After another nail-biting weekend at the bottom of the Premier League, a path has opened up for Leicester to make a dramatic escape from relegation.
The failure of Everton and Leeds to pick up wins means the second-bottom Foxes could move out of the bottom three on goal difference if they beat Newcastle on Monday.
Draw or lose though, and it will be Everton who remain above the dreaded bottom line going into the final weekend.
“We are pretty much in the last chance saloon with a game against Newcastle,” said Leicester manager Dean Smith.
“Disappointment and frustration are the two words I’d say I’ve seen. But we are running out of games to put that right and the players know that.”
The Toffees scored a 99th-minute equaliser against Wolves on Saturday and manager Sean Dyche says they will fight to preserve their top-flight status.
“It sends another message that we’re alive and ready, we’re taking it on,” he said. “The mentality has got stronger and stronger, particularly away from home.
“I think there’s been an obvious shift, but it means nothing unless we take care of ourselves next week.”
Leeds’ destiny is now out of their hands after slipping to a 3-1 defeat against West Ham on Sunday, leaving them two points behind Everton in 18th place, with Tottenham lying in wait on the final day at Elland Road.
“We slipped up last week when we could have won and today we haven’t shown the quality when needed,” said manager Sam Allardyce. “So next week has to be much, much better.
“The players need to roll their sleeves up, apply themselves in the right way, beat Tottenham and hope other results go in our favour.”
The relegation picture became clearer in Saturday’s late game when Nottingham Forest beat Arsenal 1-0 to secure their place in the top flight for next season, meaning is two from three to decide who will join already relegated Southampton in the Championship.
How it stands
Nottingham Forest (16th, 37pts)
Safe
Nottingham Forest are in the Premier League for the first time since 1998-99 after winning promotion from the Championship last season and Steve Cooper signed 30 players in a bid to keep them in the top division.
He achieved that aim with a game to spare after Taiwo Awoniyi’s goal sealed victory against the Gunners that also secured the Premier League title for Manchester City.
Still to play: 28 May: Crystal Palace (a)
Everton (17th, 33pts)
Everton’s results improved after Dyche became manager at the end of January following the sacking of Frank Lampard, but not enough to steer them clear of trouble.
They were seconds away from defeat against Wolves, but only time will tell how crucial Mina’s late goal will be.
“The mood around Goodison Park would have hit the floor had they left Molineux with the defeat that would have left their Premier League existence even more fragile,” said BBC Sport chief football writer Phil McNulty.
“Instead, Mina pounced in a crowded scene to give Everton a point that may yet prove priceless as they go into their final home game against Bournemouth.
“Goodison Park will be full of passion next Sunday as Everton hope they can make their third last-day escape of the Premier League era.”
Still to play: 28 May: Bournemouth (h)
Leeds United (18th, 31pts)
Jesse Marsch was sacked as manager in February with Leeds on a seven-game winless run but, after an encouraging start, things got tough for new boss Javi Gracia and he was subsequently replaced by Allardyce.
Leeds boosted their survival hopes with a spirited 2-2 draw at home to Newcastle at Elland Road last weekend, but Sunday’s defeat away at West Ham means their fate is now out of their hands.
The Whites finish the season at home to Tottenham Hotspur.
Winger Luis Sinisterra, whose goal against Leicester on 25 April was his third in five games, isn’t available for the run-in owing to an ankle ligament injury, but Junior Firpo is available for the Spurs game after missing the West Ham defeat with a one-game ban.
Still to play: 28 May: Tottenham (h)
Leicester City (19th, 30pts)
Leicester finished eighth last season and reached the Europa Conference League semi-finals, but they made an awful start to this campaign, picking up only one point in their first seven matches.
Manager Brendan Rodgers has been replaced by Smith until the end of the season, but they have dropped into the relegation places.
Leicester have an array of attacking talent, but their problem has been conceding goals, having failed to keep a clean sheet in their past 20 matches.
Still to play: 22 May: Newcastle (a); 28 May: West Ham (h)
Southampton (20th, 24pts)
Relegated
Southampton will be playing Championship football in 2023-24 after a 2-0 loss to Fulham on Saturday extended their winless streak to 11, including eight defeats, and confirmed their relegation.
They are another side on their third manager of the season after they sacked Ralph Hasenhuttl in November.
He was replaced by Nathan Jones, who only lasted eight Premier League matches and picked up one win before he was also dismissed.
Ruben Selles, assistant manager under Hasenhuttl, was next in line, but he has not been able to keep them up.
Still to play: 21 May: Brighton (a); 28 May: Liverpool (h)
