How Arsenal can overtake Spurs to celebrate St Totteringham's Day again

Gunners head into final-day clash against Aston Villa needing a point to secure third and a miracle to overhaul their rivals

George Cooper
Sunday 15 May 2016 07:56 EDT
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Arsene Wenger
Arsene Wenger (Getty)

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Arsenal head into their final Premier League match of the season against relegated Aston Villa knowing they can finish as high as second or as low as fourth.

A win or draw over relegated Villa at The Emirates would guarantee Arsene Wenger’s men third place and a spot in the group stages of next season’s Champions League.

Defeat – surely unthinkable – would open the door for Manchester City to sneak into third place with a win over Swansea City. That would consign Arsenal to a Champions League play-off and pile yet more pressure on Wenger.

A point, then, is the minimum required for the Gunners, but there is also the possibility, albeit slim, of finishing second and maintaining their 21-year record of finishing above Tottenham.

Arsenal have not finished below Spurs since 1995. A point for Tottenham at relegated Newcastle would leave Arsenal needing to beat Aston Villa by a whopping 13 goals.

Should Spurs lose, however, Arsenal know three points will take them into second.

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