Reading and Queens Park Rangers fought out a desperate
battle for survival on Sunday that nobody survived.
Neither side was able to earn the three points which would
have kept their slims hopes of survival alive, and instead both teams were
resigned to relegation.
As QPR and Reading remain 9 points behind Aston Villa with 3
games to play, it appears that survival is still possible, however as Aston
Villa play 18th placed Wigan on the final day of the season, either
an Aston Villa win or draw moves them out of reach of Reading and QPR, and
likewise Wigan would move onto 35 points with a win, 10 clear of Reading and QPR
– so whatever the result it is impossible for Reading and QPR not to remain in
the bottom three spots.
Of more concern for teams higher in the table was the PFA
Player of the Year Awards, now the destination of the title has already been
decided. Gareth Bale took the prize for
the second time after a blistering run of form in the second half of the season
which has given credibility to comparisons with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel
Messi.
Robin Van Persie again demonstrated his credentials for the
award at the weekend against his former club Arsenal. He may have almost walked into the wrong
dressing room at the Emirates Stadium as Manchester United arrived, however it
was Bacary Sanga that seemed to momentarily forget Van Persie had moved on,
passing him the ball before fouling him in the area to give Van Persie the
opportunity to score from the spot.
Luis Suarez and Gareth Bale were nominated for the PFA
Player of the Year Awards as they have both seemingly carried their clubs with
their fantastic form, however as Luis Suarez begins his 10 match ban for biting
Branislav Ivanovic, Liverpool demonstrated they are no one man team, racking up
their highest scoring win of the season over Newcastle without their star
striker.
Coutinho and Sturridge were in inspired form, showing that
Liverpool will be able to cope without the controversial Uruguayan, and
possibly making members of the Liverpool hierarchy think that should a suitable
offer come in, they may well decide to cash in on Suarez and avoid the controversy
that follows him around.
The race for the Champions League places between Arsenal,
Chelsea and Tottenham, along with the battle to beat the drop, now looking like
a straight contest between Wigan and Aston Villa are the main points of
interest in the League.
It was a good weekend for Cheslea, as Tottenham and Arsenal
dropped points. Arsenal gaining the
point at the expense of Man Utd was also good for Chelsea as it means United
cannot surpass Chelsea’s record points total of 95, set in Jose Mourinho’s
debut season.
Wigan and Aston Villa meet on the last day of the season,
and it appears both their fates hang on that one game.
Elsewhere in Europe, PSG can seal the title next weekend
after a bad tempered 1-0 win over Evian.
David Beckham made the headlines for the wrong reasons,
receiving a controversial sending off, where he appeared to raise his leg to
perform a vicious stamp on his opponent, but instead planted it in the ground
and shielded the ball. From Beckham’s
body movement and his opponent’s play acting, the referee was convinced that a
foul had occurred.
Beckham is no stranger to a controversial sending off,
incurring the hatred of the whole of England in 1998 when he was sent off
during England’s World Cup exit to Argentina.
This incident is unlikely to draw the same levels of criticism.