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Today, we slide into the weekend – and the end of the Premier League – as Ilia Gruev…
On the road:
4️⃣ Manchester City, history and that number
👀 Messi’s stormy salary
👋 What makes Klopp unique, ahead of his last game against Liverpool
🎥 Which clubs’ fans want to abolish VAR?
History awaits 🏆🏆🏆🏆
Manchester City’s magnificent team and 115 categories – can the two be separated?
The Premier League is a simple division: 20 teams chase balls for 38 games and, in the end, Manchester City always wins.
There’s a lot of risk this season with the title race going into the final day, but this isn’t City’s first rodeo — and every time they’ve been in that scenario they’ve emerged victorious.
City are on match point again, but as Pep Guardiola pointed out this week, when you’re trying to win Wimbledon, the final serve is often the hardest. An emphatic ace is expected though, given West Ham’s rivals have conceded 10 times in their last two away games.
Winning three titles in a row has only been achieved on five occasions — rivals City United have done it twice — and no one has ever won four in a row.
Why; It’s tough. There’s turmoil on board and on the field, “Hey, let’s try to win another cup,” which brings further distractions as other teams improve.
But City have the wealth, the players and Guardiola. This cocktail should see them make history on Sunday.
📺 Manchester City v West Ham, Sunday, 11am. ET / 4 p.m. UK — NBC, Sky Sports Main Event
Admirable effort from Arsenal
Speaking of improving teams, Arsenal have been on a seemingly continuous upward curve. If Mikel Arteta’s side take the title – they must win and City hope to draw or lose – it would be an amazing achievement.
In the last five seasons, they have finished 8th, 8th, 5th, 2nd and (most likely) 2nd. Not only have they recorded their most wins in a single campaign (27), but they are unbeaten against all of the ‘Big Six’ teams and have won 15 of their last 17 games.
Arsenal’s consistency is admirable, writes Art de Roché. They are here to stay. But as Liverpool found out, being excellent often proves not to be enough when City are involved.
📺 Arsenal v Everton, Sunday, 11am. ET / 4 p.m. UK — US Network, TNT Sports 1
The number that won’t go away
See that in the corner of the room? He is a big, fat elephant.
City’s achievements are impressive, but we cannot ignore the 115 charges of alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules (which they deny), over nine different seasons.
They have been referred to an independent regulatory commission, but a hearing date remains unclear. While the logistics of the final day are complex and exciting, Premier League chief executive Richard Masters has decided not to hand over the trophy himself if City lift it on Sunday.
It’s all very complicated, but is it possible — as Oliver Kaye asks today — to split Guardiola’s ultra-talented squad on the pitch and categories off it?
Messi’s Crazy Money 💰
It’s no surprise that Lionel Messi is a well-paid bloke, but the figures revealed about the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner are nevertheless shocking.
The Inter Miami captain’s salary package of $20.4m (£16.1m) a year (guaranteed) is more than the combined compensation of all 25 MLS rosters. The trade value is undeniable, and most importantly, he continues to work magic on the court for the Eastern Conference leaders.
Sports John Muller explained why the 36-year-old is putting together the best individual season in MLS history. It certainly earns its dough.
We are talking about a good game 🗣️
![](https://cdn.theathletic.com/app/uploads/2024/05/15122138/24_Klopp_Coach-scaled.jpg)
![](https://cdn.theathletic.com/app/uploads/2024/05/15122138/24_Klopp_Coach-scaled.jpg)
Getty Images? design: Eamonn Dalton
“In the last 30 to 40 years, not many managers have changed a club like Jurgen. Louis van Gaal at Ajax, Johan Cruyff at Barca, Pep Guardiola at Barca, Arrigo Sacchi at Milan. Then, for me, Jurgen is here.” — Pep Linders, Liverpool assistant manager
Nine years. Eight trophies. Klopp is the man who made Liverpool believe.
He will manage his final game for his club this weekend and James Pearce spoke to staff and players about why he has been so successful.
NEWS: It’s not just Klopp who will be leaving this summer — Thiago and Joel Matip have just announced their departures.
Around The Athletic FC 🌎
📺 Bayer Leverkusen vs Augsburg, Saturday, 9.30am ET 2:30 p.m. UK, ESPN+, Sky Sports Arena
VAR Vote II 🗳️
VAR…or VA-arrrghhh? That’s how The Athletic subscribers feel about the technology proving so divisive that Premier League clubs will vote on its future next month, as David Ornstein exclusively revealed.
After 51% of our subscribers yesterday voted to keep VAR, we then asked: should your club vote to scrap it?
And fans from 15 of the 20 PL clubs voted overwhelmingly yes. As expected, 90% of Wolves fans, the club that submitted the proposal, voted in favour. Interestingly, fans from three of the league’s top four teams voted mostly ‘no’. Take from that what you will.
Quiz question ❓
Who are the two players missing from the list below?
2010-11: Cristian Riveros; 2011-12: ??????? 2012-13: Urby Emanuelson; 2013-14: Chris David; 2014-15: Loic Remy; 2015-16: Chris Smalling; 2016-17: Michy Batshuayi; 2017-18: ??????
Did it get stuck? We’ll reveal the answer on our website here in a few hours — and in Monday’s newsletter
(Top photo: Michael Regan/Getty Images)