So the home team, having had the advantage of the decisive match at their stadium, should also get the advantage of having extra time (and possibly penalties) at their stadium as well, with no drawbacks at all?

TBH I think I'd scrap the whole away goals rule anyway. It puts too much pressure on the home sides in the first leg not to concede, and distorts many second legs as well.

The Liverpool-Chelsea match is the decisive one. If Chelsea beat Liverpool, it doesn't particularly matter what Sunderland and Man United do.

There is an obvious reason why Liverpool wouldn't want to help United, they would overtake them as the most successful league side in the history of the English football. IMO that matters far more to the supporters than it will to the players or manager.

Benitez and the players still have the chance of 4th, and even if that's not possible they will still want to get Thursday off their minds and end a horrible season on a high. And while they enjoy helping United take the title by beating Chelsea, it's not like they wouldn't take great delight in screwing up our title bid.

I think the figure I've seen for the difference between Sunderland finishing the highest they can and the lowest is something like £4m. That's an enormous amount of money at stake for a club like Sunderland for a couple of games. There's also Sunderland's home record at stake. They've lost two games at home all season.

For me everyone has made the right noises over these games. Unlike in the last few seasons where United's opponents in some of the last few games virtually congratulated United on their wins over them before the games had been played.

I love the way so many people have bought into this whole "Liverpool or Sunderland might throw their match" bs over the last few days, because usually it's the same people who bang on about the amazing honesty and integrity of the English game, and that any dodgy antics are always perpetrated by those sneaky foreigners.

Okay, generally, teams prefer to play away in the first leg. But there's no proof to which is an advantage. Teams may prefer to build a lead in the first home leg, then wait to nick a goal in the away leg to kill the tie off. Swings and roundabouts.

Even our "chairman" doesn't want us to win on Sunday.

Because he's a Chelsea fan.

Citeh losing at home to Villa.

It'll be really funny if, having sacked Hughes when he had them in 6th position, they end up finishing seventh.

Seeing as Citeh might only end up scraping into the Europa's, hopefully it'll mean all the glory hunters from Moss Side don't come back until they beat AC Milan to the Kings of the Universe Cup, the most prestigious trophy ever.

Damn, they'll be making a return again.

Pretty much all the results went the way to make the scousers motivation even lower for tomorrow.

Everton drew, which means they can't catch Liverpool for 7th spot. Spurs won and the Citeh-Villa game ended up with a winner, which means their chances of getting fourth are pretty much gone.

Put the ressies out.

There's still one...

If Fulham win the Europa League, they get back in at the expense of 7th, so t'lot over t'park will want to finish 6th, to anchor down a Europa spot.

But, watch them roll over and die to give your lot a chance to blow the title on the final day

I know the scousers wanted to use winning the Europa League as a way to salvage something from a dreadful season, but is qualifying for the EL really something that they want?

If they don't have the EL next season, they can concentrate fully on the league and the FA Cup. While I thought their position last season of second was higher than their true position, there's no way on earth they are the 6th or 7th best side in England. A season of purely domestic football will enable them to regain their place among the top sides.

The EL is bloody brilliant for sides like Foolham. For Citeh it'll be a good stepping stone for their eventual appearance in the CL, but I just don't see what the EL holds for Liverpool. They are better off out of it.

Good point and I tend to agree. It could be looked at being in EL is at least a european competition but suppose as you say it doesn't really offer the red anything. They say the league table doesn't lie and you finish where you deserve after 38 league games so I have to disagree and this year Liverpool have been the 6th/7th best team this season.

Is it right that if Fulham win the EL Liverpool don't get into and europe?

On MOTD just mentioned something about if Fulham do win Burnley will be in the qualifying rounds?

Both scenarios

For Liverpool, they could finish 7th but not qualify for Europe, same as anyone else who finished 7th, if Fulham win the Europa

As for Burnley, currently the Premier League has a UEFA Fair Play spot, of all the clubs currently not in automatic CL/EL spots, and Fulham, Burnley are the highest team in the Fair Play League, meaning they'd get a place in the first qualifying round of the Europa, regardless of the fact they're relegated.

If Fulham lose in Hamburg, I think they'd get that instead of Burnley, but will have to play 6/8 games extra than if they win the tournament and go back in as holders.

I think anyway

Are you sure Fulham take the place of 7th if they win the trophy?

Not that, just I read it mentioned on one of the Liverpool forums that we're definitely in European competition next year, no mention of Fulham was made.