Good Morning,
In todays double header we see the two teams on the edge of relegation take on the two teams on the edge of CL qualifications. But due to the the Europa final craziness one of the bottom teams will make the champions league. I don’t think this is what Jesus meant when he said “the last shall be first… “ Enjoy.

-Gabe

Matches

🦁 Villa vs 🐔 Spurs

Villa's Friday Fiesta
Friday night lights at Villa Park, and it’s looking more like a potential runover game than a showdown (although last time I said that, Southampton tied City). Villa, unbeaten in 20 straight home matches (yeah, you read that right), are riding the Unai Emery express straight toward European football — and with Champions League dreams still flickering, they’ll be licking their chops. The Opta supercomputer gives them a 66.3% chance to take all three points, and with Ollie Watkins fresh off goal No. 75, you’d be brave to bet against them.

Meanwhile, in the Spurs corner…
Tottenham would probably rather be anywhere else. Sitting 17th in the table, their domestic form has nosedived — one win in 10, 24 total losses this season, and a defense leakier than Pete Hegseth’s group chat. Postecoglou clearly has one eye on the Europa League final (and maybe the exit door?), while Villa aim to end their run of 4-0 and 4-1 drubbings against Spurs with a little payback. History says Spurs love playing at Villa Park — but history isn’t marking Ollie Watkins.

🟦 Chelsea vs 🔴 Man U

 Chelsea Poised to Cook
It’s Friday night under the lights at Stamford Bridge, and Chelsea have all the ingredients needed for a feast. They’re unbeaten at home in 2025 (7W, 2D), have conceded fewer goals at home than anyone this year (just 7). Cole Palmer’s back on the scoresheet and tied as Chelsea’s top scorer against United (four goals), thanks to that hat-trick from last season’s 4–3 madness (relive it here). With top-five Champions League hopes hanging in the balance, Enzo Maresca’s men can’t have zero room for error. But they have the history on their side, Chelsea haven’t lost their final home game of the season in 22 straight years.

United Ready for Season to End
On the flip side, United are winless in their last 7 league matches…their worst run since the days before the league had players names on their shirts. They’ve won just once in their last 11 trips to the Bridge, and with 27 draws, this fixture has been the most deadlocked in league history. But with a Europa League final vs. Spurs looming next week, expect a rotated, risk-averse XI from Ruben Amorim. Bruno Fernandes (second only to Salah for goal involvements this season) might feature, but the focus clearly lies elsewhere. Combine that with Chelsea’s home form, United’s travel sickness, and enough absentees to fill a sprinter van, this one looks tailor-made for Palmer & co. take care of business at home.

Extra Slice

Putting your money where your heart is.

In a world of wealthy athletes diversifying their portfolios, it’s nice to see someone letting their heart get carried away in their investments. Enter NBA forward Larry Nance Jr. of the Atlanta Hawks, he might be the most legit American club investor in the English game. A minority stakeholder at Leeds United since 2023, Nance was front row as the Whites sealed promotion back to the Premier League this spring, beer in hand (or usually gifted to him) and scarf flying high. But he isn’t “all hat no cattle”, the man owns vintage Pelé kits, name-drops Don Revie in casual convo, and has purged his wardrobe of all English teams besides Leeds. “Outside of my wife and kids, football is the biggest part of who I am,” Nance told The Athletic.

Nance is part of a growing trend of American pros buying into the English game. LeBron James famously invested $6.5M for a 2% stake in Liverpool back in 2011 (pretty good timing), Tom Brady's owns 3% of Birmingham City, JJ Watt is in at Burnley, and now NBA coach Jason Kidd is part of Everton’s boardroom brain trust. But Nance stands out for actually being in it. He texts with first-team players, keeps up with tactical decisions, and says he hopes he never cashes out because it would mean he’s stayed in the club forever. As he put it, he's not trying to run the show. He’s just the “tallest Leeds fan in the world.” Respect.

Read the full story on The Athletic →

📈 Table