Premier League: Top Anytime Goalscorer Picks for Final Day of the Season
by Devesh Jaganath | by Devesh Jaganath
Viktor Gyokeres - Crystal Palace vs. Arsenal
Arsenal confirmed our Premier League predictions by winning their first top-flight title in 22 years earlier this week after Manchester City fluffed their lines against Bournemouth, and they will be in high spirits as they head to Selhurst Park this weekend for their final match of the season.
While many will be hoping for Sunday’s London Derby to be a fiercely contested matchup, there is a very strong likelihood that both managers will rotate heavily for the match, with both the Gunners and Eagles already looking ahead to their upcoming European finals.
“We want to have the parade with two big trophies!”
Those were the words of Mikel Arteta in his pre-match press conference. Arsenal are set to take on PSG in the Champions League final next week, while Oliver Glasner’s final match with Palace will be the Conference League final against Rayo Vallecano on Wednesday night.
Given that the Eagles are not playing for anything in the Prem and the short turnaround before travelling to Leipzig, Glasner will not want to risk injuries to his starters, with the likes of Maxence Lacroix, Daniel Munoz, Chris Richards and Ismaila Sarr all expected to start on the bench.
With Arteta seemingly favouring Kai Havertz as his number nine for the UCL final, Viktor Gyokeres should get the nod to start at Selhurst Park, and the Swede will be licking his lips at the prospect of adding to his 21-goal tally against a second-string Palace defence.
Jarrod Bowen - West Ham United vs. Leeds United
With the Premier League title decided, this weekend’s focus will be on the opposite end of the table, where West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur are set for a straight shootout to maintain their top-flight status.
As it stands, West Ham are trailing the Lilywhites by two points, meaning anything but three points against Leeds United will see them relegated to the Championship. With Spurs having a better goal difference of 12, the Hammers have to win here and hope the North Londoners lose to Everton.
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | Tottenham Hotspur | 37 | 9 | 11 | 17 | -10 | 38 |
| 18 | West Ham United | 37 | 9 | 9 | 19 | -22 | 36 |
If the Irons are to secure a victory, Jarrod Bowen is likely to be central to it. There have been numerous reports in recent days suggesting that if West Ham are relegated, Bowen is likely to leave the club next season, with Liverpool among those believed to be interested.
However, the England international will do everything possible to keep his current side in the top flight, and even if he is on the way out, he will want to mark his final match with a goal. Bowen has 10 goals this season and provided an assist in the reverse fixture at Elland Road in October.
Mohamed Salah - Liverpool vs. Brentford
Sunday will mark the end of an era on Merseyside, with Mohamed Salah set to step out at Anfield for the final time as a Liverpool player, having confirmed a couple of months ago that he will be leaving the club at the end of this season, ending his nine-year tenure.
Salah made headlines in the build-up to this weekend’s fixture after a social media post in which he called for Liverpool to change their style of play and seemingly criticised Arne Slot for trying to change what has made the club successful over the past decade.
While there is still some uncertainty around whether the Egyptian will be given a start on Sunday, it does seem likely after Slot’s press conference, where he poured cold water over tensions between himself and Salah, while reaffirming that the team is ready for the upcoming match.
"We both want what's best for the club, we both want the club to be successful and that's the main aim. What is important is that we qualify for the Champions League on Sunday and I prepare Mo and the whole team in the best possible way for the game.”
Liverpool are currently in fifth place in the Premier League standings heading into their clash against Brentford. They need a point to guarantee Champions League qualification, and if Salah starts, there is no doubt that the Egyptian King will want to mark his final day with a big performance.
