Premier League
Table
THE TITLE race
is not over, cautioned Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson even before his team lost their fourth league game of the season 1-0 at Arsenal.
Aaron Ramsey scored the only goal early in the second half and, for once, the Gunners held on meaning that the Red Devils, on 73 points, are now just three points ahead of Chelsea.
Chelsea have reignited their championship charge after eight wins and a draw from their last nine Premier League matches, though 2-1 their victory over Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday was fortunate, to say the least.
After Didier Drogba had hit the bar with a rasping drive, Sandro had given Spurs the lead on 19 minutes with an equally ferocious shot from 25 yards.
But Chelsea equalised on the stroke of half time when another goalkeeping mistake by Heurelho Gomes allowed Frank Lampard's weak shot the roll towards the net.
The only problem was that the whole ball did not cross the line and yet the goal was still given. Lampard claimed that this was karma for his 'goal' which had crossed the line against Germany in the World Cup but was not given.
However, this seems to be the case of two wrongs do not make a right and there was further contoversy when Saloman Kalou scored a late winner from an offside position.
Next up for Carlo Ancelotti's men: Manchester United away on Sunday. And, with both clubs boasting the same goal difference, any victory for the Blues will put them top of the league for the first time since November.
Arsenal may have kept themselves in with a mathematical shot of the title after that 1-0 win but the reality is that Arsene Wenger's men look set to go without a trophy for a sixth successive season.
Defeats to Barcelona in the Champions League and Manchester United in the FA Cup coincided with a league run of just one win in seven games before Sunday.
Their results included 0-0 home draws against Sunderland and Blackburn Rovers and further extraordinary giveaways in the 1-1 draw against Liverpool and 3-3 draw against Spurs.
Last week's 2-1 defeat to a Bolton Wanderers side still reeling from their 5-0 FA Cup semi final loss means Wenger's men are still six points behind leaders United with only three matches left.
Race for fourth and fifth
SIR Alex Ferguson may have been correct about the title race still being wide open but Spurs boss Harry Redknapp's similar prediction about fourth place
now looks somewhat optomistic.
Tottenham's defeat to Chelsea may have been unlucky but, allied to Manchester City's 2-1 home win over bottom-of-the-table West Ham United, it means Roberto Mancini's men are in control.
City, in fourth, are now seven points clear of Spurs who dropped to sixth place on goal difference after Liverpool's almost traditional 3-0 home win over Newcastle United.
It looks as if Spurs' match away at Manchester City on 10th May is going to be less vital than it was last season when Peter Crouch scored the only goal as the London club edged City out of fourth place.
Instead, Spurs' trip to Anfield on 15th May now looks more vital after the Reds' move above them with only fifth place in the league providing a route into Europe this season.
Liverpool have not lost at Anfield in 2011 with Kenny Dalglish taking 30 points from 15 league matches since he was appointed in the New Year.
And so, it could easily happen that Spurs will go from playing Real Madrid in the quarter finals of the Champions League this season to no European football at all in the next.
Relegation battle
WEST HAM UNITED sunk even deeper into relegation trouble after a poor start at Manchester City led to a fifth consecutive defeat at the worst possible time.
The Hammers were 2-0 down in just 20 minutes to goals from Nigel de Jong and Pablo Zabaleta and, though Demba Ba pulled one back before half time, City held firm in the second half.
The defeat leaves West Ham on 32 points, three adrift of safety with just three matches left.
Nevertheless, manager Avram Grant
is still confident that seven points from fixtures against Blackburn Rovers, Wigan Athletic and Sunderland will be enough for safety.
The match against Wigan in less than two weeks time looks like being curtains for the loser after the Latics were also unable to pull themselves out of the bottom three this weekend.
Roberto Martinez's side were 1-0 up at home to Everton through Charles N'Zogbia's goal but Leighton Baines' equaliser from the spot kept the home side in the relegation zone on 35 points.
It could have been worse for Wigan but Blackpool had to settle for their second home draw in a week after a 0-0 stalemate against cup finalists Stoke City, meaning the Lancashire clubs are separated just by goal difference.
And second-bottom Wolverhampton Wanderers, on 34 points, could also only draw against Birmingham City whose point edges them four points clear of the drop zone on 39 points.
Alex McLeish's Blues could probably still do with another result to confirm safety, as could Blackburn just below them on 38 points despite Rovers' fine 1-0 derby win over Bolton this weekend, thanks to Martin Olsson's goal.
The Championship
Table
QUEENS PARK RANGERS and Norwich City sealed a return to the top-flight after both enjoyed away wins over the Bank Holiday weekend.
Rangers also look to have clinched the title with their 2-0 win over Watford after late goals from Adel Taarabt and Tommy Smith.
However, mystery surrounds the fate of the Loftus Road club who must attend an FA hearing this week into their 2009 signing of Alejandro Faurlin.
A significant point deduction,
as expected by former FA chief Mark Palios, would drop Neil Warnock's men into the playoffs, four years after Warnock's Sheffield United team were relegated below a Carlos Tevez-inspired West Ham team in the Premier League.
Tevez, like Faurlin, had been signed from a third party and, though the Hammers achieved safety and subsequently no deduction, Football League rules changed as a result of the saga.
QPR are currently on 88 points, five clear of Norwich in second and nine clear of Cardiff City in third.
The Canaries have no such qualms over their status as Paul Lambert's men clinched a brilliant second successive promotion with a tight 1-0 win over Portsmouth at Fratton Park.
Simeon Jackson scored his ninth goal in his last seven games to confirm a complete turnaround at the Carrow Road club since they were beaten 7-1 on the opening day of 2009/10 by Lambert's Colchester United side.
This was not a classic performance from Norwich who have beaten rivals Ipswich Town 4-1 and 5-1 in their two matches this season but it was enough to seal a place back in the elite after Cardiff's slip up.
Playoff contenders
CARDIFF fans were stunned after a 3-0 home defeat to mid-table Middlesbrough condemned the Welsh club to the playoffs once again.
Dave Jones will hope that his team's experience in the end-of-season competition this season will be better than last year when the Bluebirds reached Wembley only to be shocked in the Final by Blackpool.
There is the distinct chance this time of an all-Welsh final with Swansea City sitting in fourth on 79 points while fifth-placed Reading's push for automatic promotion eventually faltered.
The Royals had put together a run of eight consecutive wins to move within three points of second place but just two points from their last three matches means Brian McDermott's side also has an extended season.
Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest look set to edge Leeds United out of the final playoff place after Kris Boyd scored twice in a 5-1 thumping of Scunthorpe United.
Billy Davies' men, thus, stay three points clear of their Yorkshire rivals who narrowly beat Burnley 1-0 thanks to Ross McCormack's neat finish.
But, with a goal difference six better than Leeds thanks to that big win over Scunthorpe, Forest could most likely even afford defeat at Crystal Palace on the final day and still finish in the top six.
Leeds can only hope to capitalise with a big win away at Queens Park Rangers, which is easier said than done.
Relegation
LONG-TIME strugglers Sheffield United, Scunthorpe and Preston North End have all been relegated to League One.
The three clubs have been ever-present in the bottom three since the New Year and eventually time has run out for all of them.
In the end, it was Sheffield United who came closest out of the three to rescuing their season.
A brace of 3-2 wins against Bristol City and Reading over Easter had given the Blades some hope of pulling off a great escape but they failed at the third hurdle in a 2-2 draw with Barnsley.
As a result, United join city rivals Sheffield Wednesday in the third flight from the next season, the first time since the 1979-80 season that this has been the case.
Meanwhile, the 5-1 thrashing for Scunthorpe by Forest also confirmed that the Irons' two-year stay in the Championship has come to an end - although Easter Monday's 2-1 defeat at home to Millwall pretty much sealed their fate.
The loss to Millwall left Alan Knill's men six points adrift of safety with only two games left and the worst goal difference in the division.
Finally, Preston North End will also be in the third flight after their relegation was confirmed on Easter Monday after a 1-0 defeat at home to Cardiff.
Doncaster Rovers and Crystal Palace are the clubs immediately above the drop zone who can go into the final day of action breathing a sigh of relief.
League One
Table
BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION will host Championship-level football at their new stadium in Falmer after sealing the League One title with a 3-1 win at Walsall.
The Seagulls' form has since dropped away somewhat with two defeats and a draw from their last three games but only after the hard work has already been done.
Up until those recent home defeats to Southampton and Huddersfield Town, Gus Poyet's men had not lost at home all season and so finally the Withdean stadium has been good to the south coast club.
But it is surely better that the club is now moving into a ground which it actually owns and which can produce a better atmosphere than a council-owned athletic stadium.
Brighton may yet be joined in the second tier by both Southampton and Huddersfield who are second and third in the table.
The Saints all-but confirmed their return to the Championship after a two-year absence by beating Plymouth Argyle 3-1 on Bank Holiday Monday.
Nigel Adkin's men are now three points clear of the Terriers with a vastly superior goal difference meaning even a final day defeat against Walsall at home will surely not deny them.
Playoff contenders
HUDDERSFIELD, then, will have to be content with the end-of-season playoffs, a barely deserved reward for a fine effort this season which has seen the west Yorkshire club collect 86 points.
Lee Clark will have to lift his team and ensure that they can achieve promotion after all by extending their remarkable unbeaten record beyond its current streak of 24 games.
The Terriers are joined in the playoffs by free-scoring Peterborough United, Milton Keynes Dons and Bournemouth.
Posh scored their 100th and 101st league goals on Saturday against Rochdale but keeping them out of the other end has proved to be just as big an issue with no fewer than 75 goals conceded.
By contrast, the Dons have only scored 65 goals - the lowest of the top six - while Bournemouth will just be relieved to have hung onto a playoff place after their collapse in form during March and April.
Leyton Orient, Exeter City and Rochdale all gave a good show considering their resources but all fell short of extending their season on this occasion.
Relegation
SWINDON TOWN were defeated in the playoff final last season but, 12 months on, the Robins will finish rock-bottom of League One.
It is an astonishing fall from grace for the Wiltshire club whose relegation was confirmed after a 3-1 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday on Easter Monday.
A further 2-0 home defeat to Oldham Athletic means Swindon have lost their last four games and won just one out of their last 23 in the league, leaving them stranded on 38 points.
Second-bottom Plymouth Argyle are also down after yesterday's 3-1 defeat to Southampton having lost a Devon derby to Exeter 1-0 two days ago.
The Pilgrims were playing in the Championship last season but falling into administration in February this season meant they were deducted 10 points and that has ultimately led to a second successive demotion.
Meanwhile, third-bottom Bristol Rovers can also start preparing for the basement division after a 1-1 draw with Wednesday left them three points adrift of safety with by far the worst goal difference in League One.
The Pirates have conceded 80 goals in the league this season, more than any other team, meaning their goal difference of -33 is much worse than that of Dagenham & Redbridge (-13) and Walsall (-17).
Those two clubs, Dagenham and Walsall, will battle it out with Notts County (-14) to avoid the final relegation place.
The Magpies hold the strongest position after recent wins over Swindon and Tranmere Rovers have helped them to 49 points, two points clear of fourth-bottom Dagenham on 47.
Walsall are sandwiched between the two clubs on 48 points with a slightly worse goal difference than the others and a tough fixture away at Southampton.
Having said that, Notts face champions Brighton at home while Dagenham travel to Peterborough - another opponent in the top six.
League Two
Table
CHESTERFIELD remain in pole position to lift the League Two title despite just one win in their last five league games.
The already-promoted Spireites drew their most recent match 0-0 on Friday against Torquay United but stayed top on 83 points after second-placed Bury blew the chance to move above them.
Bury, who beat Chesterfield 3-2 on Easter Monday to secure their own promotion, were beaten 3-1 by third-placed Wycombe Wanderers to stay on 80 points.
The Chairboys, on 77 points, are unbeaten in their last nine league matches and, sitting a point clear of Shrewsbury Town, the Buckinghamshire club are favourites for the final automatic spot.
Shrewsbury are the only team which can deny Wycombe by gaining a better result at home to Oxford United than Wycombe manage against Southend United at home.
Playoff contenders
IT IS more than likely, then, that the Shrews with have to settle for the playoffs along side Accrington Stanley who have had a brilliant second half of the season to secure fifth place.
Stanley have lost just once in their last 18 league games to shoot up the league from as low as 19th place in February to their current heady heights.
A comfortable 3-1 win at home against Barnet has extended their current unbeaten streak to 12 matches and manager John Coleman will hope that his side can keep their momentum going into the playoffs.
The final two playoff spots will be filled by two of Torquay United, Stevenage and Gillingham, all of whom are on 68 points.
Torquay have the advantage of a better goal difference (+23) than the other two which is +17 for Stevenage and +12 for Gillingham.
And, while the Borough and the Gills battle it out against title chasers Bury and Chesterfield respectively, the Gulls also have the best fixture against Rotherham United who have nothing to play for.
Relegation
STOCKPORT COUNTY were relegated on Saturday after they went down to a 2-0 defeat Crewe Alexandra.
The Hatters survived at 0-0 until the break but, needing to win the game to have any chance, it all fell apart for them in the space of three second-half minutes.
An own goal by Alan Goodall and a Clayton Donaldson strike confirmed Stockport's long-awaited demise - they were the 94th and 95th goals to be conceded by the Manchester club in the league this season.
Stockport will be joined in the Blue Square Premier by either Barnet or Lincoln City after Northampton Town won and Hereford United drew to confirm their safety of 49 points.
Barnet were in a similar position to Stockport at one stage and so they have done well to make it to the last day still harbouring real hopes of survival.
The Bees, on 45 points, are two behind Lincoln but the north Londoners have a much better goal difference (-20, as compared to -33 for Lincoln) and so even a draw for the Imps could be capitalised upon.
Giuliano Grazioli, the caretaker boss at Underhill, still has it all to do, though, against Port Vale at home who left their playoff push too late despite hitting seven past Morecambe on Saturday.
By contrast, Lincoln have what looks to be an easier match on paper against mid-table Aldershot Town at home - but, then, football has never been played on paper and never will be.
Blue Square Premier
Table
CRAWLEY TOWN gained automatic promotion as far back ago as 9th April when they beat Tamworth Town 3-0 at home.
Since then, the Red Devils have won three more matches and drawn the other two to extend their unbeaten run to 30 league games, scoring 93 goals and collecting 105 point along the way.
AFC Wimbledon and Luton Town have long since accepted that they would have to settle for the playoffs despite making strong efforts to finish on 90 and 84 points respectively.
The Dons and the Hatters are joined in the playoffs by Wrexham and Fleetwood Town, a fine effort by the latter only a year after they were promoted from the Blue Square North.
Wrexham, who face Luton, will be familiar with their opponents having met them in a 1-1 draw on the last day of the regular season while Wimbledon will start as clear favourites against Lancastrians Fleetwood.
Fleetwood's near neighbours Southport are heading in the opposite direction after a 3-1 defeat at Kettering sent them down by the margin of just two goals. Forest Green Rovers were the lucky club which just survived.
Altrincham also went down on the last day after a dramatic 4-3 defeat at home to already-relegated Eastbourne Borough.
The Robins suffered a nightmare first half, falling three goals behind, before a fine second half comeback levelled the scores at 3-3.
But, needing to win to have any chance of staying up, Altrincham were caught out when Eastbourne's George Purcell struck a last-minute winner.
Second-bottom Eastbourne and rock-bottom Histon had been relegated weeks ago. Histon went down after a 2-0 defeat at Gateshead while Eastbourne joined them after a 1-1 draw at home to Kidderminster Harriers.
Alfreton Town have been promoted from the Blue Square
North while Braintree Town have come up from the
South division.
Two further promotion places will be decided by playoffs in both divisions. AFC Telford United, Boston United, Eastwood Town and Guiseley are in the North playoffs and, in the South, the four teams are Farnborough, Ebbsfleet United, Chelmsford and Woking.
