Well, we were waiting all year for this weekend, only for Arsene’s men to melt quickly over their last 10 matches. The only sides the Gunners beat in these last 10 were Blackpool and Leyton Orient! Now they can hold out some hope for 2nd and play the role of spoiler so that next week’s showdown becomes the match of the season at Old Trafford. Meanwhile, Spurs still have a chance to return to the Champions League, but will have to beat Chelsea at the Bridge, something they haven’t done in decades, to have a realistic hope. In the Black & White world of the relegation zone, it’s likely 3 from 6, with the B’s in better position than the W’s. There are only 4 showdown matches remaining involving the B’s and W’s, with the first this weekend a must-see cracker of a West Midlands derby at St. Andrew’s.
****: Must-see. Cancel all other activities. Do not even DVR as even in America you might hear the score!
***: Strong match; worth watching live; DVR a must if you can’t see live
**: Flip through quickly to see the goals, red cards, injuries, and perhaps watch the last 5 minutes + injury time if close
*: Only if you’re a die-hard
Matches shown in chronological order:
Saturday, April 30 (all times EDT)
Atrocious choice by ESPN. You have to question their judgment given Blackpool v Stoke was available. Remember, ESPN will spoil all the other scores too, so I’m not sure who will be watching this live.
The Latics have the ‘easiest’ run-in, wiith Villa, West Ham & Stoke to come, but they’re going to have to win 1 or 2, probably 2, to stay up.
*** Blackburn v Bolton, 10 am, foxsoccer.tv & Sunday 1 pm (delayed) FS+ [Dean]
Bolton can play splendidly or they can wilt, as they’ve done recently against Fulham & Stoke. This one means more to Blackburn but they have really struggled.
**** Chelsea v Tottenham, 12:30 pm, FSC & 4 pm (delayed) FD [Marriner]
Get up early, make a fresh pot of coffee, and get ready for 6 terrific hours of football, starting with perhaps the most meaningful match of the week. At least it will almost certainly be the hardest fought. The Blues should ensure safety with a home win, though Wolves won the match down the road in December on Stephen Hunt’s goal. Mick’s boys simply did not show up for their mid-week match @ the Brittania, and he has got to get them absolutely flying out of the gate for this one.
200+ Channels & Local Sports
- Price: Plans starting at $14.99/mo (Latino)
- Watch Ligue 1, Copa Libertadores & World Cup Qualifiers
Every MLS Match in One Place
- Price: $12.99/mo (Now included with standard subscription)
- Watch every MLS regular season game, Playoffs & Leagues Cup
Many Sports & ESPN Originals
- Price: $11.99/mo (or ESPN Unlimited for $29.99/mo)
- Features LaLiga, Bundesliga, FA Cup & NWSL
2,000+ Soccer Games Per Year
- Price: Starting at $8.99/mo
- Features Champions League, Serie A & Europa League
Home of the Premier League
- Price: Starting at $10.99/mo
- 175+ Exclusive EPL matches per season