to stay in place for this must‑win match.

The dilemmas are now specific, not structural. At right‑back, Nuno must choose between Kyle Walker‑Peters and Aaron Wan‑Bissaka. Further forward, he has to decide whether Pablo or Callum Wilson provides the best support for Valentin Castellanos in attack.

Leeds limp to the finish line with bodies missing but spirits intact after beating Brighton. Ilia Gruev, Noah Okafor and Gabriel Gudmundsson are still out. Anton Stach and Sean Longstaff have joined them on the injury list.

There is at least some relief. Pascal Struijk and Jayden Bogle are back in training, though their availability remains uncertain. Brenden Aaronson, who took a dead leg last time out, should be ready. The final attacking berth appears to be a straight fight between him and Wilfried Gnonto, with Daniel Farke short on alternatives.

The last day will not just settle places in the table. It will reveal who managers truly trust when the season’s final whistle blows and the real rebuilding begins.