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Premier League title race finale analysed

Watch Liverpool vs Wolves and Brighton vs Manchester City, live on Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event from 2pm Sunday, May 12. Kick-off for both games is 3pm.

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The title race goes down to the wire on Sunday as Manchester City and Liverpool battle to be crowned champions and we've picked five essential stats ahead of the blockbuster finale.

The lead atop the Premier League table has changed a record 32 times this season - and there is only one place to be this Sunday afternoon as City and Liverpool play out the final act of a remarkable title race.

Can Liverpool defy the odds one more time after their staggering Champions League comeback in midweek? Or will City secure successive Premier League titles?

The destiny of the title has been decided on the final day in six previous Premier League seasons, with the champions finishing just a single point clear on four occasions - and even closer one year.

The narrowest margin was on that extraordinary afternoon in May, 2012, when Roberto Mancini's Manchester City side scored twice in injury time to beat Queens Park Rangers 3-2 - winning the title on goal difference.

1

This season is the first time a runner-up would have collected 90 points or more during the modern era, the previous record was 89 - by Manchester United in 2011/12.

Pep Guardiola's last four titles have been won by a margin of at least 10 points, but this season is the joint-closest race he has ever been involved in - with only one of his previous seven league title wins decided on the final day.

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In 2010, his Barcelona side led Real Madrid by one point going into the final day - they went on to win 4-0 at home to Valladolid, while Manuel Pellegrini's Madrid could only draw at Malaga.

2

With just one league defeat all season, Liverpool's tally of 94 points and goal difference of plus 65 would have been enough to win the title in 113 of the previous 119 top division seasons in English football.

Incredibly, we already know that it won't be enough for them to win a first Premier League title this season and, even with a win on the final day against Wolves, it also won't be enough for a club-record points haul.

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That honour will remain with Liverpool's class of '79, who, assuming three points for a win, amassed 98 points under Bob Paisley as the club won their 11th league title.

That total looked as though it might never be surpassed, until Guardiola's City broke all manner of records last term and set a new top-division benchmark of 100 points - winning their third Premier League title.

3

Liverpool fans will be praying that Brighton can come up with a result and prevent City from becoming the first side to retain a Premier League title since Manchester United did so a decade ago, back in 2009.

But that seems an unlikely scenario, as Chris Hughton's side have taken just 11 points from their 17 games in 2019 - with only rock-bottom Huddersfield winning fewer.

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Brighton have actually taken more points away, than at the Amex since the turn of the year, with their only home win coming against Huddersfield, back at the start of March.

The stats get worse for Liverpool fans hoping for a shock result: Brighton's three goals scored at home is actually the fewest of all 92 clubs in England this calendar year.

However, Albion did manage to draw home and away against Arsenal, and they pulled off a 3-2 win on home soil against Manchester United back in August - but can they defy the odds for Liverpool this weekend?

3

Wolves are far from ideal visitors to Anfield on Sunday. Nuno Espirito Santo's side have won an impressive 57 points this season - the most by a newly-promoted side since Ipswich finished on 66 points in 2000/01.

They have recorded 15 wins, the most by a promoted side since Reading won 16 games in 2006/07 and 16 of those points have come against the 'big six' - no side has won as many points against that elite group this season.

5

So, it all comes down to the final day, some 274 days after the season kicked off: the champions will finally be crowned.

Neither City or Liverpool have dropped points since March 3, and the lead has not changed hands on the final day of a top-division season since Arsenal overtook Liverpool to win the title - all the way back in 1989.

It is very much in City's hands, but can Liverpool cap an extraordinary season with an extraordinary finish? Super Sunday is unmissable and it's live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League from 2pm.

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Final day live on Sky...

Premier League - Brighton vs Manchester City: Live on Sky Sports Main Event from 2.30pm. Kick-off is 3pm.

Premier League - Liverpool vs Wolves: Live on Sky Sports Premier League from 2pm. Kick-off is 3pm.

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